Networking
Top Stories
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Tip
31 Jul 2026
Understanding the network-as-software transformation
Manual methods no longer cut it as enterprises adopt advanced architectural models. Instead, software-based approaches like NaaS and infrastructure as code are gaining traction. Continue Reading
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News
24 Jul 2026
NetScout doubles AI DDoS defenses after infrastructure buy
NetScout boosts its attack mitigation capacity to 33 Tbps and plans to strengthen integration between its on-premises and cloud-based tools. Continue Reading
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News
18 Aug 2015
Big Switch SDN fabric gets better OpenStack, VMware support
The Big Switch SDN fabric upgrade improves OpenStack and vSphere support for cloud providers and high-scale data centers. Continue Reading
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News
17 Aug 2015
SDN blogs: How white box networking saves money
In this week's blogs, experts explain why white box networking costs less, and the differences between SD-WAN and WAN optimization. Continue Reading
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News
13 Aug 2015
Analysts: SDN wouldn't have prevented United Airlines network outage
Some speculate that SDN could prevent a network outage like the one that brought United Airlines to a screeching halt. Others, however, say the industry needs an SDN reality check. Continue Reading
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News
12 Aug 2015
Google Fiber targets San Antonio for fiber optic cable rollout
Google Fiber plans to lay 4,000 miles of fiber optic cable in the San Antonio area; FCC voted to revise IP transition rules. Continue Reading
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Opinion
12 Aug 2015
SDN monitoring means new transitions for engineers
SDN network management means tools are transforming from listening mode to active mode. Continue Reading
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News
06 Aug 2015
SN blogs: Cloud workspace approach can work if you plan correctly
An analyst debates the merits of cloud-assembled workflows; and a new security feature gets a thumbs-up. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Aug 2015
Facing network breach threats, visibility is key
In this Q&A, an IT pro at Penn Mutual shares how his dual strategy of user education and Layer 7 visibility helps prevent network breaches. Continue Reading
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Opinion
04 Aug 2015
Classic optimization takes back seat as WAN technologies evolve
The growth of cloud apps and the increased use of Internet over traditional WAN technologies has forced WAN optimization to evolve. Continue Reading
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News
30 Jul 2015
ICYMI: Brocade assists CERN with open SDN
Brocade teams up with CERN openlab to create an SDN strategy for the "new IP," while Fujitsu offers Midokura's software in its OpenStack cloud architecture. Continue Reading
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News
30 Jul 2015
News recap: FCC OKs $48.5 billion AT&T-DirecTV deal
After a year of review, the FCC approved the AT&T-DirecTV acquisition. Additionally, the FCC might add mobile speeds to its broadband review. Continue Reading
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News
29 Jul 2015
Juniper rise could be good news for enterprise tech buyers
Juniper Networks is selling to more enterprises, a trend that could heat up the competition for the wallets of tech buyers. Continue Reading
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News
29 Jul 2015
SN blogs: Google OpenStack support could have ulterior motives
Industry analysts speculate about Google's decision to back an OpenStack initiative and discuss the impacts of 'attacktivism.' Continue Reading
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News
27 Jul 2015
Cisco stops SSD hardware production for UCS servers
Cisco has dropped its Invicta all-flash product line, leaving customers to buy SSD hardware for its UCS servers from third parties. Continue Reading
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News
24 Jul 2015
Cisco sheds set-top box business to develop cloud-based video delivery
Cisco is selling its set-top box and cable modem business as pay TV delivery shifts to cloud-based video. Continue Reading
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News
23 Jul 2015
ICYMI: Masergy expands cloud marketplace with Microsoft Azure
Masergy has added the Microsoft Azure cloud platform to its cloud marketplace, while Sonus demonstrated that its SDN controller can be used with Skype for Business. Continue Reading
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News
23 Jul 2015
VMware NSX sales a positive sign for SDN market
VMware has reported growing NSX sales, the latest indicator that the SDN market has momentum. Rival Cisco has also reported rising SDN platform sales. Continue Reading
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News
23 Jul 2015
SN blogs: Hybrid approach to corporate WAN merits study
This week, analysts examine the advantage of hybrid WANs and discuss the emergence of Microsoft as a viable MDM provider. Continue Reading
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News
22 Jul 2015
News recap: Wi-Fi Aware to connect nearby smartphones
New Wi-Fi Aware will enable smartphones within close proximity to communicate with each other; a new program will provide Internet access to public housing residents. Continue Reading
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News
17 Jul 2015
Plexxi aims low-latency switch at emerging workloads
Plexxi launched a low-latency switch that's suitable for high-frequency financial trading. The Switch 2 Series is also aimed at analytics applications and cloud data centers. Continue Reading
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News
17 Jul 2015
SDN blogs: SD-WAN may be the answer to your problems
This week, experts discuss software-defined WANs as an alternative to traditional wide area networks. And one startup is looking to make data centers more efficient. Continue Reading
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News
15 Jul 2015
IEEE group advocates random MAC addresses for Wi-Fi security
An IEEE group advocates random MAC addresses for increased Wi-Fi security, while networking pros say enterprise security isn't strong enough for moving applications to the cloud. Continue Reading
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Answer
14 Jul 2015
Is there an SDN open source alternative to NSX?
