Careers: Interviews
Internationally Renowned Certification and Security Expert; Wireless
Authority; Widely-regarded Writer, Author and Trainer
This week, Stephen
Ibaraki, I.S.P., has an exclusive interview with Will Schmied, BSET,
MCSE, CWNA, TICSA, MCSA, Security+, Network+, and A+.
Will is President of Area
51 Partners, Inc. (Area51Partners.com),
a provider of wired and wireless networking implementation,
security, and training services. Will holds a Bachelor's degree in
mechanical engineering technology from Old Dominion University
along with his various IT industry certifications. In addition to
his activities with Area 51 Partners, Inc., Will operates the MCSE
certification portal MCSE World (MCSEWorld.com).
Will’s writing and
authoring credits encompass books, articles, self-study guides, and
practice exams published by groups such as Que Publishing, Sybex,
Syngress, Certified Wireless Network Professional (CWNP), Osborne
McGraw Hill, TechProGuild TechRepublic, CramSession.com,
MSExchange.org, ISAserver.org, Microsoft Certified Professional
Magazine, and SelfTest Software.
His book credits alone
for QUE include:
1) MCSA/MCSE Planning,
Implementing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003
Environment Exam Cram 2 (Exam 70-284)
2) MCSE Planning,
Implementing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003
Environment Exam Cram 2 (Exam 70-296)
3) MCSE 70-293 Training
Guide: Planning and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Network
Infrastructure
4) MCSA/MCSE 70-291
Training Guide: Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Windows
Server 2003 Network Infrastructure
5) MCSA Training Guide
(70-218): Managing a Windows 2000 Network Environment
6) MCSE Windows 2000
Server Exam Cram 2 (Exam 70-215)
7) Special Edition Using
Windows XP Professional, Bestseller Edition
8) Platinum Edition Using
Windows XP
Due to his highly refined
expertise, Will has also worked directly with Microsoft in the MCSE
exam-development process.
Discussion:
Q: Will, you have an
impressive background in certification, wireless, security, and
Windows-based technologies. Thank you for coming in to do this
interview.
A: It's my pleasure,
thank you so much for the opportunity.
Q: Your wife Chris and
children, Christopher, Austin, Andrea, and Hannah must have some
opinions. What do they say about their famous IT “guru” dad?
A: Heh, that's kind of
funny in a way. Chris is acutely aware of almost every thing I do,
although sometimes she probably wishes she were not. Our children
are almost oblivious to the fact of what I do, which is probably for
the best. They do know that I have my name on quite a few books,
although they usually do not spend too much time in the IT section
of Barnes & Noble as their tastes run more towards the children's
section. There was one time last year when I had one of my daughters
with me in the IT section though looking for a particular book and
she happened on one of mine…it kind of blew her mind to see her
dad's name on this big huge book.
Q: When you are not busy
working, you find time being with your family or playing the latest
video games. What are your favorite games and why?
A: I guess the computer
is just an integral part of my daily routine. It's been that way
since I was in elementary school and I got my first experience on
the Atari 400's of the day. Since then, my gaming tastes have
changed as the times and technology has. In the "old days" of
monochrome monitors and 8088 CPUs, I played many of the Infocom text
games like Zork and so on. Today, I typically stick to strategy and
action games. Some of my current favorites include Dungeon Siege and
Delta Force Black Hawk Down. Of course, 2004 promises to be a big
year with Half Life 2 and Doom III coming out, along with new
versions of Dungeon Siege and Delta Force.
Q: How did you get into
computing? What challenges and lessons did you learn along the way
to your current success?
A: Oh, that's one of
those lengthy questions. As I said previously, I got my first time
on a computer using the Atari 400. About that same, the school also
got some TRS-80's in the library. Of course, in middle school there
were the Atari 800's and the Apple IIe's which had just started
gaining popularity. In 1985, I got my first computer at home…the
Tandy 1000. That thing was a beast to be sure, with two 5 � inch 360
KB floppy drives, 128 MB of RAM and a 4.77 MHz 8086 CPU. Back then,
hard drives were for the very wealthy as were color monitors, so I
had the standard green monochrome monitor. I did a lot of
programming in BASIC back then. When I got my first color monitor a
year later, I really started to see use for the computer for things
like word processing (yes, I was typing my English homework at home
in the ninth grade) and playing games. Later I started programming
the Apple IIe's in both BASIC and machine language. Of course, I
still played many games. I guess by that time it was too late to
change the fact that the computer would always be a part of my daily
routine. I used the Internet back when it was really boring (and
geeky) as a text only thing…then came Netscape 1.0 and my whole
world changed. Everyone I knew would always come to me with his or
her computer problems and thus it became official that I was a
computer geek for life. I have worked with every version of Windows
from 3.11 (sorry, I missed the first two versions) to Windows Server
2003 and everything in between. It was not until a few years ago
that I decided I should take my experience and start doing something
with it—like getting certified and so forth.
