Hermin Anggawijaya (Angga)

Distinguished Engineer, AlliedWare Plus™

BSc (Hons), Computer Science (University of Canterbury)
MSc, Computer Science (University of Canterbury)

Angga started working at Allied Telesis in 1994 (at that time, the company was called Network Dynamics). The position of Distinguished Engineer is the highest possible for an Engineer at Allied Telesis. Angga's position in AlliedWare Plus applications allows him to perform two main roles in the day-to-day activities of the company: software engineer and software architect.

As a software engineer, he is involved in all phases of the software development cycle: designing, writing, debugging, and documenting some of the software for the devices we make. And as a software architect, he helps to determine the software architecture by reviewing designs, product specifications, and so on.

As a Distinguished Engineer, Angga also provides leadership and mentoring to less experienced engineers.

Angga says...

"When I was in high school back in Indonesia, I was looking at continuing my tertiary study somewhere abroad. And I was actually offered a scholarship to continue my study at Rheinisch-Westfalische Technische Hochschule Aachen University in Germany, but one of my best friend in high school managed to persuade me to come to a little, beautiful, peaceful country in the middle of nowhere instead, so I landed in New Zealand in 1987, with little knowledge about the country. And after spending several months in Christchurch, I felt totally at home. It has clean air, a temperate climate, nice gardens, plenty of space, and no need to stand in queues, which is rather different from where I came from. But more importantly, in Christchurch and in NZ in general, I can practice my democratic rights, not just in politics but also in every day related activities, including religious freedom.

"Christchurch has become a multi-cultural city, with various multi-cultural activities being actively encouraged and supported by the city. And if you are into culinary adventures, then you will not be disappointed. Cantonese, Thai, Indonesian, Malaysian, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Indian, Japanese, Italian, Spanish, Moroccan restaurants are all there! Combine these with local fresh ingredients and some remarkable New Zealand wines, and it's pretty hard to beat the Christchurch lifestyle.

"I really enjoy my work. Writing software and technical problem solving in general are two of my main interests. It is an exciting bonus to be able to write software for the cutting-edge technology involved in data communication. I am proud to play a little part in developing technology which has revolutionised how people communicate with others, and which in some cases has changed people's lives. The knowledge I gain working at Allied Telesis is very valuable, and in high demand all around the world.

"Furthermore, Allied Telesis maintains a relaxed yet professional working environment where everyone is encouraged to contribute ideas, to share their knowledge with others and to develop their own careers through both formal and informal trainings and other means. The company always recognises and values individual's contributions to the company in ways that motivate people, and make them passionate about what they do.

"Allied Telesis places a strong importance on career development. When I joined the company, I started as a Graduate Software Engineer, then became a Senior Software Engineer, and so on, all the way up the ladder to my current position as a Distinguished Engineer.

"My job allows me to meet with various other data communication engineers from different countries and backgrounds, including some very important and influential people in the data communication field, such as Vint Cerf, known as the 'Father of the Internet'. I gave an overview of the IPv6 technology in our products to him personally during an IPv6 conference in China. Also, I have met Latif Ladid - the current IPv6 Forum President - and several other IPv6 technology pioneers."