920-556 answers - CDMA P-MCS Commissioning and Nortel Integration Updated: 2024

The forthcoming Expert Advantage program rewards partners that make training and certification commitments, build expertise around technology solutions and demonstrate predictable and sustainable sales growth, said Oliver Gnass, director of channel marketing at Nortel, Brampton, Ontario.

"I've been asking Nortel to do a program like this for quite some time," said Frank Porreca, president of Layer 227, a Toronto-based solution provider. Expert Advantage should help smaller, specialized partners maintain margin as they compete against larger, high-volume partners, he said.

Program members will have to submit detailed business plans and participate in co-marketing events with Nortel, said Christine Durham, vice president of market and channel outreach. "This is a very specialized program that is going to require a partner that really does want to have a very focused business model," Durham said.

Nortel has been piloting a program that created the Expert Advantage designation for 12 partners focused on its Alteon security products. Now Nortel plans to replace that designation with a broader, solutions-focused Security Expert Advantage program that includes its Alteon and Contivity security products.

The vendor is also adding Expert Advantage programs for Campus LAN, which includes its Passport and BayStack networking products, and Wireless LAN, which includes its stand-alone, hybrid and adaptive wireless products.

Expert Advantage partners receive an automatic additional 2 percent discount on products purchased in their solution category as well as a 2 percent marketing fund, accrued quarterly.

They are also eligible to receive performance rebates totaling up to 9.5 percent on products in their solution category if they meet their annual growth goal. Growth goals for each category will differ but will likely all be around 25 percent, Gnass said.

One trillion devices are expected to be networked throughout the world within 15 years, up from 5 billion to 6 billion devices today, Zafirovski said during a keynote address at the event, held by CMP Technology, CRN's parent company.

"For enterprises, this is going to add even more complexity," Zafirovski said, noting that the trend -- which Nortel has dubbed "hyperconnectivity" -- is being driven in part by increases in the number of mobile devices and machine-to-machine communications.

Zafirovski acknowledged that Nortel lost its footing over the past few years as it struggled with financial woes and accounting scandals. The blows of that struggle are still being felt as the Ontario Securities Commission on Tuesday approved a settlement that will see the Toronto-based company pay nearly $1 million (U.S.) toward the regulator's costs to investigate Nortel's accounting practices from few years ago.

But those problems are in the past, Zafirovski said, painting Nortel as a reinvigorated company that's as committed to the enterprise and can help customers meet the growing hyperconnectivity challenge.

As evidence, he pointed to Nortel's spending on enterprise research and development, which grew by 33 percent last year, and to the company's increased investment in sales, marketing and channel initiatives. He also highlighted a slew of new enterprise data products launched at Interop.

Under its new Business Optimized Networking strategy, Nortel is rolling out new networking, wireless and WAN optimization technology for enterprise customers.

The new wares include Nortel's Secure Router 4134, which integrates routing, switching, security and VoIP functionality into a single branch-office device. The product takes advantage of the 10-month-old Innovative Communications Alliance between Nortel and Microsoft, rolling in integrated support for Microsoft Mediation technology required for Microsoft converged communications solutions.

That combination of capabilities will enable customers to drop the number of boxes at branch locations from seven down to one, Zafirovski said.

Nortel also unveiled its entrance into the WAN optimization market with its new Nortel Application Accelerator, which promises to boost Web application performance and cut bandwidth consumption.

Nortel, too, was one of many vendors to roll out new WLAN technology at Interop. The company introduced a new architecture and new products, including its WLAN Security Switch 2382 and WLAN Access Point 2332.

Under the new architecture, access points can forward traffic between themselves, eliminating the need to constantly send data back to the network core.

These days, our culture rewards strong opinions and quick-draw conclusions. In a time when every side seems convinced it has the answers, The Atlantic and HBO are partnering on a series of short films that challenge our certainties.

Civil discourse ultimately depends on a recognition that none of us has a complete understanding of the world—and that we’re at our best when we engage with arguments that confront our deepest beliefs. This is how we, as a society, move toward a better and shared future.

We invite you to #QuestionYourAnswers with us.

Bungie and the Destiny 2 playerbase are doing some soul-searching after a traumatic week of mass layoffs and (unconfirmed but definitely happening) delays. Externally and internally, it’s known these layoffs have been triggered by the poor performance of Destiny 2 after this year’s Lightfall expansion, with player engagement down and revenue goals missed by a massive 45%.

The answer to this so far seems to be putting all stock in The Final Shape, the game’s last Light and Darkness era expansion. But with a delay, the declines ahead of that release are bound to accelerate, and it being an “ending,” drop-offs will also happen afterward.

Bungie seems like it’s in an almost impossible position at this point, trying to please Sony, trying to build multiple new games, trying to stabilize playercounts and revenue for Destiny 2, trying to increase employee and player morale in a terrible moment.

And the problem is, I don’t think there really is an answer. At least not one that isn’t extremely drastic.

I was just watching SkillUp’s show Friends Per Second where he had on Datto, Byf and Aztecross, three giants of the Destiny 2 community. When he asked a fairly simple question, what could Bungie do to turn things around from here, specifically after The Final Shape, everyone mostly looked around and shrugged. After years of suggestions, almost everyone is out of meaningful ideas. Better onboarding was one thing brought up, but what that even means seven years in with 50% of the game’s content deleted is unclear.