Q: Give a profile of your
certification portal, MCSEWorld.com.
A: Let me preface the
rest of this answer by saying that since the Internet went
graphical, I've been building Web sites. At first, I started small
using the 1 MB of space my ISP offered me and working with Netscape
3 Gold and Notepad. Eventually I moved up and started using more
advanced tools, such as Front Page and Notepad with real domains
that I owned. With that in mind, MCSE World was born out of my
frustration with one particular large certification portal that just
did not get it—they were completely out of touch with their member
base in my mind. It was, and still is, my goal to provide a free
certification portal that not only provides something to those who
need it, but also remains in touch with its members. Member input is
almost always taken into consideration when we consider major
changes to the Web site. As well, we openly encourage members to
become part of the site's success by letting members submit original
articles and scripts for publication that remain their intellectual
property. If you are working on or already have completed your
MCDST, MCSA or MCSE, then MCSE World might be the place for you.
Although our primary focus is on getting people certified, we are
also a place for those who are already certified. We have a little
bit of something for just about anyone working with Microsoft
products.
Q: Describe your latest
projects with your company, Area 51 Partners Inc.
A: We have actually put
the business on the back burner lately, not taking on any new
projects with the exception of some new authoring work. We wanted to
slow down for some time, so it worked out good for all involved.
Q: Where do you see
yourself and your company in five years time?
A: In regards to Area 51
Partners, I am sure it will be around in one form or another. We are
actually moving to the Memphis area later this year, so the type of
business we take on will likely change as a result. As for myself, I
am sure I will still be very deep into the technology that makes
this business so much fun to be in. I am starting to move up (and
out) into other areas of professional knowledge, including (finally)
getting some Cisco certifications done. I am also working towards
the CISSP, which I think is still one of the most premier
certifications there is…especially for those who are security
minded.
Q: Describe the context,
meaning, and usefulness of each of your certifications.
A: Well, I think most
everyone is familiar with the A+ and Network+ certifications, so I
will start with those as they often go together. Although these are
entry-level certifications, I think they definitely have their place
in this business. Being a true hardware geek from the old days, the
A+ exams were not all that difficult for me…after all, I had supped
up my Tandy 1000 to over clock it to something like 12 MHz….not an
easy task back in those days. I think the true value in these two
certifications lies in the broad base of knowledge they
represent—like your underclass courses for a college degree. I've
seen seasoned MCSEs who couldn't install a network adapter before—it
was a sad sight. The Security+ certification is also considered
entry level, but is somewhat more difficult in nature due to its
specialized subject matter than the A+ or Network+ are. Anyone who
wants to be the security part of IT needs to start out with
Security+ at some point in time. The TruSecure ICSA (TICSA)
certification is also considered by some to be an entry-level
security certification, along with the SSCP certification, and is
actually very similar to the Security+ exam. As for the MCSA and
MCSE, a lot of people really don’t understand the difference or the
need for separate certifications. Microsoft has started to disclose
details of a four-tier certification program for network
administrators. The MCDST certification is the first tier of this
program and is targeted at those help desk personnel that support
Windows and Office products. The MCSA is the second tier of this
program and is targeted at more experienced administrators who
typically manage and maintain existing networks, but don't expand or
implement any new functionality. The MCSE is the third tier of this
program is targeted at more advanced and knowledge network
administrators that are typically responsible for things such as the
daily operation of the network, installing and configuring new
servers, implementing new services and so forth. The line between
senior MCSA and junior MCSE often is a blurry one at best. The
fourth tier of this program is the yet to be officially announced
"architect" certification that I suspect will be similar in both
difficulty and value to the CCIE…perhaps even with a hands on lab as
part of the final certification.
Q: Which three
certifications are the most beneficial today and which ones would be
the most useful in three years time?
A: Well that really
depends on the experience level of the person…so I'll look at it
from the point of view of some one trying to break into the market.
Today: Security+, CCNA, OCP. In three years: CCNA, MCSE (I think it
will regain its value), OCP. I think that Oracle certifications are
poised to become very valuable in the next few years.
Q: You have authored
countless study and exam prep guides. What are your top ten
suggestions for efficient learning?
