netlab 1.6.1: BGP Reports, Markdown Support

We added just a few small features in netlab release 1.6.11:

  • Markdown reports: netlab report command can produce Markdown-formatted reports, making it extremely easy to include them in your documentation (assuming you’re using Markdown to write it)
  • If you’re using BGP in your labs, you can generate reports on BGP autonomous systems and BGP neighbors.
  • I made locations of default files configurable. I’m using this feature in large projects where I want to have a shared set of project-wide defaults for topologies stored in different directories.
Read more …

netlab 1.6.1: BGP Reports, Markdown Support

We added just a few small features in netlab release 1.6.11:

  • Markdown reports: netlab report command can produce Markdown-formatted reports, making it extremely easy to include them in your documentation (assuming you’re using Markdown to write it)
  • If you’re using BGP in your labs, you can generate reports on BGP autonomous systems and BGP neighbors.
  • I made locations of default files configurable. I’m using this feature in large projects where I want to have a shared set of project-wide defaults for topologies stored in different directories.
Read more …

Building a VXLAN Lab Using Nexus9000v

As I dive into the world of VXLAN, I will need a lab as that is the best way to deepen the learning process and to get hands-on experience with a protocol. I will be building a Cisco Nexus9000v lab in VMware ESX but the same images can be used in CML, EveNG, GNS3, etc. The lab is based on the following topology:

The specific platform I’ll use is the Nexus9300v which has the following requirements:

  • 1 vCPU (2 recommended).
  • 10 GB of RAM (12 GB recommended).

Note that there is also a Nexus9500v image which is a 16-slot modular chassis. As I have no need for multiple slots, and it requires more CPUs, I will not be using this image.

The specific image I am using is nexus9300v64.10.2.5.M.ova, which is NX-OS version 10.2.5.

Deploying the OVA can take some time but is otherwise straightforward. Refer to my post on caveats for more details.

I have mapped the different NICs to different port groups:

The mgmt0 interface is mapped to my management network so that I can SSH to the devices. I have also created specific port groups for the interconnections between leaf Continue reading

Weekend Reads 081823


A group of academics has devised a “deep learning-based acoustic side-channel attack” that can be used to classify laptop keystrokes that are recorded using a nearby phone with 95% accuracy.


Of all vertical industries, manufacturing saw a 42% increase in total victims between Q4 2021 and Q4 2022, underscoring the potential threat to global supply chains.


In this article, we discuss the constant back and forth that has been going on for the last 5 years or so in protecting the privacy of data through FL. Just when it looks like FL is able to keep local data private, out comes a study to deflate us.


New research has revealed that threat actors are abusing Cloudflare Tunnels to establish covert communication channels from compromised hosts and retain persistent access.


Luckily there is a huge amount of research underway to look for batteries that last longer, charge faster, and are made from more readily available minerals.


Vade’s Threat Intelligence and Response Center (TIRC) researchers analyzed what they dubbed the “Eevilcorp phishing campaign” and the malware its perpetrators used in depth.


The latest quarterly report from Backblaze on hard drive reliability reveals a rise in failures among certain drives.


In 2020 a Continue reading

9 career-boosting Wi-Fi certifications

If you’re looking to add more certifications to your resume, don’t forget about wireless. Whether you’re just starting your IT career, have been in IT before Wi-Fi was a thing, or even if you have a non-IT position, there are certifications to help prove your wireless knowledge and skills.For starters, there are vendor-neutral certifications from Certified Wireless Network Professionals (CWNP), one of the most popular programs in the wireless world. These are great if you aren’t already loyal to a networking brand. And even if you already have a favorite brand, these go deeper into the 802.11 standards and radio frequency (RF) technology without all the proprietary details and brand specifics.To read this article in full, please click here

Heavy Networking 695: Automating Network And Firewall Operations With BackBox (Sponsored)

On today's Heavy Networking we explore network and firewall automation with sponsor BackBox. BackBox has developed a platform that aims to deliver practical automation out of the box. We get under the hood to understand how it works, what it delivers, and how it addresses the challenges of network and security operations.

The post Heavy Networking 695: Automating Network And Firewall Operations With BackBox (Sponsored) appeared first on Packet Pushers.

There’s more to more than meets the eye

The Linux more command is a fairly obvious command to use when you want to scan through a text file a screen at a time, but there still might be quite a few things you don’t know about this command. For one thing, you don’t have to start at the top of the file if you don’t want to. Add an argument like +20 and you will start with the 20th line in the file with a command like that shown below.$ man +20 myfile Note that the more command automatically adjusts itself to the number of lines in your terminal window. In addition, the last line displayed will not be a line from the file by default, but an indication of what percentage of the text has been displayed thus far – at least if there’s more text to follow. It will look like this:To read this article in full, please click here

There’s more to more than meets the eye

The Linux more command is a fairly obvious command to use when you want to scan through a text file a screen at a time, but there still might be quite a few things you don’t know about this command. For one thing, you don’t have to start at the top of the file if you don’t want to. Add an argument like +20 and you will start with the 20th line in the file with a command like that shown below.$ man +20 myfile Note that the more command automatically adjusts itself to the number of lines in your terminal window. In addition, the last line displayed will not be a line from the file by default, but an indication of what percentage of the text has been displayed thus far – at least if there’s more text to follow. It will look like this:To read this article in full, please click here

