Three Tips for Technical Blogging

From time to time, I’m asked by new or potential technical bloggers for advice on how to get into writing, or how to overcome some kind of mental reservation that he/she may have. It’s actually somewhat ironic - I still suffer from many of the same issues that I suffered from back before Keeping It Classless existed. I have been having some serious "Newbie Blogger" issues last few weeks. Ironically, I feel compelled to write about them.

Docker Online Meetup: Kitematic in action

Three weeks ago, we announced that Kitematic, an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) for running Docker containers on your Mac, was joining the Docker family. Today we’re happy to share with you the video recording from the last Docker Online Meetup about Kitematic (for those … Continued

Software Stack Choices in Cloud Networking

The networking industry is changing rapidly with demand for more dynamic control of big data, and scale-out cloud applications. The inevitable shift to software-defined workloads and workflows is crystal clear. This calls for more “disaggregation” of software models for the network stack.

Should networking move to a more open standards-based approach or continue with legacy stacks? The answer is defined by considering the following three options for networking software stacks, and the actual choice depends on the factors as shown below in Figure 1.

1. Classic OS: The established network vendors tend to develop multi-million lines of complex software code with enterprise or service provider class features for LAN or WAN. This closed monolithic “Blob-OS” model can be based on modified and proprietary versions of a BSD or Linux Kernel. Traditional enterprise support is the hallmark of this model, but innovation is rarely evident. Claims of programmability usually include band-aid APIs, or guest virtual machine access. The classic OS addresses mature markets akin to a mainframe usually for customers with siloed IT stacks that support legacy applications.

2. Cloud OS: At Arista, our software engineers build based on an open Linux Kernel, providing programmable capabilities that legacy switch-based Blob-OSs do Continue reading

Tim Cook takes stand against Indiana’s ‘religious freedom’ law

In a testament to Tim Cook's character, the Apple CEO recently penned an op-ed piece in the Washington Post regarding the recently passed legislation in Indiana which allows business to discriminate against individuals on account of their sexual orientation, all in the name of religious freedom.With the Apple Watch set to launch in under a month, April is arguably the most important month Apple has seen in quite some time. And still, Cook has no qualms about throwing his hat into the ring and getting involved in a debate that might alienate some more closed-minded customers. All of this reflects highly on Tim Cook insofar as he's not afraid to speak out on important issues even in anticipation of one of the company's most important product launches ever.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Tim Cook takes stand against Indiana’s “religious freedom” law

In a testament to Tim Cook's character, the Apple CEO recently penned an op-ed piece in the Washington Post regarding the recently passed legislation in Indiana which allows business to discriminate against individuals on account of their sexual orientation, all in the name of religious freedom.With the Apple Watch set to launch in under a month, April is arguably the most important month Apple has seen in quite some time. And still, Cook has no qualms about throwing his hat into the ring and getting involved in a debate that might alienate some more closed-minded customers. All of this reflects highly on Tim Cook insofar as he's not afraid to speak out on important issues even in anticipation of one of the company's most important product launches ever.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Is Juniper The Next Cisco?

Juniper flexed its muscles at the Innovation Showcase held in March 2015. What did they talk about? What does it mean for their customers going forward? I perform an introductory analysis.

With Tidal relaunch, Jay Z doubles down on streaming for audiophiles

Tidal, the Jay Z-owned streaming service built around high quality tracks, is relaunching in a move that could give consumers a new option when weighing competitors like Spotify or Pandora.The revamped Tidal will go live on Monday at 5 p.m. U.S. Eastern time, as indicated by a large countdown timer that dominates its homepage. A company spokesman confirmed the relaunch plan but declined to comment further on how Tidal’s service might change. It’s reasonable to speculate that the new Tidal may feature lower pricing, new app functions, or an expansion of its existing database of 25 million “lossless” CD quality songs.Tidal’s ad-free flagship service currently costs $19.99 per month, and can be accessed on the desktop, iOS, Android and home audio players like Sonos. A version offering standard sound quality costs $9.99 per month. Ad-supported services from competitors like Spotify, Pandora, Rdio and Deezer are free, although premium versions without ads cost around $9.99 per month or less.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

IDG Contributor Network: How SDN will help earn money, not just save

Software-Defined Networking (SDN) is transforming the network and giving network operators unprecedented network programmability, automation, and control. Network administrators are exploring it as it can help them not just optimize total cost of ownership, but do more with fewer people. However, SDN is not just about simplifying the network or cost savings; SDN enables new revenue production opportunities. Here are three ways you can look at how SDN helps monetizing.Customized deliveryWe live in the "Experience Era." The rapid consumer adoption of mobile devices, cloud services, new interfaces, and changing behaviors have transformed how customers engage and what they expect. Customers are looking for services aligned with their needs and abilities, at that moment, on that device. Companies need to deliver experiences that are customer-centric, natural, anticipatory and adaptive. And SDN enables you to do that.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Silk Road investigators charged with stealing bitcoin

Two former U.S. government agents face charges related to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of bitcoin while assisting with an investigation of the Silk Road underground online marketplace, with one accused of using a fake online persona to extort money from operators of the site.Facing charges of wire fraud and money laundering are Carl Force, 46, of Baltimore, a former special agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, and Shaun Bridges, 32, of Laurel, Maryland, a former special agent with the U.S. Secret Service. Both served on the Baltimore Silk Road Task Force, which investigated illegal activity on the Silk Road website, the Department of Justice said Monday in a press release.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Bit by bit, Intel looks to quadruple SSD storage

