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CCDA Self Study: Basic Campus Switching Design Considerations
- Campus Design Methodology
- Campus Design
- Summary
- References
- Case Study and Simulation Exercise
- Review Questions
This chapter introduces general campus switching design considerations and describes modularity in switching designs. It includes the following sections:
Campus Design Methodology
Campus Design
Case Study and Simulation Exercise
Review Questions
The availability of multigigabit campus switches gives customers the opportunity to build extremely high-performance, high-reliability networksif they follow correct network design approaches. Unfortunately, some alternative network design approaches can result in a network that has lower performance, reliability, and manageability.
This chapter describes a hierarchical modular design approach called multilayer design. First, it addresses general campus switching design considerations. The differences between Layer 2 (L2) and Layer 3 (L3) switching, and where to use each, are also discussed.
When you finish this chapter, you will be able to understand campus network switch design fundamentals and describe the positioning of switches in campus network modules.
Campus Design Methodology
The multilayer approach to campus network design combines Layer 2 switching with Layer 3 switching to achieve robust, highly-available campus networks. This section discusses the factors you should consider for a Campus local-area network (LAN) design.
Designing an Enterprise Campus
Designing an Enterprise Campus network requires a broad view of the network's overall picture. The network designer must be familiar with both Enterprise Campus design methodologies and Enterprise Campus modules.
Campus design requires an understanding of the organizational network borders (geography) and the existing and planned application traffic flows. Physical characteristics of the network depend on the following criteria:
Selected transmission media
The type of technology (switched or shared)
The type of traffic forwarding (switching) in network devices (Layer 2 or Layer 3)
You should consider the following five factors when deploying the campus network:
Network geographyThe distribution of network nodes (for example, host or network devices) and the distances between them significantly affect the campus solutionespecially the physical transmission media.
Network applicationsIn terms of bandwidth and delay, the application requirements place stringent requirements on a campus network solution.
Data link layer technology (shared or switched)The dedicated bandwidth solution of LAN switching is replacing the traditional approach, in which all devices share the available bandwidth using hubs. The network designer must consider these options, especially when migrating or upgrading existing networks.
Layer 2 versus Layer 3 switchingThe network devices and their features determine the network's flexibility, but also contribute to the network's overall delay. Layer 2 switching is based on media access control (MAC) addresses, and Layer 3 switching is based on network layer addressesusually Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.
Transmission media (physical cabling)Cabling is one of the biggest long-term investments in network deployment. Therefore, transmission media selection depends not only on the required bandwidth and distances, but also on the emerging technologies that might be deployed over the same infrastructure in the future. The network designer must thoroughly evaluate the cost of the medium (including installation costs) and the available budget in addition to the technical characteristics, such as signal attenuation and electromagnetic interference. Two major cabling options exist: copper-based media (for example, unshielded twisted pair [UTP]) and optical fiber.
The following sections examine these factors.
Network Geography
The location of Enterprise Campus nodes and the distances between them determine the network's geography. When designing the Enterprise Campus network, the network designer's first step is to identify the network's geography. The network designer must determine the following:
Location of nodesNodes (end users, workstations, or servers) within an organization can be located in the same room, building, or geographical area.
Distances between the nodesBased on the location of nodes and the distance between them, the network designer decides which technology should be used, the maximum speeds, and so on. (Media specifications typically include a maximum distance, how often regenerators can be used, and so on.)
The following geographical structures can be identified with respect to the network geography:
Distant remote building
Distant remote building over 100 km
These geographical structures serve as guides to help determine Enterprise Campus transmission media and the logical modularization of the Enterprise Campus network. The following sections describe these geographical structures.
Intra-Building Structure
An intra-building campus network structure provides connectivity for the end nodes, which are all located in the same building, and gives them access to the network resources. (The access and distribution layers are typically located in the same building.)
User workstations are usually attached to the floor-wiring closet with UTP cables. To allow the most flexibility in the use of technologies, the UTP cables are typically Category 5 (CAT 5) or better. Wiring closets usually connect to the building central switch (distribution switch) over optical fiber. This offers better transmission performances and is less sensitive to environmental disturbances.
Inter-Building Structure
As shown in Figure 4-1, an inter-building network structure provides the connectivity between the individual campus buildings' central switches (in the distribution and/or core layers). Typically placed only a few hundred meters to a few kilometers apart, these buildings are usually in close proximity.
Figure 4-1 Inter-Building Network Structure
Because the nodes in all campus buildings usually share common devices such as servers, the demand for high-speed connectivity between the buildings is high. To provide high throughput without excessive interference from environmental conditions, optical fiber is the media of choice between the buildings.
Distant Remote Building Structure
When connecting distances that exceed a few kilometers (usually within a metropolitan area), the network designer's most important factor to consider is the physical media. The speed and cost of the network infrastructure depend heavily on the media selection.
Usually, the bandwidth requirements are higher than the physical connectivity options can support. In such cases, the network designer must identify the organization's critical applications and then select the equipment that supports intelligent network services, such as quality of service (QoS) and filtering capabilities that allow optimal use of the bandwidth.
Some companies might own their media, such as fiber or copper lines. However, if the organization does not own physical transmission media to certain remote locations, the Enterprise Network Campus must connect through the Enterprise Edge wide-area network (WAN) module using connectivity options from public service providers (such as metropolitan area network [MAN]).
Network Geography Considerations
Table 4-1 compares the types of connectivity, availability importance, required throughput, and expected cost for each geographical structure.
Table 4-1 Network Geography Considerations
Parameter |
Intra-building |
Inter-building |
Distant Remote Building |
Distant Over 100 km |
Connectivity type |
Fiber |
Fiber MM/SM |
Fiber SM |
Copper/fiber |
Availability importance |
High |
Medium |
Medium |
Low |
Low |
Required throughput |
Medium |
High |
High |
Medium |
Low |
Cost |
$ |
$$ |
$$$ |
$$$$ |
$$$$$ |
MM = Multimode; SM = single-mode
Depending on the distances and environmental conditions that result from the respective geographical scopes, various connectivity options existranging from traditional copper media to fiber-based transmission media.
Typically, availability within a building is very important, and it decreases with distance between buildings. (This is because the physical buildings in the campus often form the core of the campus network; communication to buildings located farther from the core is not as important.)
The throughput requirements increase close to the network's core and close to the sites where the servers reside.
A quick review of Table 4-1 reveals a combination of a high level of availability, medium bandwidth, and a low price for the Enterprise Campus network when all nodes are located in the same building. The cost of transmission media increases with the distance between nodes. A balance between the desired bandwidth and available budget are usually required to keep the cost reasonable; bandwidth is often sacrificed.
Network Application Characterization
Application characterization is the process of determining the characteristics of the network's applications. Network designers should determine which applications are critical to the organization and the network demands of these applications to determine enterprise traffic patterns inside the Enterprise Campus network. This process should result in information about network bandwidth usage and response times for certain applications. These parameters influence the selection of the transmission medium and the desired bandwidth.
Different types of application communication result in varying network demands. The following sections review four types of application communication:
Client-distributed server
Client-Server Farm
Client-Enterprise Edge
Client-Client Applications
From the network designer's perspective, client-client applications include those applications in which the majority of network traffic passes from one network edge device to another through the organization's network, as shown in Figure 4-2. Typical client-client applications include the following:
IP telephonyTwo peers establish communication with the help of a telephone manager workstation; however, the conversation occurs directly between the two peers when the connection is established.
File sharingSome operating systems (or even applications) require direct access to data on other workstations.
Videoconference systemsThis application is similar to IP telephony. However, the network requirements for this type of application are usually higher, particularly bandwidth consumption and QoS requirements.
Figure 4-2 Client-Client Application
Client-Distributed Server Applications
Historically, clients and servers were attached to a network device on the same LAN segment.
With increased traffic on the corporate network, an organization can decide to split the network into several isolated segments. As shown in Figure 4-3, each of these segments has its own servers, known as distributed servers, for its application. In this scenario, servers and users are located in the same virtual LAN (VLAN). Department administrators manage and control the servers. The majority of department traffic occurs in the same segment, but some data exchange (to a different VLAN) can happen over the campus backbone. For traffic passing to another segment, the overall bandwidth requirement might not be crucial. For example, Internet access must go through a common segment that requires less performance than the traffic to the local segment servers.
Figure 4-3 Client-Distributed Server Application
Client-Server Farm Applications
In a large organization, the organizational application traffic passes across more than one wiring closet, or VLAN. Such applications include
Organizational mail servers (such as Lotus Notes and Microsoft Exchange)
Common file servers (such as Novell, Microsoft, and Sun)
Common database servers for organizational applications (such as Sybase, Oracle, and IBM)
A large organization requires its users to have fast, reliable, and controlled access to the critical applications. To fulfill these demands and keep administrative costs down, the solution is to place the servers in a common Server Farm, as shown in Figure 4-4. The placement of servers in a Server Farm requires the network designer to select a network infrastructure that is highly resilient (providing security), redundant (providing high availability), and that provides adequate throughput. High-end LAN switches with the fastest LAN technologies, such as Gigabit Ethernet, are typically deployed in such an environment.
Figure 4-4 Client-Server Farm Application
Client-Enterprise Edge Applications
As shown in Figure 4-5, Client-Enterprise Edge applications use servers on the Enterprise Edge. These applications exchange data between the organization and its public servers.
The most important communication issue between the Enterprise Campus Network and the Enterprise Edge is not performance, but security. High availability is another important characteristic; data exchange with external entities must be in constant operation. Applications installed on the Enterprise Edge can be crucial to organizational process flow; therefore, any outages can increase costs.
Typical Enterprise Edge applications are based on web technologies. Examples of these application types, such as external mail servers and public web servers, can be found in any organization.
