Choosing Windows Vista...

Windows Vista has been around for a while and while many users tend to avoid it at all cost because of its resource hog, Microsoft step-by-step has "forced" users to switch to windows vista platform by announcing end-of-life of windows xp. Except the famous aero GUI, Microsoft has less to argue with customer about the new features in Windows Vista. Most users commonly will show any hesitations to switch to new platform, include me of course :P. Vista, being outperform by windows xp, makes many end users who still use old hardware decide to stick with windows xp.

But we cannot neglect the fact that windows vista has its advantages too, for example, better memory management and better multitasking support. Maybe in two or three years, in the advent of eight core, the performance advantage of windows vista will take into effects. But for right now, the wisest choice is to stay away from windows vista unless you own a very state-of-the-art hardware which has taken any single penny from your wallet :).

So for candidate windows vista users, you will face 5 editions of windows vista to choose, i.e :

1. Windows Vista Starter Edition
2. Windows Vista Home Basic
3. Windows Vista Home Premium
4. Windows Vista Business
5. Windows Vista Ultimate

Actually there are other windows vistas like windows vista entreprise, but it's for different market segment and end users are not advised to use them :).

Let's begin with windows vista starter edition. Again, just like windows xp starter edition, windows vista starter edition shares the same fate as its predecessor. Windows vista starter edition is purposedly built and marketed for poor countries like Indonesia (sigh-my country), India, Russia, etc.

But even with its price tag ($45) which Microsoft says it's really affordable, most of Indonesian people still hesitate to grab it. The wealthy one will tend to purchase windows vista ultimate or windows vista business since they have spent their almighty dollars for their dream machine. While the poor with poor hardware will drop any idea to use windows vista starter edition because their hardware simply cannot fulfill the requirement.

Of course for all of us, we use computer for making our work easier. So it's essentially very important to have computer system which won't become bottleneck itself. That's why although windows vista starter edition has been around for a while, the fuzz is not so popular here. I think Linux has better fame than windows vista starter edition in Indonesia ;).

For average home users, you simply have to choose of whether to grab windows vista home basic or home premium. If you don't want DVD playback capability bundled into the operating system and want to save more penny to buy third party movie playback software, then you can choose windows vista home basic. But if you like media center idea be integrated into your operating system, then you can go and buy windows vista home premium.

And yet, there are two editions left, windows vista business and windows vista ultimate. As we can read from its name, windows vista business is marketed for business user. So the feature integrated there are mostly for ensuring data integrity. Microsoft has decided to remove some entertainment capability exists on windows vista home premium from windows vista business. So in short, windows vista business is only meant for business user. Simply like that!

The others who are business users but also want some extra entertainment capability from windows vista home premium, can spend extra cash and buy windows vista ultimate. Just like its name, windows vista ultimate is the highest edition in windows vista, means it has the highest number of features integrated and bundled with the highest price that will suck up any hard-earned money you have from your wallet. Enough said..;)

Choosing Windows XP...

Do you know that there are 6 editions of windows xp? Most of us usually only know two editions of windows xp, i.e : Windows XP Home edition and Windows XP Professional edition. But actually there are 4 other editions, as follows :

1. Windows XP Tablet Edition
2. Windows XP Media Center Edition
3. Windows XP Professional 64bit edition
4. Windows XP Starter edition

Then end user are prone to be confused of choosing which windows xp that's right for them. For tablet user, it's easy since there is only one edition of windows xp. For desktop users, they must choose between 5 edition of windows xp. Failure to choose them will cost unsatisfaction (and money too). Through this article, I will try to provide some guide for choosing the right version ;).

If you are a home user and use your desktop pc only for entertainment, then the options can be narrowed down to 2 edition, i.e: Windows xp Home edition and windows xp media center edition. Choose windows xp home edition if you want to buy third party Movie player that you think better than windows media center have. Choose windows xp media center edition if you want to build HTPC with windows in your living room.

For power user who use computer in networking environment and needs remote access capability, then windows xp professional and windows xp professional 64bit edition are the options for you. How to choose them? Simple. If you need memory support more than 4GB, then you must choose windows xp professional 64bit because windows xp professional simply cannot recognise 4GB memory. If you insists to install 4 GB memory on pc with windows xp professional then it will be recognised as 3 G+ memory. Because 32 bit addressing will limit your usable memory address for 4G as a total in your system.

And what about windows xp starter edition? This version is only shipped to poor countries like Indonesia (my country :P), India, Srilanka, etc. This version of windows is released by Microsoft to provide people in poor country for "cheap and affordable" windows. However, this windows has been castrated and users are left with limited capabilities which make this edition is quite unpopular. I, myself, will simply choose Linux over windows xp starter edition, if somebody urges me to make decision :P. Well, $45 is still too much for limited windows edition anyway....