With all the photos, videos, apps and tunes you have, the storage on your smartphone may not be enough. With that in mind, Intel is researching new ways to up the storage capacity in mobile devices and PCs without hurting the size or price of devices.One effort underway at is to stuff more bits in a single cell, which could increase data storage capacity in mobile devices and PCs by as much as fourfold. Intel is trying to cram four bits in a storage cell, an improvement over the three bits that can be put in a single storage cell currently."This could enable denser devices in a broad range of mobile and compute applications," said Bill Leszinske, vice president of strategic planning and marketing for non-volatile memory solutions at Intel, in an email.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Microsoft adds MDM capabilities to Office 365

Microsoft today announced the general availability of mobile device management (MDM) capabilities for Office 365, which is designed to give administrators the built-in capability to manage access to data in the cloud-based productivity suite across iOS, Android and Windows Phone devices. The MDM features are available at no additional cost in all Office 365 commercial plans, according to Microsoft. "With today's GA, the first app every organization will look to secure and protect now comes with MDM capabilities natively built into it," Brad Anderson, corporate vice president, Enterprise Client & Mobility at Microsoft, wrote in a blog post. "This means IT admins can set up security policies on devices to ensure that O365 corporate email and data can be accessed only on phones and tablets that are managed and compliant."To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Monitoring more than just wearables

Internet of Everything elseWhen most people talk about the Internet of Things, they’re talking about Nest, wearables, and other devices. But there are all sorts of “things” that can be monitored and tracked with network monitoring software. Paessler created the list.Jackpot ValuesKrijco Casinos & Leisure monitors the jackpot values in our casinos. "This gives us insight on how the value is built up and its hit frequency. We also use the live values to show them on our internal narrowcasting system,” says Gerard Feijth, Manager ICT.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

SDN management battle: TAPs vs. network packet brokers

Network management is a sticky issue when it comes to implementing software-defined networks and network virtualization.Lack of visibility into the underlying infrastructure has been cited by vendors and consultants as an inhibitor of SDN adoption. Traditional tools were designed for legacy networks, not the software overlay abstraction that SDN critics say shields operators from network behavior and anomalies.But with the release of more SDN controllers and applications comes the emergence of tools to manage the virtualized network. Two of the more popular SDN management tools are TAP monitoring applications and network packet brokers (NPB), which negotiate network traffic from multiple SPAN ports and manipulate it to allow more efficient use of monitoring devices like TAPs.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

SDN management battle: TAPs vs. network packet brokers

Network management is a sticky issue when it comes to implementing software-defined networks and network virtualization.Lack of visibility into the underlying infrastructure has been cited by vendors and consultants as an inhibitor of SDN adoption. Traditional tools were designed for legacy networks, not the software overlay abstraction that SDN critics say shields operators from network behavior and anomalies.But with the release of more SDN controllers and applications comes the emergence of tools to manage the virtualized network. Two of the more popular SDN management tools are TAP monitoring applications and network packet brokers (NPB), which negotiate network traffic from multiple SPAN ports and manipulate it to allow more efficient use of monitoring devices like TAPs.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Set Up PKI Service on a Cisco Router

This is how I tend to create a PKI service on a Cisco router. Some of the details here were non-obvious to me after reading the documentation several times. Maybe I can save somebody else a headache or two.

First, create a directory for the PKI server to work in. This step may be optional if the router is going to be using some network-based storage for all of its elements, but I find it handy to have, and it's easy to move things around afterward. I like using removable media when keeping things on routers, so that it's easy to snag the critical data if there's a hardware failure.
 mkdir usbflash:/MY_ROOT_CA

Next, generate an RSA keypair. It needs to be exportable, which is the reason I'm doing it manually, rather than let the router generate it automatically at CA startup. Name it the same as the CA will be named in the crypto pki server <whatever> configuration section.
 crypto key generate rsa label MY_ROOT_CA modulus 2048 exportable storage nvram:

Now export the keys. Having a copy of them squirreled away somewhere will be absolutely critical if you ever need to replace the CA. Replacing the CA will be Continue reading

IDG Contributor Network: Cellular development kit for IoT now at Kickstarter

Looking for an Internet of Things (IoT) project to play around with? Chicago-originating Konekt's Dash is a mobile network development kit for building IoT devices for cellular networks, rather than what is says is restrictive Wi-Fi.The company is looking for funding right now at Kickstarter.The platformA global SIM card with a data plan plus a hardware kit is included in the package. The PCB-mounted hardware consists of a micro-controller, cellular modem, and battery management tools. It functions somewhat like an Arduino.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

IDG Contributor Network: Cellular development kit for IoT now at Kickstarter

Looking for an Internet of Things (IoT) project to play around with? Chicago-originating Konekt's Dash is a mobile network development kit for building IoT devices for cellular networks, rather than what is says is restrictive Wi-Fi.The company is looking for funding right now at Kickstarter.The platformA global SIM card with a data plan plus a hardware kit is included in the package. The PCB-mounted hardware consists of a micro-controller, cellular modem, and battery management tools. It functions somewhat like an Arduino.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

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