Figure 4-5 Client-Enterprise Edge Application
Organizations that support their partnerships through e-commerce applications also place their e-commerce servers into the Enterprise Edge. Communication with these servers is vital because of the two-way replication of data. As a result, high redundancy and resiliency of the network, along with security, are the most important requirements for these applications.
Application Requirements
Table 4-2 compares the types of applications and their requirements for the most important network parameters. The following sections discuss these parameters.
Table 4-2 Network Application Requirements
Parameter |
Client-Client |
Client-Distributed Servers |
Client-Server Farm |
Client-Enterprise Edge Servers |
Connectivity type |
Shared |
Switched |
Switched |
Switched |
Switched |
High availability |
Low |
Low |
Medium |
High |
High |
Total required throughput |
Low |
Medium |
Medium |
High |
Medium |
Total network cost |
Low |
Low |
Medium |
High |
Medium |
The wide use of LAN switching at Layer 2 has revolutionized local-area networking and has resulted in increased performance and more bandwidth for satisfying the requirements of new organizational applications. LAN switches provide this performance benefit by increasing bandwidth and throughput for workgroups and local servers.
The shared media for client-client (also termed peer-to-peer) communication is suitable only in a limited scope, typically when the number of client workstations is very low (for example, in small home offices).
The required throughput varies from application to application. An application that exchanges data between users in the workgroup usually does not require a high throughput network infrastructure. However, organizational-level applications usually require a high-capacity link to the servers, which is usually located in the Server Farm.
Client-client communication, especially in the case of frequent file transfers, could be intensive, and the total throughput requirements can be high.
Applications located on servers in the Enterprise Edge are normally not as bandwidth- consuming (compared to the applications in the Server Farm) but may require high-availability and security features.
High Availability
High availability is a function of the application and the entire network between a client workstation and a server that is located in the network. Although network availability is primarily determined by the network design, the individual components' mean time between failures (MTBF) is a factor. It is recommended that you add redundancy to the distribution layer and the campus.
Depending on the application and the resulting network infrastructure, the cost varies from low in a client-client environment to high in a highly redundant Server Farm. In addition to the cost of duplicate components for redundancy, costs include the cables, routers, switches, software, and so forth.
Data Link Layer Technologies
Traditionally, network designers had a limited number of hardware options when purchasing a technology for their campus networks. Hubs were used for wiring closets, and routers were used to break the network into logical segments. The increasing power of desktop processors and the requirements of client/server and multimedia applications drove the need for greater bandwidth in traditional shared-media environments. These requirements are prompting network designers to replace hubs with LAN switches.
Key Point: Bandwidth Domains and Broadcast Domains
A bandwidth domain, which is known as a collision domain for Ethernet LANs, includes all devices that share the same bandwidth. For example, when using switches or bridges, everything associated with one port is a bandwidth domain.
A broadcast domain includes all devices that see each other's broadcasts (and multicasts). For example, all devices associated with one router port reside in the same broadcast domain.
Devices in the same bandwidth domain also reside in the same broadcast domain; however, devices in the same broadcast domain can reside in different bandwidth domains.
All workstations residing in one bandwidth domain compete for the same LAN bandwidth resource. All traffic from any host in the bandwidth domain is visible to all the other hosts. In the case of an Ethernet collision domain, two stations can cause a collision by transmitting at the same time. The stations must then stop transmitting and try again at a later time, thereby delaying traffic transmittal.
All broadcasts from any host residing in the same broadcast domain are visible to all other hosts in the same broadcast domain. Desktop protocols such as AppleTalk, Internetwork Packet Exchange (IPX), and IP require broadcasts or multicasts for resource discovery and advertisement. Hubs, switches, and bridges forward broadcasts and multicasts to all ports. Routers do not forward these broadcasts or multicasts to any ports. In other words, routers block broadcasts (which are destined for all networks) and multicasts; routers forward only unicast packets (which are destined for a specific device) and directed broadcasts (which are destined for all devices on a specific network).
Shared Technology
Shared technology using hubs or repeaters is based on all devices sharing a segment's bandwidth. Initially, the entire Ethernet segment was a single common busthe cable itself. With the introduction of hubs and new structured wiring, the physical network bus topology changed to a star topology. This topology resulted in fewer errors in the network because of the repeaters receiving an electrical signal and boosting the signal before forwarding it to all other segment participants (on all other repeater ports). All devices on all ports of a hub or repeater are on the same bandwidth (collision) domain.
Switched LAN Technology
Switched LAN technology uses the same physical star topology as hubs but eliminates the sharing of bandwidth. Devices on each port of a switch are in different bandwidth (collision) domains; however, all devices are still in the same broadcast domain. The LAN switches provide an efficient way of transferring network frames over the organizational network. In case of a frame error, the switch does not forward the frame as a hub or repeater would.
Comparing Switched and Shared Technologies
Table 4-3 presents some of the most obvious differences and benefits of switched technology compared to shared technology. It uses Fast Ethernet as an example.
Table 4-3 Switched Versus Shared Fast Ethernet Technologies
Parameter |
Switched |
Shared |
Bandwidth |
>10 Megabits per second (Mbps) |
<100 Mbps |
Range |
From 1 meter |
<500 meters |
Intelligent services |
Yes |
No |
High availability |
Yes |
No |
Cost |
$$ |
$ |
The major drawback of shared technology is that all network devices must compete for the same bandwidth; only one frame flow is supported at a time. Bandwidth in shared technology is limited to the speed on a network segment (in this case, 100 Mbps for Fast Ethernet). Because of collisions, aggregate network bandwidth is less than this.
LAN switching technology supports speeds from Ethernet (10 Mbps) onward and enables multiple ports to simultaneously forward frames over the switch. Thus, the utilized aggregate network bandwidth could be much greater than with shared technology.
A Layer 3 device separates network segments from each other into different broadcast domains. A traditional network's Layer 3 device was a router; in a modern network, the preference is for a Layer 3 switch.
In a shared network, the network's diameter (the largest distance between two network devices) is constrained by the transmission media's physical characteristics because of the collision detection algorithmthe maximum distance between devices is limited to ensure that no collisions occur. In a shared environment, all devices reside in the same collision domain. The hub improves the frame's physical characteristics but does not check for frame errors. Every station on the segment must compete for resources and be able to detect whether two or more network stations are transmitting at the same time. The Ethernet standard for shared technology defines how long the sending device must possess the bus before it actually sends the data, so collisions can be detected. Because of this time limitation, the length or range of the segment is defined and never reaches more than 500 meters in the best-case scenario.
In a switched environment, devices on each port are in different collision domains. Collision detection is only a concern on each physical segment, and the segments themselves are limited in length. Because the switch stores the entire frame or part of it before forwarding it, the segments do not generate any collisions. The media that is used does not constrain the overall network's diameter.
Intelligent Services
The traditional shared technology is not capable of supporting new network features; this became important with the increasing number of organizational client/server and multimedia applications. LAN switches perform several functions at Layer 3, and even at higher Open System Interconnection (OSI) layers. Modern networks are required to support intelligent network services (such as QoS), security, and management; LAN switches have the ability to support these.
High Availability
Many organizational processes that run on the network infrastructure are critical for the organization's success. Consequently, high availability has become increasingly important. While shared networks do not offer the required capability, the LAN switches do.
Switches can be interconnected with multiple links without creating loops in the network (using the Spanning Tree protocol). Hubs cannot be interconnected with redundant links.
Considering all the benefits LAN switches offer, you might expect the cost per port to be much higher on switches than on hubs. However, with wide deployment and availability, the price per port for LAN switches is almost the same as it is for hubs or repeaters.
All of the previously listed factors have mostly eliminated shared technologies; the majority of new networks use only switched technologies. Shared technologies are present in only some parts of existing networks and in smaller home offices.
Layer 2 and Layer 3 Switching Design Considerations
LAN switches have traditionally been only Layer 2 devices. Modern switches provide higher OSI level functionalities and can effectively replace routers in the LAN switched environment. Deploying pure Layer 2 or selecting Layer 3 switches in the enterprise network is not a trivial decision. It requires a full understanding of the network topology and customer demands.
Key Point: Layer 2 Versus Layer 3 Switching
The difference between Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching is the type of information that is used inside the frame to determine the correct output interface. Layer 2 switching forwards frames based on data link layer information (MAC address), while Layer 3 switching forwards frames based on network layer information (such as IP address).
When deciding on the type of LAN switch to use and the features to be deployed into a network, consider the following factors:
Network service capabilitiesThe network services the organization requires (QoS, and so on).
Size of the network segmentsHow the network is segmented, based on traffic characteristics.
Convergence timesThe maximum amount of time the network can be unavailable in the event of network outages.
Spanning-Tree Domain Considerations
Layer 2 switches use the Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) to ensure that only one active path exists between two switches. If a physical loop exists (for redundancy), STP puts ports on the switch in blocking state (thereby effectively disabling the ports, from a data perspective) to ensure a loop-free network. In the event of a failure, the blocked port is re-enabled (put into a forwarding state). An STP domain is a set of switches that communicates via STP. STP is illustrated in Figure 4-6.
Figure 4-6 STP
STP selects a root switch (or root bridge, according to IEEE 802.1d standard terminology) and determines whether any redundant paths exist. After the switch comes online, it takes up to 50 seconds before the root switch and redundant links are detected. At this time, the switch ports go through the listening and learning states; from there they progress to either the forwarding or blocking state. No ordinary traffic can travel through the network at this time.
The default STP Forward Delay timer is 15 seconds; it determines how long the port stays in both the listening and learning states (for a total of 30 seconds). The Maximum Age timer defaults to 20 seconds; this is the time during which a switch stores a BPDU before discarding it, and therefore determines when the switch recognizes that a topology change has occurred. The addition of 30 seconds and 20 seconds composes the 50 seconds referred to previously.
