Do We Need Math in Networking?
I should have known better, but I couldn’t resist being pulled into a Twitter spat around the question “whether networking engineers need to know something about math” a long while ago.
Before going into the details, let’s start with Wikipedia definition: “Engineering is the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other things” including “specific emphasis on particular areas of applied mathematics, applied science, and types of application”.
So feel free to believe that you don’t need any math or other science (because there’s very little science behind what we do in networking) in your job, in which case you might want to stop reading… but then at least please think twice about your job title.
Read more ...Ironies of automation
Ironies of automation, Bainbridge, Automatica, Vol. 19, No. 6, 1983
With thanks to Thomas Depierre for the paper recommendation.
Making predictions is a dangerous game, but as we look forward to the next decade a few things seem certain: increasing automation, increasing system complexity, faster processing, more inter-connectivity, and an even greater human and societal dependence on technology. What could possibly go wrong? Automation is supposed to make our lives easier, but ~~if~~ when it goes wrong it can put us in a very tight spot indeed. Today’s paper choice, ‘Ironies of Automation’ explores these issues. Originally published in this form in 1983, its lessons are just as relevant today as they were then.
The central irony (‘combination of circumstances, the result of which is the direct opposite of what might be expected’) referred to in this paper is that the more we automate, and the more sophisticated we make that automation, the more we become dependent on a highly skilled human operator.
Automated systems need highly skilled operators
Why do we automate?
The designer’s view of the human operator may be that the operator is unreliable and inefficient, so should be eliminated from the system.
An automated system Continue reading
FCC Chair Sets Ambitious 5G Goals for 2020
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Decentralized Calico Network Security Policy Deployment for GitOps – Part 2
In part 1 of the GitOps blog series, we discussed the value of using GitOps for Calico policies, and how to roll out such a framework. In this second part of the series, we will expand the scope to include decentralized deployment and GitOps.
We see different personas among our customers deploying three types of controls:
- Cluster hardening policies are enforced and controlled by the platform admin
- Organizational security controls are enforced and controlled by the security admin
- Each application team may have their own unique requirements. This is controlled by the DevOps admin for the specific application.
This is different from the traditional firewall world, where the security admin is responsible for managing security policies, and the change management window could be several weeks in duration. Adopting that model in Kubernetes is simply counter to the very principles of enabling the developers. So how can we make policy creation and enforcement simple, yet adhere to organizational processes? The answer lies in simple tooling, GitOps and governance.
Policies have business logic that must be implemented in YAML. The business logic (allow access for service A to service B, open port 443 inbound on service B, permit access to slack webhook Continue reading
Decentralized Calico Network Security Policy Deployment for GitOps – Part 2
In part 1 of the GitOps blog series, we discussed the value of using GitOps for Calico policies, and how to roll out such a framework. In this second part of the series, we will expand the scope to include decentralized deployment and GitOps.
We see different personas among our customers deploying three types of controls:
- Cluster hardening policies are enforced and controlled by the platform admin
- Organizational security controls are enforced and controlled by the security admin
- Each application team may have their own unique requirements. This is controlled by the DevOps admin for the specific application.
This is different from the traditional firewall world, where the security admin is responsible for managing security policies, and the change management window could be several weeks in duration. Adopting that model in Kubernetes is simply counter to the very principles of enabling the developers. So how can we make policy creation and enforcement simple, yet adhere to organizational processes? The answer lies in simple tooling, GitOps and governance.
Policies have business logic that must be implemented in YAML. The business logic (allow access for service A to service B, open port 443 inbound on service B, permit access to slack webhook Continue reading
Broadcom Sells Accenture Symantec Security Services Biz
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Intel Declares A Truce Before Bus Wars Flare Up was written by Timothy Prickett Morgan at The Next Platform.
How HPC, AI, and IoT Drive the Future of Smarter Vehicles
When many think of the Internet of Things (IoT) and connected vehicles from a compute perspective, the first thing that springs to mind is likely the small processors that are hard at work sensing, analyzing, and feeding data to remote systems. …
How HPC, AI, and IoT Drive the Future of Smarter Vehicles was written by Nicole Hemsoth at The Next Platform.
Intel Showcases AI Strategy for 5G, Intelligent Edge
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5 Software Development Predictions for 2020
To kick off the new year, we sat down with Docker CEO Scott Johnston and asked him what the future holds for software development. Here are his 2020 predictions and trends to keep an eye on.
Existing Code and Apps Become New Again
Developers will find new ways to reuse existing code instead of reinventing the wheel to start from scratch. Additionally, we’ll see companies extend the value to existing apps by adding more functionality via microservices.
The Changing Definition of a Modern Application
Today’s applications are more complex than those of yesterday. In 2020, modern apps will power tomorrow’s innovation and this requires a diverse set of tools, languages and frameworks for developers. Developers need even more flexibility to address this new wave of modern apps and evolve with the rest of the industry.
Containers Pave the Way to New Application Trends
Now that containers are typically considered a common deployment mechanism, the conversation will evolve from the packaging of individual containers to the packaging of the entire application (which are becoming increasingly diverse and distributed). Organizations will increasingly look for guidance and solutions that help them unify how they build and manage Continue reading
Adaptiv Absorbs LiveQoS to Accelerate SD-WAN
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Iran Cyberattacks Targeting US Companies Imminent, Experts Warn
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