Monday, April 22, 2024
About Dan: With a career spanning over three decades in IT and network design, Dan began his journey with Yale when he joined the NGN program six years ago as Director of Network and Cloud Architecture. His previous experience includes positions in engineering and IT consulting roles including network design for hospitals, law firms, school systems, aerospace, and manufacturing. His diverse background equips him with the expertise and systems knowledge needed to tackle the complexities of designing and implementing NGN at Yale.
Dan's NGN Journey: As the lead architect of the NGN project, Dan spearheads efforts to ensure the network infrastructure meets the evolving needs of Yale University. Collaborating closely with multiple departments, he harmonizes the design and implementation of wired and wireless infrastructure, ensuring it supports the University’s many stakeholders.
Dan's key contributions include providing specialized IoT (internet-connected devices) connectivity for departments like Public Safety and Facilities and engaging with researchers to optimize network utility for diverse research initiatives.
Dan and the team have certainly faced some challenges throughout the project. Conquering the physical network infrastructure of over 300 buildings was a significant undertaking, particularly with the aging infrastructure in some of Yale's historic buildings. Additionally, planning for future network usage presents ongoing challenges, requiring the vision and foresight to design a system capable of accommodating how technologies and demands might evolve in ways still unknown.
Cutting-Edge Innovations: Dan believes the most thrilling aspect of the NGN project lies in transforming the network into a reliable utility for the entire campus community. One of Dan’s favorite analogies to use is plumbing – he’s laid the pipes for durability and reliability over time so that every time the tap is turned on, water flows out; similarly, by establishing a robust foundation, the NGN project is working to ensure that Yale’s internet is a utility that’s there every time you need it. The new network is focused on scalability, speed, and ease of troubleshooting.
Proud Achievements: One of Dan's proudest achievements within the NGN initiative is the consolidation of multiple separate networks (the old way) onto one unified platform (the NGN way). This new virtualization effort streamlines network management, allowing for more scalability and security all while simplifying operations.
Lessons Learned: Dan advocates for keeping things simple in the new network design, sharing one of his favorite Antoine de Saint-Exupéry quotes - "Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." Keeping complexity in check is crucial amidst the evolution of this larger and faster network.
Expert-In-Demand: Dan was featured on the podcast “Heavy Networking”(Banks & Conry-Murray, 2024, 720), where you can hear more about his role and the more technical side of designing a program of this caliber.
Beyond Work: Outside of work, Dan enjoys working on various projects with his two teenage sons. He and his older son are very involved in their local Boy Scout troop, and he and his younger son share a passion for maker activities, like 3D printing or building a Minecraft server to host multi-player games with friends. When it comes to food, Dan's favorite is tacos, followed by pizza as a close second.
Campus Spot: Dan's favorite place on campus is the newly renovated 100 College building and he is eagerly awaiting the reopening of the Peabody Museum.