How to migrate your EC2 server to Singapore region
by Siu Lun on May.11, 2010, under Computer, Server, Web
Singapore AWS has been out the past couple of weeks, and I’ve migrated my server over. I have to say, accessing from Hong Kong is much faster.
If you also want to migrate your own server from US to Singapore or just want to use one of the pre-built AMI avaliable in the US but not yet in Singapore, follow what I’ve done.
First of all, start an instance of your AMI.
If the AMI you started is not your own, then customise it first, then execute within the instance:
ec2-bundle-vol -k private_key -u user_id -c cert
Once completed, upload the image direct to an S3 bucket in Singapore!
ec2-upload-bundle -b my-sg-bucket -m manifest -a access_key_id -s secret_key --location ap-southeast-1
Then all you have to do is register it. (commandline below)
If you have already got your own AMI, then SSH in a new instance of your own image, execute:
ec2-migrate-bundle -k private_key -c cert -a access_key_id -s secret_key --bucket my-us-bucket --destination-bucket my-sg-bucket --manifest manifest_path --location ap-southeast-1 --ec2cert ec2_cert_path --region ap-southeast-1
Your AMI will be uploaded to the Singapore S3 service, then you can use:
ec2-register --region ap-southeast-1 --name myvm my-sg-bucket/image.manifest.xml
Then you can launch your own SG instance! You may want to migrate any EBS volumes and data over. I didn’t have to deal with the hassle of that as there is no easy way to do it. I just backed up all files on my server onto my own machine and re-uploaded after.
Signing off from jobs, agency work.
by Siu Lun on May.07, 2010, under Business, Web
Thanks for all the job offers recently, however I’m officially going to announce today that I’ve taken the decision to resign from all jobs and agency work permanently.
My recent experience in one of the top 4As agency in Hong Kong will be the last. I would like to clarify somethings though as to why I’ve taken this decision.
Since I moved from the UK to HK to start my own business, I’ve actually already decided not to work in an agency. I was in a digital agency in UK – a very good one I might add.
I just realise during my time in the UK that doing websites for clients is not a sustainable industry. Actually I realised that in my 2nd year of university, when I came up with a business plan to which I’ll execute once I leave my current position. There is so much more potential even now in web development than agency work it is much more satisfactory and rewarding to do so. The only reason I joined an agency in the UK was to further my development skillset as it allows me to work for many different clients with different requirements, and I succeed, together with the agency I was with.
In my previous post, I took on the opportunity in HK’s 4As agency to try and do something significant. Changing the web development landscape in Hong Kong, well little did I know the core crux of the matter of today’s web development landscape is not only because of cheap clients, but also the quality of people as well as people’s attitudes, this is also made worst in the 4As environment, to which is a different topic entirely.
I gave up. Yes I gave up, it was not worth perusing the path any longer, particularly when they installed somebody higher up that is supposed to be the head of digital with no technical or digital agency background or knowledge. There was no way to win this game the way I see it, that is not to say he may not be able to achieve the goal for the agency, but certainly will not be how I envisioned it to be.
Hence, from now on, I won’t take on anymore jobs and agency type work, nor would I work for any ordinary Hong Kong companies. That’s not to say I’ve given up on Hong Kong’s web development scene, it’s just that rather than use what HK has, I’m starting from scratch, building it the way I see it working. Be a real digital producer.
During my journey up till now, I’ve met many many similar minded people, and it comforts me to think that I’m not alone in my thinking, my actions. To all those that truly cares about the web development scene of Hong Kong. I sincerely hope that we’ll be able to work together towards a brighter future for us. Different in fields we may be, our way of work, mentality and thoughts are similar. I wish you all good luck in the future. Thanks for all the support various people have given me throughout my journey. All the best.
Common misconceptions of Hong Kong being hard-workers and Europeans and US lazy.
by Siu Lun on May.06, 2010, under Life, Ramblings
Even the Chief Executive of BP won’t say when oil leaks can be stopped.
Don’t ask devs for when all the bugs can be fixed. It’s not about Hong Kongers being hard working and Europeans not, it’s just being responsible by telling the truth. Developers might be able to tell you once he found the bug, like BP will probably be able to tell you when they find the exact leak, but even then, it’s an estimate. Not a ‘deadline’ to fix bugs by.
Hong Konger’s being hard-working is really a load of rubbish, if that’s true, Hong Kong people would’ve overtaken the world – but Hong Kong haven’t – Hong Kong haven’t even got past Singapore. Don’t pet yourselves in the back just because you can stay up till 2am – sometimes working!
It’s just that in the UK and US, they’re all so much smarter in the way they work than Hong Kong people they don’t need to work OT every day! I’m sorry to say this in front of my Hong Kong friends but, I’ve worked in both worlds and I’m not being biased.
There is no doubt that Hong Kong people are more willing to work OT, however.
Again, get real. There’s a world of difference out there to catch up, and people need to realise it. I get told about this misconception all the time. The only reason why European/US developers takes more time on a project than in Hong Kong is because they’re coding it RIGHT!
Oh and did I mention in US/UK people start work at 8:30am!? Hong Kong apparently don’t need to start till 11 am! So when US/UK people work OT, it’s more than the OT time of HK people.
Later.
Ronald

