Meet Jimmy Chin, IAA’s newest Junior Network Engineer! From practising BGP in the lab to patching fibre in our data centres, Jimmy has been putting theory into practice.
Here, he shares what he’s been learning so far:
Since joining the IAA, I’ve really enjoyed learning what it takes to keep us all connected. While studying for Cisco’s CCNA and the Linux Foundation’s LFS207 course, I’ve been practising BGP in the lab, planning fibre patching, and helping our Members. It’s rewarding to see two routers exchange routes after learning the theory in the classroom, and it makes me excited for what I’ll learn next.
Visiting our data centres in Sydney was a highlight for me. Seeing the switches, route servers, and the physical lab I’d only worked in remotely helped everything make sense. I learned how to patch optics and how to clean and test fibre. Going to the CommsDay Wholesale Congress with the IAA team also gave me a better understanding of the industry. With so much happening in data centres and fibre networks, it’s an exciting time to be finding my feet!
Starting out has shown me how important it is to have people take the time out of their day to teach you. Having experienced engineers help me put my studies into practice has made a real difference. I still have a lot to learn before I can call myself an “internet plumber,” but I’m eager to develop the skills needed to support our Members. Every experienced engineer started somewhere, and I’m thankful my journey began with IAA.
