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Category Archives for "Networking"

Announcing our new how-to video series!

Class is in session! This week, we are excited to announce that the new networking how-to video series is live on the Cumulus Networks website. Join our highly-qualified instructors as they school you on everything you need to know about web-scale networking. No backpack or homework required — learn everything you need from the comfort of your couch.

So, what’s on the syllabus for web-scale 101? Our goals this semester are to make open networking accessible to everyone, to teach the basics and beyond of Linux, and to demonstrate exactly what you gain from leaving behind traditional networking. Are you confused by configurations? Or have you ever wondered what APT stands for? Our instructors will answer all of your questions. After watching these how-to video tutorials, you’ll be a web-scale scholar!

These video tutorials cover topics such as:

  • Configuring trunks and access ports
  • How Linux networking differs from traditional networking
  • Automating your data center
  • …And much more!

What’s the difference between configuring IP addresses with Juniper or Cumulus Linux? We’ll let you decide that for yourself. Head over to our how-to video page and begin your educational journey. No need to worry about tuition — this priceless educational experience is Continue reading

Connecting Indigenous Communities

Internet access is often a challenge associated with developing countries. But while many of us in North America have the privilege of access at our fingertips, it’s still a huge barrier to success for many rural and remote Indigenous communities in Canada and the United States.

According to the 2016 Broadband Progress Report, 10% of Americans lack access to broadband. The contrast is even more striking when you look at Internet access in rural areas, with 39% lacking access to broadband of 25/4Mbps, compared to 4% in urban areas.

Many Canadian rural and remote communities face similar access issues. In December 2016, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) set targets for Internet service providers (ISPs) to offer customers in all parts of the country broadband at 50/10Mbps with the option of unlimited data. CRTC estimates two million households, or roughly 18% of Canadians, don’t have access to those speeds or data.

Let those figures sink in for a minute. Today in 2017, millions of people in North America still don’t have access to broadband Internet.

It’s an even harder to pill to swallow when you realize how disproportionately and gravely it affects indigenous communities, many of which are Continue reading

FAQ: What is NB-IoT?

NB-IoT, that must stand for “no big IoT,” like “no big deal?”Awful. Why don’t you leave the jokes to me?Fine, fine. So what is NB-IoT, really?First of all, it’s narrow-band IoT, and it’s a communication standard designed to let IoT devices operate via carrier networks, either within an existing GSM carrier wave, in an unused “guard band” between LTE channels, or independently.+ALSO ON NETWORK WORLD: Aruba rolls out security fabric designed for IoT and the digital era + Survey: Enterprise IoT faces skills shortage, security challengesTo read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

IDG Contributor Network: Network simulation or emulation?

As a network engineer, an improperly configured application can cost a whole lot of time and money down the line. The best way to try and prevent these unfortunate accidents is by conducting thorough and efficient testing on a routine basis. Whether designing a network, migrating to the cloud, or adding a new device to the rack, every step within the application  deployment life cycle should be validated with accurate testing.Regarding network testing, the terms emulation and simulation are often used interchangeably. In most cases, either term will generally get the point across, but there’s a big difference between a network emulator and network simulator, both practically and semantically. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

IDG Contributor Network: Network simulation or emulation?

As a network engineer, an improperly configured application can cost a whole lot of time and money down the line. The best way to try and prevent these unfortunate accidents is by conducting thorough and efficient testing on a routine basis. Whether designing a network, migrating to the cloud, or adding a new device to the rack, every step within the application  deployment life cycle should be validated with accurate testing.Regarding network testing, the terms emulation and simulation are often used interchangeably. In most cases, either term will generally get the point across, but there’s a big difference between a network emulator and network simulator, both practically and semantically. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Legacy IT Sucks

In my last few blog posts, I’ve been looking back at some of the ideas that were presented at Future:Net at VMworld this year. While I’ve discussed resource contention, hardware longevity, and event open source usage, I’ve avoided one topic that I think dictates more of the way our networks are built and operated today. It has very little to do with software, merchant hardware, or even development. It’s about legacy.

They Don’t Make Them Like They Used To

Every system in production today is running some form of legacy equipment. It doesn’t have to be an old switch in a faraway branch office closet. It doesn’t have to be an old Internet router. Often, it’s a critical piece of equipment that can’t be changed or upgraded without massive complications. These legacy pieces of the organization do more to dictate IT policies than any future technology can hope to impact.

In my own career, I’ve seen this numerous times. It could be the inability to upgrade workstation operating systems because users relied on WordPerfect for document creation and legacy document storage. And new workstations wouldn’t run WordPerfect. Or perhaps it cost too much to upgrade. Here, legacy Continue reading

IDG Contributor Network: The promise of the pervasive network

The Pervasive Network is far more than a collection of technologies and processes; it is a promise to be fulfilled. A promise of delivering constant, reliable, smart, secure, intelligent and scalable bandwidth to power a future of ubiquitous IoT devices, augmented reality experiences, super smart AI systems and innovation in the form of new mobile services and applications yet to be imagined. These technologies will be the building blocks for improving the operational efficiency of every business and providing customer experiences that will make the difference in every company’s competitive position going forward.I have been on the customer and consultant side of the fence, and one thing has become clear to me: the network is not a commodity component, but a vital and strategic key to unlocking the potential of the innovation that we see in new services, experiences and opportunities.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

IDG Contributor Network: The promise of the pervasive network

The Pervasive Network is far more than a collection of technologies and processes; it is a promise to be fulfilled. A promise of delivering constant, reliable, smart, secure, intelligent and scalable bandwidth to power a future of ubiquitous IoT devices, augmented reality experiences, super smart AI systems and innovation in the form of new mobile services and applications yet to be imagined. These technologies will be the building blocks for improving the operational efficiency of every business and providing customer experiences that will make the difference in every company’s competitive position going forward.I have been on the customer and consultant side of the fence, and one thing has become clear to me: the network is not a commodity component, but a vital and strategic key to unlocking the potential of the innovation that we see in new services, experiences and opportunities.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

IDG Contributor Network: What’s your problem? Survey uncovers top sources of IT pain

It’s hardly surprising that IT professionals have their hands full in the age of IoT (Internet of Things) and Big Data. Supporting rapidly growing data volumes, new data types, and many more data sources is making it harder than ever for IT to meet service level agreements (SLAs) while keeping spending in check. The complexity IT manages is clear in the results of a recent Storage Census of over 300 IT professionals my company, Primary Data, conducted at VMworld 2017. The survey showcased the conflicting pressures currently faced by IT leaders. Those surveyed included delivering performance, executing data migrations, meeting expectations with existing budgets, and integrating the cloud into their infrastructure among the biggest challenges facing their departments today. Let’s examine the factors that contribute to these challenges and how IT can solve them.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here