Be Your Own Architect

There is hardly anybody reading this that will not know who an architect is. If you have built a house before or seen/know anyone who has built one, you will not find it hard to understand the work of an architect. As we all know, an architect is a person that designs the plan of a house before it is built. He sits down to take brief of his/her client and help transfer the client's brief into a workable plan.

If there is a job you need to be good at dear friend, it is the job of an architect. I am not saying when you want to build your own house; you should draw the plans yourself. No! What is at stake is bigger and far from building house. There is a building that we all need to be good at planning for and thereby transferring our own brief into action. The planning for this building is often neglected by not a few and it is what determines what result we get. This building is our own life! We must learn to draw a plan for our own lives.

I have an uncle who happens to be an architect and I used to be fascinated at the amount of time and energy he devotes to drawing a plan of a client's house. At times, I hear him speak out loud to no one in particular followed by a lot of gesticulations. Unfortunately, majority of us do not put enough time and energy into planning our lives like the professional architects. It is saddening seeing people live their lives without a plan. Most people who are living out a plan, are unfortunately living out other people's plans for their lives. The greatest joy one can have is to live according to one's plan. Setting your plan and living it out brings an inner peace you can describe and this cannot be experienced if you are living without plans or living another person's plan for your life. Living other people's plans for our lives always lead to discomfiture and absolute frustration later in life.

When an architect is about to draw the plan of a house, he takes so many things into consideration, which may mean little or nothing to a lay man. Same goes for us. Nobody knows us better than we know ourselves therefore nobody should know what is better for us than ourselves. If I were to draw the plan of a house, I will draw it according to how I wish it will be but an architect will not make such a mistake. He will draw it according to how it should be drawn putting into consideration so many factors. If you are going to plan your own life, will you put in things that will inconvenient you later in life? Will you draw up a plan to do things that you know will not be of any use to you?

If you decide to put the plan of your life in someone else's hand, then you are courting trouble in the future. Nobody knows you more than you know yourself. I may just be seeing your shining face but I don't really know who or what you are inside. I may not know your abilities and your weaknesses, so asking me or anybody else to help design your life is going to be a mistake that will surely lead to regret later in your life. You know your potentials and your inner dreams more than anybody else and you are the best person who can plan and design your life and future.

When you design your life in line with your dreams and abilities and things don't seem to be working out according to the plan, you can still alter the plan since the "original copy" is still with you but if it somebody else's plan you are living, changing may not be that easy. If you are living other people's dreams and things don't work out as planned, you will still take the blame. So why don't you assume the responsibility of becoming an architect of your own life.

Nobody has the right to know how your life should be spent except you; not your parents, so many parents have misled their wards just by telling them they know what is good for them. Not even your relatives, friends, boss or any other living creature. If it is going to be, it is up to you. You have a choice to design your life and live according to the plans or borrow someone else's. It is your choice! It is up to you and you should know that it is the end that justifies the means.

PLEASE TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR LIFE!

Adebola Oni is the Author of "The Lessons Of Life". So many lives have been touched by his newsletter, Life Lessons Digest. You can have a copy delivered to you every week by visiting his website: The Lessons Of Life.

Parity course mapped to the new ISEB Certification in IT Architecture

Parity's Technical Architecture, Integration and Development (TAID) course has been fully accredited by ISEB to map to the new 'ISEB Certificate in IT

Architecture' qualification.

This makes Parity's course the first (and currently only) officially accredited course mapped to the ISEB qualification. Parity's TAID course is

targeted at experienced IT staff wishing to move into an IT Architect role. This could include IT Managers, Project Managers, Senior Developers and

Business Analysts. The TAID course sits within our extensive programming development training portfolio, which compliments our management training for IT

managers and directors.

ISEB's Accreditation Manager Rachael Kavanagh said "ISEB is pleased to announce that Parity has become the first Training Provider to offer a course

leading to the new ISEB Certificate in IT Architecture. Having been involved in the development of the

syllabus and with their track record for providing technical and management training, Parity is currently the only Training Provider able to support

candidates in achieving this qualification and in turn raising the standards for IT Professionals in all industries."

Parity Training's Managing Director Ebi Zadeh said "This is great news for Parity customers. Parity has worked closely with ISEB for many years setting

standards across the industry. Our expertise in the Technical Architecture field has long been established, working with clients to meet organisational

objectives. We believe that aligning our TAID course to the ISEB syllabus brings clear benefits to clients to enable ongoing management at all levels

using its frameworks and latest developments in this area."

Parity understands the difficulties of designing and managing complex IT Systems and the requirement for change

management training.

Aimed at Technical Architects charged with shaping the environment to support the successful introduction, integration, and evolution of business systems,

Parity provides an unrivalled portfolio of courses focused directly at this area.

Editorial notes:

About Parity:
Parity, uniquely for its size, offers a full range of IT services including;

Business process consultancy
Change management training
Management training
Technology training
Programming training
Development and management of complex IT systems
Oracle and Microsoft technology and application skills
Permanent and temporary IT staff


Major clients include:

Alcatel, Allianz, AT&T, British American Tobacco, CISCO, Department for Education & Skills, Department for Work & Pensions, HBOS, Hewlett Packard, HM

Revenue & Excise, HSBC, IBM, ICI, Ministry of Defence, NASA, National Programme for IT at the NHS, O2, Perot Systems, Reuters, Royal Bank of Scotland,

Royal Mail, Siemens, Sony Ericsson, The Cabinet Office, The Met Office, and T-Systems.

