Latest tests show all four major wireless carriers are strong

Despite claims by the four biggest U.S. wireless carriers that each one has the best nationwide network, the latest performance data gathered by testing firm RootMetrics shows that are all good and getting better."This a great time for consumers. Network providers are really trying hard so that consumers ultimately benefit. You're not going to go wrong with any one of them," said Julie Dey, vice president of RootMetrics, in an interview.The competition between all four has been tight for years, but came into special focus in the last two months as Verizon, then T-Mobile and Sprint started running separate national ads that show tiny colorful balls running down a track with a narrator asserting each carrier's network superiority.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

vBrownBag: Techniques of a Network Detective

An essential part of running any network is being able to quickly diagnose and resolve service impacting events. But how does one do that in the world of IT where the only thing constant about technology is the constant change? We need to lean more heavily on the troubleshooting methodology and approach.  On the “techniques” of being a Network Detective.  How does one work towards solving ANY  “who done it”?  Simple…. one  Gathers the Facts Collects the Clues Follows the Evidence Interviews the Witnesses, and Questions the Suspects We will take this approach and show how one can use this and apply it in troubleshooting any networking “who done it”

detective_vbrown

Looking for more on some of the Techniques of a Network Detective?  Check out CiscoLive on Demand Library for BRKARC-2002 or my blog on Packet Pushers. Note: CiscoLive On Demand Library is completely free.

Just click on the one you want.  :)  Have fun!

packet

detective

 

What a Week at Cisco Live Berlin!

What a week at Cisco Live Berlin! First time presenting BRKSDN-4005 in front of 180 people, many are CCIEs. Brought one talented Indonesian who demonstrated All-in-one VM to learn SDN & NFV at home, using a single click on web portal to auto provision physical router, openflow with ODL, router VNF on OpenStack KVM, from Network Manager he wrote in python. And btw he has 2x CCIEs ;-)

White House: FBI is not asking Apple for a ‘backdoor’ to the iPhone

The White House said  it is not the aim of the government to compromise the security of Apple's iPhone, as it only wants the company to help in the case of one phone that was used by a terrorist in the San Bernardino, California attack on Dec. 2.Google, Mozilla and some other tech organizations and civil rights groups have meanwhile supported Apple's stand.An order by a judge in California on Tuesday triggered off a furious response from Apple CEO Tim Cook, who said the government wanted the company to provide a backdoor to its phones. Magistrate Judge Sheri Pym of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California ordered Apple to provide assistance, including by providing signed software if required, to help the FBI try different passcodes on a locked iPhone 5c running iOS 9, without triggering off the auto-erasure feature in the phone after 10 failed attempts.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

What happens when Google Doc credentials are leaked on the Dark Web

A security company recently laid tempting bait online in order to see how hackers would react. The findings aren't surprising but show how quickly leaked data is used by shady characters.California-based Bitglass, which specializes in cloud-based security, created a fake digital identity for an employee of a non-existent bank.The details included credentials for a Google Drive account, complete with real credit card details, fake corporate data and personal data, according to Bitglass' report.The files were tagged with a tracker so Bitglass could obtain some technical data on systems that accessed it. They also created a fake banking site portal.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Hospital pays $17,000 ransom to get access back to its encrypted files

A Los Angeles hospital has paid US$17,000 to cyberattackers who crippled its network by encrypting its files, a payment that will likely rekindle a fierce debate over how to deal with a problem known as ransomware.Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center issued a statement saying that its systems were restored on Monday, 10 days after malware locked access to its systems.The hospital contacted law enforcement as well as computer experts, wrote Allen Stefanek, president and CEO of Hollywood Presbyterian, in a statement on Wednesday. But it is apparent those efforts did not help in recovering files.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

IDG story roundup: Apple ordered to help unlock iPhone used by San Bernardino attacker

The following are links to stories written by IDG publications and the IDG News Service about the FBI's attempt to force Apple to help it to hack into the iPhone 5c that was used by Syed Rizwan Farook, one of the people said to have been involved in an  attack in San Bernardino, California, on Dec. 2. Why the FBI's request to Apple will affect civil rights for a generation Apple's fight with the FBI could go all the way to the US Supreme Court Tim Cook says Apple will oppose court order rather than hack customersTo read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

U.S. offers supercomputing help to manufacturers

Five of the top 12 high performance computing systems in the world are owned by U.S. national labs. But they are beyond reach, financially and technically, for many companies, even larger ones.That's according to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) officials, who run the national labs. A new program aims to connect manufacturers with supercomputers and the expertise to use them.This program provides $3 million, initially, for 10 industry projects, the DOE announced Wednesday. Whether the program extends into future fiscal years may well depend on Congress.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here