In the wider community, the proposed “fixes” are impossible, like “just unvault all destinations and raids” like you’re flipping a light switch (ironically, location lighting is a big technical reason why it’s so hard to bring old areas back).

What I keep coming back to is that I do not think there is an answer except for…Destiny 3, something that does not seem to be on the table at all, but it is essentially the only thing that I can see working as a jump start and refresh for the series. And to build that may require a break of (gasp) a couple of years so Bungie can work on it instead of grinding out seasonal episodes or more yearly expansions around the clock.

My fear is that Bungie will stay on the exact same cadence of content release they are on now and it will do nothing to reverse declines. Staying with Destiny 2 indefinitely, all the same problems remain, and you’re not going to get some major surge in player population if some new “saga” launches in 2025, built on the back of 7/8 previous years of content. All the problems will still be there.

I think everyone needs a break. If Bungie was allowed to put Destiny 2 in maintenance mode for a period of time ahead of making a fully new sequel, players could just play as they felt like it without feeling the pressure to “keep up” the way they do now. Bungie could allow its seasonal teams to start working on larger content for a full sequel. And this has to be a real sequel, not just a new D2 expansion that vaults all past content and is called “Destiny 3,” which would probably be the worst of all worlds.

I know this is not how every game does it. WoW and Final Fantasy XIV and such don’t simply “stop,” and yet I don’t know if Destiny can continue this dream of being a full MMO like those games given the live service model it’s adopted where it can’t just return for huge, sweeping expansions, but it needs to be pumping out new content around the clock.

You may say “well if you’re worried about player and revenue falloffs before this, stopping live content delivery would kill everything,” I get that. However, it feels like the kind of drastic step that would be needed if Destiny, or even Bungie, is going to survive in the long term. Maybe they couldn’t have survived a move like that as an independent studio, but this is where they would have to rely on Sony to provide them runway to turn things around in their flagship series.

I understand Destiny is a live game, but at a certain point, that works against it as Bungie constantly has to build a road as they’re driving on it. Sony’s studios thrive by being able to take their time in between sprawling single player games, and while sure, it’s a different genre here, if Bungie wants to re-engage players on the whole, a big new start, a clean slate, new classes, new races, a new galaxy even, a place where new players can join on day one and veterans can be excited to return, they should be allowed that chance.

But I don’t think this is happening. From my time spent speaking with former and current Bungie employees during this past week, few seem to know or will share anything happening past the post-Final Shape episodes, and Destiny 3 doesn’t really seem to be coming up in conversation at all. I simply do not believe that even if The Final Shape is good, it will allow for anything other than a very brief surge in players and sales. After that, if we’re still just trying to trudge through years with similar seasonal content and similar expansions built in D2, I don’t think anything ever changes, and the declines will only continue. Sometimes you need drastic action to save a franchise and make sure it’s healthy long term, and as much as I may not want to believe it, I think taking a few years off to craft Destiny 3 as a clean slate for new players and veterans alike is the thing that makes the most sense, as scary as it may be for everyone involved. This current path leads nowhere good.

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Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.

When you’re looking for a job, you want to impress the interviewer. As a result, your instinct may be to keep things all business. But chances are good you’ll also be asked about your hobbies or interests—and how you respond to the question is more powerful than you may realize. Luckily, there are some effective ways to answer—and some things to avoid as well.

You’re especially wise to plan for how you’ll reply to the question effectively because the job market is competitive, and it can be especially stressful. In fact, 77% of people experience stress and 69% struggle with mental side effects and 12% experience physical side effects through the job search process—from anxiety and sleep loss to frustration and exhaustion. All this is according to a poll by Monster.

But when you’re prepared to answer questions with credibility and confidence, you’ll reduce your anxiety and increase the chances your experience is positive.

In addition, when you plan thoroughly, you can respond brilliantly—and this enhances your likelihood of getting the job—and more importantly—a great-fit job. You always need to put your best foot forward, but when you’re also authentic, interviewers can more effectively assess your match with the role, the culture of the organization and your future opportunities with them.

All of these are powerful rationale for be intentional about every aspect of the job search process—including how to answer the question, “What are your hobbies or interests?”

Give a Great Answer

Interviewers commonly ask about your interests and your hobbies, and it’s totally normal to talk about them in your job interview. Sometimes hiring leaders are using the question to learn more about you personally or to ease the intensity of the interview. In other cases, they use it as a segway to other parts of the discussion or as a wrap up question.

Whatever their intentions, your response has greater importance than you may realize. In particular, how you answer a question about your hobbies and interests has the power to demonstrate your personality, your skills, how you think and your level of confidence—and all of these contribute to the total impression you make.

Consider these overall tips for how to respond to the question and how to talk about your interests and hobbies in an interview—and provide an answer that is both meaningful and impactful.