When the primary link goes down and the redundant link must be activated, a similar event occurs. The time it takes for a redundant path to be activated depends on whether the failure is direct (a port on the same switch) or indirect (a port on another switch). Direct failures take 30 seconds because the switch bypasses the 20-second Maximum Age timer (and associated Blocking State for the port); from there it moves straight to the listening state (for 15 seconds), and then to the learning state (for 15 seconds). For indirect failures, the switch port must first wait 20 seconds (Maximum Age Timer) before it can transition to the listening state and then the learning state, for a total of 50 seconds. Thus, when a link fails, up to 50 seconds might pass before another link becomes available.
Cisco has implemented several features that have improved STP convergence. Recent standardization efforts have also proposed some new enhancements to the STP. Following is a brief description of the STP enhancements that result in faster convergence; this convergence is comparable to Layer 3 convergence and, in some instances, even exceeds it.
PortFastUsed for ports in which end-user stations and/or servers are directly connected. When PortFast is enabled, there is no delay in passing traffic because the switch immediately puts the port in the forwarding state (skipping the listening and learning states). Two additional measures that prevent potential STP loops are associated with the PortFast feature:
Bridge Protocol Data Unit (BPDU) GuardPortFast transitions the port into STP forwarding mode immediately upon linkup. Since the port still participates in STP, the potential of STP loop exists (if some device attached to that port also runs STP). The BPDU guard feature enforces the STP domain borders and keeps the active topology predictable. If the port receives a BPDU, the port is transitioned into errdisable state (meaning that it was disabled due to an error) and an error message is reported.
BPDU FilteringThis feature allows the user to block PortFast-enabled nontrunk ports from transmitting BPDUs. Spanning tree does not run on these ports.
UplinkFastIf the link to the root switch goes down and the link is directly connected to the switch, UplinkFast enables the switch to put a redundant path (port) into active state within a second.
BackboneFastIf a link on the way to the root switch fails but is not directly connected to the switch, BackboneFast reduces the convergence time from 50 seconds to between 20 and 30 seconds. When this feature is used, it must be enabled on all switches in the STP domain.
Additional information regarding the errdisable state is available in Recovering From errDisable Port State on the CatOS Platforms, at http://www.cisco.com/en/US/tech/tk389/tk214/technologies_tech_note09186a0080093dcb.shtml.
In addition to features that enable faster convergence of the STP, features exist that prevent errors from resulting in unpredictable STP topology changes that could lead to STP loops. These features include the following:
STP Loop GuardWhen one of the blocking ports in a physically redundant topology stops receiving BPDUs, usually STP creates a potential loop by moving the port to forwarding state. With the STP Loop Guard feature enabled and if a blocking port no longer receives BPDUs, that port is moved into the STP loop-inconsistent blocking state instead of the listening/learning/forwarding state. This feature avoids loops in the network that result from unidirectional or other software failures.
BPDU Skew DetectionThis feature allows the switch to keep track of late-arriving BPDUs (by default, BPDUs are sent every 2 seconds) and notify the administrator via syslog messages. Skew detection generates a report for every port on which BPDU has ever arrived late (this is known as skewed). Report messages are rate-limited (one message every 60 seconds) to protect the CPU.
Unidirectional Link Detection (UDLD)If the STP process that runs on the switch with a blocking port stops receiving BPDUs from its upstream (designated) switch on that port, STP creates a forwarding loop or STP loop by eventually aging out the STP information for this port and moving it to the forwarding state. The UDLD is a Layer 2 protocol that works with the Layer 1 mechanisms to determine a link's physical status. If the port does not see its own device/port ID in the incoming UDLD packets for a specific duration of time, the link is considered unidirectional from the Layer 2 perspective. Once UDLD detects the unidirectional link, the respective port is disabled and the error message is generated.
Although spanning tree was previously considered to have very slow convergence (up to 50 seconds), the latest standard enhancements render its convergence comparable to (or even exceeding) that of routing protocols. The following enhancements are useful in environments that contain several VLANs:
Rapid STP (RSTP, defined in IEEE 802.1W)RSTP provides rapid convergence of the spanning tree by assigning port roles and determining the active topology. The RSTP builds upon the IEEE 802.1d STP to select the switch with the highest switch priority as the root switch and then assigns the port roles (root, designated, alternate, backup, and disabled) to individual ports. These roles assist in rapid STP convergence, which can be extremely fast (within a second) because of the topology knowledge.
Multiple STP (MSTP, sometimes referred to as MISTP [Multiple Instances of STP], defined in IEEE 802.1S)MSTP uses RSTP for rapid convergence by enabling several (topologically identical) VLANs to be grouped into a single spanning tree instance, with each instance including a spanning tree topology that is independent of other spanning tree instances. This architecture provides multiple forwarding paths for data traffic, enables load balancing, and reduces the number of spanning tree instances that are required to support a large number of VLANs.
Load Sharing Guidelines
Layer 2 and Layer 3 switches handle load sharing differently, as described in the following sections.
Layer 2 Load Sharing
Because Layer 2 switches are aware of only MAC addresses, they cannot perform any intelligent load sharing. In an environment characterized by multiple VLANs per access switch and more than one connection to the uplink switch, the solution is to put all uplink connections into trunks (Inter-switch link [ISL] or 802.1q). Each trunk carries all VLANs; however, without additional configuration, the STP protocol disables all nonprimary uplink ports. This configuration can result in a bandwidth shortage because the traffic for all the VLANs passes through the same link. To overcome this problem, the STP parameters must be configured to carry some VLANs across one uplink and the rest of the VLANs across the other uplink. For example, one uplink could be configured to carry the VLANs with odd numbers, while the other uplink is configured to carry the VLANs with even numbers. The top of Figure 4-7 illustrates this situation.
Figure 4-7 Layer 2 Versus Layer 3 Load Sharing
Layer 3 Load Sharing
Layer 3-capable switches can perform load sharing based on IP addresses. As illustrated in the lower portion of Figure 4-7, most modern Layer 3 devices with load sharing capability can balance the load per packet or per destination-source IP pair.
The advantage of Layer 3 IP load sharing is that links are used more proportionately than with Layer 2 load sharing, which is based on VLANs only. For example, the traffic in one VLAN can be very heavy while the traffic in another VLAN is very low; in this case, per-VLAN load sharing by using even and odd VLANs is not appropriate. Due to the dynamic nature of organizational applications, Layer 3 load sharing is more appropriate. Layer 3 allows for dynamic adaptation to link utilization and depends on the routing protocol design. Layer 3 switches also support Layer 2 load sharing, so they can still apply per-VLAN load sharing while connected to other Layer 2 switches.
Layer 2 Versus Layer 3 Switching
Table 4-4 compares Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching with respect to various campus network features. Considerations for deployment include
Pure Layer 2 switching throughout the network
Various combinations of Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching, including
Layer 3 switching in the distribution layer only
Layer 3 switching in the distribution and core layers
Layer 3 switching throughout the network
Table 4-4 Layer 2 Versus Layer 3 Switching
Parameter |
Layer 2 Everywhere |
Layer 3 in Distribution Only |
Layer 3 in Core and Distribution |
Layer 3 Everywhere |
Policy domain |
Layer 2 Access Control List (ACL) and QoS |
Layer 2 and Layer 3 ACL and QoS |
Layer 2 and Layer 3 ACL and QoS |
Layer 2 and Layer 3 ACL and QoS |
Load sharing |
Per VLAN |
Per VLAN Per destination |
Per VLAN Per destination |
Per VLAN Per destination |
Failure domain |
Access, core |
Access |
Segment |
Convergence |
Distribution: Routing protocol hold-timer (quick) Other: STP |
Core and distribution: Routing protocol hold-timer (quick) Access: STP |
Routing protocol hold-timer (quick) |
Cost |
$_ |
$$_ |
$$$_ |
$$$$ |
The following sections elaborate on the features in Table 4-4.
Policy Domain
The policy domain is the scope of the network that is affected by a certain policy. A network policy is a formal set of statements that define how network resources are allocated among devices. In addition to selected hosts or applications, the policies can be applied to individual users, groups, or entire departments. For example, policies can be based on the time of day or client authorization priorities. Network managers implement policies and policy statements and store them in a policy repository or on the device itself. The devices then apply the configured policies to network resources.
The size of the policy domain depends on the switching layer and on the mechanisms for policy implementation. In pure Layer 2 switching, the policy domain overlaps with the switching domain's boundaries; Layer 3 switching offers much more flexibility. In Layer 2 switching, the access control lists (ACLs) and various QoS mechanisms can only be applied to switched ports and MAC addresses; in the Layer 3 switching, the ACL and QoS mechanisms are extended to IP addresses, or even applications (for example, using Transmission Control Protocol [TCP] and User Datagram Protocol [UDP] ports).
Load Sharing
When multiple links exist, they can be used for redundancy and/or traffic load sharing. As discussed in the "Load Sharing Guidelines" section of this chapter, Layer 2 switches only offer load sharing by distributing VLANs across different uplink ports. Layer 3 switches, however, can perform load sharing between ports based on IP destinations.
Failure Domain
A failure domain defines the scope of the network that is affected by network failures. In a Layer 2-switched domain, a misconfigured or malfunctioning workstation can introduce errors that impact or disable the entire domain. Problems of this nature are often difficult to localize.
A failure domain is
Bounded by Layer 3 switching
Bounded by the VLAN when Layer 2 switching is deployed in an entire campus
As discussed in the "Spanning-Tree Domain Considerations" section of this chapter, loop prevention mechanisms in a Layer 2 topology cause the STP to take between 30 and 50 seconds to converge. To eliminate STP convergence issues in the campus backbone, all the links connecting backbone switches must be routed links, not VLAN trunks. This also limits the broadcast and failure domains.
