During the examination, our class collaborated to complete a challenging task independently, without the guidance of instructors. The objective was to design and build an Internet Service Provider (ISP) network to cater to the entire African continent. As a class, we nominated a CEO, and I was fortunate to be chosen for this leadership role. Working closely with my team, we aimed to ensure the success of our ISP venture.

Our first task was to select 16 cities across Africa where we would establish a presence. Additionally, we had to decide on two upstream links that would connect our network to either Europe, Asia, or the United States. Each city was equipped with a router having four ports, with one port dedicated to the LAN and the remaining three ports used to establish connections between the cities. Furthermore, we allocated one port in two coastal cities to connect to the upstream links.

For our upstream connections, we opted for Europe and Asia. We chose to connect to Marseille via Cairo for our European link and New Delhi via Djibouti for our Asian link. The resulting network plan, when mapped onto the African continent, covered the North, East, South, and West regions. We implemented redundancy measures to ensure uninterrupted connectivity. If the connection from the West to Cairo failed, traffic would be rerouted through the connection from the East, and vice versa in case of a failure in the connection from the East to Djibouti.

With the network routing established, our next step involved configuring each router to connect to a PC and establishing Point-to-Point connections with neighboring routers. We then configured OSPF and iBGP protocols to enable the routers to discover and communicate with each other. Finally, we configured BGP for the upstream connections.

In the end, our efforts proved successful, and our ISP network was capable of serving the entire African continent. Collaborating with my team was a truly enriching experience, as we shared diverse opinions and ideas stemming from our varied African backgrounds. Managing this project provided me with valuable insight into working within a large group, fostering teamwork, and providing support and guidance to my team members. Time management played a crucial role, as the project demanded six hours of intense work. Although there is room for improvement in terms of efficiency, we gained valuable lessons on project execution.

Overall, this experience has not only enhanced my knowledge of network configuration but also expanded my understanding of working with individuals from diverse cultures, effective communication, providing support, and fostering team engagement. Most importantly, I have gained a deeper appreciation for the African continent. This memorable learning experience has solidified my resolve, and I wholeheartedly encourage more South Africans to participate in AFNOG training programs.

For more information on the workshop.

Since my first experience patching an optic in 2017, I have gained extensive knowledge in physical hardware deployment and cable management. As we strived to establish a systematic process, we explored various designs and assumed responsibility for infrastructure and port allocations. Through these efforts, we eventually settled on a design that optimizes our network and follows a specific pattern for deployment and patching, ensuring ease of identification and troubleshooting.

My primary role involved physically deploying equipment in the NAPAfrica and Africa Cloud Exchange cabinets, both regionally and in pre-determined locations. I was also responsible for pre-patching our devices, capturing the relevant data in IXP Manager, and allocating ports as required.

The design aspect of the deployment goes hand in hand with capacity planning. I find great satisfaction in analyzing data and identifying patterns that aid in predicting future requirements. This involves considering factors such as growth, migrations, and upgrades to ensure our network can accommodate evolving needs.

Additionally, I organized an annual internal workshop for our Operations team, where I share cable management techniques, introduce new technologies, and discuss troubleshooting methods. This collaborative forum allows me to gain valuable insights into the challenges our teams encounter within the data center and cabinets, enabling us to continually improve our practices.

Through my work in physical deployment, cable management, and capacity planning, I contribute to the seamless operation of our network infrastructure, fostering efficiency and ensuring optimal performance.