MPLS Intro Series – Destination Routing

Yes, we are going to talk about destination routing. I know it sounds boring and archaic, and it is. But it is also necessary to contrast against another topic that I intend to introduce. As I scour PacketU, I see a substantial number of page views on articles about segmentation and VRFs. One thing I often tell my customers is that once a VRF-lite implementation reaches a certain scale, the configuration can become unwieldy.

This article is a first in a series where we will discuss MPLS. This technology enables VPNv4 and is a common method of networking. MPLS can connect VRFs without compromising their segmentation characteristics. In this first article, we are going to examine traditional destination-based routing. This is meant to nail down some of the typical behavior of an IPv4 routed network. These characteristics will not go away entirely, but it is important to understand how routing changes as we introduce label switching concepts.

Throughout this series, we will use a common topology. In later articles, we will expand as necessary to introduce the relevant topics.

To illustrate a point, I have pre-configured OSPF on all links and loopback 0 of all routers. In a minute, I will bring Continue reading

Research: Even Password Complexity is a Tradeoff

Stronger passwords are always better—at least this is the working theory of most folks in information technology, security or otherwise. Such blanket rules should raise your suspicions, however; the rule11 maxim if you haven’t found the tradeoff, you haven’t looked hard enough should apply to passwords, too.

Dinei Florêncio, Cormac Herley, and Paul C. Van Oorschot. 2016. Pushing on string: the ‘don’t care’ region of password strength. Commun. ACM 59, 11 (October 2016), 66-74. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/2934663

Begin with this simple assertion: complex passwords are primarily a guard against password guessing attacks. Further, while the loss of a single account can be tragic for the individual user (and in some systems, the loss of a single password can have massive consequences!), for the system operator, it is the overall health of the system that matters. There is, in any system, a point at which enough accounts have been compromised that the system itself can no longer secure any information. This not only means the system can no longer hide information, it also means transactions within the system can no longer be trusted.

The number of compromised accounts varies based on the kind of system in view; effectively breaching Continue reading

We’re Giving Away A One Year All Access Pass!

Did you know INE Inc. Is partnering with Aviator Brewing in this years Hops for Hope Competition to raise money for Children’s Flight of Hope?



To aid us in our efforts we’re offering a chance to win a FREE All Access Pass if you donate to this great cause. From now until July 31st donate $25 or more to Children’s Flight of Hope and you’ll be entered into a drawing to win a one year All Access Pass on us! Click Here to donate!


What is Hops for Hope?

Triangle Hops for Hope is a fundraising event that pairs corporate teams with local breweries to create an original beer and raise money for charity. Teams showcase their creations to hundreds of attendees at an epic beer competition on September 22, 2018 at the Raleigh Beer Garden. It’s the perfect opportunity to mix corporate social responsibility, employee engagement, and support local craft breweries.

All proceeds benefit Children’s Flight of Hope, a 501(c)(3) organization that provides air transportation for children to access specialized medical care. Last year’s event raised more than $70,000 for CFOH!

If you’re in the Raleigh-Durham area and want to buy tickets to this event you can do so Continue reading

IDG Contributor Network: The vital role of technology in the Thai cave rescue mission

Twelve boys and their coach trapped in a cave deep underground with dwindling air and the danger of being flooded by rising water levels. How did a determined international team find and rescue the boys? How did sophisticated geographical information systems (GIS), IoT sensors and 3D simulations assist the rescuers?Tham Luang Nang Non is six mile long underground cave complex in Thailand’s Chiangrai province. A boy’s soccer team was reported missing in July 2018. Thai Navy SEAL divers' found them in a cave that could only be reached after a six hour underground journey in the dark, swimming through narrow tunnels and climbing boulders. An international rescue teams with experts from Thailand, China, Japan, Australia, the US and Britain were able to rescue them.To read this article in full, please click here

IDG Contributor Network: Are you ready for 5G?

The demand is there. The hype is there. But is the world really ready for 5G?In one sense, the answer is, “absolutely.” The fifth-generation of wireless broadband technology will bring an exponential increase in data speeds that will change how people interact with the internet. For example, download time for an HD movie could go from an hour to a few seconds. 5G can also power up remote surgery. And some say truly autonomous vehicles aren’t possible without it. 5G will connect a higher density of devices, people and things in smaller areas – faster and with lower latency than ever. It promises to inspire an astounding array of innovations and new services.To read this article in full, please click here

IDG Contributor Network: Are you ready for 5G?

The demand is there. The hype is there. But is the world really ready for 5G?In one sense, the answer is, “absolutely.” The fifth-generation of wireless broadband technology will bring an exponential increase in data speeds that will change how people interact with the internet. For example, download time for an HD movie could go from an hour to a few seconds. 5G can also power up remote surgery. And some say truly autonomous vehicles aren’t possible without it. 5G will connect a higher density of devices, people and things in smaller areas – faster and with lower latency than ever. It promises to inspire an astounding array of innovations and new services.To read this article in full, please click here

The Week in Internet News: Startup Cash for Spy-o-T

Investing in hacking IoT: A startup in Israel has raised $12.5 million in investments to help governments hack the Internet of Things and other technologies, Forbes reports. What could go wrong? Toka says it’ll provide spy tools for whatever device its clients require, with a special focus on the IoT.

Encryption wars, part 348: U.S. FBI Director Christopher Wray says legislation allowing law enforcement agencies access to encrypted devices may be necessary if the government and private vendors cannot come to a compromise, Cyberscoop reports. The FBI has, for several years, complained that its investigations are hampered by encrypted devices, although many security experts say encryption backdoors will make us all less safe.

AI for good: More than 2,000 Artificial Intelligence experts have signed a pledge saying they will not participate in the development of legal, autonomous weapons systems, Gizmodo reports. Autonomous weapons posed a “clear and present danger to the citizens of every country in the world,” the pledge says.

Clamping down: The government in Iraq shut down the Internet for two days in response to protests there, CircleID says. The government ordered the disconnection of the fiber backbone that carries traffic for most of the country Continue reading