The following application was submitted (UTC) on Fri, 18 Feb 11 12:14:54 +0000
Items with an '*' were required items in the application form.


PERSONAL INFORMATION
====================

Family Name (Last name, Surname)*:         Danzerl-Amedson
Full Name*:                                Joseph Kobina Danzerl-Amedson
Employer/Organization*:                    Volta River Authority
Position/Title*:                           Senior Systems Analyst

Business Address
----------------
P.O. Box MB77, Accra, Ghana

Business Phone:                            +233-30-2664941
Alternate Telephone:                       +233-26-2633766
Email*:                                    damedson@vra.com
URL:                                       www.vra.com
FAX:                                       +233-30-2662610
Date of Birth:                             1956-05-22
Country of Residence*:                     Ghana
Passport Name:                             Danzerl-Amedson, Joseph Kobina
Passport Number:                           H2101980
Passport Issuing Country:                  Ghana
Passport Issue Date:                       2007-09-26
Passport Expiry Date:                      2017-09-25


WORKSHOP SPECIFIC INFORMATION
=============================

Workshop Applied For*:                    SI-E: Scalable Network Infrastructure

Reason for Track Choice*
------------------------
The Volta River Authority (VRA) is to expand its Wide Area Network infrastructure nationwide to cover regional capitals and districts in the northern sector. My interest is to develop skills in basic routing, OSPF and BGP routing, router configuration management, network security etc. This will equip me adequately to be able to manage the corporate network infrastructure efficiently.


TECHNICAL SKILLS
================

Unix User?*:                              true

How much have you used it?
--------------------------
Fairly extensive (Over 13 years)


Have you been a UNIX admin?*:             true

Describe your experience (length of time, versions, etc.)
---------------------------------------------------------
Over 13 years experience, Versions include  RedHat 4.2  to RHEL v5.6, Debian and Ubuntu.


Have you used/administered TCP/IP nets?*: true

Describe
---------
Setup and managed LAN and WAN.


Have you set up and/or administered any of the following? Please give details

Bind or any other Nameservers*
------------------------------
Bind version 9.0


Mail Transport Agents (ex. Sendmail, Exim, Postfix, Qmail)*
-----------------------------------------------------------
Sendmail


Mailing List Managers (e.g. Majordomo or other list manager)*
-------------------------------------------------------------
No


Web Systems/Servers (e.g. Apache, IIS or other web server)*
------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, Installation and administration of Apache and IIS Web Servers

Have you configured or otherwise managed any of the following? Please give details.

Routers*
--------
Cisco 3745	IOS Version 12.3 (18)
Cisco 2691	IOS Version 12.2 (14)
Cisco 2811	IOS Version 12.2 (14)



Switches*
---------
D-Link Layer 3 Switches



Network Monitoring Systems*
----------------------------
Paessler Router Traffic Grapher (PRTG)
HP OpenView



Network Operations Center (NOC)*
--------------------------------
No


CERT WORKSHOP APPLICANTS ONLY
=============================

Which area of security interests you?
-------------------------------------



What security interventions have you experienced?
-------------------------------------------------



How do you intend to use the knowledge gained at the workshop?
--------------------------------------------------------------



ROLE IN NATIONAL NETWORKING ACTIVITIES
======================================

A description of your current employer, your position, your duties and 
responsibilities, and how they relate to current and future data 
networking activities in your country*
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Volta River Authority (VRA) is a power generation and distribution utility company.   It operates both Akosombo and Kpong Hydro Generating stations in addition to Aboadze and Tema Thermal Power Plants.  Its distribution agency, the Northern Electricity Department, distributes power over the northern sector of Ghana.  VRA and its sister company, GRIDCo operates a nationwide fibre optic infrastructure which forms part of the national backbone.

As the Senior Systems Analyst in the ICT Infrastructural Section (Networks) of the Management Information Systems Department and member of the Technical Committee on the Network Expansion Programme, my duties and responsibilities include but not limited to the following:

- Management and administration of corporate Wide Area Network (WAN);
- Provision of Internet and Corporate electronic facilities nationwide;
- Management and monitoring of Cisco Secure Access Control Server for Virtual Private Network (VPN) connectivity to prevent unauthorized and unlimited access;
- Network/system analysis, monitoring and troubleshooting;
- Network monitoring.
The expansion programme will enhance data  networking activities and improve information flow between the northern and southern sectors of Ghana.


A brief description of your computing and networking environment (operating systems, 
networking software, modems, etc.), including the connectivity of your organization 
to the Internet and your country's connectivity to the international Internet*
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Our corporate networking environment include Routers, Switches, fibre optic, RedHat Linux, Solaris, Debian, Ubuntu, Windows Server 2003 and 2008, DSL and ADSL Modems.
Routing Protocol:  OSPF
The LANs interconnect through the fiber backbone(WAN) and a fiber connection to SAT-3 submarine fibre optics cable through Vodafone.


Scope of your institution (check all categories that apply)*
------------------------------------------------------------



Other: Power Utility


Approximate number of full time staff at your institution*
----------------------------------------------------------
3,500


How your training and current work prepare and qualify you for the track you wish to attend*
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The previous training equipped me adequately to set up DNS, mail gateway, web services and other essential facilities necessary for the implementation of our corporate network and Internet infrastructure.  The planned network expansion programme necessitates the need for training in scalable network infrastructure to enable us effectively implement the expansion programme as planned.


How you expect to use the knowledge you gain at the workshop after you return to your country*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The knowledge in scalable networking at the workshop will equip me adequately to contribute my quota to the planned network expansion programme to all district capitals in the northern sector where VRA is also responsible for power distribution to both industry and domestic consumers.


If you have previously attended AfNOG or INET Workshops for Developing Countries 
Year and track you attended
---------------------------
INET 2000, Track 1 – Host-based Internetworking for Trainers; INET ’99,  Track 3 – Internet Information Services.


A precise description of how you have used the training you have received in the past
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contributed immensely to the design and implementation of LAN and WAN.  I also performed the following duties:
- Setup web services i.e. Apache and IIS  web servers;
- Developed and maintained websites;
- Assisted in designing and implementing LAN and WAN;
- Setup Mail gateway and DNS, proxies and network configuration;
- Organised and facilitated network training programs for corporate network administrators and users nationwide.



The significant advances in networking which have occurred in your country specifically 
because of your knowledge and effort
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enabled the Authority to expand its network and Internet infrastructure to all region in Ghana.


FINANCIAL INFORMATION
======================

Are you are requesting financial aid from the AfNOG Workshop for attending the 
workshop and meetings, or for travel costs?*
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No financial assistance requested.


REFEREES
========

First Referee*
--------------
Mr. Theophilus Nii Okai,
Director, MIS
Volta River Authority,
P.O. Box MB77,
Accra, GHANA
Tel:  +233-24-4311123


Second Referee*
---------------
Dr. Nii Narku Quaynor,
Chief Executive Officer,
GHANA.COM
PMB CT358,
Cantonments, Accra
GHANA
Tel:  +233-24-4331650


END OF APPLICATION