InsideOut Blog: VoIP, Linux, Money, Photography and much more fun...

Hello dear websurfer,

My name is Luis Daniel, and I welcome you to my blog. Here, I will write some articles about my tech-doings and some other ideas I have. Things you will find here:

• Money articles,
• Linux articles,
• VoIP articles (especially about FreeSWITCH and CoolPBX/FusionPBX), and
• Photography (Darktable and GiMP related, mostly)

Other subjects such as:

• Cryptocurrency stuff will be at https://trademinator.com/
• Immigration-related stuff will be at https://canadianjourney.blog/

No personal life, sorry.

My Background

I am a Computer Engineer with two Master's degrees in IT Management and Telecom Management. I also hold some security certifications: CISSP, CISM and CISA.

Most of my experience has been on:

• Linux: server configuration and management, complex configurations,
• Security: mostly theory and some package configurations, and
• VoIP: telecommunications, clustering, dialplan, IVR and complex telephony scenarios.

This doesn't mean I can't do other things. I always say:

if I don't know it, I will learn it.

Some History

Since the beginning, I have shown a predisposition for maths. At the age of 11 (5th grade of elementary school), I already knew all the necessary maths I needed for the second year of high school (10th grade). Trigonometry and differential calculus were a free ride to me. I could continue learning more, but my parents had the "brilliant" idea of taking the books off me arguing I could get bored at school. (so I was told).

I also had a good predisposition to the arts. First drawing during elementary school. Sadly, I don't have any of my draws. Later, in grade 7th I went to music, first learning classic guitar, and piano; I culminated by joining a band in my high school. I also wrote a few songs, that I believe are lost.

At the age of 13, my first computer was a super powerful 80286 with 1 MB of RAM and a 40 MB hard disk running MS-DOS 3.3. It was on that computer that I learned how to code in GW-BASIC (later migrated to Turbo BASIC). Later, I convinced my father to upgrade to an 80386SX with 4 Mb of RAM with a CGA monitor running MS-DOS 5.0 (and later DR-DOS 6) and Windows 3.0/3.1. I learned how to code in Pascal, dBase/Clipper and ASM86; I even wrote a virus (don't worry, it was never released, yet it was a very nice piece of software). That was the hardware I used to perform any experiment that I could pass through my imagination until I finished junior high school.

When I started high school (equivalent to 10th grade), I was introduced to the Internet in the early days (when Trumpet Winsock was the only way to connect using a phone line). Without being 100% aware of what I was doing, I started to learn UNIX (AIX) and how to do simple shell scripts in Ksh. By that time I was kind of an IT bookworm, I couldn't get enough of reading and reading anything that had to do with computers. When high school ended, I already knew how to code in C/C++ and Perl. That was the time when HTTP/0.9 was booming, but I couldn't care less.

Simultaneously to the domain of technology, I devoted myself to learning to play the guitar in its classic style; which evolved into the piano, electronic organs, and keyboards. Using borrowed equipment and music software I performed some pieces that were captured by a MIDI interface equipment. I was fortunate to participate in my senior year at the Festival of Song (playing keyboards) winning 3rd and 4th place on two songs written by Antar Martinez. In the following months, I wrote a song that was ready to be released at the same festival, but I finished school before and I did not find anyone who wanted to submit it.

I started an awkward career in Electronic Engineering at UNAM, which was cut by a strike in 2000. After a failed intent, I started studying Computer Engineering at the Fundación Arturo Rosenblueth. Besides the usual stuff, I was introduced to Linux (I loved it so much that Windows 2000 was my last installation). I must be honest, it was a hard transition (mainly because of the way I did it); when I decided to go for Linux I installed it on my computer and it didn't matter it took me two hours to do something I could do in Windows in 30 minutes, I was learning. Linux opened my eyes to things that I wouldn't understand if I kept using Windows (for example, the full understanding of the TCP/IP stack).  By this time I started to learn PHP, LISP and Perl. PHP was self tough as the booming of the Internet was starting and I had to move away from the ASP pages. LISP was a requirement because of my recursive function class. Learning Perl was a consequence of moving to Linux.

