The following application was submitted (UTC) on Fri, 04 Mar 11 15:46:36 +0000
Items with an '*' were required items in the application form.


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

Family Name (Last name, Surname)*:         Chirwa
Full Name*:                                James
Employer/Organization*:                    Malawi Switch Center
Position/Title*:                           Network Engineer

Business Address
----------------
P.O Box 199, Lilongwe, Malawi, Central Africa.

Business Phone:                            +2651754833
Alternate Telephone:                       +265999424416
Email*:                                    jamechirwa@gmail.com
URL:                                       www.malswitch.mw
FAX:                                       
Date of Birth:                             1984-01-04
Country of Residence*:                     Malawi
Passport Name:                             James Chirwa
Passport Number:                           MW003385
Passport Issuing Country:                  Malawi
Passport Issue Date:                       
Passport Expiry Date:                      


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

Workshop Applied For*:                    AR-E: Advanced Routing Techniques

Reason for Track Choice*
------------------------
Dynamic routing with BGP, OSPF, EIGRP. Switching.


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

Unix User?*:                              true

How much have you used it?
--------------------------
Over three years in Linux Administration.


Have you been a UNIX admin?*:             true

Describe your experience (length of time, versions, etc.)
---------------------------------------------------------
Over three years experience with Fedora core version 5-12, Solaris 8, FreeBsd 7.2.


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

Describe
---------
Built networks for Internet and application based networks.


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

Bind or any other Nameservers*
------------------------------
yes, Bind on fedora core


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


Mailing List Managers (e.g. Majordomo or other list manager)*
-------------------------------------------------------------
yes, Majordomo


Web Systems/Servers (e.g. Apache, IIS or other web server)*
------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, Apache on Linux and Apache2traid on Windows

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

Routers*
--------
Cisco, Mikrotik


Switches*
---------
Cisco, 3COM.


Network Monitoring Systems*
----------------------------
MRTG, Cacti, Nagios, Watsupgold


Network Operations Center (NOC)*
--------------------------------
yes, Malawi SDNP NOC, Malawi Switch Center NOC.


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*
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
MALSWITCH is a provider of electronic fund tranfer infrastructure to financial institutions, as value added service, we also provide Wide area network interconnectivity and Internet services to a wide variying of institutions in Malawi. My position is Network Engineer, simply saying, i built, maintain and optimize the network to support all the facilities we provide.

As more companies realise the importance of being connected, we face an increase in client base which needs good routing skills to maintain a scalable network.


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*
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A holder of BSc in Computer SCience, i have for four years in Networking environment using Cisco, Mikrotik, 3COM, Dlink, Proxim, Motorolla equipment and UNIX and Windows servers.

Our Company is linked to the Internet through a VSAT and a redundant link through a fiber link broght in to the country by a local company through Mozambique.


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


: 


Approximate number of full time staff at your institution*
----------------------------------------------------------
78


How your training and current work prepare and qualify you for the track you wish to attend*
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I deal with routing on our Cisco dominated network and i have very good knowledge of Cisco commands and i am sur i cant face problems in this track.


How you expect to use the knowledge you gain at the workshop after you return to your country*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Apply in in my daily work and make sure we provide the network services, hence improve the IT infrastructure in my country.


If you have previously attended AfNOG or INET Workshops for Developing Countries 
Year and track you attended
---------------------------
2008-Scalable Internet Services, 2009-Scalable Network Infrastructures.


A precise description of how you have used the training you have received in the past
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
With Scalable Internet Services; I built Mail, DNS, Web servers for our clients while working for SDNP. With Scalable Network Infrastructure, i was a vibrant participant in developing Malawi Internet Exchange Point and well as transformed SDNP network to dynamic routing and am able to expand my current network with good scalable approaches.


The significant advances in networking which have occurred in your country specifically 
because of your knowledge and effort
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internet Exchange Point


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

Are you are requesting financial aid from the AfNOG Workshop for attending the 
workshop and meetings, or for travel costs?*
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Requested aid to cover the attendance fees.


Explain why you are asking for financial assistance.  How will your
organisation and your country benefit from your training?  What other
sources of funding have you approached, and what were the results?
-------------------------------------------------------------------
My organisation can't afford to sponsor the whole cost of the workshop, however, with a scholarship and a place to attend, i may be able to source the travel cost to attend this important workshop. The knowledge will be vital in my daily work as i deal with routing day in day out, and better our wide area network infrastructure. With a place accorded, i will use it as reference to source the rest of the money. 


How will the finances be paid?

Your Institution
-----------------


Your Government
---------------


Your personal contribution
--------------------------


Amount you ask from AfNOG (less than $1,000)*
---------------------------------------------
$1,000



REFEREES
========

First Referee*
--------------
Dr. Paulos Nyirenda
Coordinator,
Malawi SDNP,
P.O Box 31762
Blantyre 
MALAWI.
paulos@sdnp.org.mw



Second Referee*
---------------
Richard Chisala
Managing Consultant
UltiNets Ltd
MALAWI.
+265 (0) 999410763
richard.chisala@ultinets.net



END OF APPLICATION