• Provide more than a one-word or few-word answer. You may choose to provide the reason why the hobby is interesting to you or background on how you got involved in the hobby. Be thorough, but concise.
• Leverage your answer to highlight your skills, your thinking and your fit for culture or the job.
• Choose to share hobbies which cover a few different capabilities. For example, you can talk about not only how you love to go hiking for your wellbeing, but also how it requires you to be constantly vigilant and intentional about your knowledge of weather patterns and terrain in the mountains—demonstrating your logical approach and your contextual awareness.
• Give an answer which provides a glimpse of your personality. People tend to prefer others who are easy to read and who are authentic. In addition, you’ll generate greater rapport by being open, confident and accessible to others, so don’t be afraid to let yourself shine through your answer.
• Your hobbies and interests don’t have to relate to the job you’re seeking, but it’s helpful if you can make some connections. As an example, your stargazing/astronomy hobby isn’t related to the project management job you’re applying for, but following the night sky and exploring patterns of the constellations can speak to your planning and analytical skills.
• Plan ahead by knowing which activities you want to mention—based on the job you’re interviewing for and the culture of the organization. With preparation, you can ensure you’re highlighting the most compelling hobbies and also that you’re able to be brief in your answers.

In every interview, you’ll be asked for a lot more than just your hobbies or interests—of course—but the answers you provide can be a powerful demonstration of who you are, and it can make you more memorable to the interviewer as well.

1 – Demonstrate Your Passion for the Role

One of the ways you can showcase your hobbies is to demonstrate how your passions relate to the job you’re seeking. If you’re applying for a teaching job and you talk about how you love to volunteer at your local library studying to children, you’ll be making the point that you have a passion for kids. Or if you’re seeking a job as an interior designer and talk about how you love to do home improvement projects on the weekends, you’ll be reinforcing your love of all-things creative.

In this case, sharing the why behind your choice of activities is powerful. Don’t just say you love to read to children in your spare time, talk about how you choose to spend the time because you’re energized by the curiosity that children invariably demonstrate. And don’t just say you love to do home improvement, talk about how it feeds your craving to build and express your creative spirit.

Employers want to hire people who are energized by the work they’ll do, so if you have hobbies that align with your role, highlight them.

2 – Demonstrate Key Skills

Perhaps the most obvious way to leverage a question about your interests is to showcase your skills through your hobbies. If you’re applying for a job as an engineer, you can share how you love to participate in the annual pinewood derby with your niece. Or if you’re looking for a job as a landscape designer, you can share how you’ve always taken jobs at nurseries, learning about all the conditions for growing all kinds of plants.

In these cases, you’ll want to share your interests, but also how they’ve drawn on your existing skills and helped you develop your skills as well. The pinewood derby organizers always ask for your involvement because of the engineering and problem-solving acumen you bring. And after years working in greenhouses, there isn’t a plant or growing condition you don’t recognize.

Employers are looking for candidates with solid skills, so when you’re able to emphasize your capabilities through all kinds of examples—including hobbies and interests—you’ll put yourself ahead of other contenders.

3 – Demonstrate Community Mindedness

When you answer the question about your hobbies and interests, you’ll also be smart to reflect some connection to the community. While sitting by yourself and studying books may demonstrate the ability to focus and concentrate, you’ll provide yourself a greater advantage by sharing how you enjoy helping your elderly neighbor with her holiday shopping or how you thrive on your work at the local food pantry.

Employers are enthusiastic to hire those who will work well with others, have strong interpersonal skills and who will contribute to the team and the broader community of the organization—so you’re wise to reference these kinds of skills when you talk about your activities.

4 – Demonstrate Your Growth and Initiative

Talking about your hobbies is also a perfect time to discuss how you’ve grown or developed. For example, you wanted to get better at public speaking, so you joined a local Toastmasters club. Or you wanted to build your writing skills, so you joined a creative writing group. In these cases, you can describe the challenge you faced or the desire you had to build a skill or capability—and then how you took action through your hobby to develop it.

You can also show your initiative. For example, you love to read about courses related to your profession, so you started a studying club at your previous organization. Or you saw a need in your community for bird rescue, so you worked with your local nature center to develop an avian sanctuary program.

You’ll increase the chances of getting the job when you show that you value learning and how you’re always seeking to grow—and willing to take action to make things happen for yourself and others.

5 – Demonstrate Your Wellbeing

Hobbies and interests are also a great way to show how you manage your wellbeing. For example, you might talk about how you never miss a day of taking your dog for a walk because it helps you blow off steam. Or you may share how much you love to knit because it helps you relax and rejuvenate for the week ahead.

Statistically, when you’re happier outside of work, you’ll perceive greater happiness within your work as well—so you’re wise to have plenty of things which bring you joy.

In addition, it’s normal for work to be stressful, and meaningful effort can require a lot of energy—so employers like to know that you’re self-aware and have great coping skills and resilience.

Get the Job

Overall, you’ll increase the chances of getting a great job when you’re able to answer all kinds of interview questions, including the ones about your hobbies and interests. In fact, you may choose to offer details about hobbies or interests even if you’re not asked about them directly—since they can offer a window into the depth of your passion and the extent of your initiative.

Be open, be authentic and be confident in showing the interviewer who you are. You’ll be glad you did when you land the best job that allows you to express your passions.