Around 2003, I started to work at Aeropuertos & Servicios Auxiliares (ASA, a government dependency) as IT Security Chief Department. I did some Linux work there, but mainly it was firewall management. Here I idealized the world without Microsoft and created the LinuXchangE project under Mandrake 8.1; my first serious project, it aimed to remove from the server end all possible Microsoft technologies and install Linux keeping end users with Windows XP (at the time, the latest Windows version). LinuXchangE was my thesis project, a painful Synod coming and going; after a month of trying to please everyone I understood, that I should do what I was told without complaint to get the required signature and then undo it. Only that way, I got the prized signatures in 2006 that allowed me to get my degree as a Computer Engineer. I created OKay, my own business as a second alternative for an income.

In 2005, I moved to INFOTEC, another government dependency, as a Security Consultant. It was here where I got my CISSP and CISA certifications. I also did a lot of Linux stuff, not only on the server field but as a firewall and security solution. We deployed a lot of high-availability solutions and did many CISCO-Linux integrations with the switches. 

In mid-2006 I took my engineering degree exam. My thesis was about LinuXchangE (LXE), a project that put together a bunch of available software to aim to get rid of ActiveDirectory while having all the functionality, including collaboration. It was a combination of OpenLDAP, Samba 3, Heimdal (a Kerberos implementation), WU-IMAP, Postfix and PAM with some crazy configurations to make that happen.

INFOTEC was a nice place to learn and keep growing. Because it was a government dependency, being certified and learning things was a big deal there. INFOTEC started to offer a Master's degree, and they wanted their first generation to be in-house. Sadly, I wasn't selected, and the fact that the government doesn't increase salaries made me start looking for a better place.

In 2007 I moved to INSYS S.A. de C.V., a private incorporation whose main business was about security and all it was around it. I joined as Manager of Research and Development. My Linux experience was very appealing, the fact that I was able to build complex solutions on a budget was a big hit. One of my main functions was designing direct replacements of proprietary solutions, I was given the software/appliance, and after some research, I was designing something with open-source that did the same for a fraction of the cost. I learned about the ISO frameworks beyond documentation, I participated in the team to get ISO27001 certification and I directed the first annual defense audit to maintain it. At this point, I decided that the bachelor's was not enough to achieve my goals (get out of Mexico) and decided to go for a master's degree at ITAM. At this time I decided to become more than an ordinary Linux user and take the next step as well; I became a Mandriva contributor (the new name of Mandrake), and in 2009 my contributions were published. I took the task of keeping updated on any server package related to my work, as it was concerned; Squid, and Snort, among others. All my solutions were not only on Linux but on Mandriva.

It was there that I got the CISM certification.

In 2009 I started to study for my Master's degree at the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (IT Management) with a double degree option at Télécom SudParis (Telecom Management). IT Management is not what most people think, think of IT Management as an MBA with basic technology.

In 2011 I defended my thesis degree for both titles with an open-source project (backed by Squid mainly) that aimed to enhance the Internet experience by saving as much bandwidth as possible (yes, with the security thing). The solution worked, but as we all know, in 2011 the HTTPS boom hadn't started, most of the public traffic was plain HTTP. My algorithm achieved up to 30% of strokes in the Squid cache. It was not an easy thesis, I used LaTeX, a meta-language for writing complex documents, and it required a complex investigation and application of statistical methods, projections and theory of trees to reach the desired results. 

In mid-2012 I left INSYS and moved with my parents while my immigration paperwork was finished. It was November 2nd, 2012 when I left Mexico with my family (wife and children) and came to Ottawa, Ontario Canada. I started to work for AstraQom Corporation, a local telephony company. I was in charge of all the technology; and because of my expertise in Linux, all were using open source.

Sadly, on May 27th, 2014, I was let go. The business was not doing well. The only thing I regret is the way things ended. My boss, the CEO Jonathan Sowah, didn't talk to me, I just got an email. It took me more than one year chasing him to give me the paperwork I needed (because at that time I wasn't a permanent resident in Canada) and I wasn't paid the last three weeks of my salary (being January 2024, I haven't been paid, although I was contacted by him in mid-2019). Those were difficult times, and one reason was I was betting all my future on AstraQom that I let go of my international customers when I was doing freelance projects in Mexico; AstraQom was my only income.

I decided to do some work. Because I was not allowed to work in Canada, I was doing international work paid in Mexican pesos while I was searching for an employer in Canada. I kept learning things, I learned how to deal with FreeSWITCH in depth and how to code in LUA. I also started to code the Billing for the FusionPBX application.

