As an industry analyst, not since the days of WAN Optimization have I seen a technology gain as much interest as I am seeing with SD-WANs today. Although full deployments are still limited, nearly every network manager, and often many IT leaders I talk to, are interested in it. The reason for this is two-fold – the WAN has grown in importance for cloud-first enterprises and is badly in need of an overhaul. This hasn’t gone unnoticed by the vendor community as there has been an explosion of companies bringing a broad range of SD-WAN offerings to market. The great news for buyers is that there is no shortage of choices. The bad news is there are too many choices and making the right decision difficult.To read this article in full, please click here
The classic story of David battling Goliath resonates with any successful entrepreneur. At some point, small companies must confront large, entrenched rivals. Those big companies possess clear advantages: brand recognition, economies of scale, financial leverage and many others. Customers need a compelling reason to switch providers.How do would-be Davids compete? They need to develop their own modernized slingshot. Technology provides virtually endless possibilities for competitive advantage. Like David, though, you need to size up your opponent and adopt the right strategy before choosing your weapon.In the United Kingdom, a company called Ocado did just that in the exotic, sophisticated market of … grocery stores.To read this article in full, please click here
Who hasn’t had an infuriating support experience as a customer? We’ve all been there. Waiting on the phone. Repeating details. Being passed like a hot potato from one agent to the next. Has no one in the universe ever had or dealt with our same issue before? It can be frustrating, to say the least. And we’re shell-shocked the next time we need to reach out for customer support.There’s a light at the end of the tunnel, though. Before we get there, let’s first consider why this is happening. If we look at the support landscape, we can see that it’s changing: The technology we use is changing. Think about how technology has changed over the last few years. Ten years ago, we didn’t have iPads. Now we have universal connectivity. And behind simple interfaces, underlying technologies are increasingly complex. The people we support are changing. End users are more mobile. People can work from anywhere, and they take their digital lives with them. And with nearly unlimited – and searchable – data, people are consuming information in a variety of ways. Customer expectations are changing. The more immediate and available our technology becomes, the more Continue reading
The TCP/IP protocol is the foundation of the internet and pretty much every single network out there. The protocol was designed 45 years ago and was originally only created for connectivity. There’s nothing in the protocol for security, mobility, or trusted authentication.The fundamental problem with TCP/IP is that the IP address within the protocol represents both the device location and the device identity on a network. This dual functionality of the address lacks the basic mechanisms for security and mobility of devices on a network.This is one of the reasons networks are so complicated today. To connect to things on a network or over the internet, you need VPNs, firewalls, routers, cell modems, etc. and you have all the configurations that come with ACLs, VLANs, certificates, and so on. The nightmare grows exponentially when you factor in internet of things (IoT) device connectivity and security. It’s all unsustainable at scale.To read this article in full, please click here
We’re going to go out on a limb and say most employees bring their own mobile devices to work. You probably do too, and it’s not a bad idea. Using a smartphone or tablet you’re already familiar with – and to which you’re already attached at the hip – often helps you to be more productive as an employee. For companies, embracing the bring-your-own-device trend isn’t a bad idea either. That individual boost in productivity compounds across the enterprise.But that doesn’t mean it’s as easy as turning on the green light and letting employees have at it. Those mobile devices need to be supported – and at a high service level end users have come to expect – or companies risk taking a hit on employee productivity and job satisfaction. You can thank places like Apple’s Genius Bar for raising the bar on support expectations. That’s the same level of first-class support employees expect at work and the standard IT support teams are being held to today.To read this article in full, please click here
Cisco issued three “critical” security warnings for its DNA Center users – two having a Common Vulnerability Scoring System rating of 9.8 out of 10.The two worst problems involve Cisco Data Center Network Manager (DCNM). Cisco DNA Center controls access through policies using Software-Defined Access, automatically provision through Cisco DNA Automation, virtualize devices through Cisco Network Functions Virtualization (NFV), and lower security risks through segmentation and Encrypted Traffic Analysis. More about SD-WAN How to buy SD-WAN technology: Key questions to consider when selecting a supplier How to pick an off-site data-backup method SD-Branch: What it is and why you’ll need it What are the options for security SD-WAN? In one advisory Cisco said a vulnerability in the web-based management interface of DCNM could let an attacker obtain a valid session cookie without knowing the administrative user password by sending a specially crafted HTTP request to a specific web servlet that is available on affected devices. The vulnerability is due to improper session management on affected DCNM software.To read this article in full, please click here
