Lady Ramkin Was One Of Those People Who Assumed That Everyone Else Knew Everyone One Knew.

Lady Ramkin was one of those people who assumed that everyone else knew everyone one knew.

Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!

Networking And Communication: The Essentials

I have spent the last month going through the Cisco Network Academy learning the essentials of networking and communication technologies. I learn a lot easier when I write things down so here is my best attempt at giving you a thorough guide to networking and communication. Below is everything that I have learned so far - condensed for your ease.

Networks

The internet is a huge network of interconnected servers, hosts, routers, switches, peripherals and IoT gadgets. They are all connected via wired or wireless technologies such as Ethernet, Fibre Optic, Coaxial cable, Bluetooth, NFC, etc.

A LAN is the smallest type of networking and it usually consists of a host computer, a router and perhaps a printer or some other peripherals. These are often found in your home. A WAN is a wider network that can be accessed by many different LANs but is still not accessible to the wider network. You can think of a WAN as many LANS connected together. (Think of a University network).

Switches - these are devices that are responsible for the movement of data traffic on a local network (when the data is moving from one local host to another on the same network). 

Routers - these devices are responsible for the movement of traffic from one network to another (and this can include destinations across the internet).

Most home ISP routers will also include a default gateway server (which wraps up data packets in the IPV4 packet ready to send over the internet), a DCHP server (which is used to allocate local logical addresses for hosts on a local network) and a switch all at once.

Data Transmission

One of the most fascinating aspects of networking is how the data is transmitted across huge distances in such as a small amount of time. And it’s even more impressive when you learn that the medium over which the data travels is constantly changing throughout its journey. For example, you may send data to a server in Africa and it may travel through fibre-optic, ethernet, co-axial, satellite transmission to get to its destination. 

These various mediums of data transmission rely on a variety of different techniques to transmit this information. For example, ethernet and coaxial cabling relies on electronic impulses sent through the wiring to read and send binary data. The same can be said about fire-optic cables but instead they use light beams which also pulse quickly to create binary data.

You can use light at varying frequencies to work together at the same time without interfering with each other. For example, let’s say that we have a fibre optic cable - inside this cable there is one glass tube sending data back and forth to two computers. We could send just one flash of white light every tenth of a second or so and this would transmit data (albeit at a very slow rate) - but we have developed a technique called dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) which splits the light into different frequency bands (for example, one light is blue light, the other red, the other yellow). This way, we can send three streams of data down the same tube which increases the data transmission rate by three times!

Packet Switching and Encapsulation

As previously mentioned, the internet is a network of a variety of different mediums and media which travel great distances and use a huge variety of different technologies. So how can we ensure that data gets to the right place and in one piece? We use protocols.

Protocols are a set of rules (usually set up by a authority like the IEEE) that dictate how data should be communicated across the internet. This way, even if the computer is ten years old it can still communicate with new computers because they understand the same rules of communication. Much like how humans have interpersonal ptorocols such as a hand shake, saying hi, eye contact, saying goodbye etc. 

There are a variety of protocols that make the internet work but here is a quick breakdown:

MAC / Ethernet - MAC protocol is used for the data communication between two NIC cards on the same network. For example, if you are sending information from your PC in the bedroom to a PC in your living room it is using the MAC protocol. 

IP/ TCP - The IP protocol is designed for data transmission over different networks and is mostly associated with the internet. TCP is a protocol that runs at the same time as the IP protocol - this protocols job is to ensure that data transmission has been received in order and no packets were dropped.

HTTP - HTTP is a protocol that is at the ‘Application’ layer of the protocol stack (something I will show you later). This protocol is designed to provide the client with information such as HTML and media. (basically anything you see, read or hear on a website).

Networking devices rely on a layered service architecture when transmitting data. What this means is that there are a number of layers that are co-existing that are in charge of different aspects of the transmission journey to ensure that it goes smoothly. 

Along its journey from your local computer to a destination server your data may encounter various mediums and will abide by different protocols along the way in a process known as ‘encapsulation’. Look at the image below: 

Here we have a ‘protocol stack’ diagram. The physical section of this diagram has dotted lines because although it does feature protocols (such as the ethernet protocol) it is usually hardware and we can ignore that for now. Let’s just assume that physical means hardware such as ethernet cables, NIC cards, ethernet ports etc.