In the case where the Layer 3 switching is deployed everywhere, convergence is within seconds (depending on the routing protocol implemented) because all the devices detect their connected link failure immediately and act upon it promptly (sending respective routing updates).
In a mixed Layer 2 and Layer 3 environment, the convergence time not only depends on the Layer 3 factors (including routing protocol timers such as hold-time and neighbor loss detection), but also on the STP convergence.
Using Layer 3 switching in a structured design reduces the scope of spanning tree domains. It is common to use a routing protocol, such as Enhanced Interior Gateway Protocol (EIGRP) or Open Shortest Path First (OSPF), to handle load balancing, redundancy, and recovery in the backbone.
The cost of deploying Layer 3 switching in comparison to Layer 2 switching increases with the scope of Layer 3 switching deployment. Layer 3 switches are more expensive than their Layer 2 counterparts; for example, Layer 3 functionality can be obtained by adding cards and software to a modular Layer 2 switch.
Transmission Media
An Enterprise Campus can use various physical media to interconnect devices.
Selecting the type of cable is an important consideration when deploying a new network or upgrading an existing one. Cabling infrastructure represents a long-term investmentit is usually installed to last for ten years or more. In addition, even the best network equipment does not operate as expected with poorly chosen cabling.
A network designer must be aware of physical media characteristics because they influence the maximum distance between devices and the network's maximum transmission speed.
Twisted-pair cables (copper) and optical cables (fiber) are the most common physical transmission media used in modern networks.
Unshielded Twisted-Pair (UTP) Cables
UTP consists of four pairs of isolated wires that are wrapped together in plastic cable. No additional foil or wire is wrapped around the core wires (thus, they are unshielded). This makes these wires less expensive, but also less immune to external electromagnetic influences than shielded cables. UTP is widely used to interconnect workstations, servers, or other devices from their network interface card (NIC) to the network connector at a wall outlet.
The characteristics of twisted-pair cable depend on the quality of their material. As a result, twisted-pair cables are sorted into categories. Category 5 or greater is recommended for speeds of 100 megabits per second (Mbps) or higher. Because of the possibility of signal attenuation in the wires and carrier detection, the maximum cable length is usually limited to 100 meters . For example, if one PC starts to transmit and another PC is more than 100 meters away, the second PC might not detect the signal on the wire and therefore start to transmit, causing a collision on the wire.
One of the frequent considerations in the cabling design is electromagnetic interference. Due to high susceptibility to interference, UTP is not suitable for use in environments with electromagnetic influences. Similarly, UTP is not appropriate for environments that can be affected by the UTP's own interference.
Some security issues are also associated with electromagnetic interferenceit is easy to eavesdrop on the traffic carried across UTP because these cables emit electromagnetic interference.
Optical Cables
Typical requirements that lead to the selection of optical cable as a transmission media include distances longer than 100 meters, and immunity to electromagnetic interference. There are different types of optical cable; the two main types are multimode (MM) and single-mode (SM).
Both MM and SM optical cable have lower signal losses than a twisted pair cable; therefore, optical cables automatically enable longer distances between devices. However, fiber cable has precise production and installation requirements, resulting in a higher cost than twisted pair cable.
Multimode fiber is optical fiber that carries multiple light waves or modes concurrently, each at a slightly different reflection angle within the optical fiber core. Because modes tend to disperse over longer lengths (modal dispersion), MM fiber transmission is used for relatively short distances. Typically, light emitting diodes (LEDs) are used with MM fiber. The typical diameter of an MM fiber is 50 or 62.5 micrometers.
Single-mode (also known as monomode) fiber is optical fiber that carries a single wave (or laser) of light. Lasers are typically used with SM fiber. The typical diameter of an SM fiber core is between 2 and 10 micrometers.
Copper Versus Fiber
Table 4-5 presents some of the critical parameters that influence the network transmission medium selection.
Table 4-5 Copper Versus Fiber Media
Parameter |
Copper |
Fiber |
Bandwidth |
Ethernet: <1 gigabits per second (Gbps) LRE: <15 Mbps |
<10 Gbps |
Range |
Ethernet: <100 m LRE: <1.5km |
MM: 550 m* SM: <100 km* |
Deployment area |
Wiring closet |
Inter-node and inter-building |
Other considerations |
Interference, grounding |
Coupling loss |
Installation cost |
$ |
$$$ |
* When using Gigabit Ethernet
Table 4-5 lists Ethernet as a technology; this includes Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, and Gigabit Ethernet. Long Reach Ethernet (LRE) is also listed. This latter technology is Cisco proprietary and runs on voice-grade copper wires; it allows higher distances than traditional Ethernet and is used as an access technology in WANs. Chapter 5, "Designing WANs," further describes LRE.
The following sections elaborate on the parameters in Table 4-5.
The bandwidth parameter indicates the required bandwidth in a particular segment of the network, or the connection speed between the nodes inside or outside the building.
The range parameter is the maximum distance between network devices (such as workstations, servers, printers, and IP phones) and network nodes, and between network nodes.
Table 4-6 summarizes the bandwidth and range characteristics of the transmission media types.
Table 4-6 Transmission Media Types Bandwidth and Range Characteristics
Parameter |
Twisted-Pair |
MM Fiber |
SM Fiber |
Distance (range) |
Up to 100 meters |
Up to 2 kilometers (km) (Fast Ethernet) Up to 550 m (Gigabit Ethernet) |
Up to 40 km Up to 100 km (Gigabit Ethernet) |
Speed (bandwidth) |
Up to 1 Gpbs |
Up to 1 Gbps |
10 Gbps |
Cost |
Cheap to install |
Moderate |
High price |
Copper cables are typically used for connectivity of network devices to the wiring closet where
Distances are less than 100 meters
Speeds of 100 Mbps are satisfactory
Cost must be kept within reasonable limits
Fast EtherChannel (FEC) and Gigabit EtherChannel solutions group several parallel links between LAN switches into a channel that is seen as a single link from the Layer 2 perspective. Two protocols have been introduced for automatic EtherChannel formation: the Port Aggregation Control Protocol (PagP), which is Cisco proprietary, and the Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP), which is standardized and defined in IEEE 802.3ad.
Deployment Area
Deployment area indicates whether wiring is required for wiring closet only (where users access the network), for inter-node, or even for inter-building connections.
Connection from the wiring closet to the building central node can use UTP. As for most inter-node and especially inter-building connections, MM, or even SM, fiber is probably needed if there are high-speed requirements.
Other Considerations
When deploying UTP in an area with high electrical or magnetic interferencefor example, in an industrial environmentyou must pay special attention to media selection. In such environments, the disturbances might interfere with data transfer and therefore result in an increased number of frame errors. Electrical grounding can isolate some external disturbance, but the wiring increases the costs. Fiber optic installation is the only reasonable solution for such networks.
Optical fiber requires a precise technique for cable coupling. Even a small deviation from the ideal position of optical connectors can result in either a loss of signal or a large number of frame losses. Careful attention during optical fiber installation is imperative because of the traffic's high sensitivity to coupling misalignment. In environments where the cable does not consist of a single fiber from point to point, coupling is required and loss of signal can easily occur.
Installation Cost
Along with the cost of the medium, you must also seriously consider installation cost. Installation costs are significantly higher than UTP installation costs because of strict requirements for optical cable coupling.
Cabling Example
Figure 4-8 illustrates a typical campus network structure. End devices such as workstations, IP phones, and printers are no more than 100 m away from the LAN switch. UTP wiring can easily handle the required distance and speed; it is also easy to set up, and the price/performance ratio is reasonable.
Figure 4-8 A Campus Network Uses Many Different Types of Cables
Optical fiber cables handle higher speeds and distances that can be required among switch devices. MM optical cable is usually satisfactory inside the building. Depending on distance, organizations use MM or SM optical for inter-building communication cable. If the distances are short (up to 500 m), MM fiber is a more reasonable solution for speeds up to 1 Gbps.
However, an organization can install SM fiber if its requirements are for longer distances, or if they are planning for future higher speeds (for example, 10 Gbps). The current specification provides Gigabit Ethernet connectivity on SM fiber up to 5 km; however, Cisco has already provided modules that support connectivity up to 10 km, and even up to 100 km.
Selecting the less expensive type of fiber might satisfy a customer's current need, but this fiber might not meet the needs of future upgrades or equipment replacement. Replacing cable can be very expensive. Planning with future requirements in mind might result in higher initial costs, but ultimately lower costs.


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Intelligent Lifeform Index |
Velorian | |
Four Letter Code | VELO |
Federation Status | Neutral |
Planet of Origin | Velor |
Encountered | They fought a brief war with the Romulans |
T/E Rating | T0/E0 |
Current Tech Level | N |
List of Named Velorians | |
Full ILI Gallery • Permitted Species Gallery | |
- "May the warm waters and gentle breeze calm your soul."
- a Velorian greeting.
- "May the warm waters and gentle breeze calm your soul."
- The Velorian are an aquatic species that evolved peacefully but once they made the leap into being a space faring species they met with and was able to defend themselves against aggressive attacks by the Romulans.
Home System
- Quadrant: Beta
- Location: Trinity Sector (coordinates B27-0002-1300)
- Proper Name: Velor system
- Star: It orbits a class G (Yellow) star
- Distance from Star: its orbit is approximately 82 million km
- Companions: 9 other planets. It is the 4th planet in the system
- Moons: it has 4 moons.