In mid-2015 I started to work for Evoludata (aka Avantech) with Marc Laporte, an open-source business based in Montreal. Because Québec laws are different, I couldn't be employed by a Québec company while living in Ontario, so we moved to Montreal. Working in Evoludata wasn't a good experience, I had to report minute by minute what I was doing. There was a time when I didn't get paid because of all the minutes I was carrying on, which I would be okay if there was a warning to be ready; it wasn't, I just got an email one day before. I also had the understanding that I was hired because of my VoIP expertise, I did zero voice work and instead, I was focused on coding in PHP on some projects that didn't bring anything new. I wasn't allowed to manage servers (although I was the only one with the knowledge to do it), and for a reason all other workmates thought I was the Windows technical support guy. Long story short, I was let go. But this time, I wasn't in an economic hassle, I had learned from my experience with AstraQom and I had my international income. We moved back to Ottawa, as we didn't like Montreal at all, we were there only because of the job. I left this job on May 27th, 2015.

In 2017 I started to work for Alexon Solutions. I did what I was supposed to do, server management, VoIP, and cluster configuration and I was allowed to keep my international consultant income. All good!

In late 2019 my family and I got permanent residence in Canada. As promised to Adrien Alexon (CEO of Alexon Solutions), I left the company to do my own (OKay INC) while we maintained a good relationship of mutual help. OKay has been my main focus, so far.

In 2020 I decided that besides the IT I had to do something else. Being in front of a computer twelve hours a day was far from healthy. My daughter suggested I do some photography as a hobby, and I started first with the cellphone.

I must say I am a big fan of Google's phones, first with the extinguished Nexus line, and now with the Pixels. I started doing some food photography (you can check some of my photos in Google Maps).

Later I got my first camera, a Canon SL2 (200D), and after one year of self-training and taking a lot of photos I started my photography business named More Than Photos. Before anyone thinks I used such an entry-level camera to work, I didn't, I have already upgraded my gear, Canon 6D Mark II, Canon 90D and Canon R6.

In 2021, we moved to Cornwall, Ontario. A small city that in my opinion has a lot of growing potential.

I have also started another side business called Amoosing Designs, which is printing on shirts, mugs, and glasses.

Yes, I still hold the CISSP, CISM and CISA certifications. Honestly, they have been useless since I moved to Canada. Nobody has requested any of them as a requirement of a project or employment. I think I am just keeping them for pride. I am planning to study for a Ph.D. once I figure out the income for my family, as I can't be a full-time student without a secured income.

Current Studies & Certifications

• Bachelor in Computer Engineering,
• Master's in Technology and Management,
• Master's in Telecom Management (Mastère Spécialisé Manager Télécom),
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP),
• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM),
• Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA).

Current Businesses

I am always trying to keep myself busy. Especially with this economy (post-COVID). I currently manage the following businesses:

• OKay INC, my main focus where I do all the technology-related things,
• More Than Photos, my photography business,
• Amoosing Designs, my custom printing project

Please don't think that having three businesses makes me swing in money. Today's economy is hard, and I have taken the path of diversification to make a living.

Current Projects/Products

A project or product to me is a task that is covered under any of my current businesses. It could or not generate revenue.

• SIA Coing Fuse Filesystem
• Memcached FUSE Filesystem, aka memcachedfs, you will be able to see the content of Memcached in a mount point.
• Trademinator, an AI cryptocurrency trading bot.
• To Connect Me, a termination VoIP carrier.
• SuperCNAM, a CNAM service for VoIP companies.
• CoolPBX, a fork of FusionPBX.
• LCR/Billing for FusionPBX, an in-app for FusionPBX that will allow you to save money and bill for the use of the PBX.
• Enhanced XML Importer for FusionPBX, a replacement of the current FusionPBX importer.
• Funko Pop Compositions, a photography composition using Funko Pops.
• Katapulta Network, an informative website about immigration to Canada.
• Twitbirds, a social media crawler that allows to find users by interest.

Volunteering

Believe it or not, I do volunteer, however, I am very selective about where and to whom.

• Free VoIP support (within its limits) on the Telegram group I host. If you are into FreeSWITCH, VoIP, CoolPBX/FusionPBX and you have some doubts, feel free to join.
• Photography coverage: under certain conditions, we show up at free events and photograph what is happening.
• Mageia Linux contributor. I update the RPMs of the packages I work with.