Contact details:

For more information on Parity, visit http://www.parity.net or by contacting Gina Cannon (g.cannon@parity.net)

Author: Michael Hanna

About Michael

Michael is a keen writer, and internet marketer living in Scotland:

Contact details:

E-mail: samqam@googlemail.com Phone: 0131 561 2251
Michael's Website: Belfast

Building Online: How Architects Use Extranets for Online Collaboration

Traditionally, architects are a conservative bunch who fiercely guards "company secrets." As a result, the idea of using an extranet to share documents and collaborate with others has been totally alien.

But tradition is rapidly changing. Increasingly, architectural firms are using extranets to share documents in a secure environment. Why? Because projects move faster, clients are happier, and everything - from schedules and budgets to CAD drawings and renderings -- is more accessible.

An extranet allows engineers and construction companies to immediately access all pertinent information about a project. It eliminates the frustration of waiting until the architect decides to share his plans.

Client relationships are enhanced through the faster and easier access to the vast volume of documents. Approvals are made more quickly, and the client has the comfort of knowing that they can review anything, at anytime.

What is an Extranet?

An extranet provides a secure workspace for clients, vendors and business partners. It is an area where all the pertinent information for a project can be made available to all of the parties involved in the project.

Studies show that almost 50% of architectural firms have used an extranet. Some firms have resisted using the tool due to the high cost of implementation and maintenance. It is true that the cost of setting up an in-house extranet can be expensive. It requires the purchase of equipment and software, and hiring or training personnel to setup and maintain the system.

However, hosted extranets have become a popular alternative to in-house solutions. They can be purchased for a monthly fee from an application service provider. This approach eliminates the need for hardware and software, and requires no internal staff to maintain the system. In fact, most hosting companies provide training for your staff.

Today, as people become more accustomed to doing most of their business over the internet, clients are requiring that architectural firms use extranet technology. The good news is that extranets have become affordable. More importantly, they make the complex task of collaboration more efficient, enhancing the relationships with clients and partners, and accelerating project completion.

Rick Mosenkis is CEO of Trichys, providers of extranet and intranet tools for online collaboration.

Career Track : Network Architect

Network Architect Roles and Responsibilities :

Although there is some cross over between the job roles of Network Engineers and Network Architects, there is a difference in actual responsibilities. A Network Architect primarily focuses on the design of the network and the implementation of that design while an actual Network Engineer is usually the one responsible for the actual implementation of the design. Similar to a Network Administrator or regular Network Engineer, Network Architects may also be responsible for some tasks relating to telecommunications as well.

In companies that combine the telecommunications responsibilities with that of the Network Architect, candidates may also be responsible for the analysis, engineering and execution of software functions for telecom voice and data. Other general responsibilities may include :

* Design Modeling

* Network Performance Planning

* Network Capacity Planning

* Establishment of Telecommunications Standards (LAN/WAN)

Some employers may also require their Network Architects to manage technology vendors. This would require candidates to stay abreast of how technology infrastructures are currently impacting and driving competitors. You may also be responsible for negotiating high level contracts and maintaining long-term relationships.

Educational Requirements :

Although a bachelor's degree or associates degree in computer science, electrical engineering, MIS or other related industries will suffice for a general network engineering position, you need at least 6-10 years of technology experience to move into the position of a Network Architect as well as several years of experience working with Windows, Unix or Novell Systems. Extensive knowledge of network management, engineering disciplines, and operating systems are a must. An excellent addition to your skill sets is a sub-specialty such as telecommunications or e-commerce.

Soft skills as well as technical skills are important in the position of a Network Architect. Understanding and knowing how an application may affect the function of a business unit is critical, as is the ability to negotiate technology issues while building solutions. Excellent verbal and written communication skills are required as well as the ability to create and deliver effective presentations. A Network Architect will also need to work closely with other department heads and must possess the ability to see both the large and small picture.

Salary Potential : (As reported by the U.S. Dept. of Labor)

Average salaries (nationwide):

Entry (less than 1 year of experience): Engineer $44,999 Architect $43,077

Junior (1-2 years of experience): Engineer $50,282 Architect $55,961

Emerging (3-5 years of experience): Engineer $59,803 Architect $67,187

Experienced (6-9 years of experience): Engineer $68,845 Architect $78,787

Advanced (10+ years of experience): Engineer $75,584 Architect $87,384

Industry Certifications :

There are many certifications that will look good on a resume for a Network Architect. The most recommended are Novell's CNE and Master CNE, Nortel's Network's Certified Network Architect and Cisco's CCNP and CCIE. The larger the enterprise you've worked with the better. You should however, complete the recommended certifications for a Network Engineer first, however. These include:

* A+ 2003

* CCDA

* CCIE

* CISSP

* Linux+

* LPIC2 Linux Junior Level

* LCPI2 Linux Intermediate Level

* Master CIW Administrator

* Master CIW i-Accelerate

* MCNE

* MCSA 2000

* MCSA 2003

* MCSE 2000

* MCSE 2003

* NetWare 5 CNE

* NetWare 6 CNE

* Network+

* RHCE

* RHCT

* SCE

* SCM

* SCP

* Security+

* Server+

* Solaris 8 SCNA

* Solaris 9 SCNA

* Solaris 9 Security

* TICSA

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