Home World
- Proper Name: Velor IV
- Diameter: 20,332 km (12,634 miles)
- Gravity: 1.04 standard gravity with a density of 3.6
- Axial Tilt: 11.4%, with normal seasonal changes
- Orbital Period: 436 days
- Rotational Period: 19.3 hours
- Classification: M
- Surface Water: 56%
- Atmosphere: 1.07 is a standard pressure with 75% nitrogen, 23% oxygen, 2% trace chemicals
- Climate: Warm semi-tropical with tropical at the equator.
- Terrain: Extremely rough hilly zones, most covered with dense jungles or rain forests.
- Population: Just over 8 billion
They started out in the oceans and evolved into an amphibious species. It was only after they started to live on land that they started to develop true technology. They advanced at a fairly even pace. This was further enhanced by the peaceful conditions that prevailed. War was unknown and any disagreements were settled in peaceful co-operation.
Eventually they developed space travel and advanced into space. Soon after this they learned the hard way that not all other species were interested in peaceful trade and harmonious co-existance. They had lost over a dozen ships before one was able to escape and return to explain what was happening. As a result all their ships were recalled and work started on the development of weapons. Fortunately they had fairly good scans of the vessel that had attacted them to work with.
It was almost 10 years before one of their refitted ships left their system to explore. It soon encountered another ship that opened fire on them. It was the same species that had been attacking their ships previously. The Velorian destroyer escaped and returned to report. Over the next 3 years a state of war existed between them and the Romulans. It eventually wound down and a formal peace was agreed upon.
Over the next 100 years they were able to avoid getting involved in any more wars. It was at about this time that they met the Ameoneian for the first time. Strangely enough they quickly developed a friendly relationship that eventually resulted in them both becoming founding members of the Thracian Alliance.
They have an elected government with the First Minister being in office for 10 years. It is considered a great honour to be selected and each First Minister strives to be worth of the job. This has resulted in a government that is free of corruption and hard working.
A few years ago they joined the Thracian Alliance. Governor Alnorias was elected as the first President of the Thracian Alliance and First Minister Shera of Veloria commanding a majority in the newly formed legislature became Prime Minister. Given this racial split, former Ameoneian Chancellor, Virandri was nominated as Chief Justice of the Thracian Supreme Court in order to maintain equality and unanimously approved by parliament.
As a result a new election was held and a new First Minister elected to serve the people on their home world. This was at the suggestion of the new Prime Minister of the Alliance who felt it was improper for him to hold both positions.
They are a humanoid species with a leathery skin in cream tones with gray bands and markings all over their bodies and face. These markings are as individual as fingerprints. They have a flat nose and eyes with a thin clear film over their eyes for protection. On the top of their heads are a number of thin red sensory tendrils that are useful to them when they are submerged under water. These tendrils can sense movement in the water and detect the presence of other substances mixed into the water.
They are completely amphibian in that they can live in either the water or on land. Their are no restrictions on how long they can stay in either environment. They have a set of sensory filaments on the top of their heads that enhance their underwater abilities to sense movement and foreign substabces in the water. They also have a thin protective clear membrane over their eyes to protect them under water.
Other than this they are fairly typical of most intelligent humanoids with complex specialized internal organs and unique body chemistries.
They have a strong sense of community. Their is a natural tendancy to think of the community and what is best for them before what is best for themselves. This has resulted in an unusually strong communal bond as a species.
They believe that by working together and helping out others in their community they can earn a place in the afterlife. This utopian paradise is protected by the great reef and the guardian. The only way in is to be allowed to entered by the guardian. He judges every individual who approaches and if he feels they are worthy then he allows them to enter.
Those who fail to measure up are cast adrift. Forced to wander alone forever in a dismal sea of silt and danger.
They have a small set of tales that explain how they survived and developed into a communal society. Every citizen has memorized these tales long before they complete their basic schooling.
They have a strong sense of community. This has resulted in almost no crime with asthetically planned communities with social programs that ensure that everyone has work, homes, health care and educational opportunities.
They have a unique art form that uses brightly colored coral to create impressive statues and other unusual objects of art. Besides this vocal melodies with no musical back up is the predominant form of group entertainment.
Regardless of their sex all Velorians must undertake the long swim. This is the transition period between child and adult. It takes approximately 4 months to complete. This is undertaken once their sensory tendrils start to grow in on the tops of their heads. This normally occurs at the age of 15. The long swim is just that. They have to swim around their entire world by themselves, ending at the spot they started from.
They have developed at a fairly consistant pace and are now about as advanced as the least advanced member world of the Federation.
They have established a strong trade net work with a number of other species. The strongest and most advantagous trade deal is with the Ameoneian with almost 50% of all off world trade being conducted with them.
They never had or needed any weapons or soldiers until they ventured into space and met the Romulans. This sparked a radical change in their technological research and a temporary ban on space travel. Now even their freighters are armed and they have a small but well designed and equiped fleet of war ships.
Federation Intelligence Files
The first encounter between this species and the Federation was approximately 75 years after they were involved in a minor border war with the Romulans.
This in an original Starbase 118 species created by Cmdr. Tel-ar. The picture for this species was taken from one of the special effects make ups created in the reality TV show Face Off.
This file was updated and approved by the SDC on 9 October, 2012
This species was approved by the Captains Council for use in the Starbase 118 universe on 6 May 2013
SPECIES PROFILE UPDATED This profile was revised by the Species Development Committee. |
Please add any new information discovered during the course of a mission or shore leave. | ||||

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Trip Inclusion
1 night accommodation in Ha Giang and Dong Van with twin sharing basis
– Good motorbikes & helmet during the trip in Hagiang
– English speaking tour guide in Ha Giang
– Meals as 2 lunches, 2 breakfasts, 1 dinners with local dishes
– All entrance tickets during your visit in Ha Giang
– 2 complimentary bottles of water/person
Trip Exclusions
– Shuttle bus Hanoi – Ha Giang – Hanoi
– Tour guide picks up/drops off at hotel
– Beverages, tax, travel insurance
– Bus from Hanoi – Ha Giang and return
– Motorbike repairing cost of caused by tourists
Thing To Carry
- Should dress modestly by covering from shoulders to knees in the public places like a temple, pagoda, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.
- Should bring the necessary things such as: Cash, cellphone or camara, raincoat, umbrella, sun block, ..etc (Depend on the weather)
Cancellation Policy
The following policies shall apply to all kind of service cancellations if you cancel your tour at a later stage:
- Above 15 days 100% refund of total costs deposit.
- 15-7 days 75% refund of total costs deposit.
- 7-3 days 50% refund of total costs deposit.
- 3 days or less is non-refundable.
The above penalties apply when the entire booking is cancelled and apply to all services including tour, transportation and accommodation arrangements. Cancellation of luxury cruise tours might charge 100% of total cost.
Refund Policy
If the refund has been approved, then it will take place through PayPal or by cash in our office. Final refunds can be settled directly in our office in Hanoi or with a maximum of 4 working days.
Please note:
- If you do not receive the reply within five business day, please call the office immediately. We will not be responsible if email, mail or fax fail to reach us.
- Refund by PayPal may incur additional costs such as currency and transactions fees, the client is liable for any costs incurred
- Refund by credit cards is not possible
- Refund by bank transfer is only possible if the payment has also been made by bank transfer
- Refund via website adventureindochina.com is possible, if the booking is
Confirmation Policy
- The customer receives a confirmation voucher via email within 24 hours of successful booking
- In case the preferred slots are unavailable, an alternate schedule of the customer's preference will be arranged and a new confirmation voucher will be sent via email.
- Alternatively, the customer may choose to cancel their booking and a full refund will be processed.


text:
18" x 24"
Limed edition of 50
Frame and mat not included.
This limited edition hand signed art print is produced on a heavyweight acid-free paper using archival inks to guarantee that it will last a lifetime without fading or loss of color. All art prints include a 2" white border around the image to allow for future framing and matting, if desired.
Free shipping within the Continental USA:
Unless otherwise arranged with Mark Andrew Allen, prints will be shipped/insured via UPS Ground or FedEx Ground.
Art prints ship within 3 - 4 business days in durable cardboard tubes.
For International orders (which includes Hawaii): contact studio for information.
100% money back if not completely satisfied!
Authorized returns are honored within 10 days of your receipt of your print. To request a Return Authorization Form, contact me directly. You may return the print for a full refund. Items must be returned in the same condition as shipped. You will be responsible for shipping and insurance costs back to me. When I receive the print in good condition, I will refund your purchase price.
If you are not 100% satisfied, your money will be refunded to you.


text:
This week at The L Magazine, I review my review of Christian Jankowski's piece "Review". The excerpt below.
I made up my entire review of Christian Jankowski's piece "Review." Thankfully, no one will read it: it's sealed in a bottle for display, along with the handwritten responses of more than 80 other critics. The piece is, itself, the reviews. Currently, they're arranged in groupings that resemble small islands on the floor of Friedrich Petzel Gallery.
So how accurate was my made-up review? I'd republish it here so you all could judge for yourself, but Jankowski told me I shouldn't do that. "For me the idea is that all of the reviews are not published… If what is written in the bottle-review becomes public, the bottle as an artwork is destroyed and loses its point." Jankowski likened the piece to capturing ghosts in a bottle.
This makes a review of my review a little difficult, but I don't think I'm divulging that much when I say I wasn't that far off. You don't need to experience a room full of bottled reviews to know that a piece no one reads communicates nothing. Past that, there's nothing particularly substantial about looking about a bunch of bottles around your ankles.
To read the full piece click here.


text:
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith wasn't surprised at all when the New Orleans Saints' bounty program came to light this offseason. The longtime NFC South rival said he's "always known" Gregg Williams' defenses try to hurt opposing players.