Windows XP End of Life on June 30, 2008

Microsoft has announced that some of its windows product will endure end of life per June 30,2008. Among those products that will be EOL-ed are :

1. Windows XP Professional
2. Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
3. Windows XP Professional x64 Edition
4. Windows XP Home Edition
5. Windows XP Media Center Edition

Windows XP has been known as the most fragile windows in terms of security (well speaking of numerous trojan and virus attacking this platform at every seconds, what can I say....). And it has been hampered by slow booting time if your pc has too many programs installed and run at startup. But, we cannot deny the fact that Windows XP is really a breakthrough jump from previous Windows 98SE. There are features in XP that're really helpful. And Windows XP can be considered lightweight if we compare it with Windows Vista products.

This movement is seemed done by Microsoft for pushing sales of its Windows Vista products since even Microsoft has obliged every system builder to incorporate Windows Vista for bundling with their hardware, many customer decide to downgrade to Windows XP later on because of performance issues. Windows Vista is really good in terms of advanced GUI. I really like the potential of having Aero in my pc but for most of us which use computer or notebook for business, the most important thing is ease of use. And we have used Windows XP for years, making us slightly hesitate to move to Windows Vista platform, haven't we?

For me personally, this is really a bad news since I have already used to windows xp GUI. I think at the end of the month, I will grab one of this oem license for my future HTPC since I have already buy a sound card which only has official windows XP driver. Time to to dig my savings :P....

Junos Advantages over Cisco IOS

If you use Juniper router, then you must know what JUNOS is. JUNOS is Juniper Network Operating System. Or in other words, it's the operating system used for making the router functional. Cisco router also have this kind of operating system. Cisco calls it IOS, stands for Internetwork Operating System.

So in this article, I will try to show you all the benefits JUNOS has over IOS. While I won't make the detail comparison between JUNOS and IOS, I will try to explain JUNOS superiority over IOS.

First, JUNOS is modular. This means if there is any features want to be added, it can be added as packages. It also means that every processes in JUNOS have their own resources. This architecture guarantees system stability. Suppose one module process crash, then only service served by that module that cannot function, the system itself will keep running. On IOS, one service down means the router is crash...

Second, JUNOS is designed carefully as single train software. This means that for every Juniper routers or switches, etc utilizing JUNOS, the CLI syntaxes for every features will be the same. And Juniper has a very controlled timing of releasing JUNOS, that is quarterly. So each year you will have exactly 4 JUNOS release making updating JUNOS can be scheduled as mundane task, while IOS release date is unrealiable...

Third, JUNOS does not oblige you to buy license for advanced services such as IPv6, MPLS, IPSec, etc. In IOS, these features need their own licensing fees which will add to your CAPEX. JUNOS also does not have port licensing scheme. This means you can use all the features on every port you want as much as you want!

Fourth, JUNOS configuration change mechanism is executed by several procedures known as commit and rollback. The configuration can be load into the network device directly, but it won't function until commit command is executed. And for safety precaution, JUNOS provides commit confirmed command, so critical commands that has possibility of locking the network devices can be rollback automatically for certain period. IOS does not have these features. So bad configuration can make the network device unreachable and the only way to revive it is through console port on the network device itself!

Finally, JUNOS can reduce OPEX dramatically by reducing training fees for network engineer, reducing fault operation because of its platform stability, etc. JUNOS is one of the factors of making Juniper network devices, not only the router, glorious over Cisco for the recent years...

The other factors? They will be discussed in later post..Just be patient :)

Curicullum Vitae

Working Experience

March 2004 – August 2006: Centrin Online PT, Tbk, Bandung as System Engineer

August 2006 – Present: Datacomm Diangraha PT, Jakarta as System Engineer

Project Experience 2004 – 2006 (Centrin)

Centrin Internal Project – Network Monitoring Server

• Role : Build and customize the system and maintain it afterwards.

• Description :

• Deploy NMS using Nagios to monitor Centrin’s Routers and Servers using SNMP
• Develop plugins for KPI that cannot be monitored by default using perl and shell script
• Administer Nagios in Centrin for daily operation

Centrin Internal Project – Trouble Ticket System

• Role : Build and customize the system and maintain it afterwards

• Description :

• Deploy Trouble Ticket System using OTRS
• Customize the OTRS source code in order to fulfill Centrin’s need
• Administer OTRS in Centrin for daily operation

Centrin Internal Project – Voip Based PABX System

• Role : Build and customize the system and maintain it afterwards

• Description :

• Deploy Voip PABX using Redhat Linux and Asterisk
• Customize the Asterisk source code in order to fulfill Centrin’s need (IVR part)
• Integrate Centrin billing into Asterisk IVR system using Asterisk perl-AGI
• Develop Web GUI for monitoring, accounting, recording and statictic reporting using php

Centrin Internal Project – MyCentrin WebSite (my.centrin.net.id)

• Role : Build the scripting engine for MyCentrin WebSite and maintain it afterwards

• Description :

• Build news, exchange rate, gold, stocks, and weather forecast crawler script for my.centrin.net.id using perl
• Build customer customization engine script for my.centrin.net.id using perl
• Using web template provided by Centrin’s graphic desainer

Centrin Internal Project – Centrin WebSite (www.centrin.net.id)

• Role : Build the scripting engine for Redeem Point System and maintain it afterwards