A: 1) Know what you are
tying to accomplish. Are you trying to prepare for a specific
certification exam or are you trying to deepen your level of
knowledge on a specific topic? The way you go about learning is
somewhat dependent on what you are trying to learn and why.
2) Get plenty of hands on
experience. Nothing, and I mean nothing, will ever replace the value
of actually doing something yourself. Whether it's creating and
configuring that new DHCP scope or running SQL queries against a
database, hands on experience will show you whether or not you're
ready to do it on a live production network.
3) Have a safe test
environment that you can work in. This goes hand in hand with number
2—you need to have a test environment to work in so that when
disaster strikes, no harm is done to a production network. This
makes the learning process much more beneficial because sometimes it
pays to blow up the network.
4) Pick a time and place
that works best for you. Some people can study anywhere at any time.
If you are one of those people, keep some notes or a small book with
you wherever you go. If you can only study effectively in a quiet
place, such as at home, then do not try to do it elsewhere.
5) Get your family
involved. If you have a family, let them know what you're trying to
do and get them involved in it so that they will understand its
importance to you. Does this mean that I am telling you to have your
eight year old configure that router for you? Not unless he or she
can... What it does mean is that you should not exclude those that
are closest to you from this part of your life—especially when it
can become a major part of your life.
6) Don't spend more than
you have to. I am a big proponent of self-study and to be honest,
I've never sat in a training course. If you do not have the money,
don't borrow it to take classroom training. There are so many free
and low cost resources available in book stores, the library and on
the Internet that no one should be paying for training they can't
afford—and probably don't need.
7) Let your employer foot
the bill. If your employer will spring for training classes,
certification exams or even college classes let them! Be sure to
check into this as you might be surprised what your employer might
be willing to do to help a valued employee succeed.
8) Don't be brand loyal.
When buying books, get the one that best suits your needs and
personal preferences even if it is not from a publisher you have
used before. On the other hand, if you really do prefer a specific
style of writing, then you may want to consider sticking to a
particular author or publisher. Just remember this little fact: even
though Ford Motor Company has made quite a few good cars, they were
responsible for the Pinto.
9) Don’t single source
your reference material. One of the worst things you can do when
studying, in my opinion, is to single source your reference
material. I am not saying you should go out and buy three or four
different publishers’ study guides, but you should consider getting
two. If you cannot afford two, then you need to for sure get into
the vendor’s knowledge base and the vendor’s free resources. As an
example, I prepare for all of the beta exams I take by using the
reference material available on the Microsoft Web site that pertains
to the product at hand—it is invaluable material and the price is
always right.
10) Set a deadline for
yourself. The worst thing you can do is never commit to a date for
test day…you have to have a goal in sight that you are working for.
I find that I study much better once I have put down my money for
the exam.
Q: Describe the
usefulness of experience versus certification versus academic
credentials. If you could have only two of the three—which ones
would they be and why?
A: That is a tough one as
all three can be very valuable. If I could only pick two of them, I
would go with experience and certification. You must have experience
in today’s market—that is a no brainer anymore. Five or so years ago
you could get away just being certified—hence the paper MCSE
phenomena that was rampant in the NT 4.0 days. That is most
definitely no longer the case. While there are still too many “paper
certified” individuals out there, it is slowly getting better as
employers start to realize there is more to keeping the network
running than having that MCSE certificate on the wall. Of course, I
am not knocking the importance of the certification program
either—being certified, and having the experience to back it up,
means that you’ve dedicated yourself to that goal—to becoming a
better MCSE or CCNA or whatever specific field you’re working in.
People have asked me many
times, “Should I get some certifications or should I finish my
Bachelor’s degree”. Every time I am asked that question, I say the
same thing: finish your degree. It makes you a better learner down
the road when you start gaining those certifications. My good friend
Robert Shimonski wrote a great article on this very topic last
summer. You can read it here:
http://www.certmag.com/articles/templates/cmag_feature.asp?articleid=287&zoneid=9
Q: Share your top ten
tips from your many articles.
A: 1) Don’t ever try
something new without having a safety net. If you can work on a test
lab while you are working with something new, do it!
2) User account templates
are smart and save time.
3) Always use groups to
assign user rights and permissions to users.
4) Always disable the
Guest account.
5) Don’t forget about the
little tools, such as the Task Manager.
6) Use Scheduled Tasks to
the greatest extent you can…after all, why should you have to
remember to run a defrag or backup job when you can schedule it?