"I actually had an altercation with a guy who told me firsthand," Smith said Tuesday on NFL.com's "Dave Dameshek Football Program," although he didn't name the Saints player. "I was going out of bounds, and the guy went for my ankle. I said, 'Hey, man, cut that out.' He's like, 'Well, we get fined if we don't go after your legs when you go out of bounds.' ... And actually this past year, this last game when we played them, I had a little conversation with Gregg Williams. ... He took responsibility, he was saying it wasn't right, but that's who he was."
We're past the point of being surprised by the Saints' activities at this point. Would it seem out of character for Williams to have his players pay small fines if they didn't play with an edge?
The Carolina-New Orleans rivalry was re-ignited last season by a scuffle following a Smith touchdown celebration (not to mention a late hit by Saints safety Roman Harper). We won't have to wait long to see if Smith's words further inflame the matchup: The Saints head to Carolina in Week 2 next season.
The Saints just have to hope they have enough non-suspended players to field a defense that day.


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Sam of Becks and Posh was already here on opening day to experience the San Francisco incarnation of this Japanese cream puff phenomenon. While she experienced 30-minute waits, on Sunday afternoon when I dropped by, there were no crowds – the dividers were still there, but sitting unused off the side. We were able to stroll right inside and take a look around. I guess all the sweets freaks had already come and gone?
The menu board shows many planned items, including various flavors of filling for the cream puffs, but currently they only have the regular puffs with vanilla filling.
Beard Papa's claim to fame is that they have a "two-layer" crust for their cream puff shells that prevent them from getting soggy, and that they fill their puffs to order for ultimate freshness. Everything happens right in front of you so you can see the puffs baking in the oven and the workers putting the creations together. Here's the filling machine – what a handy device that is! – all you have to do is hold the puff up to the spout and it fills its up with the pastry cream.
Next to the filling machine another lucky worker gets to sift powdered sugar over the puffs. In case you are wondering by now, yes, these are very large cream puffs. One of them easily fills the palm of my hand. One puff is $1.75, which is not too bad a deal.
We took another look at the "Beard Papa" as we left the store. He really does look like the Gorton's fisherman, doesn't he?
It was an absolutely gorgeous day in San Francisco, when you realize it's completely sunny, not just sort-of-not-foggy, you're actually hot, and you wonder, are you really in the city by the bay? We took our puffs across the street to Yerba Buena Gardens, where dozens of people were sunbathing, playing Frisbee, and enjoying this rare weather, and settled down on a bench to inspect our loot closely.
First off, the puffs are large. I don't know what possessed us to buy two of them – perhaps the hope that they would be as fabulous as their reputation promised and we wouldn't be able to get enough of them? I took a bite. The shell is crispy and flaky, sweetened with the powdered sugar, and gives way to an alarming amount of filling (see top photo) that immediately had me calling for napkins.
I would say this cream puff doesn't fully live up to the hype, unfortunately. All of the components are fine, yet they don't come together to the over-the-top whole I was hoping for. While yes, the shell stayed crisp and not soggy, it was rather plain and tasteless on its own. Perhaps also because Beard Papa says the outside layer is a piecrust instead of choux pastry, it didn't really have the right "cream puff" texture to me. The pastry cream was creamy and inoffensive, with no distinct flavor. Perhaps some of the other flavors that Beard Papa is promising might be more interesting. Finally, the shells are nice and hollow – and they are completely filled with the pastry cream. It's a lot of cream. I guess they are selling as a messy, indulgent experience – Americans love everything super-sized, right? but I really would have been more content with a smaller, more manageable puff.
Having not visited any other Beard Papa Cafes, I don't know whether they are still working out the operations here. I think I'll make a return visit when they some other items to offer, but for now I'll keep looking for the ultimate cream puff.
Beard Papa Sweets Cafe
99 Yerba Buena Lane
San Francisco, CA 94103
Tagged with: Beard Papa + cream puffs + San Francisco


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experimenting with new cameras
Hi, my name is Bonnie, and my talent is
severely damaging digital cameras. With my track
record of having to send in my digital for repairs,
I'd say I'm a pro at breaking it. Or just way too clumsy
to handle one haha. The bad news: I wont get my
camera back for about 2 weeks. The good news:
my 35mm is working lovely, and I have cameras
to borrow, wahoo!
So... here is my second "What I've
been up to lately", which is my life as of late
taken on film. Enjoy!
PS- I just made one of these things. Ask me
anything! http://www.formspring.me/bsbarton .
wearing: UO necklace, UO tank


text:
260 publications found
Filter search resultsPublication search
Use the filtering options to narrow your search for publications. See Publications for information about the categories of publications, and the types of publications grouped under each of them. Individual authors are only identified for selected publication types in the Research/commentary and Speeches categories.
The key word search searches the descriptive information about publications; it is not a search of the full text of publications. Use the sitewide search for a full text search.


text:
Here at Arrows-UK, we understand that your dog cage is as individual as your furry friend. As such, we offer car dog cages in several sizes and styles to suit your needs. Whether you want a universal dog cage that fits in either estate cars or hatchbacks, ranging in size from small – x large. Or a specific cage to fit your individual car, we can do that. Furthermore, if we don't currently offer a cage for your car – let us know and we will sort you out. We're always looking for opportunities to expand our range & help our customers.
They are lightweight, portable, and most importantly – reliable. Their design takes place in the UK & feature strong powder-coated steel so you can depend on our dog cage. Moreover, they fold flat for ultimate portability and offer a removable central divider for added flexibility. We want your furry family member to be comfortable during your journey, so our cages feature added ventilation, visibility and double doors for ease, comfort, and security. Furthermore, with features such as free anti-slip bedding, a waterproof removable base for easy cleaning and emergency escape at the top of the crate – our dog cage will not disappoint.
Our folding dog cage is suitable for the Hyundai ix35. It features a unique sloped design that helps securely fit the cage in the boot while maximising space. Furthermore, other cage doors don't pass the lip of the boot and risk damaging the rear window. The dog cage is suitable for use outside of the car and is perfect around the home or office. Because of its lightweight and portable design, wherever your pooch needs snooze - you can take your cage. Moreover, the more time they spend in the cage, the more adjusted they become to it meaning they find the cage safe, secure, and soothing.


text:
Jewish Released Time | Holidays Shabbat Chabad-houses Chassidism Subscribe Calendar Links |
Rambam - Sefer HaMitzvos As Divided for The Daily Learning Schedule Positive Mitzvah 113 |
Day 203 | Day 205 |
This is not an error of duplication. The full-fledged version of this Mitzvah are many and change for those who are learning the one/three chapter a day. The Message for the day from "Bringing Heaven Down to Earth" at the end of this Mitzvah is different than that of yesterday.Positive Mitzvah 113: The Red Cow
Numbers 19:1-9 "Have them bring you a red cow...It shall be kept for the congregation of the Children of Israel"This animal is one you won't spot even in the largest zoo.
A completely red cow is very rare. The Torah commands us to use it for a unique Mitzvah - the purification of a Jew from the impurity of contact with a dead body.
This cow must have no blemishes and have never been used for other purposes.
It is burnt and its ashes are mixed with the Niddah water (see Positive Mitzvah 108). This water is sprinkled on the person purifying himself.
This Positive Mitzvah calls for an act of unselfishness. Would you lend someone in need, your bus-fare and walk home?
Would you help a friend catch up on his homework during recess and miss the ball game?
The next time you have to make such a decision, think of the Mitzvah of the Parah Adumah.
The person who burns the cow helps purify someone else, but, at the same time, he himself becomes impure.
Since creation, only nine red cows have been used for purification.
Moses prepared the first one. The tenth will be prepared by Mashiach.
Many things are true in spirit, but the ultimate test is here on earth.
From: Bringing Heaven Down to Earth by Tzvi Freeman - email@example.com
Day 203 | Day 205 |
Current 613 Commandments PDA | Moshiach General Books | About Children's Corner |


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One of the most important decisions one has to make when faced with legal troubles is choosing the right attorney. Our lawyers combine extensive knowledge of Illinois law and years of experience in trial courts to attain the most favorable outcome. You can rely on our thorough knowledge of the law as well as courtroom experience to fight for your best interest, protect your rights, defend your freedoms and achieve the best possible outcome in your case.
Liam Dixon opened his first offices in 1999 in both Aurora and Elgin. Liam has represented judges, other lawyers, police officers and professionals as well as gang leaders. He was appointed by the chief judge of the circuit to try the first dual jury death case in the county. He has been constantly improving his skills as an attorney through training as a field test operator or seminars in scientific principles in crime scene investigations. From traffic tickets, drug cases, or violent crimes including murder, Mr. Dixon has shown his tenacity in taking cases to trial when necessary and working out favorable for those cases where appropriate.
Sarah Gallagher Chami began her career as an Assistant State's Attorney in one of the busiest criminal court systems in America. Serving as an Assistant States Attorney in both Cook County and DeKalb County for over a decade, she moved up through the ranks gaining valuable experience and insight. Sarah has tried hundreds of motions, hearings and trials. In her time as the Chief Civil Assistant she successfully argued matters before the Second District Appellate Court and Northern District of Illinois. Sarah's diligence and determination are remarkable. She is an outspoken advocate on behalf of her clients.
Liam Dixon and Sarah Gallagher Chami are both second generation lawyers, having learned at the footsteps of some of the supreme legal minds in Northern Illinois. Liam's father was the late Judge Patrick Dixon who earned and nurtured a reputation as one of the wisest and fairest judges. Sarah's father was the late Judge T. Jordan Gallagher who was known for his intellect, common sense and demeanor. It is through the long time friendship of these two great men that the law firm of Dixon Gallagher Chami, LLC has been formed.


