This is the story of Raj AKA Rajiv.. that's me.

Since being in Switzerland one of the most beautiful place on the planet Earth... I have been touched by it natural beauty. Early in my childhood days was always fascinated by nature and heard a lot of Switzerland and saw many a Bollywood movies shot at scenic locales in Switzerland.... 

So one fine day along with my friends who planned a trip to Switzerland.. i got a chance to go to the places where most of the shooting for Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge [DDLJ] was carried out.

So presenting below some of the places from the movie along with pictures shot  by me...

The images are in the order of the places I visited and not as per the order of occurrence in the movie..

  

1.) Zweisimmen - Simran misses the train to Zurich and there begin the Epic love Storyyyyyyyy.

2.) Early Beck Chocolate Shop: Zara sa Jhooomlu main song, where Simran in a drunk state enters the shop, takes the chocs and run away. Raj pays for the chocs.

3.) Gstadt promenade: "Zara sa jhoomlu main" song at Gstaad Promenade, Switzerland. Raj picks up a drunk and fast-passing out Simran and takes her back to the hotel in a horse-carriage along the Gstaad Promenade in Switzerland. 

4.) Saanen Airport: The song "Mere khwabon mein" song by Simran about the qualities of a stranger who will enter her life and change it. While she sings this song on one hand, Raj embodies all those characteristics on the other. Here he is seen racing against an airplane at Saanen Airport, Switzerland.

  

5.) Church: This is the church which Simran sees and ask Raj to accompany her before taking the bus. The interiors in the movie are from some other church.

6.) Saanen Station: "Aisa hua nahin, lekin ab lagta hai, jaise koi andekha anjana chehra, badalon mein se pukar raha hai. Pata nahin, ye badal kab hatenge, aur kab wo pookarne wali saamne aayegi." 

This is the station where Simran talks to Raj and informs him about her marriage.

7.) Sannen Bridge

   "Tujhe dekha tho" song at the Saanen bridge in Switzerland. This is the same bridge where Raj stands playing his violin while Simran joins him, just before the end of the tour. The place where the "Palat, palat..." scene is enacted. 

Unfortunately, i did not had my Simran (except in my dreams ) to say.. as said in the movie..   "Palat Palat" to confirm my love for her :P

The place where Simran turns and looks back at Raj

So I hope you enjoyed revisiting Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge [DDLJ] with Raj i.e. me .. 

Cloud Computing Defined

What is Cloud Computing?? Ask 100 people and you would get 100 answers.... everyone defines cloud computing as per their needs/solutions/services being provided/consumed. This is still not a single Cloud Computing definition which everyone agrees to as it is still evolving and changing.

There is a lot of misconception about cloud computing. As per NIST [http://csrc.nist.gov/groups/SNS/cloud-computing/] the essential characteristics of cloud computing are:

On Demand Self Service: A consumer can unilaterally provision computing capabilities, such as server time and network storage, as needed automatically without requiring human interaction with each service’s provider.

Broad Network Access: Capabilities are available over the network and accessed through standard mechanisms that promote use by heterogeneous thin or thick client platforms (e.g., mobile phones, laptops, and PDAs).

Resource Pooling:  The provider’s computing resources are pooled to serve multiple consumers using a multi-tenant model, with different physical and virtual resources dynamically assigned and reassigned according to consumer demand.

Rapid Elasticity: Capabilities can be rapidly and elastically provisioned, in some cases automatically, to quickly scale out and rapidly released to quickly scale in.

Measured Service: Cloud systems automatically control and optimize resource use by leveraging a metering capability at some level of abstraction appropriate to the type of service (e.g., storage, processing, bandwidth, and active user accounts). Resource usage can be monitored, controlled, and reported providing transparency for both the provider and  consumer of the utilized service.

If we observe any computing model which has essentially the above characteristics, it can be termed as Cloud Computing.

Types of Cloud Service

Cloud Computing can be provided by one of the below three services:

Infrastructure As A Service [IaaS]: In this service model, consumers can provision the complete infrastructure like storage, network, operating systems etc and deploy their own applications on these infrastructure components. Consumers have control of almost everything.

Platform As A Service [PaaS]: In this model, the consumers deploy their own application based on the servers, operating system, network, storage etc.

Software As A Service [SaaS]: The consumers use the provider’s application running in the cloud infrastructure. The customer does not manage the application capabilities, network, operating system etc, but can manage user related configurations.

