Hedge 196: What’s up with Ethernet? (with Peter Jones)
Ethernet is the technology used to move most of the world’s data at the physical layer. What has been going on for the last few years in Ethernet, and what is coming? Peter Jones joins Tom Ammon and Russ White to talk about current and future work in Ethernet, AI, and other odds and ends.
Hedge 195: DDoS Inflection with Barry Greene
DDoS attacks still play a major role in the global Internet, costing organizations tens (or hundreds) or millions of dollars each year. What are the current and future trends in DDoS attacks? Barry Greene, a global expert in DDoS mitigation, joins Russ White and Tom Ammon to discuss the future of DDoS.
Simple or Complex?
A few weeks ago, Daniel posted a piece about using different underlay and overlay protocols in a data center fabric. He says:
There is nothing wrong with running BGP in the overlay but I oppose to the argument of it being simpler.
One of the major problems we often face in network engineering—and engineering more broadly—is confusing that which is simple with that which has lower complexity. Simpler things are not always less complex. Let me give you a few examples, all of which are going to be controversial.
When OSPF was first created, it was designed to be a simpler and more efficient form of IS-IS. Instead of using TLVs to encode data, OSPF used fixed-length fields. To process the contents of a TLV, you need to build a case/switch construction where each possible type a separate bit of code. You must count off the correct length for the type of data, or (worse) read a length field and count out where you are in the stream.
Fixed-length fields are just much easier to process. You build a structure matching the layout of the fixed-length fields in memory, then point this structure at the packet contents in-memory. From there, Continue reading
On the ‘net: Network Models at Packet Pushers
I’ve just started a new series on network models over at Packet Pushers. The first two installments are here:
On the ‘Net: The IETF at Packet Pushers
I’ve been writing a series about working within the IETF to publish a new standard over at Packet Pushers. The most recent installments are:
Schedule 0923
Here’s a preview of what I’m working on for those who are interested:
- September 2023: (this Friday) How Routers Really Work, a three-hour live webinar at Safari Books Online through Pearson
- October 2023:
- How the Internet Really Works a four-hour live webinar at Safari Books Online through Pearson; this is newly formatted and reorganized version of the two sessions I used to do
- I’m speaking at a small theological conference on AI and ethics in Cary, NC
- November 2023:
- The new CCST book should be released
- I have recorded a network basics video series that should be released in late 2023 or early 2024
- January 2024:
- What Coders Need to Know about Networks, a new course, co-authored with an engineer from Akamai; a three-hour live webinar at Safari Books Online through Pearson
- I’ll be teaching a course in network engineering at the University of Colorado for the spring semester
- February 2024: A new three-hour live webinar on infrastructure interviewing skills at Safari Books Online through Pearson
- March 2024: BGP Policy, a three-hour live webinar on Safari Books Online through Pearson
- April 2024: Troubleshooting, a reformatted and rebuilt three-hour live webinar at Safari Books Online through Pearson
There will probably Continue reading
Upcoming Training: How Routers Really Work
Have you ever wondered exactly how a router moves a packet from input to output interface? Or what the difference between is between a router’s and host’s operating system? Or why forwarding engines are built in classes, and one forwarding engine cannot “do it all?” Join me on the 22nd at 1pm ET for How Routers Really Work, a three-hour tour through router guts. I’ve replaced about 10% of the slides since the last time I taught this course.
If you register, you can watch the recording at a later date.
Hedge 194: Network Automation with the Network Automation Forum
Year after year network engineering media, vendors, and influencers talk about the importance of network automation—and yet according to surveys, most network operators still have not automated their network operations. In this episode of the Hedge, part 2 of 2, Chris Grundemann and Scott Robohn join the Hedge to give their ideas on why network automation isn’t happening, and how we can resolve the many blockers to automation.
Hedge 193: Network Automation with the Network Automation Forum
Year after year network engineering media, vendors, and influencers talk about the importance of network automation—and yet according to surveys, most network operators still have not automated their network operations. In this episode of the Hedge, part 1 of 2, Chris Grundemann and Scott Robohn join the Hedge to give their ideas on why network automation isn’t happening, and how we can resolve the many blockers to automation.
Hedge 192: Addiction Recovery
Addiction and addiction recovery are not a “normal” Hedge topic, but addiction afflicts many people in Information Technology. We’re all “hard driven” types, who feel failure keenly, and we tend to spend more time working than is probably healthy for us. Brett Lovins has been through addiction and recovery, and joins Tom Ammon, Russ White, and Eyvonne Sharp to talk about this high impact topic.
Beyond OSI: The ‘Four Things’ Model Of Networking
A model is a tool to help you think about something. The 'Four Things' model described here helps me ask questions about networking protocols, how they work, and how to solve problems.
The post Beyond OSI: The ‘Four Things’ Model Of Networking appeared first on Packet Pushers.
Hedge 191: Power in the Data Center with Sarah Martin
While power is crucial for data centers, it’s also something network engineers don’t talk about a lot. In this episode of the Hedge, Sarah Martin from HED Design joins us to talk about the history, current state, and future of power in data centers.
Hedge 190: Sunspots
What impact would Electromagnetic Pulses (EMP) from a large-scale sunspot have in the modern world? One this episode of the Hedge, Ulrich Speidel and Jaap Akkerhuis join George Michaelson and Russ White to discuss space weather and its impact on communication systems. Note this is a joint episode with Ping, APNIC’s podcast. Because this is a joint recording, the format is a little different than normal.
Hedge 189: Data Center Careers with Carrie Goetz
When network engineers think of a data center, we think of fabrics and routers and switches. There is a lot more to a data center, though—there is power, building construction, environmentals, and a lot of others. What possible jobs are out there in the data center space for people who want to work in IT, but don’t either want to code or build networks? Carrie Goetz, author of Jumpstart Your Career in Data Centers joins Tom Ammon and Russ White to tell us about a few, and about the importance of other careers in the data center.
In case you didn’t see it I’m uploading the rough “machine generated” transcript of each episode about a week after the episode airs. It takes a little time for the transcription to be created, and then for me to log back in and upload the file.
Hedge 188: Sidewalk, Who’s Responsible?, and Data Breaches
It’s the last show of the month, which means it is time for a roundtable! Today we are discussing three news stories, including Amazon’s Sidewalk Labs, a court case in California involving Cisco and the Great Firewall of China, and yet another data breach.
In case you didn’t see it I’m uploading the rough *machine generated) transcript of each episode about a week after the episode airs. It takes a little time for the transcription to be created, and then for me to log back in and upload the file.