7) Create and use scripts
for tasks you will perform routinely, such as adding new users to
the domain.
8) Don’t do things the
hard way if you do not have to…make use of the many great GUI tools
in Windows.
9) Don’t ignore a tool or
utility you do not know anything about….learn how to use it. See
number one in this list.
10) Never stop learning!
The day you stop learning is the day you stop being an effective
administrator.
Q: As a security expert,
give us your top five tips for planning and implementing security.
A: 1) Determine where
your most dangerous threat comes from. After that, determine what
other threats, and their severity, you are facing.
2) Always use defense in
depth (or layers of defense). Don’t rely on a single method, such as
a firewall or passwords to keep your network secure…use many
methods, such as an external firewall, an internal firewall, strong
user passwords, IPSec on sensitive communications and EFS on
sensitive files. If your network can support use, consider
segmenting traffic according to level of access using VLANs or
physical arrangement if required.
3) Don’t overlook the
security tools that are present in Windows. Windows has gotten
better and better at making your job easier, especially in Windows
Server 2003. Take advantage of what you have to work with.
4) Don’t throw up a
solution without thoroughly planning it out from end to end. The
worst thing you can do is give yourself, and your boss, a false
sense of security only to find out that your new solution had more
holes than a block of Swiss cheese.
5) Documentation is a
must. You absolutely must document each and every thing you do from
the time you implement a solution onward. Every change that is made
must be documented. This becomes especially important during
upgrades and attacks.
Q: What are your top five
tips from planning and implementing wireless?
A: 1) Take your time to
be sure of what you’re doing.
2) Research all of the
available means to accomplish your goal.
3) Stick to one vendor as
much as possible.
4) Don’t ever install a
wireless network with security.
5) If you do not
absolutely need wireless, do not use it just because it is new and
neat.
Q: How can you plan and
implement server roles and server security?
A: I’m a big proponent of
dividing server roles up between servers, meaning that I believe the
DHCP server should only be providing DHCP and not file and print
services. By that same token, you want to seriously consider using a
screened subnet to house any servers that must be made available
from the Internet. Never have any services or applications available
on a server that don’t absolutely have to be there. Also, don’t
forget about physical security by placing your servers in a secure,
isolated room that has controlled access.
Q: How can you plan,
implement, and maintain a network infrastructure?
A: This ties into the
server roles idea in a way. If you can afford it, do not go cheap
when implementing your network infrastructure. If possible, have at
least two of everything in each major location on the network.
Nothing is worse than having a critical network service such as DHCP
or DNS fail and you are under the gun to get it fixed. When
implementing multiple DHCP servers, configure them in pairs using
the 70/30 or 80/20 rule to split up scope ranges, this will allow
for some functionality should one server become unavailable. As for
DNS, use Active Directory integrated if you can, it is really the
best option. Use standard secondary servers in remote locations to
provide faster name resolution. Of course, you will also want to
have multiple RRAS, Terminal Services, WINS, file and print servers
on your network as well to help distribute the load and make for a
more reliable configuration. Take into consideration what type of
network connectivity you have between sites as well. Lastly,
remember to monitor the status of your network using your logs and a
network sniffer from time to time--this will keep you up to date on
what is going on.
Q: What are the critical
factors in planning, implementing, and maintaining server
availability?
A: Server availability
comes in two basic forms: redundant servers, as I discussed above,
and clustered servers. For services such as SQL and Exchange, you
owe it yourself to consider building them as clusters. You can even
cluster your DHCP and other network services servers if desired.
Bottom line; do not ever leave yourself with just one of a
particular server. Money is often times tight, but you have to find
a way to get redundancy built into your network.
Q: Comment on the keys
areas for setting up and maintaining an Active Directory
Infrastructure.
A: The key to this is the
same as most other things: planning. Active Directory has certainly
made Windows a much more attractive network operating system. With
the enhancements in Windows Server 2003, AD has never looked better.
However, when you are planning a new infrastructure, take the time
to determine what you really need. Draw it out on a piece of paper
and see if it makes sense. Think about how many and where you will
locate your domain controllers and global catalog servers. Take into
consideration what type of network connectivity you have between
sites as well. Redundancy in Active Directory is crucial to the
proper and efficient operation of any size network, especially those
that span more than one physical location.
Q: Provide effective
strategies for users, computers, and groups.
