The following application was submitted (UTC) on Thu, 24 Mar 11 15:50:54 +0000
Items with an '*' were required items in the application form.


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

Family Name (Last name, Surname)*:         SLIPPI-MENSAH
Full Name*:                                SLIPPI-MENSAH GREGORY
Employer/Organization*:                    GHANA DOT COM
Position/Title*:                           EIS ENGINEER

Business Address
----------------


Business Phone:                            
Alternate Telephone:                       
Email*:                                    greg@ghana.com
URL:                                       
FAX:                                       
Date of Birth:                             1982-07-07
Country of Residence*:                     GHANA
Passport Name:                             SLIPPI-MENSAH  GREGORY
Passport Number:                           H2215661
Passport Issuing Country:                  GHANA
Passport Issue Date:                       2008-04-25
Passport Expiry Date:                      2018-04-24


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

Workshop Applied For*:                    NM-E: Network Monitoring and Management

Reason for Track Choice*
------------------------
I am currently working on a project involving network(bandwidth) monitoring and
management and i believe further knowledge in this field would help me in this
endeavour.




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

Unix User?*:                              true

How much have you used it?
--------------------------
i have been a fair user of UNIX for over 2 years.


Have you been a UNIX admin?*:             true

Describe your experience (length of time, versions, etc.)
---------------------------------------------------------
i have setup various user accounts with permissions on UNIX servers for my
employer.i have used used FreeBSD for about 2 years and also used various
distributions of Linux including Red Hat and Fedora for over a year now.


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

Describe
---------
I have administered TCP/IP for Ghana Dot Com as part of a team of Enterprise
Integration System (EIS) Engineers, who ensure customers get their internet
connections working optimally. These are all on public IPs.


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

Bind or any other Nameservers*
------------------------------
Yes , set up BIND 9 on our previous Domain Name Servers (DNS), having to  make sure
the named was in the chroot directory for security purposes.


Mail Transport Agents (ex. Sendmail, Exim, Postfix, Qmail)*
-----------------------------------------------------------
Yes, previously my employer's mail transport agent was Exim, however currently it is
running on Sendmail. Mail system  used included Squirrel Mail and Zimbra.


Mailing List Managers (e.g. Majordomo or other list manager)*
-------------------------------------------------------------
I am fairly familiar with Majordomo and mailman but have not set up or administered
any yet.


Web Systems/Servers (e.g. Apache, IIS or other web server)*
------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, I have set up web servers using Apache and administered for various clients,
giving each client a unique user name and password for file transfer and updates.

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

Routers*
--------
Yes, the routers include Cisco 3600, 2500 as well as AS 5200 and AS 5100


Switches*
---------
Yes, managed various switches for my employer including Cisco catalyst 1924, 2900
and 1912.


Network Monitoring Systems*
----------------------------
Yes, i am currently working on a project with systems running NSEN, Cacti,Smoke
Ping,Solar Winds among others.


Network Operations Center (NOC)*
--------------------------------
Yes, managed Nagios and MRTG as well as resolving any customer's technical
challenges reported and also ensuring our internal network works efficiently.


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*
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I am currently employed with Ghana Dot Com, a pioneer in the internet service
provision industry in Ghana and the West African sub-region.Ghana Dot Com also
provides services in the fields of Web design and hosting, domain registration  as
well as e-commerce facilities. I am currently an EIS engineer handling network
functionality as well as installation and management of antennae and radios on base
stations  as well as customer premises. It is perhaps our little contribution to the
general network expansion drive currently booming in the country. I also work on
network audit projects as well .


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 current setup is such that we have Cisco Catalyst 2900 for our LAN, Cisco 3640
for our distribution and gateway router . We also have Cisco AS 5200 for dial up
access. We currently have 2Mb/s from our upstream providers, NewSkies, running BGP
between our gateway and theirs.We have various base-stations connected via point-to
point with Alvarion and Mikrotik equipment serving various customers on a point-to
multipoint setup via the base-stations. 


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


Approximate number of full time staff at your institution*
----------------------------------------------------------
40


How your training and current work prepare and qualify you for the track you wish to
attend*
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am currently working on a project in this field on my employer's behalf and i
firmly believe this track will be very helpful and instructive for me.i also believe
my UNIX and Linux background would further help me appreciate the track even
further.


How you expect to use the knowledge you gain at the workshop after you return to
your country*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope the Network monitoring and management training will help me thoroughly
appreciate network functionality and intricacies with regards to bandwidth
management especially. I also believe it will further my knowledge to help me in the
project i am currently involved, which involves a major institution in my country.


If you have previously attended AfNOG or INET Workshops for Developing Countries 
Year and track you attended
---------------------------
SI-E: Scalable Network Infrastructure


A precise description of how you have used the training you have received in the past
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The previous training has helped me further understand network infrastructural
layout as well as how to further expand our network and add new base-stations as
well as nodes. it has also given me confidence to share this knowledge with my
colleagues in-house as well the associations i belong to.


The significant advances in networking which have occurred in your country
specifically 
because of your knowledge and effort
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As a result of knowledge gained through the tracks , I have undertaken some projects
involving government agencies with regards to networking their various branches to
help with their e-mails and other internet infrastructure, hence helping make their
work faster and efficient.


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*
--------------
Delali Nyarku,
Ghana Dot Com
16, Boundary road
East Legon 
Accra.


Second Referee*
---------------
Nancy Dotse
Ghana Dot Com
16 Boundary Road 
East Legon
Accra.


END OF APPLICATION