The ‘link’ element of the stack would include the MAC protocol which uses ethernet to send data from one local host to another. 

So the computer will create an ethernet packet with a destination MAC address (computer 2) and a source destination address (computer 1) in its header. In the body (or payload) it will hold the actual information that is being shared. This packet is called an ethernet ‘frame’. You can see how the frame would look below: 

When we are sending information back and forth to to other computers on the internet this works just great. Usually (due to DCHP servers) the switch will have in its routing table the MAC address of most of the hosts that are directly connected. 

But if we wanted to send information to a computer that was on a different network then we would need to move up the layer architecture and use the IP/TCP procotol. So the computer will take the ethernet frame above and send it to the Gateway server (this server is responsible for encapsulation and de-encapsulation). 

When the ethernet frame gets to the gateway server the ethernet frame (above) is put into an IP container (imagine russian dolls). The IP frame now uses a IP address of the source computer as its source and the IP address of the destination IP is used as the destination. This IP packet wraps around the ethernet frame and keeps it safe as it travels across the internet.

Now as this router sends the IP packet to the destination it may not be able to do that in one “hop” (jump from one network to the next). So it looks for the next router on its journey and finds its MAC address. It takes its own MAC address and replaces the old source MAC address with its own and replaces the old source destination MAC address with the next router. The IP source and destination stay the same throughout the journey. So you can imagine that data travelling across the internet is basically from router to router and at each meeting they change the old MAC addresses to the news one required for the next hop.

Global and Local IP Addresses

There are two different types of IP address that we work with on a daily basis when using the internet. You may have noticed that the local IP address for your computer is or close to a friends computer at his house? Perhaps it looks like 192.168.0.119 or something similar to this. This is because when we are connected to a LAN network (for example, two laptops connected to your home ISP router) the two computers on this network are automatically assigned a local IP address that is the same for every router across the world. The range that is assigned for most home, small businesses is 192.168. 0.0 — 192.168. 255.255.

The ISP router that you are connected to actually has a public facing IP address that can be seen by other networks and the internet. This is what’s called a global IP address. This is what servers like google.com send data traffic to when you request a search on their website. It is the routers job to then distribute that information via MAC procotol to your computer. This process is called Network Address Translation (NAT) and is used by the router whenever it receives data from an external source.

These are some basic networking principles that are important to understand and I hope this has helped develop your understanding.

Beautiful Scottish Gaelic Words and Their Meanings

Blate (adj.): Shy or bashful.

Bogle (n.): Scottish ghost used to describe a number of folkloric creatures.

Braw (adj.): Excellent, pleasant.

Bruadarach (n.): Dreamer, visionary.

Camhanaich (n.): Early morning twilight.

Coorie (v.): to cuddle or nestle in, especially when it's cold.

Dook (v.): To dip in liquid, especially water.

Faodail (n.): A lucky find.

Fearthainn (n.): Rain.

Gallus (adj.): Cheeky or bold.

Gloaming (n.): Twilight or dusk.

Loon (n.): Young man.

Neach-gaoil (n.): Sweetheart, beloved.

Peely-wally (adj.): looking pale or sick.

Piece (n.): Sandwich.

Saorsa (n.): Freedom, liberty.

Solasta (adj.): Luminous, shining.

Stravaig (v.): To wander without a purpose.

Stocious (adj.): To be very drunk.

Udal Cuain (adj.): To be tossed arround by the ocean.

Robert Greene said "never outshine the master", but isn't that what we should do when we have a mentor? How much can we show our greatness , how much should we hold back?

Law 1. Never Outshine the Master

“Always make those above you feel comfortably superior. Hide the extent of your own talents, as your masters may otherwise feel insecure. The better you make your master appear, the greater the level of power you will attain. Those above you want to feel secure and superior in their positions.”

The issue with outshining the master is that you’re positioning yourself as their competitor rather than their predecessor.

There is obviously something to be said about successful seniors who are deeply insecure, they’ll view your very existence as a threat to their position. I strongly advise against seeking mentorship from these individuals, they’ll go to extreme lengths to break your spirit and be rid of your presence once they recognise your greatness.

Rather seek out a mentor who is a confident and secure individual who’s deeply passionate about passing on the baton to the younger generation. They’ll recognise your greatness and view it as an asset.

