Getting Back to Basics with SDN

Typically when things start to get complicated, we talk about getting ‘back to basics’. The premise, of course, is to better compartmentalize, keep things in simple, digestible chunks, and not lose sight of the fundamentals.

For instance, if you’re not hitting the golf ball straight, it’s because you’ve incorporated too much variance into your swing. A good golf instructor will break the swing down into its components, and help you work on the basics.

The words Back to Basics written on a chalkboard

We’re pretty far into the software-defined networking (SDN) hype cycle now. Every networking company (or even network service company) has an SDN story. In a lot of cases, SDN is still vapor-ware or marketecture. And for customers, there’s plenty of ‘SDN fatigue’ – which story should you believe?

In short, things have gotten a little complicated.

So what does getting back to basics mean in an SDN context? It’s means understanding the fundamentals components of an SDN solution. Fortunately, we can draw from real data and learn what’s working from customers that have already deployed.

Recently, EMA published research on the impact of SDN on network management. The report featured survey data from over 226 early adopters of SDN – both in the service roviders and Continue reading

What Are SAI And Switchdev And Why Do We Need Them To Succeed?

Howdy. In my last post I discussed the need for an open source framework to drive merchant switching silicon. Towards the end of that long post, I mentioned a future post talking about the Switch Abstraction Interface (SAI) and switchdev in depth. Welcome to that post. There’s been a lot of synergy between both projects, […]

The post What Are SAI And Switchdev And Why Do We Need Them To Succeed? appeared first on Packet Pushers.

What Are SAI And Switchdev And Why Do We Need Them To Succeed?

Howdy. In my last post I discussed the need for an open source framework to drive merchant switching silicon. Towards the end of that long post, I mentioned a future post talking about the Switch Abstraction Interface (SAI) and switchdev in depth. Welcome to that post. There’s been a lot of synergy between both projects, […]

The post What Are SAI And Switchdev And Why Do We Need Them To Succeed? appeared first on Packet Pushers.

Microsoft tests underwater data center

Companies are finding some of the oddest locations for data centers these days.Facebook, for example, built a data center in Lulea in Sweden because the icy cold temperatures there would help cut the energy required for cooling. A proposed Facebook data center in Clonee, Ireland, will rely heavily on wind energy locally available. Google's data center in Hamina in Finland uses sea water from the Bay of Finland for cooling.Now, Microsoft is looking at locating data centers under the sea.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Microsoft tests underwater data center

Companies are finding some of the oddest locations for data centers these days.Facebook, for example, built a data center in Lulea in Sweden because the icy cold temperatures there would help cut the energy required for cooling. A proposed Facebook data center in Clonee, Ireland, will rely heavily on wind energy locally available. Google's data center in Hamina in Finland uses sea water from the Bay of Finland for cooling.MORE ON NETWORK WORLD: 10 (FREE!) Microsoft tools to make admins happier Now, Microsoft is looking at locating data centers under the sea.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Harvard study refutes ‘going dark’ argument against encryption

A study from Harvard released Monday largely refutes claims that wider use of encryption in software products will hamper investigations into terrorism and crime.It predicts that the continued expansion of Internet-connected devices -- such as smart TVs and vehicles, IP video cameras and more -- will offer fresh opportunities for tracking targets. "Law enforcement or intelligence agencies may start to seek orders compelling Samsung, Google, Mattel, Nest or vendors of other networked devices to push an update or flip a digital switch to intercept the ambient communications of a target," it said. "These are real products now."To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Harvard study refutes ‘going dark’ argument against encryption

A study from Harvard released Monday largely refutes claims that wider use of encryption in software products will hamper investigations into terrorism and crime.It predicts that the continued expansion of Internet-connected devices -- such as smart TVs and vehicles, IP video cameras and more -- will offer fresh opportunities for tracking targets. "Law enforcement or intelligence agencies may start to seek orders compelling Samsung, Google, Mattel, Nest or vendors of other networked devices to push an update or flip a digital switch to intercept the ambient communications of a target," it said. "These are real products now."To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Clearing Up Some Misinformation RE: eBGP Multihop and TTL

Myth: You have to set ttl to 2 because it is decremented on the way to the loopback.

**This blog is a formatting cleanup and update to a previous blog I posted in 2013 on NetworkWorld.

 

Years and years ago I was trying to learn more about BGP and I was reading some book with a chapter on the topic.  Back then I pretty much believed that if it made it into a book it must be true and my knowledge had to be in error.  :)  So to say I was confused back then would be an understatement.