• Descriptions :

• Build Redeem Point System (now Centrin Reward) using perl
• Using web template provided by Centrin’s graphic desainer

2006 – Present

J Series, MPLS Project – Excelcom

• Role : Pre-config and deployed the router at customer site

• Descriptions :

• Assisting in preparing router configuration
• Deploy the devices on Excelcomm’s site

Infovista Project – Excelcom

• Role : Provisioning the MPLS IP-VPN network

• Descriptions :

• Provision Excelcomm network devices into Infovista

• Build scripting engine using perl for provisioning tool

3 Tier Firewall and IP Management System – Telkom Flexi

• Role : Pre-config and deployed the Firewall at customer site

• Descriptions :

• Preparing firewall configuration

• Deploy the devices on Telkom Flexi’s site

Security DCN – Telkom Flexi

• Role : Pre-config and deployed the IDP at customer site

• Descriptions :

• Preparing IDP configuration and staging IDP

• Deploy the devices on Telkom Flexi’s site

Infovista Enhancement – Excelcom

• Role : Operating Support System Engineer

• Descriptions :

• Supervise foreign consultant

Infovista Hardware Migration Project

• Role : Operating Support System Engineer

• Descriptions :

• Supervise foreign consultant

Infovista PM IT Network Expansion Project

• Role : Operating Support System Engineer

• Descriptions :

• Supervise foreign consultant

Infovista MPLS Expansion

• Role : Operating Support System Engineer

• Descriptions :

• Supervise foreign consultant

Infovista Vista Insight for Server Implementation

• Role : Implementation Consultant

• Descriptions :

• Implement Vista Insight for Server Solution out of the box
• Modify the default provisioning script in order to meet Excelcomm’s need

Infovista Enhancement

• Role : Implementation Consultant

• Descriptions :

• Build trap script engine for sending email for each anomalies detected for VIN solution
• Build trap script engine for sending email for each anomalies detected for VIS solution

Dorado – Provisioning Juniper Router with Dorado in Excelcomm

• Role : Operating Support System Engineer

• Descriptions :

• Supervise foreign consultant
  

Border Router Security Solution for TelkomNET

• Role : System Engineer (Project Leader)

• Descriptions :

• Build pre documentation (Solution Design Pack)
• Staging and deploy Cisco Guard and Narus Server at Telkom’s site
• Working with Joe Cowan from Narus to integrate Cisco Guard and Narus Secure Suite
• Build post documentation (Standard Operation Procedure, Standard Maintenance Procedures, Solution Delivery Package)

Education

1999 – 2003 Bina Nusantara University, Jakarta

• Graduated: Bachelor^*
• Majoring in Information Technology

* recognized as one of the best graduated student

2000 – 2004 Bina Nusantara University, Jakarta

• Graduated: Bachelor
• Majoring in Civil Engineering

Certificates

CCNA, Cisco Certified Network Associate, Cisco Systems

JNCIA-M, Juniper Networks Certified Internet Associate, M-Series Router
JNCIS-M, Juniper Networks Certified Internet Specialist, M-Series Router
JNCIA-ER, Juniper Networks Certified Internet Associate, Enterprise Routing
JNCIS-ER, Juniper Networks Certified Internet Specialist, Enterprise Routing
JNSA-AC, Juniper Network Sales Associate, Access Control
JNSA-DX, Juniper Network Sales Associate, Data Center Acceleration
JNSA-S, Juniper Network Sales Associate, Advanced Security
JNSA-R, Juniper Network Sales Associate, Enterprise Routing
JNSA-EN, Juniper Network Sales Associate, Enterprise Networking
JNSA-M, Juniper Network Sales Associate, Service Provider Infrastructure M-Series
JNSA-E, Juniper Network Sales Associate, Service Provider Infrastructure E-Series
JNSA-WX, Juniper Network Sales Associate, WAN Acceleration
JNSS-AC, Juniper Network Sales Specialist, Access Control
JNSS-DX, Juniper Network Sales Specialist, Data Center Acceleration
JNSS-S, Juniper Network Sales Specialist, Advanced Security
JNSS-R, Juniper Network Sales Specialist, Enterprise Routing
JNSS-EN, Juniper Network Sales Specialist, Enterprise Networking
JNSS-M, Juniper Network Sales Specialist, Service Provider Infrastructure M-Series
JNSS-E, Juniper Network Sales Specialist, Service Provider Infrastructure E-Series
JNSS-WX, Juniper Network Sales Specialist, WAN Acceleration
ENA, Extreme Network Associate
IVCA, Infovista Certified Administrator
IVCD, Infovista Certified Developer

Training

February 11^th – 17^th, 2007 - Shanghai, Extreme Network Associate Training

May, 14^th – 18^th, 2007 - Singapore, Infovista Administration

May, 21^st – 25^th, 2007 - Singapore, Infovista Developer

January, 21^st – 25^th, 2008 - Singapore, Infovista VF4 Update Workshop

February, 1^st – 4^th, 2008 - Jakarta, Cisco Guard and Traffic Anomaly Detector