Despite this fact, the reality is that even a confident mentor who’s secure in their position won’t relish in the feeling of having their authority challenged and being knocked off of their thrown.

Whenever you outshine the master (even if it was unintended) it’ll be perceived as an attempt to be viewed as superior in comparison to them or to undermine and belittle them. If your actions are perceived this way, it might be challenging to build lasting relationships with prospect mentors.

From my understanding Robert Greenes law on never outshining the master has very little to do with your display of greatness and everything to do with the circumstances in which you choose to display said greatness.

I’ll give an analogy to further highlight my point. Let’s say a mentor has invited her mentee to a dinner party where she’s being honoured for her accomplishments in the field of medical research. During the dinner party, the guests who just so happen to be the mentors peers, are engrossed in a conversation regarding a recent study on a rare genetic disease.

At some point in the conversation a guest queries the mentor about her thoughts on the study. While the mentor is sharing her thoughts, she’s met with the guests puzzled expressions as her views on the study are slightly misinformed. The mentee who’s intent on gaining the approval of her seniors in the field, sees this as the perfect opportunity to hastily interject in the conversation and correct the mentor as she’s well versed in the particular study that’s being discussed.

The mentee ceases the opportunity to make her point as she’d intended, gaining a stunned awkward silence in response from the guests at the dinner table. Appalled by the scene, the mentor thanks the mentee for her input and silently recoils into her shell as she’s just been embarrassingly outshined in front of her peers. Unfortunately the mentee failed to gain the respect of her seniors and lost a mentor that evening.

The mentees views on the study were incredibly insightful,but she lost a mentor that evening because:

Even if that wasn’t her intention, the circumstances and timing in which she chose to share her views and outshine her master were inappropriate.

Her actions meant that they’d perceived her as someone who’s desperate for the limelight and in constant need of proving her intelligence, even if it’s at the expense of her mentor feeling belittled.

In doing so, she positioned herself as a competitor and a threat to her mentor rather than a predecessor.

While she may have been knowledgeable, her decision to outshine her mentor in that moment lacked wisdom.

While they may be related wisdom and knowledge are not synonymous, wisdom is the ability to use discernment and knowledge on the other hand is information gained through reasoning.

One can be knowledgeable without being wise, never outshining the master is understanding that knowledge is knowing how to use the gun, while applying wisdom is knowing when to use it and when to keep it holstered.

Lastly here are appropriate circumstances in which you can show your greatness to position yourself as a mentors predecessor:

When given advice or constructive criticism, actually take it into account, by actively showing your mentor the steps you’re taking to grow and improve.

When appointed a task/role by your mentor, you should display your talents to their full extent, as they’ve utilized their resources and network in order to grant you the opportunity. So doing the bare minimum isn’t an option.

Additional Tip

Give masters their flowers. It costs nothing to honor and show a mentor gratitude for the lessons or opportunities they’ve granted you. When you’re being praised for accomplishments they played a hand in, never miss an opportunity to smile graciously and redirect the praise to your mentor highlighting how they’ve contributed to said success. They’ll appreciate it and in the long run, your act of gratitude will open more doors for you.

Signed

Doses of Glamour ⚜️

"Doubt thou the stars are fire;

Doubt that the sun doth move;

Doubt truth to be a liar;

But never doubt I love."

William Shakespeare, Hamlet.

Pieces of Advice for Living

Happiness is where you are now, or nowhere at all

Renounce useless guilt

Fall in love with inner beauty

Create your own space

Be brave enough to be bad at something new

When things change inside you, things change arround you

Spend time with people who matter most

Asking for help does not make you weak

Change is uncomfortable but necessary

Read more classic literature

Read about history from different sources 

Buy less clothes and make sure they are made organically and ethically or buy second hand

Learn to say No

Deflecting someone who compliments you isn’t modest it’s insulting

Your boundaries will scare some people away, it’s fine! let them go

Compliment yourself

Your mental and physical health are always your priority

Take a bath and notice how great your body is

Be mindful of the things you put into your body emotionally, spiritually and physically

Your diet is not only what you eat, it’s what you watch, what you listen to, what you read and with who you spend your time with

Don’t let the internet rush you

Start believing that nothing is too good for you  

Get enough sleep

Buy vegan options in anything that’s possible

Keep it private until you know it’s permanent

Enjoy experience more than materials 

Stay in your healing

Your scars are symbols of your strength