Why we use the Linux kernel’s TCP stack

A recent blog post posed the question Why do we use the Linux kernel's TCP stack?. It triggered a very interesting discussion on Hacker News.

I've also thought about this question while working at CloudFlare. My experience mostly comes from working with thousands of production machines here and I can try to answer the question from that perspective.

CC BY 2.0 image by John Vetterli

Let's start with a broader question - what is the point of running an operating system at all? If you planned on running a single application, having to use a kernel consisting of multiple million lines of code may sound like a burden.

But in fact most of us decide to run some kind of OS and we do that for two reasons. Firstly, the OS layer adds hardware independence and easy to use APIs. With these we can focus on writing the code for any machine - not only the specialized hardware we have at the moment. Secondly, the OS adds a time sharing layer. This allows us to run more than one application at a time. Whether it's a second HTTP server or just a bash session, this ability to share resources Continue reading

Overlay Tunneling with Open vSwitch – GRETAP, VXLAN, Geneve, GREoIPsec

Building overlay networks using tunnels was always done to achieve connectivity between isolated networks that needed to share the same policies, VLANs or security domains. In particular, they represent a strong use-case in the data center, where tunnels are created between the hypervisors in different locations allowing virtual machines to be provisioned independently from the physical network.

What cloud security challenges keep CISOs up at night?

Wide awakeImage by Flickr/ Alyssa L. MillerThe cloud is now a mainstream IT platform. Through its unlimited economies of scale and its ability to deliver IT resources dynamically whenever users need them, the cloud’s popularity permeates through businesses of all sizes and industries.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Investigation into Hillary Clinton’s personal email system closed without charges

An investigation into the use of a personal email system for official communications by Hillary Clinton, while she was U.S. secretary of state, has been closed with no charges filed, U.S. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch said Wednesday.The move comes after FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday said he did not recommend bringing charges against her although he described as “extremely careless” the use by her and her aides of unsecured email networks for distribution of  very sensitive, highly classified information.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Investigation into Hillary Clinton’s personal email system closed without charges

An investigation into the use of a personal email system for official communications by Hillary Clinton, while she was U.S. secretary of state, has been closed with no charges filed, U.S. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch said Wednesday.The move comes after FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday said he did not recommend bringing charges against her although he described as “extremely careless” the use by her and her aides of unsecured email networks for distribution of  very sensitive, highly classified information.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

60% off iKross Tablet and Cellphone Adjustable Car Cup Holder Mount – Deal Alert

This 2-in-1 cellphone and tablet mount from iKross is fairly unique in that it mounts into your car, truck or SUV's cupholder. It averages 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon from over 1,300 customers (read reviews), and with the current 60% off deal its list price has been reduced from $60 to just $24. The iKross mount will simply "twist to fit" into most sized cupholders (up to 3.7" diameter), so installation is quick and requires no tools. Once installed, the mount stays secure, stable, and absorbs vibration while being fully adjustable for a wide range of viewing angles. To check compatibility, learn more, and explore buying options, see the discounted iKross cup holder mount's listing now on Amazon.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Microsoft targets the iMac with new PCs, reports say

Microsoft is believed to be working on an all-in-one (AIO) PC under the Surface brand. If that’s true, it would put it squarely in competition with HP and Dell, which have their own AIO lines, as well as with the Apple iMac desktop.Both DigiTimes and Windows Central picked up on the story, each citing their own sources. DigiTimes, a Taiwan-based publication with connections to the PC industry over there (but also a very mixed record of accuracy) said the new devices would come in the third quarter of this year. Windows Central, which is a little better when it comes to rumors, said it did not have a solid release date.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Worth Reading: What’s the deal with online journalism?

Not very long ago I started answering questions on Quora, the question-and-answer site. My answers are mainly about aviation because that’s my great hobby and one of the few things besides high tech that I really know a lot about. But there was a question last week about Internet news coverage that I felt deserved better answers than it was getting. So I contributed an answer that has been read, so far, only 388 times. I don’t like making a real effort that is so sparsely read. So here, with a little mild editing, is my answer to “What are the flaws in online journalism and media today?” And “How can they be addressed?” -I, Cringely

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iPhone 7 will offer twice as much storage as the iPhone 6s

Apple's iPhone 7 unveiling is just about two months away, and it still remains to be seen if the device will offer any exciting new features. While some sources from within the rumor mill have hinted that this year's iPhone refresh cycle will be short on new bells and whistles, the optimists among us hope Apple still has a trick or two up its sleeve come September.In the meantime, iPhone users in the market for an upgrade can smile at the fact that Apple with the iPhone 7 will finally be getting rid of its entry-level 16GB iPhone model. While 16GB may have been more than sufficient back in the early days of the smartphone era, it's decidedly lacking in today's age with 4K video, high-resolution photos and an endless number of apps.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Microsoft’s new Dynamics 365 will bundle ERP and CRM in the cloud

Microsoft is working on a new offering called Dynamics 365 that will combine its current ERP and CRM cloud services into a single bundle and include applications purpose-built for specific business functions.Due to be available this fall, Dynamics 365 will feature apps for functions including financials, field service, sales, operations, marketing, project service automation and customer service. The apps can be independently deployed, allowing users to buy only what they need.Microsoft's Power BI and Cortana Intelligence tools will be natively embedded for predictive capabilities. With Cortana Intelligence, for instance, sales reps will be able to predict which products and services a customer will need next, thereby helping to focus their cross-selling efforts.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Google fixes over 100 flaws in Android, many in chipset drivers

Google released a new batch of Android patches on Wednesday, fixing over 100 flaws in Android's own components and in chipset-specific drivers from different manufacturers.Android's mediaserver component, which handles the processing of video and audio streams and has been a source of many vulnerabilities in the past, is at the forefront of this security update. It accounts for 16 Android vulnerabilities, including 7 critical flaws that can allow an attacker to execute code with higher privileges. The bugs can be exploited by sending specifically crafted audio or video files to users' devices via the browser, email or messaging apps. Because of the repeated mediaserver flaws, Google Hangouts and the default Android Messenger applications no longer pass media to this component automatically.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Google fixes over 100 flaws in Android, many in chipset drivers

Google released a new batch of Android patches on Wednesday, fixing over 100 flaws in Android's own components and in chipset-specific drivers from different manufacturers.Android's mediaserver component, which handles the processing of video and audio streams and has been a source of many vulnerabilities in the past, is at the forefront of this security update. It accounts for 16 Android vulnerabilities, including 7 critical flaws that can allow an attacker to execute code with higher privileges. The bugs can be exploited by sending specifically crafted audio or video files to users' devices via the browser, email or messaging apps. Because of the repeated mediaserver flaws, Google Hangouts and the default Android Messenger applications no longer pass media to this component automatically.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

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