Linux debugging has taken a giant step forward with the release of Live Recorder 5.0 from Undo. Just released on Wednesday, this product makes debugging on multi-process systems significantly easier. Based on flight recorder technology, it delves more deeply into processes to provide insight into what’s going on within each process. This includes memory, threads, program flow, service calls and more. To make this possible, Live Recorder 5.0's record, replay and debugging capabilities have been enhanced with the ability to: Record the exact order in which processes altered shared memory variables. It is even possible to zero in on specific variables and skip backward to the last line of code in any process that altered the variable. Expose potential defects by randomizing thread execution to help reveal race conditions, crashes and other multi-threading defects. Record and replay the execution of individual Kubernetes and Docker containers to help resolve defects faster in microservices environments The Undo Live Recorder enables engineering teams to record and replay the execution of any software program -- no matter how complex -- and to diagnose and fix the root cause of any issue in test or production.To read this article in full, please Continue reading
Data storage software vendor Cloudian has teamed up with Seagate Technology to offer a private cloud storage platform aimed at artificial intelligence (AI) and network-edge workloads. The two companies said they plan to deliver exabyte-scale private cloud storage on-premises while still compatible with Amazon Web Services’ S3 storage.The new product is a mouthful and one only lawyers could have come up with: Cloudian HyperStore Xtreme, Powered by Seagate. Cloudian specializes in object storage platforms, which are already compatible with AWS S3, and Seagate is a major provider of hard disk technology along with Western Digital. In announcing the deal, Seagate said S3 was the motivator for making the alliance.To read this article in full, please click here
There’s plenty of IoT technology coming into the automotive sector – sophisticated fleet management systems, in-car entertainment and connectivity - but the real pot of gold is fully autonomous transport, which is inching closer all the time.One piece of news on that front comes out of MIT, where researchers announced earlier this month that they are collaborating with the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions to create a “roboat,” which leverages GPS, cameras and other sensors, alongside on-board connectivity and compute, to create autonomous boats for travel along the Dutch capital’s 165 canals.To read this article in full, please click here
There’s plenty of IoT technology coming into the automotive sector – sophisticated fleet management systems, in-car entertainment and connectivity - but the real pot of gold is fully autonomous transport, which is inching closer all the time.One piece of news on that front comes out of MIT, where researchers announced earlier this month that they are collaborating with the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions to create a “roboat,” which leverages GPS, cameras and other sensors, alongside on-board connectivity and compute, to create autonomous boats for travel along the Dutch capital’s 165 canals.To read this article in full, please click here
Hewlett Packard Enterprise has multiple enterprise-class storage choices, offering products under the Nimble, 3PAR, and ProLiant brands, plus the enterprise storage software of InfoSight, developed by Nimble. You can add Primera to that list, a new high-end storage array that’s billed as a self-managing platform that uses AI techniques to deliver 100% reliability guaranteed.The Primera offering borrows some technology from the company’s existing products, including the InfoSight AI capabilities developed by Nimble and the underlying distributed storage architecture of 3PAR.[ Read also: What is NVMe, and how is it changing enterprise storage | Get regularly scheduled insights: Sign up for Network World newsletters ] Primera was announced last week at HPE’s Discover event in Las Vegas. Phil Davis, chief sales officer for HPE, said in the announcement keynote, “If you think about traditional storage, it’s full of compromises and complexity. Do I want fast or reliable? Do I want agility or simplicity? But not any more. We’re going to combine the simplicity of Nimble with the intelligence of Infosight and mission-critical heritage of 3Par and we’ve created a new class of storage that eliminates the traditional compromises and truly redefines what is possible with storage.”To read Continue reading
In today’s digital-everything world where so much of our personal and professional lives are online, most people seem to have less of an expectation of data privacy than ever before. They know that companies (and governments) are mining their data, but after all of serious breaches of trust, it’s no wonder that a majority are now becoming wary of both their data’s security and how it is used.In fact, a study by Harris and Finn Partners found that Americans are more concerned with data privacy than they are with job creation. That’s a shocking finding, but maybe it shouldn’t come as that big of a surprise. From the Facebook data scandal, to the horrendous number of retail data breaches to the serious security threats that even come with using public WiFi, nothing seems safe. And now with the repeal of net neutrality, even our internet service providers are free to collect and sell our browsing data.To read this article in full, please click here
The use of digital or virtual assistants and chatbots has picked up momentum with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). These automated assistants have been around for years, but they haven't been all that useful, as they required a significant amount of programming to look for certain keywords and then the responses were based on logical guesses. The infusion of AI, however, has made these systems much smarter and now natural language queries can be made and responses are in plain English (or other languages).Many businesses have adopted digital assistants and chatbots to improve customer service. For example, Atom Tickets uses conversational AI to enable people to book movie tickets and even dinner with just a short sentence instead of having to go through the rigmarole of going back and forth with discrete commands.To read this article in full, please click here