Micron launches CXL 2.0 memory expansion modules

Micron has introduced memory expansion modules that support the 2.0 generation of Compute Express Link (CXL) and come with up to 256GB of DRAM running over a PCIe x8 interface.CXL is an open interconnect standard with wide industry support that is meant to be a connection between machines allowing for the direct sharing of contents of memory. It is built on top of PCI Express for coherent memory access between a CPU and a device, such as a hardware accelerator, or a CPU and memory.PCIe is normally used in point-to-point communications, such as SSD to memory, while CXL will eventually support one-to-many communication. So far, CXL is capable of simple point-to-point communication only.To read this article in full, please click here

Micron launches CXL 2.0 memory expansion modules

Micron has introduced memory expansion modules that support the 2.0 generation of Compute Express Link (CXL) and come with up to 256GB of DRAM running over a PCIe x8 interface.CXL is an open interconnect standard with wide industry support that is meant to be a connection between machines allowing for the direct sharing of contents of memory. It is built on top of PCI Express for coherent memory access between a CPU and a device, such as a hardware accelerator, or a CPU and memory.PCIe is normally used in point-to-point communications, such as SSD to memory, while CXL will eventually support one-to-many communication. So far, CXL is capable of simple point-to-point communication only.To read this article in full, please click here

Caveats When Deploying Nexus9000v

As I’m building a VXLAN lab based on Nexus9000v, I ran into some caveats while deploying. Some things are related to ESX (vSphere) only while others apply to also other platforms.

The boot process for Nexus9000v is a bit special. It requires using a serial console to access switch prompt and from there booting the NX-OS image. There are a few steps to enable this in vCenter. For the VM that was deployed using the OVA, edit settings of the VM and go to Virtual Hardware -> Serial port 1:

Use the following settings:

  • Use Network.
  • Direction – Server.
  • Port URI – telnet://<portnumber>.

Note that when selecting a port number, it must be a port above 1024.

Next, under VM Options, go to Advanced and select Edit Configuration…

Click Add Configuration Params and add the following entry:

efi.serialconsole.enabled with a value of TRUE:

The server also needs to have firewall ports open. This is done by going to Configure -> System -> Firewall:

Make sure that VM serial port is enabled.

Then, power on the device which will boot to Loader. Boot on the image stored on bootflash:

Loader Version 5.9.3.94

loader  Continue reading

Getting Comfortable with the Command Line

More than a dozen years after the SDN brouhaha erupted, some people still haven’t got the memo on the obsolescence of CLI. For example, Julia Evans tries to make people comfortable with the command line. Has nobody told her it’s like teaching COBOL?

On a more serious note: you OUGHT TO master Linux CLI and be comfortable using CLI commands on network devices and servers. Her article has tons of useful tips and is definitely worth reading.

Getting Comfortable with the Command Line

More than a dozen years after the SDN brouhaha erupted, some people still haven’t got the memo on the obsolescence of CLI. For example, Julia Evans tries to make people comfortable with the command line. Has nobody told her it’s like teaching COBOL?

On a more serious note: you OUGHT TO master Linux CLI and be comfortable using CLI commands on network devices and servers. Her article has tons of useful tips and is definitely worth reading.

Experience Innovations in Multi-cloud Networking and Security at VMware Explore 2023

We’re thrilled to invite you to VMware Explore in Las Vegas, where we’ll be showcasing the latest innovations in multi-cloud network security and redefining perceptions of managing cloud infrastructure.

Keep reading for a sneak peek at what you’ll find at VMware Explore 2023 in the realm of multi-cloud networking and security. Below, we describe the live demos and other events you can look forward to by connecting with us at Booth #305.

 

Multi-cloud networking and security with NSX: An overview

The technologies we’ll showcase at VMware Explore are part of VMware NSX.

With NSX, you can deploy workloads automatically without opening tickets and get end-to-end visibility across private, hybrid, and multi-clouds. Moreover, NSX’s security features can help strengthen your ransomware defenses and detect and evict threats in your private, hybrid, and multi-cloud environments with strong lateral security. In fact, NSX is the industry’s only network virtualization platform with full stack L2-L7 integrated networking to connect, protect, and scale your infrastructure running across clouds.

But don’t just take our word for it. Come check out our demos by visiting us at booth #305 at VMware Explore or in our virtual booth at https://engage.vmware.com/explore2023, where we cover a wide Continue reading

To New Adventures.

First and foremost, I want to express my profound gratitude for an amazing eight years at Sauce Labs. From 2016 to now, I’m extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to build not just one, but two world-class teams during my time at Sauce, working alongside many others …

Supply chain improvements, AI demand propel Cisco earnings

Networking giant Cisco’s final quarter of fiscal 2023 was a surprising success, as an easing of the supply chain crisis enabled the company to fulfill back orders and increase quarterly revenue by 16% year over year, reaching a total of $15.2 billion.Cisco’s said that total software-related revenue was up 17% year on year, and revenue from software subscription services rose 20%. That’s part of what the company refers to as its business model transformation, as slack overall demand for collaboration technology resulting from the easing of the pandemic creates the need for Cisco to target new types of business.Net income for the quarter jumped 41% year over year to $4 billion.To read this article in full, please click here

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