A: The most important
thing here, in my mind, is to plan some sort of role or task-based
security before you start creating users and turning them loose on
the network. This is where Organizational Units, security groups and
Group Policy Objects come into play. You should determine what roles
or tasks there are on your network and then configure the
appropriate permissions on security groups. Place your users into
these groups and you have a fast and efficient means of passing
these permissions down to them. It’s also very important to create
and enforce a consistent naming convention for all objects in your
organization, such as lastnamefirstname for a user’s account. By
doing so, any administrator (and even some of your power users) will
be able to quickly identify any object in your organization by
looking at its name. This rule applies to any object, servers,
workstations, printers, shares, etc. As well, consider using
template accounts if you find yourself creating many user accounts
through the GUI. If you find yourself creating user accounts from
the command line, consider creating a script to automate the process
for you. Anything you can do to save time and increase efficiency is
always a plus.
Q: What are the most
important areas to consider in planning, setting up, and maintaining
Group Policy?
A: Like most other areas,
you need to plan effectively and identify your needs. Group Policy
is somewhat forgiving if you don’t get it right the first time, but
with the great tools available now such as the Resultant Set of
Policy, you should never end up implementing a bad policy on a
production network. Group Polices should be applied in a hierarchy,
going from the least specific at the top of network, getting more
and more specific as you delve deeper into your organizations
structure. The most specific, and restrictive, Group Policies should
be applied to Organization Units that actually contain objects, such
as users, servers or workstations.
Q: Describe an effective
networking expert.
A: As I have many times
already, it is that administrator never stops learning and never
thinks they know it all. A good networking expert is one who knows
his stuff, but is not afraid to admit when he does not know
something and then goes out and locates the required information.
The bottom line is this: No one can know the answer all the time,
but make sure you at least know where to look!
Q: What should our
readers be looking for when evaluating certification courseware?
A: The first and most
important thing when buying any type of certification preparation
material is that you should make sure the company is well respected
and stands behind their products. Too many fly by night companies
have popped up in the past few years that I would not trust at all.
If the company has a phone number and address on their Web site,
that is usually a good first step. Ask around and see what other
people have to say about the vendor as well. Lastly, anything that
seems to good to be true…usually is.
Q: Who should read your
latest books? Why should our readers carefully study your books and
what uniquely differentiates them from others in the market?
A: Anyone who is looking
to pass exams for their MCSA, MCSE or MCDST should consider reading
them. One of the most common comments people have made to be about
my writing style is that’s it’s a little easier to understand that I
tend to provide more information than is required, especially in my
sidebars. My goal when writing a certification book is to get you
past that specific exam and provide you with a reference book you
might consider placing on your bookshelf for usage later. I put a
lot effort into my writing, interpreting what I have read and seen
first hand, and putting that into words that demystify the confusing
aspects of certification.
Q: What are the five most
compelling issues facing network administrators and system
integrators today and in the future? How can they be resolved?
A: 1) Security. Constant
vigilance is required to keep your network secure.
2) Funding. This is a
tough one that is not going to go away for at least 18-24 months
still from what I can see. We are in a spending upswing, but nothing
anywhere near where we were say 5 years ago or so.
3) Lack of qualified
personnel. Even though the certification vendors are taking
proactive steps to prevent paper certifications from occurring, too
many people just do not have the skills to perform the tasks they
are certified for.
4) Lack of enough
personnel. With spending down, budgets for IT staffing have been
cut. Too often now, administrators find themselves doing the jobs of
two or three other administrators. This results in a higher chance
of problems, including successful attacks on the network, as the
administrators attention is split amongst too many things at one
time.
5) Too many solutions.
Every time you turn around, a new vendor has brought out a new
solution to a problem—sometimes for problems that you did not even
know existed. It’s quite easy to get overwhelmed by this situation
if you do not take the time to determine first what your needs are
before you go looking for a solution. As well, it’s usually a
mistake to jump on the “brand new and really cool” bandwagon if you
really do not have a need for a particular item, be it hardware,
software or other.
Q: List the ten best
resources for IT professionals.
A: 1) Google! Hands down,
Google! is the single best resource I think. While there is a lot of
junk out there, if you are looking for something, Google! is going
to most likely have it.
2) Microsoft TechNET. I’d
say over 95% of the documentation that Microsoft has ever produced
is on TechNET somewhere…all of it indexed and available for free if
you can find it. This is one area where Google! shines as they have
a Microsoft specific search engine.
3) The Microsoft Resource
Kits. While all of this content is available for free on TechNET, I
like to have real books in my hands. With as much time as I spend
looking at a monitor writing and such, I don’t want to have to read
off of one, so I always buy the hard copies of the Resource Kits.
4) Trade publications.