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Dos and Don'ts during your trips
Dos and Don'ts during your journey
Vietnam is a friendly and safe destination to travel with the hidden charm. But each country have special different, Vietnam too. Different about culture, history and style life… With a sprinkling of common sense, your trip should be smooth and trouble free. Do not be overly paranoid though. Generally, Vietnamese people are very appreciative if they see you trying to abide by the customs, and very forgiving if you get it wrong or forget. If you make the effort, you will be rewarded. With a cool head and sensible planning, one can avoid these problems. The below advice meant to help you have a perfect trip to Vietnam:
- Greetings are no different to western countries, there are no cultural formalities that as a foreigner you would be expected to know or practice.
- Vietnamese dress conservatively. Not only for the prevailing weather, but also not to cause offence to the local people. Despite the heat, it's best not to show off too much skin. If you do, especially girls, you'll only draw stares from the locals. Vietnamese have conservative dress codes, and it is only in larger cities that these codes are a little more relaxed. Do not wear revealing clothing.
- Dress well when visiting pagodas. No shorts or tatty beer t-shirts. Shoes are fine, and rarely will you have to remove them. If unsure, just follow what the locals do.
- Drink plenty of bottled water, especially when walking around sightseeing. No need to carry huge bottles around with you, a vendor is never far away and no doubt they will find you before you find them. During the summer months you should be drinking a minimum of two liters per day. If you drink tea, coffee & alcohol you should increase you water intake accordingly as these will help to dehydrate you.
- Travel with recommend tour agencies. Even if you plan to buy tickets when in country, research your journey a little first on the Internet. A good resource is Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree Forum, where fellow tourists discuss travel in Vietnam. This way you avoid unreliable tour agencies and badly run hotels.
- Store your cash, credit cards, airline tickets and other valuables in a safe place. Most 4-star hotels have in-room safes; otherwise ask the reception to keep your valuable things in their deposit facility.
- Take a hotel business card from the reception desk before venturing out from your hotel. This will make your return to the hotel in a taxi or cyclo much easier.
- Carry a roll of toilet paper in your daypack on long excursions from your base hotel. You never know when you might need it!
- If invited into a home, always remove your shoes at the front door when entering.
- Ask for permission when taking a photograph of someone. If they indicate that they do not want you to, then abide by their wishes.
- DO NOT offer money or push the issue.
- Check on your first day whether you need to reconfirm your next flight, if so do it then. Some airlines do not require this anymore but it is still worthwhile calling them so that they at least have your contact details, in case the flight is delayed or whatever.
- Never carry more money than you need when walking around the streets. Do not wear large amounts of jewelry. It is more likely that you may become a victim of a pickpocket or drive-by bag snatcher.
- Don't be paranoid about your security; just be aware of your surroundings.
- Don't wear singlets, shorts, dresses or skirts, or tops with low-neck lines and bare shoulders to Temples and Pagodas. To do this is considered extremely rude and offensive.
- Avoid giving empty water bottles, sweets and candies or pens to the local people when trekking through ethnic minority villages. You cannot guarantee that the empty bottles will be disposed of in a correct manner, and the people have no access to dental health. If you want to give pens, ask your guide to introduce you to the local teacher and donate them to the whole community.
- Never sleep or sit with the soles of your feet pointing towards the family altar when in someone's house.
- Never lose your temper in public or when bargaining for a purchase. This is considered a serious loss of face for both parties. Always maintain a cool and happy demeanor and you will be reciprocated with the same.
- Do not try to take photographs of military installations or anything to do with the military. This can be seen as a breach of national security.
- Never take video cameras into the ethnic minority villages. They are considered to be too intrusive by the local people. Wear a lot of jewellery or take a bag with you. Violent crime is highly unusual in Vietnam, but petty crime is more apparent. If you have a bag, or tout a digital camera around your neck, you are a potential target.
- When taking a ride by motorbike taxi (xe om) make sure your bag, if any, is not on display or easy to grab. Bag snatches, although still rare, are probably the most likely crime a tourist would encounter, and it raises the probability immensely if you are tailing a camera or a laptop in the wind.
- Physical displays of affection between lovers in public are frowned upon. That's why you may come across couples holding hands but not hugging or kissing.
- Remember, this is Vietnam, a developing country, and things don't quite work as you are maybe used to. Don't be paranoid about your safety; just be aware of your surroundings.
- Do not carry your passport a leave it in the safe in your hotel. A photocopy will suffice if local law states that you need to.


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Carrier IQ: What Carriers, Device Makers Must Do Next
Let smartphone users opt into how their devices and related data get tracked, preferably from handsets. Otherwise, carriers and manufacturers will continue to look like they have something to hide.
Customer trust is a delicate thing, and vendor secrecy can scuttle it quickly. Take, for example, the case of Carrier IQ's tracking software, in which carriers' and handset manufacturers' secrecy about how they use the software has made it look like they have something to hide.
Since news of the tracking practices broke several weeks ago, studies by two independent researchers have found that Carrier IQ's software hasn't been doing anything technically nefarious. But one of those researchers, Dan Rosenberg of Virtual Security Research, called out--via a Pastebin post--the bigger issues: "Carrier IQ does a lot of bad things. It's a potential risk to user privacy, and users should be given the ability to opt out of it."
In fact, how carriers and manufacturers deploy Carrier IQ can create security risks. Notably, security researcher Trevor Eckhart found that as deployed on HTC handsets, the Carrier IQ software was being used to create a log of numerous data points, which could potentially then be accessed and stolen by a malicious application.
Carrier IQ, however, said--without naming clients--that the security vulnerability would have been HTC's fault. "What goes in that log file is up to the manufacturer," Carrier IQ's VP of marketing, Andrew Coward, told The Verge. "What should be happening is it should just be giving it to us through the API. What appears to be happening is that it's giving it to us and making a copy of what it gave to us in the log file."
[ Is Carrier IQ running on your phone? Read Carrier IQ On Your Android? 3 Apps With Answers. ]
Which handsets may have bugs relating to their Carrier IQ software? Carriers and manufacturers have yet to come completely clean on exactly which of their handsets have Carrier IQ installed. Even an unspecified number of Apple devices--perhaps iPhones and iPad tablets--are also running Carrier IQ software, though Apple said it stopped supporting the software as of iOS 5 and will remove it altogether in a future update.
In other words, instead of truly coming clean, carriers and manufacturers have left the task of Carrier IQ detection to Android enthusiasts and application vendors, while Carrier IQ tried to squelch security researchers who disclosed how the software works.
"Initially, when discovered, Sprint was very deceptive and even denied it existed," says Jon Root of the Android Creative Syndicate team, referring to when the security researcher known as "k0nane" first discovered Carrier IQ software running on Android smartphones. "This went above and beyond breaching the trust of customers. They should have had talking points rather than trying to sweep it under the rug."
Those talking points have finally started to arrive. A leaked internal T-Mobile memo obtained by TmoNews says that nine T-Mobile handsets--BlackBerry (9360, 9810, 9900), HTC (Amaze 4G), LG (DoublePlay), Samsung (Exhibit II 4G, Galaxy S II), T-Mobile (myTouch by LG, myTouch Q by LG)--have Carrier IQ's software installed.
The memo also highlights three examples of how T-Mobile uses Carrier IQ's software: to determine if a failure of a handset to stay charged relates to the battery, charger, or something running on the device; to determine whether a handset or the network is responsible for dropped calls; and to diagnose the cause of app failure, which may result in handsets freezing. Meanwhile, SprintFeed scored its own photo of an internal memo (carriers: beware employees bearing camera smartphones) that presents Sprint insiders with similar information.
Perhaps executives at the carriers wrote the memos as they rehearsed answers to related questions posed by legislators, regulators, and litigators (there are at least four class-action lawsuits underway).
Given this "Carrier IQ-gate" fallout, what could be done to assuage customers about these data-collection practices? "I would like CIQ to contractually ensure that their carrier and OEM partners provide an opt-in or opt-out option, and a full disclosure of what data is being sent, and to who," says k0nane via email. "Additionally, security holes such as those left in by HTC ... must be corrected."
"It is important to note, however, that carriers and OEMs are the final decision-makers for CIQ's software--the former, for which metrics will be tracked, and the latter, for how it is implemented," he says. Accordingly, he wants to see carriers' and manufacturers' implementations of Carrier IQ audited by a third party. That audit would demonstrate that the software is behaving as advertised and help prevent security holes.
Furthermore, why use Carrier IQ or other such monitoring software on the sly? From Microsoft to Mozilla, computer operating systems and software applications give users the ability to share post-crash information with the relevant vendor, as well as to detail what exactly gets shared. That model could be applied to mobile phones, as part of an opt-in model. "Allow more granular control--if the user opts in, let them select what they wish to share," says k0nane. "As an example, I--as a user--may allow signal strength and location to be sent upon a dropped call, but not who I was calling, or any other data."
Let smartphone users opt into how their devices and related data gets tracked, preferably from their handsets. Otherwise, carriers and manufacturers will continue to look like they have something to hide, and face the prospect of customers choosing to opt out of that kind of relationship.
Database access controls keep information out of the wrong hands. Limit who sees what to stop leaks--accidental and otherwise. Also in the new, all-digital Dark Reading supplement: Why user provisioning isn't as simple as it sounds. Download the supplement now. (Free registration required.)
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Iran's Indian-back port of Chabahar, inaugurated months before the United States re-imposed sanctions on the Islamic republic, is where Asia and the Middle East's multiple political conflicts and commercial rivalries collide.
Chabahar was destined to become a player in geopolitical and economic manoeuvring between China, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Central Asian states even without the re-imposition of sanctions.
The sanctions have, however, significantly enhanced its importance as Iran struggles to offset the likely punishing impact of US efforts to force the Islamic republic to alter its foreign and defense policy and/or achieve a change of regime.
