If you want to catch up with Kasim Esmail, you may have to do it going 100 miles per hour – and you probably want to be wearing a helmet.  On the weekends, you are likely to find Kasim teaching Driver Safety Skills to members of the Audi Club of North America.  In the warm months, he teaches at local racetracks such as the Pikes Peak International Raceway and the Second Creek Raceway near Denver International Airport.  In the winter, you might find him atop frozen Georgetown Lake or in Steamboat Springs teaching winter driving skills.

Kasim bought his first Audi used, in 2001.  About a year later he bought a new one, and after owning it for just four days he brought it to its first racetrack.  At that time Kasim was the student, and he began earning credits toward his Advanced Driver Rating.  His journey to certification brought him to Germany in 2002, where he was taught by factory rally drivers and had the opportunity to ride with Walter Rohrl, a world-renowned rally driver.  

Three years and several tracks later Kasim is now a certified instructor, and that’s why you might want to bring your helmet if you want to get to know him.

Kasim doesn’t spend all his time on the race track, however; he is also a critical member of the Applied Trust team.  Kasim’s specialty is networks.  He works with clients not only to design networks with the highest standards in performance, reliability and security, but also to troubleshoot client problems.  “System performance is sometimes about the system, but it’s sometimes about the network too.  I work with system administrators and network engineers to troubleshoot the end-to-end performance.  By working on the network, we regularly improve the end-user experience – sometimes without even changing any computer configurations.  But it’s not all about troubleshooting.  The best way to limit the amount of sleuth work we have to do is to design a solid network and then minimize the changes.”

At Applied Trust, we think Kasim’s driving hobbies go hand in hand with networking – it’s all about getting things from one place to another as safely and rapidly as possible.  Minimize the collisions and maximize the speed.

Kasim’s technical credentials include the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and Certified Cisco Networking Professional (CCNP) certifications.  For driving tips, or for some networking tips, you can reach Kasim at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Kasim Esmail's Top Ten Driving Tips

1. Always look ahead to where you want the vehicle to go, not just where it is going. That way it will be much easier to focus and direct the vehicle during times of instability.
2. Use smooth inputs. Fluid steering, acceleration, and braking inputs help to control and stabilize a vehicle, especially at highway speeds and faster.
3. Brake, turn, or accelerate, but only do one at a time. Vehicles are sensitive to inputs, and upsetting the balance can lead to difficult-to-control situations.
4. Check your tires! Tires make a huge difference in handling and traction, and they are often overlooked in terms of safety. Make sure yours have good shape and sufficient tread, and that they're properly inflated.
5. Sit down into your seat and be comfortable, but not too comfort-able! Leaning back behind the wheel may look good, but your seating position can greatly affect the level of control you can exhibit over your vehicle.
6. Get comfortable with your capabilities as a driver and those of your vehicle; only then can you know how both you and the vehicle react to situations. Many local and national car clubs hold driver safety events, and participation is typically not limited by the type of car you own.
7. Be alert! There are a lot of variables on the road, and mental and mechanical reaction times are not in your favor. Anticipate situations as best as possible.
8. Learn some new tricks; be ready to throw away old lessons from those drivered classes in high school. Breaking old or bad habits is hard.
9. Concentrate! Playing music while driving distracts your brain, and delays reaction times. Limit the distractions in your vehicle while driving.
10. Have fun! The most important thing is to enjoy yourself. Driving in traffic can be a real challenge, so get away and enjoy the open road.
    

Letter to the Editor

After reading your previous newsletter, and its fea-ture article on laptop security through encryption and leashes, I thought it seemed like a good, but not urgent, idea. Much to my dismay, however, our offices were broken into three days later! Everything that could be moved was stolen: mice, keyboards, small electronics, and, of course, laptops. I guess I was wrong-it was not only a good idea, but also an urgent one. As soon as our new equipment arrived I ordered leashes for all of it. I even discovered that some other equipment I would have never expected can be leashed, such as our LCD projector.

Thanks for your article on security. Although I didn't act quickly enough to prevent the first headache, we are certainly prepared now.

Tim Enwall
Founder and Chief Executive
Officer Tendril Networks, Inc.