Ed Moyle is the author of Practical cybersecurity architecture, we got the chance to sit down with him and find out more about his experience of writing with Packt.
Q: How did you become an author for Packt? Tell us about your journey…
Ed: We were originally approached to help with updates to a different book. However, after discussing the project with Packt’s editorial team, Diana and I ultimately decided that this project would be a better fit.
Q: How long did it take you to write the book?
Ed: About a year.
Q: What kind of research did you do, and how long did you spend researching before beginning the book?
Ed: Much of the material draws on our own direct experiences in the field. However, we also reached out to and interviewed over a dozen different current or former cybersecurity architects to gather information, get different viewpoints, and discuss their approaches to solving architecture problems. Even when we approached a problem in a different way than those we interviewed, we felt it was valuable to present those different perspectives since different situations call for different approaches. Our hope is that a diversity of perspective will help readers understand why core elements of architecture are important and help give them guidance about how to adapt and integrate different styles into their own.
Q: Did you face any challenges during the writing process? How did you overcome them?
Ed: Like any complex task, motivation and unexpected challenges can be an issue. Project management — breaking large tasks down into smaller ones that are achievable and being consistent – helps quite a bit. Also, collaboration helps with focus and helps broaden your perspective.
Q: What advice would you give to readers learning tech? Do you have any top tips?
Ed: I would encourage those learning tech to not become discouraged. One of the unique things about working with technology is that you’re always learning. At the beginning, it can feel like there is so much to learn — but once you realize that everyone is in the same boat (we all feel overwhelmed all the time in some sense), it becomes easier.
Q. How do you keep up-to-date on your tech?
Ed: I’m a “learn by doing” kind of person. Meaning, I find it helpful to experiment with new technologies and use them directly to get familiarity. What’s important though is that everyone take internal stock of themselves and figure out what ways they learn best and lean into that.
How would you describe you author journey with Packt? Would you recommend Packt to aspiring authors?
Ed: This is our second book, but the first one with Packt. The editorial team was very engaged, and the process itself was more iterative than the prior book. I’d describe it as analogous to the difference between waterfall and Agile software development. Just like getting used to a new software development model, it can be a little daunting when you first change over — but once you get used to it, it becomes much less confusing and you can start to see the advantages.
You can find Ed’s book on Amazon by following this link: Please click here