Any other service as Storage as a Service, IAM as a Service, Security as a Service etc all are variations/subset of the above three services.

Cloud Deployment Models

Based on the above service models, the cloud computing can be deployed in one of the 4 ways.

Private Cloud: This cloud infrastructure deployment model is solely used by an organization. It may be deployed within the network or at a third party network.

Public Cloud: These deployments model is available to general public and can be used by anyone as an individual or organization. The model is usually owned by the Cloud Service provider.

Community Cloud: These deployments model is used by a group of companies who have a common interest or concerns. These may be managed by the community or by a third party organization.

Hybrid Cloud: This deployment model is composition of two or more cloud deployment models defined above. This model is usually used by organizations when there is an extra demand not being able to be fulfilled by any of the private of community models.

Thanks for reading the post and hope you enjoyed it. Wait for my next blog on cloud computing...

-Rajiv

IAM as a Service

IAM in today’s world is heterogeneous means the users have applications hosted within the enterprise [Intranet], at third party [Partners] and in cloud [SaaS]. The IAM solution for today should cater to all such requirements of the enterprise and providing one solution for all requirements rather than having different solutions for different types of applications – one for enterprise apps, third party applications and cloud. Also IAM should not be restricted to web based apps as the requirements are extending to services/unix/windows systems etc in all the three categories of applications. Thus now is the time for Cloud based IAM services to come up with a solution which will take care of all the above scenarios together.

To implement an effective IAM solution, the most important consideration should be USER i.e. identity. Enterprise should implement or select an identity for users considering the future requirements of the organization rather than the current requirements or else they would be tied to the present and would be very difficult to adopt the future.

Identity management become all the more important in today’s scenario where organizations user base are fast changing due to mergers & acquisitions, new users on boarding, roles and responsibilities changing  and above all complying with governments regulations. An effective planned IAM solution can take care of all the above.

Additionally, IAM solution should take care of invisible boundaries due to enterprises adopting cloud, third party applications along with enterprise applications and still prevent user data being visible to outside world more than what is required to implement the right access levels.

AAA [Authentication, Authorization and Auditing] service should not be restricted against any specific identity provider. The service should be compatible with any identity provider, be it organizations HR user store or any identity provider like Google or governments.

IAM service consists of Identity, Access Management and Auditing. Thus the IAM service should be comprised of all the three cloud services [SPI] to be able to provide a complete solution.

Now, lets discuss what you all believe should be the Standards and how can we implement IAM as a Service? How can the users be authenticated uniformly across all types of application – intranet/partner/cloud

Where should Authentication [AuthN] take place - in the cloud or in the organization? Whats the benifit if AuthN takes place in cloud?

What standard is needed for Authorization which can take care of user’s profile attributes, roles, groups,  environment, dynamic conditions, user actions etc. Does XACML takes care of granular AuthZ?

Auditing – what all variables are needed for correctly identifying and relating all actions of the user at an instant of time. It should be able to satisfy all the regulations/ISO/HIPPA/DPA etc. So what all attributes are required for these levels of auditing?

Note: This blog is also posted by me on CSA India blog site - http://csaindia.in/blog/

Feel free to add your suggestions/comments at either of the blog sites. This is only a framework for the work i am doing for IAM as a Service.

-Rajiv

Days @ Tech Mahindra

"You are at the Right place at the Right Time" - these words by an HR of TechMahindra during my first day at induction... [initially i thought these are only words.. But after going through the blog.. you will agree with me.. that these are much much more than mere words] and want rightly said... . TechMahindra is really a great place to work at and grow both personally and professionally, you would get lots and lots of opportunities to show your talent....

Since the days i joined TechMahindra in 2006, Feb as a fresher.. i have always been getting great opportunities to show my talent, excel in the work provided to me... and the rewards (love, affection and care shown by colleagues, seniors) poured on me continuously...


Night before the First day was great, i was asked to report to Mumbai office of TechM on 3rd Feb. I had asked a friend of mine Saurabh Bansal, [i met him @ Noida office as we both had gathered to collect our Offer Letters] to arrange for an accommodation for me too as i would be reaching late night on 2nd Feb. And what a welcome i received, TechM did provide me for an accommodation on my friends request... and My GOD.. they provided accommodation in one of the Posh societies - Nirmal Life Style... a 3 BHK furnished flat... I met other roomies - Uttam, Kashinath, Vikram and Prakash... All of these guys were different parts of India.. and soon we all become friends.. forever....


