7 free tools every network needs

"I am all about useful tools. One of my mottos is 'the right tool for the right job.'" –Martha StewartIf your "right job" involves wrangling computer networks and figuring out how to do digital things effectively and efficiently or diagnosing why digital things aren't working as they're supposed to, you've got your hands full. Not only does your job evolve incredibly quickly becoming evermore complex, but whatever tools you use need frequent updating and/or replacing to keep pace, and that's what we're here for; to help in your quest for the right tools.[ Don’t miss customer reviews of top remote access tools and see the most powerful IoT companies . | Get daily insights by signing up for Network World newsletters. ] We've done several roundups of free network tools in the past, and since the last one, technology has, if anything, sped up even more. To help you keep up, we've compiled a new shortlist of seven of the most useful tools that you should add to your toolbox.To read this article in full, please click here

Worth Reading: The TCP Tortoise

As LinkedIn migrated to serving its pages on HTTP/2 earlier this year, it became imperative that we identify and use the most optimal transport layer strategy for our users’ network. Being a Transmission Control Protocol-centric (TCP) infrastructure, we initiated an effort to study the effects of different TCP congestion control strategies in different geographies. We found that with the right strategy, we could significantly improve our site speed, resulting in up to 7% faster content downloads. —Prasanna Vijayanathan @ Linkedin

The post Worth Reading: The TCP Tortoise appeared first on rule 11 reader.

The new Extreme Networks is off and rolling

The story of Extreme Networks is one of the more remarkable turnarounds I’ve seen in technology in years. About two years ago the company had a market cap of under $300 million, and I thought they were a sure-fire acquisition target for someone who wanted some decent technology on the cheap — because it was becoming apparently clear that the once-cool networking company had lost its way like so many others before it.Many of the brand names we have known in the past — Nortel, 3Com, Cabletron, Lucent, FORE systems and Foundry — all dropped as Cisco got bigger and HP Networking gobbled up the low end. There just didn’t seem to be room for another vendor. If an acquisition happened, it would likely fall on the scrap heap that so many other networking vendors have been tossed on.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

The new Extreme Networks is off and rolling

The story of Extreme Networks is one of the more remarkable turnarounds I’ve seen in technology in years. About two years ago the company had a market cap of under $300 million, and I thought they were a sure-fire acquisition target for someone who wanted some decent technology on the cheap — because it was becoming apparently clear that the once-cool networking company had lost its way like so many others before it.Many of the brand names we have known in the past — Nortel, 3Com, Cabletron, Lucent, FORE systems and Foundry — all dropped as Cisco got bigger and HP Networking gobbled up the low end. There just didn’t seem to be room for another vendor. If an acquisition happened, it would likely fall on the scrap heap that so many other networking vendors have been tossed on.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

The new Extreme Networks is off and rolling

The story of Extreme Networks is one of the more remarkable turnarounds I’ve seen in technology in years. About two years ago the company had a market cap of under $300 million, and I thought they were a sure-fire acquisition target for someone who wanted some decent technology on the cheap — because it was becoming apparently clear that the once-cool networking company had lost its way like so many others before it.Many of the brand names we have known in the past — Nortel, 3Com, Cabletron, Lucent, FORE systems and Foundry — all dropped as Cisco got bigger and HP Networking gobbled up the low end. There just didn’t seem to be room for another vendor. If an acquisition happened, it would likely fall on the scrap heap that so many other networking vendors have been tossed on.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Cumulus content roundup: August

It’s time for another Cumulus content roundup! To bring you some of our favorite think-pieces about open source networking trends, both from our website and around the Internet, we’ve wrangled all the links into one convenient spot. From virtual network optimization to private clouds to hyperscale data centers, we’ve got all of the best topics covered. Take a look at these exciting new developments, and let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Cumulus Networks’ latest and greatest

Private cloud vs. public cloud: If you’re getting ready for a data center refresh or thinking about moving to a private cloud, this article is for you. We break down the major differences, benefits and use cases between each type of cloud environment, giving you the information you need to make the right choice for your organization. Read on and find out if it’s time for you to switch to a private cloud.

Monash University video: How did Cumulus Networks manage to migrate Monash University’s entire data center in just two weeks? Senior Consulting Engineer Eric Pulvino breaks it down for you and explains how Cumulus was able to do the impossible. Watch the video to learn more.

Continue reading

Thirteen Fellows to Attend AfPIF 2017

IDG Contributor Network: SDN and a life beyond the death of the internet

For decades, enterprises have relied on the public internet for business-critical SaaS applications and data traffic. The reason why is pretty simple: it’s cost-efficient, it’s easy to use and it’s already there. Compare that to the logistical, financial and implementation challenges of installing an alternative private network, and it’s clear why enterprises have been pretty content with the internet for their entire digital lives.But, it’s 2017. And, if there’s one thing clear about the public internet today, it’s that it no longer cuts it. Rampant DDoS attacks and other cyber threats posed by hackers, rogue employees and nation-states have not just revealed the security, reliability and transparency cracks in the public internet — they’ve blown them wide open.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