There are plenty of general and specific trade publications out
there, just take a trip to your local bookseller and see which ones
interest you. These are good for keeping up to date on new things
that don’t get a lot of coverage elsewhere. As well, they often have
insightful interviews with people who are shaping the future of the
industry.
5) Your peers. No one
person can ever know all there is to know about networking, but when
you get three or four other people around and start talking you’d be
surprised what you can learn. As an example, some of my best friends
in this business include people who know WLAN inside and out, Novell
inside and out, Cisco inside and out, etc…I think you get the point.
6) Conferences and other
events. If you can get to any of these events, such as Tech Mentor
or Black Hat, do so. These are the places where you will have the
chance to meet and talk to more people from more backgrounds than
anywhere else. Just getting to see the presentations can often times
make these trips worthwhile.
7) Local user groups. Not
every area has a user group, but if you have one in your area that
pertains to something you’re interested in, consider joining up.
This provides just one more means to gain the insight of countless
other people who are doing the same things you are…but in a
different way.
8) Web sites. There are
hundreds, if not thousands, of Web sites out there that are all
trying to do the same basic thing: present information to you that
you can use. Many of these Web sites also have discussion forums and
original articles that you will not find published anywhere else.
Again, this is just one more way to see how other people are
handling problems.
9) Classroom training.
While this can be costly, it can also be beneficial if you do not
have the means to learn about a particular skill set in your current
environment. Not many of us have full-blown networks that we can
just go in and “tinker” with because we want to learn a bit about
something. Often times, good training centers will have just what
you need to practice in a safe environment…and knowledgeable
instructors who can guide you along the way.
10) Other vendors’ Web
sites. Every vendor has a Web site full of information and free
documentation that you should be taking advantage of. I myself
frequently browse through Cisco’s and Red Hat’s Web sites, reading
their library of documents.
Q: Now provide us with
those valuable rare “tips” that only you know.
A: Gee, I don’t know that
I have any little golden nuggets that no one else is privy to. The
one most important thing that I cannot ever say enough of is never
stop learning, never stop bettering yourself…not just in your
professional life, but also in your personal and family life. You’ll
be the winner when all is said and done if you always keep striving
to improve and learn.
Q: What are the most
important trends to watch, and please provide some recommendations?
A: Personally I always
like to keep an eye on the big vendors, such as Microsoft, Cisco and
Apple to name a few. You have to be aware of where the technologies
are going and who is driving them. Security is one of the key areas
that you have to be attentive to as more often than not the bad guys
are paying very close attention to what’s going on with the
operating systems and applications you’re running. Spending trends
are also of key importance as we all search for the end of the DOT
COM bust days.
Q: What kind of computer
setup do you have?
A: We have a wide variety
of computers here. My main lab network consists of four custom built
PCs running various versions of Windows with various other
applications installed on them. These PCs have swappable hard drives
so that I can change their configuration very quickly…and it beats
multi-booting, which I am not a big fan of. The test lab PCs get
built, used and “blown up” several dozen times a year--which is
another reason I have swappable hard drives in them, as I can just
put all of the old ones aside and rebuild them as I have time. Our
actual production network is a mixed network with Windows 2000
Server, Windows XP Professional, Windows Server 2003 and Macintosh
OS X 10.3 Jaguar machines. Of course, the Windows machines are mine,
with the servers being our domain controllers/DNS servers and
file/print/DHCP servers. The Windows XP Professional machine is what
I do all of my writing and gaming on and the Macintosh’s are what my
wife uses for graphic design and to run the financials for the
business. There are also three Linux machines that I put on the
network from time to time for specific tasks as well as two Windows
XP Professional laptops and one Macintosh iBook. We are all tied
together via both wired and wireless networks. Overall, it looks
like the back end of a computer store. One of my cats has taken to
playing with the network cable that goes to one of the laptops as it
hangs free on one side of my desk.
Q: If you had to do it
all over again…?
A: I think I’d be smarter
about the number and complexity of projects that I take on. Most
days I have anywhere between three and six book projects going on
and it gets to be very difficult trying to stay up to date on all of
them and still produce a top quality product that people will want
to not only purchase, but recommend to someone else.
Q: What drives you to do
what you do?
A: I love the technology
and I really enjoy helping others succeed.
Q: Will, we enjoyed your
insightful answers since they provided a deep picture into your
articles, study guides, and books. Thank you again for your time,
and consideration in doing this interview.
A: Thanks for asking me
to do this interview. I really enjoy doing what I do and I am always
happy to share any knowledge I may have with others. |