First Day - We reached office at the designated time... met HR execs some other tech guys and then JOSH guys... really felt the JOSH had lot og Josh [energy, enthusiasm] in them. We were enjoying every second of the first day, and then we were informed of a Welcome Lunch by HR for all new joines...


Second Day - Started our Behaviuoral training and we were also informed of our temporary transfer to Mumbai for our Technical Training for 1 month. We were excited...


Trip to Pune - This trip i can never forget in Live... We left for Pune - which usually is a 3 hour journey from Mumbai, took us 12 hours to reach. You might say what a Hell... but as rightly said.. What ever happens.. Happens for Good... and this really happened for good for all of us. This allowed all of the 20 people to mix and know about each other.. interact and have fun.. Those 12 hrs of journey made all of us bond together.. and there our friendship started to GROW.... This journey made all of us such good friends that we all sing together...laugh together... cry together.. stay together...and what not.... Till date we all interact with each other even after many of them have moved on with their career.... (The 20 guys and gals were - Ratnesh, Virendra, Santosh, Sachin, Saurabh, Prakash, Amit, Raghvendra Y, Raghvendra G, Jeevan, Surbhi, Prachi, Indu, Kavita, Deepti, Vandita, Nitin, Harsh and Asha. I still remember all the names which shows our strong friendship).


Training at Pune - We all started our Technical training at a centre in Pune (@ SEED). This too was a great experience.. I knew C/C++/Java from my college days.. but this was much more and difficult than what i had imagined... Great learning experience and tough training.... I would like to mention the training co-ordinator lady who was so kind, good -hearted, sweet .. in short a Great Lady... At last our Dream run and tough training was over and we moved back to Mumbai...


Back @ Mumbai - Once again our Behavioural training started and really we all enjoyed... the trainings were conducted in such a fashion that it really taught us working in team.. how to interact with customers.. etc etc.. which helped me a lot in my projects...After all the trainings i was assigned to E-Security... which till date seemed much fascinating .... and even after working for months in it... it still fasinates me...


Now the Journey to Siteminder - What all shall i say... i don’t know.. many things..to say about the team... work env.. client... and great learning days... I was allocated to work under an able and hard working senior – Tushar… who taught me Siteminder, concepts and integration and everything. He is so much hard working.. straight forward and simple. I liked both his personal behaviour, professionalism and technical knowledge… I did successfully completed some complex and simple integrations with constant support and guidance from Tushar, Mohit Kohli, Mohit Kumar, Dipesh, Ranjita, Neha, Ankur and others. After around 1 year and 7 months… I moved on to Production Application support from client location @ London – the dream come true for any IT professional to move to client location. Here I found an Great able and jolly Manager in John - a complete professional, with great inter personal skills and many more qualities. Definitely have learnt a lot from him.  Here I performed to some extent better support to applications. Wrote small scripts in Perl to enhance proactive monitoring of Siteminder Policy servers. Also then lead the Platform migration of the infrastructure. Finally after a stint of 1 year 8 months I moved back to INDIA… Now, I was leading the Siteminder Portal development as an SME where I was responsible for collecting the requirement from client, explaining it to the developers and designers and ensuring the development is on Time, resolving their doubts etc. Also mentored the new bees with Siteminder concepts, integration issues etc. In short I have been involved in many roles and responsibilities in my around 4 year career. Need to mention the encouragement received from Anup, John and Sanjay – my managers… Hubert, Tushar, Mohit etc – My Team lead and my colleagues Krishna, Amrit, Ratnesh, Neeraj, Mohit Kumar, Manoj Mathai to name a few. They always had a listening ear to my thought process and ideas. During this complete journey... I have gained lifetime friends.. great mentors... knowledge.... even my Long hairs which grew from Spike to shoulder length... After returning from London, met with new bees who were full of energy and enthusiasm to learn SiteMinder… enjoy work and much more….


In short I would say Tech Mahindra is a dream company to work with which has grown by leap and bounds during my career. With around 10-11K employees during my joining to 25K till date… To grow in TechM the only thing you need to have is dedication to excel in whatever work you have been provided with and it definitely gets noticed and appreciated which works as a moral boost for employees.


I have fulfilled my dream @ Tech Mahindra


Yes, I can definitely say “I am at the right place at the right time.”


- Rajiv