Why? Well ya see… they basically said that the reason one must set the TTL to 2 for eBGP peers that are directly connected, but peering with their loopbacks, was cause “the TTL gets decremented on the way to the loopback”

When I try to help someone deprogram this brain washing, I find pictures help.  So for those who’d like to get deprogrammed and learn the truth… Let’s go play in the lab!!!

bgp_ttl_0-100274774-orig

In the picture above we have 3 Routers in 3 different BGP ASes.  We all probably know that if we peer R1 and R2 Continue reading

CCIE – How to Prepare for the CCIE Lab

Summary: By preparing a plan and strategy for the CCIE lab, the chance of passing will be a lot higher.

Over the years I have written about the CCIE multiple times and also mentored people on how to prepare for the lab. This post will summarize my experience of how to prepare for the CCIE lab. This post assumes that the CCIE written has already been successfully passed.

The first thing to do if you haven’t done it already is to make sure you have the support from your family before starting to prepare for the lab. Explain to them the time that you will need to put in to prepare and also explain why you want to do it and what the benefits of doing it will be. Preparing for the lab can take 1000-2000h which is a big commitment. Don’t bypass this step as it may seriously affect your family situation if you do.

Once you have commited it is time to grade yourself. Go through the blueprint for the track you are preparing for at the Cisco Learning Network. Grade yourself on each topic from 1-5 on where you believe you are today. Make a realistic assessment, Continue reading

An interactive graphical history of large data breaches

If you're trying to convince your management to beef up the organization's security to protect against data breaches, an interactive infographic from Information Is Beautiful might help.Built with IIB's forthcoming VIZsweet data visualization tools, the World's Biggest Data Breaches visualization combines data from DataBreaches.net, IdTheftCentre, and press reports to create a timeline of breaches that involved the loss of 30,000 or more records (click the image below to go to the interactive version). What's particularly interesting is that while breaches were caused by accidental publishing, configuration errors, inside job, lost or stolen computer, lost or stolen media, or just good old poor security, the majority of events and the largest, were due to hacking.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

An interactive graphical history of large data breaches

If you're trying to convince your management to beef up the organization's security to protect against data breaches, an interactive infographic from Information Is Beautiful might help.Built with IIB's forthcoming VIZsweet data visualization tools, the World's Biggest Data Breaches visualization combines data from DataBreaches.net, IdTheftCentre, and press reports to create a timeline of breaches that involved the loss of 30,000 or more records (click the image below to go to the interactive version). What's particularly interesting is that while breaches were caused by accidental publishing, configuration errors, inside job, lost or stolen computer, lost or stolen media, or just good old poor security, the majority of events and the largest, were due to hacking.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

SDxCentral Weekly News Roundup — January 29, 2016

sdxcentral-news-roundup-january-29-2016 Phew! It was a busy week in the realm of software defined networking (SDN) and network functions virtualization (NFV).  Here’s a final roundup: Microsoft launched a technical preview of Azure Stack, software for running a private, on-premises cloud. This opens the possibility of running a hybrid cloud where the public and private halves both run on... Read more →

Welcome 2016 Cisco Champions!

With a good amount of surprise I’ve been nominated Cisco Champion for 2016: Because of your impactful and valuable contributions to the IT community, you have been chosen out of hundreds of nominees to be part of the 2016 Cisco Champion program. Congratulations! Cisco Champion resources Communities Twitter list

Encryption bills pose challenges for Congress

Breaking encryption technology used by terrorists and criminals poses a frustrating dilemma for intelligence agencies and, most recently, congressional lawmakers.Bipartisan legislation to create a commission to study U.S. encryption policies and practices is still weeks away from being introduced as discussions continue, congressional aides familiar with the plan told Computerworld.The commission approach, backed by Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, (R-Texas) is intended to bring experts together to dive into the differing points of view, where tech companies want to protect privacy with encryption, while the FBI and other law enforcement agencies want to prevent acts of terrorism and crime by monitoring encrypted communications.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

25 Valentine’s Day gifts for your favorite geeks

Think differentImage by Steve SauerFlowers, jewelry, candy – we've found geeky versions of today's go-to Valentine's Day gifts for sweethearts who dig science, math and technology.MORE IDEAS: Check out our Valentine’s Day gift guides from 2015, 2014, 2013 and 2012To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

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