Jasgrave@cisco

Jason Graves: Senior Network Engineer

Last updated on: Monday, 08 March 2004 @ 11:38 AM

WhoamI?

I’m a Senior Network Engineer responsible for looking after the Ross University Campus Network (St Kitt’s). My chief function is to maintain and support the network infrastructure, developing and enhancing the network as new features and functionality are required. We are based in St Kitt’s (West Indies). We work from the Basseterre facility, within St Kitt’s. My related department is St Kitt’s ITS.

However, my tasks are varied, and cover many aspects of networking, engineering, project-management and software development. A good networking background is essential for troubleshooting, bug reproduction and topology configuration. Also an excellent grounding in understanding network design and associated protocols, security and hardware are essential.

The different disciplines required to become a network engineer, mean that daily you will “learn something new”. The role is always exciting, as new challenges invariably present themselves, in the course of a daily career education.

History

I began my career as an electronics technician in 1987, originally at a company in Hemel Hempstead called, BICC data networks, which were bought out, by 3Com in 1990. I transferred, when graduating as an engineer, to the customer support department where I remained until 1995 when 3Com, then moved it’s entire EMEA support operation, to the Netherlands.

From 1995 I worked as a customer support engineer supporting many products including Network interface cards and hubs/switches and left here in 1996 I worked from 1996 to 1997 the company known formerly as PictureTel, I supported the LiveLAN Internet video conferencing products including many video server products travelling Internationally FastNet International Then in 1997, I began as a principal consultant, supporting internet products of all types from Cisco and 3Com amongst others. This was a busy role, but then moved to……in 1998 as a, you guessed, customer support engineer working in the TAC supporting security and network service products. This was a varied role, supporting a huge array of different Cisco products. After deciding on a slight change of career direction, I moved into Development. After many months of deliberation and looking for new goals, I passed my PADI Scuba diving Instructors exams in November 2003 and became a scuba Instructor (Instructor #188051). This was good challenging role, and led me to a career again within IT in the West Indies. Several Ross Student divers informed me that Ross Vetinary University (St Kitt’s) required IT professionals, for their network and IT facilities. I was hired and am now manage the network, diagnosing and resolving issues, developing and updating functionality/network facilities. Now not only do I live in the Caribbean. I’m carrying on a career in a dearly loved profession with the ability to teach diving in the warm seas also.