Iran sees the port together with the Indian-backed Chabahar Free Trade Zone, that hopes to host a steel mill and a petrochemical complex, as the motor of development of the Iranian section of the Makran coast. Iran's province of Sistan and Balochistan shares the coast line with the Pakistani province of Balochistan, home to the Chinese-backed rival port of Gwadar.
Saudi Arabia sees the Pakistani region as a launching pad of a potential effort by the kingdom and/or the United States to destabilizing the Islamic republic by stirring unrest among its ethnic minorities, including the Baluch. Saudi Arabia has put the building blocks in place for possible covert action but has to date given no indication that it intends to act on proposals to support irredentist action.
A study written by Mohammed Hassan Husseinbor, an Iranian of Baloch origin, and published by the International Institute for Iranian Studies, formerly known as the Arabian Gulf Centre for Iranian Studies, a Saudi government-backed think tank, argued that Chabahar posed "a direct threat to the Arab Gulf states" that called for "immediate counter measures."
Mr. Husseinbor said Chabahar would enable Iran to increase market share in India for its oil exports at the expense of Saudi Arabia, raise foreign investment in the Islamic republic, increase Iranian government revenues, and allow Iran to project power in the Gulf and the Indian Ocean.
Saudi Arabia, months before the US re-imposition of sanctions, already sought to thwart development of Chabahar by stopping South Korea's POSCO Engineering & Construction from moving ahead with a $1.6 billion agreement with Iranian steelmaker Pars Kohan Diar Parsian Steel (PKP) to build a steel mill in Chabahar. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund has a 38 percent stake in POSCO.
"This project mandatorily requires the decision of the board of directors. However, as relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia rapidly grew worse after a severance of diplomatic ties last year, outside directors in the board meeting are having negative stances on Iran projects, especially those requiring investment and JVC (joint venture company) establishment," POSCO said in a letter to PKP.
POSCO said it had difficulty "convincing and reaching consent on the unfavourable opinion from the outside directors."
The POSCO letter signalled that Chabahar's success would depend on the political will of governments with India and Iran in the lead rather than on any hope to attract private sector investment.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at the signing of the trilateral transit agreement between the three countries in May 2016. (Source: CC BY-SA 2.0)
India was earlier this month forced to drop a demand that the winner of a bid to manage the Chabahar port pay an upfront US$8.52 million premium.
"We were charging a premium from the successful bidder to meet our preliminary expenses. But the shortlisted bidders said that the project is of strategic importance and is not commercially viable," said an Indian official.
Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj insisted last month that her country would not bow to US pressure to adhere to the Trump administration's sanctions.
"India follows only UN sanctions, and not unilateral sanctions by any country," Ms. Swaraj said.
Beyond the port's economic importance for Iran, it will also likely allow the Islamic republic to increase its influence in Afghanistan at a time that the United States and Saudi Arabia are stepping up economic cooperation with Kabul in a bid to isolate both Iran and the Taliban.
For its part, Afghanistan sees the port as a way to reduce its transport dependence on Pakistan with which it has strained relations.
Despite the US cloud hanging over it, Chabahar's potential significance goes beyond whether it will contribute to the Iranian effort.
India hopes that its US$500 million investment in the port will offer it a gateway to Afghanistan and land-locked Central Asia that constitutes an alternative to infrastructure related to China's Belt and Road initiative, including the $50 billion plus China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and an anti-dote to Chinese investment in Indian Ocean ports.
If geopolitics did not already amount to a full plate, Chabahar is likely, together with a host of ports in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Oman and Qatar, to challenge the longstanding dominance in the Indian Ocean of Dubai's Jebel Ali port.
Commercial competition between ports has been reinforced by the Saudi-Iranian battle for regional hegemony as well as the Gulf spat between Qatar and a Saudi-United Arab Emirates-led alliance that a year ago imposed an economic and diplomatic boycott on the Gulf state and the war in Yemen.
As a result, commercial, military and geopolitical drivers for port investment in the region have blurred and expanded the multiples rivalries into the Horn of Africa with the UAE and others, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar jockeying for position in Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Yemen and Djibouti.
Said NATO Defence College analyst Eleonora Ardemagni:
"The political rift in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) weakens economic integration prospects and as a consequence cooperation among commercial ports. The Qatari crisis opened a new chapter in intra-GCC relations marking the emergence of latent nationalism in the Arab Gulf region: the rising geopolitics of ports is going to further unveil this trend."
This article was also published on The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer.
Dr. James M. Dorsey is a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, co-director of the University of Würzburg's Institute for Fan Culture, and co-host of the New Books in Middle Eastern Studies podcast. James is the author of The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer blog, a book with the same title as well as Comparative Political Transitions between Southeast Asia and the Middle East and North Africa, co-authored with Dr. Teresita Cruz-Del Rosario, Shifting Sands, Essays on Sports and Politics in the Middle East and North Africa, and the forthcoming China and the Middle East: Venturing into the Maelstrom
Featured image is by Alireza numberone/CC BY-SA 4.0.
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text:
Thread-sewn paperback, design by Oliver Hartung, Helmut Völter.
"Since the 1979 revolution, Iran has developed its own image culture, with public space serving primarily as a transit zone and a screen where state-sanctioned religious ideology is projected. Pride of place is given to memorials to the first Gulf war (the Iran-Iraq War of 1980–88), which is part of the founding myth of the Islamic Republic. Between 2011 and 2014 Oliver Hartung produced a work on Iran, typological series of images depicting monuments, murals, architecture, and war cemeteries. In it he creates a portrait of an exceptionally photogenic country that is nevertheless largely unknown in the West: in Damghan a colossal ear of wheat acts as a street lamp and in Isfahan a hand grenade with an Internet symbol suggests the potential risks inherent in the world wide web. The names of the places where the photos were taken are provided in English. "
Pages: 340
Place: Leipzig
Year: 2016
Publisher: Spector Books
Size: 23 x 31 cm (approx.)


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FORBIDDEN FRUIT, Kerry Greenwood
FORBIDDEN FRUIT is the 5th book in the Corinna Chapman series by Australian author Kerry Greenwood (probably best known for her Phryne Fisher series). These books are set in modern day, inner Melbourne, are also on the cosier end of the scale. There are enough elements that coincide in both series to make fans of one feel somewhat comfortable in the other. Having never read any of the earlier books in this series, though, I can't comment on whether FORBIDDEN FRUIT is particularly representative, so I comment on it in isolation.
Corrina is a woman who has turned to baking after a life in the professions. Happier, content to the point of delirious, she is even able to just cope with the 4.00am starts. Living in very idealised circumstances, she has a happy home life in a building full of bohemian type characters, all living their own somewhat unorthodox lives. A content love life with Daniel, the main thing making Corinna grumpy in this book is Christmas.
Basically the story is that Daniel, the private investigator, is trying to track down two teenage runaways. Pregnant Brigid and the father of her baby Manny. Neither parents approve of either of the couple, Brigid has been locked up at home awaiting the birth of the unwanted (by her family) child, when she escapes and hits the streets with Manny. Daniel wants to find them because he's been asked by her parents, Corinna wants to find them because she's worried for Brigid's health. Along the way they are assisted / distracted by nuns who run a soup kitchen bus, freegans, maniacal mothers, thunderstorms and naked dancing witches, a donkey named Serena, glace cherries, the heat of a long hot Melbourne summer and meals which are described in somewhat minute detail.
Whilst it could be that all these distractions - and to be frank - meandering down a simply astounding number of irrelevant byways and cul-de-sacs is part of the charm of these books, in FORBIDDEN FRUIT, it just seemed to go on, and on, and on, and on. As did the none-too-subtle hinting about the joys of bohemia and alternative lifestyles and finding your inner whatevers. Not that I'm opposed to any of the elements that were raised by this book - but I just found that the constant bombardment and distractions ended up, well tedious. Every time the plot tried to progress a little, the reader was suddenly down one of those cul-de-sacs with a whinge about something (really, if you don't like Christmas decoration shopping then just don't do it!), or a lauding of "insert bandwagon here". Yes, I know these books are fictional and idealised, and maybe that's part of the problem - I prefer idealised fiction that "shows" rather than "crows".
There are some glimpses of parallels between elements of these books and the Phyrne Fisher series that were interesting - a similar sort of independent, feisty female character with an abandonment of normal conventions. But in FORBIDDEN FRUIT everything just seemed a little too over the top, a little too arch, a little too preachy for comfort. Perhaps this is a book for fans of the series, perhaps there's something about not reading the earlier books that means I missed the point.
Corinna Chapman, owner of Earthly Delights, detests Christmas. The shoppers are frantic and the heat oppressive. Neither of which this perfect size 20 with a genius for baking breads finds congenial. She's dreaming of quiet, air-conditioned comfort but instead finds herself dealing with a rose-loving donkey named Serena, a maniacal mother with staring eyes, a distracted assistant searching for the perfect muffin recipe, her friend the fearless witch Meroe, and the luscious Daniel with whom she'd like to spend a lot more time.
But Daniel is on the hunt to find two young runaways, Brigid and Manny. This simple Romeo and Juliet romance though is not as straightforward as it seems and they will go a long way to ensure they're not found. When Corinna and Daniel find that Brigid is on the streets, heavily pregnant and in danger, the stakes rise.
With the help of a troupe of free-spirited freegans, some very clever internet hackers and a bunch of vegans, Corinna and Daniel go head-to-head with a sinister religious cult on a mission and a band of Romany gypsies out for revenge in a wild and wonderful chase against the clock.
Review | FORBIDDEN FRUIT, Kerry Greenwood | Karen Chisholm
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 |
Blog | Currently Reading - Forbidden Fruit, Kerry Greenwood | Karen Chisholm
Wednesday, December 9, 2009 |