Some may call it a normal, even boring course of vendor business operations but others find it a pain the rump or worse.That about sums up the reaction to news this week that Oracle will end its Dyn Domain Name System enterprise services by 2020 and try to get customers to move to DNS services provided through Oracle Cloud. More about DNS: DNS in the cloud: Why and why not DNS over HTTPS seeks to make internet use more private How to protect your infrastructure from DNS cache poisoning ICANN housecleaning revokes old DNS security key Oracle said that since its acquisition of Dyn in 2016 and the ensuing acquisition of Zenedge, its engineering teams have been working to integrate Dyn’s products and services into the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure platform. “Enterprises can now leverage the best-in-class DNS, web application security, and email delivery services within Oracle Cloud Infrastructure and enhance their applications with a comprehensive platform to build, scale, and operate their cloud infrastructure," according to Oracle's FAQ on the move. "As a result, Dyn legacy Enterprise services are targeted to be retired on May 31, 2020 with the exception of Internet Intelligence.”To read this article Continue reading
If the internet of things (IoT) is going to fulfill its enormous promise, it’s going to need legions of smart, skilled, trained workers to make everything happen. And right now, it’s not entirely clear where those people are going to come from.That’s why I was interested in trading emails with Keith Flynn, senior director of product management, R&D at asset-optimization software company AspenTech, who says that when dealing with the slew of new technologies that fall under the IoT umbrella, you need people who can understand how to configure the technology and interpret the data. Flynn sees a growing need for existing educational institutions to house IoT-specific programs, as well as an opportunity for new IoT-focused private colleges, offering a well -ounded curriculumTo read this article in full, please click here
While not nearly commonly seen on Linux systems, library (shared object files on Linux) injections are still a serious threat. On interviewing Jaime Blasco from AT&T's Alien Labs, I've become more aware of how easily some of these attacks are conducted.In this post, I'll cover one method of attack and some ways that it can be detected. I'll also provide some links that will provide more details on both attack methods and detection tools. First, a little background. [ Two-Minute Linux Tips: Learn how to master a host of Linux commands in these 2-minute video tutorials ] Shared library vulnerability Both DLL and .so files are shared library files that allow code (and sometimes data) to be shared by various processes. Commonly used code might be put into one of these files so that it can be reused rather than rewritten many times over for each process that requires it. This also facilitates management of commonly used code.To read this article in full, please click here
Mist, now a Juniper Networks company, has rolled out an artificial-intelligence, cloud-based appliance and a WiFi 6 access point that together aim at helping users deploy smart, high-density wireless networks.Leading the rollout is the Mist Edge appliance that extends Mist’s cloud services to the branch and lets enterprises manage the distributed Wi-Fi infrastructure from a central location. More about 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) Why 802.11ax is the next big thing in wireless FAQ: 802.11ax Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) is coming to a router near you Wi-Fi 6 with OFDMA opens a world of new wireless possibilities 802.11ax preview: Access points and routers that support Wi-Fi 6 are on tap The Mist Edge device features the company’s artificial-intelligence engine that helps automate tasks such as adjusting Wi-Fi signal strength and troubleshooting. According to Mist, some other potential use cases for Mist Edge include:To read this article in full, please click here
Extreme Networks opened the checkbook again this week to the tune of $210 million for wireless-networking vendor Aerohive.The move will bring to Extreme Aerohive’s wireless-networking technology – including its new WiFi 6 gear, SD-WAN software and cloud-management services. See reviews of free, open-source network monitoring tools Icinga: Enterprise-grade, open-source network-monitoring that scales Nagios Core: Network-monitoring software with lots of plugins, steep learning curve Observium open-source network monitoring tool: Won’t run on Windows but has a great user interface Zabbix delivers effective no-frills network monitoring Gartner wrote, "Aerohive's wireless-focused access-network portfolio comprises stand-alone and stackable campus switches, access points and branch-office routers, with a cloud-managed distributed control architecture. Organizations typically employ Aerohive’s HiveManager network management platform [which manages Wi-Fi, Switching, SD-WAN, and NAC] as a public or private cloud, although it also may be deployed on-premises. To manage a multivendor unified access network, the enterprise can use HiveManager to configure, provision and monitor Aerohive APs in conjunction with switches from Aerohive or with N-Series switches from OEM partner Dell EMC." The company also has a relationship with Juniper to managed wired devices.To read this article in full, please click here
Digital transformation and cloud initiatives are changing the way IT organizations are thinking about and architecting the wide area network. It is estimated that over 70 percent of applications have already moved to the cloud. Yet, the transformational promise of the cloud is falling short as conventional networks can’t keep pace with demands of the cloud. Why? Because today’s router-centric and basic SD-WAN architectures have either hit the wall or can’t keep up with traffic pattern shifts, distributed applications and the open security perimeters inherent to the cloud. This blog will explore the limitations of today’s WAN approaches, offering a better way forward with a business-first networking model.To read this article in full, please click here
One of the biggest concerns with the Internet of Things (IoT) is making sure networks, data, and devices are secure. IoT-related security incidents have already occurred, and the worries among IT, security and networking managers that similar events will take place are justified.“In all but the most restrictive environments, you’re going to have IoT devices in your midst,” says Jason Taule, vice president of standards and CISO at security standards and assurance company HITRUST. "The question then isn’t if, but how you are going to allow such devices to connect to and interact with your networks, systems and data.”To read this article in full, please click here