IDG Contributor Network: SDN and a life beyond the death of the internet

For decades, enterprises have relied on the public internet for business-critical SaaS applications and data traffic. The reason why is pretty simple: it’s cost-efficient, it’s easy to use and it’s already there. Compare that to the logistical, financial and implementation challenges of installing an alternative private network, and it’s clear why enterprises have been pretty content with the internet for their entire digital lives.But, it’s 2017. And, if there’s one thing clear about the public internet today, it’s that it no longer cuts it. Rampant DDoS attacks and other cyber threats posed by hackers, rogue employees and nation-states have not just revealed the security, reliability and transparency cracks in the public internet — they’ve blown them wide open.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

IDG Contributor Network: SDN and a life beyond the death of the internet

For decades, enterprises have relied on the public internet for business-critical SaaS applications and data traffic. The reason why is pretty simple: it’s cost-efficient, it’s easy to use and it’s already there. Compare that to the logistical, financial and implementation challenges of installing an alternative private network, and it’s clear why enterprises have been pretty content with the internet for their entire digital lives.But, it’s 2017. And, if there’s one thing clear about the public internet today, it’s that it no longer cuts it. Rampant DDoS attacks and other cyber threats posed by hackers, rogue employees and nation-states have not just revealed the security, reliability and transparency cracks in the public internet — they’ve blown them wide open.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

IDG Contributor Network: SDN and a life beyond the death of the internet

For decades, enterprises have relied on the public internet for business-critical SaaS applications and data traffic. The reason why is pretty simple: it’s cost-efficient, it’s easy to use and it’s already there. Compare that to the logistical, financial and implementation challenges of installing an alternative private network, and it’s clear why enterprises have been pretty content with the internet for their entire digital lives.But, it’s 2017. And, if there’s one thing clear about the public internet today, it’s that it no longer cuts it. Rampant DDoS attacks and other cyber threats posed by hackers, rogue employees and nation-states have not just revealed the security, reliability and transparency cracks in the public internet — they’ve blown them wide open.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

IDG Contributor Network: SDN and a life beyond the death of the internet

For decades, enterprises have relied on the public internet for business-critical SaaS applications and data traffic. The reason why is pretty simple: it’s cost-efficient, it’s easy to use and it’s already there. Compare that to the logistical, financial and implementation challenges of installing an alternative private network, and it’s clear why enterprises have been pretty content with the internet for their entire digital lives.But, it’s 2017. And, if there’s one thing clear about the public internet today, it’s that it no longer cuts it. Rampant DDoS attacks and other cyber threats posed by hackers, rogue employees and nation-states have not just revealed the security, reliability and transparency cracks in the public internet — they’ve blown them wide open.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Juniper SVP: Cloud Computing’s Next Wave Unifies Security and Connectivity

Juniper SVP expects its security business to recover by year-end.

Datrium Splits Provisioning to Boost Private Cloud Storage

Datrium claims its provisioning feature is more flexible than HCI systems.

RFC 8229 TCP Encapsulation of IKE and IPsec Packets

May not be needed since UDP is part of QUIC

The post RFC 8229 TCP Encapsulation of IKE and IPsec Packets appeared first on EtherealMind.

NSX-Powered Credit Union Shifts Focus to Speed and Innovation

Personal banking sure isn’t what it used to be. Thankfully.

When is the last time you went to a bank? My trips are so infrequent that I actually enjoy the experience as a change of pace. That’s because normally, I get to transfer money or deposit a check not only online, but from my phone. And things in the banking sector aren’t slowing down, they’re speeding up, as new digital upstarts create competition and a pressure to innovate and make customers’ lives easier.

Still, not too long ago, the banking industry was still feeling the shockwaves of the financial crisis. Investments across the industry were tight, meaning more had to be done with less – a story many of us who have had roles in IT can relate to. So when Amy Hysell took on the role of CIO at the Arizona Federal Credit Union (AZFCU), she decided to take a fresh approach. To compete in this fast-moving industry, she stepped back and took a look at on how to enable speed and innovation, while keeping security as the top priority, and also without sacrificing cost efficiency.

Fast forward to today, and a peek at some of AZFCU’s services quickly Continue reading

On the ‘web: What your momma never told you about OSPF

Nick Russo and I talk about the OSPF routing protocol, covering some of those things you’ve probably never thought about, and giving away one of my favorite interview questions in the process. You can see the original episode at the Network Collective here.

The post On the ‘web: What your momma never told you about OSPF appeared first on rule 11 reader.

Rackspace Brings Encryption to the Cloud

Companies facing EU compliance guidelines will receive a helping hand.

Microsoft Buys Cycle Computing to Boost HPC in Azure

Will Microsoft deprive AWS and Google of Cycle Computing’s software?

Worth Reading: NVMe for Data Centers

The Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) specification defines a new method to access solid-state drives (SSDs) over a PCIe bus, and it’s forecasted to grow exponentially over the next few years thanks to its performance advantages and lower latencies compared with legacy protocols (such as SATA). NVMe-enabled storage infrastructures are not only seeing wide deployment, but they’re now entering other data center areas that were once typically reserved for legacy HDDs and SSDs. NVMe has become an agent for next-generation data centers. To understand this evolution, it’s important to review the history and examine some of the new application workloads that are being transformed by this protocol. —Anand Jayapalan @ The Data Center Journal

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