VMware's NSX and Cisco's ACI platforms have gotten the most attention in the SDN space, but is there room for open source alternatives? Continue Reading
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News
14 Jul 2015
Extreme adds muscle to Wi-Fi appliances
Extreme Networks introduces Wi-Fi appliances that can manage considerably more access points than previous versions. Continue Reading
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News
14 Jul 2015
ICYMI: International carriers deploying SDN technologies
In this week's SDN news, international telecom and Internet providers are deploying SDN technologies, while AT&T is testing a new software-defined storage platform. Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Jun 2015
What are data center-class switches?
Choosing the right switch for your data center can be a difficult task. This article looks at how data center-class switches are evolving in the enterprise to offer flexibility and speed for new traffic flows. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
29 Jan 2015
Can a piece of software really determine if you’re ready to quit your job?
The evolution of predictive analytics technology continues to be something to keep an eye on in 2015. Although the technique is nothing new to the average consumer – we see it every time Netflix ... Continue Reading
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News
28 Jan 2015
Ethernet switch market to hit $25 billion; Verizon feels mobile carrier war
In telecom news, the Ethernet switch market is expected to reach $25 billion, while Verizon's Q4 report shows the impact of mobile carrier competition. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Oct 2014
Three ways to measure wireless network performance
Trying to find ways to assess your wireless network performance? Here are some tools that can help. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Oct 2014
With MPLS-TP and SDN, a simpler dynamic control plane
MPLS-TP transforms carrier networks for packet switching, but SDN could take it a step further. Combining the technologies, engineers could reduce complexity in the dynamic control plane and gain flexible service creation. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Sep 2014
Answering common VMware NSX platform questions
VMware's network virtualization product promises both flexibility and security in one of the few areas where innovation has lagged in the data center. Continue Reading
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News
25 Aug 2014
VMware NSX locks network security down with micro-segmentation
At VMworld 2014, VMware highlighted the network security benefits of NSX, with micro-segmentation that makes every VM an island. Continue Reading
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News
25 Aug 2014
F5 BIG-IQ meets VMware NSX for L4-7 orchestration
Cloud architects can now automate the instantiation of F5 network services on VMware NSX networks through new F5 BIG-IP integration with NSX. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Aug 2014
Umpqua Bank employs NSX, micro-segmentation for enterprise security
Umpqua Bank's Sam Guidice tells how the organization deployed VMware's NSX as part of its effort to utilize micro-segmentation for enterprise security. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Aug 2014
Network programming skills from scripting to DevOps: What to learn
Networking pros don't need to become code monkeys, but a little network programming can go a long way toward advancing their careers. Continue Reading
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News
17 Jul 2014
How Apple iOS MAC address spoofing affects location-based services
Apple iOS 8 will add a MAC address spoofing feature to iPhones and iPads for wireless privacy. It could interfere with Wi-Fi location-based services used by many consumer-facing businesses. Continue Reading
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News
15 Jul 2014
Arista switch pioneers 100 GbE uplinks in top-of-rack
Arista announced top-of-rack 7280E with 100 GbE uplinks. It also released an optic that allows a migration from 10 to 40 GbE without a fiber upgrade. Continue Reading
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Answer
10 Jul 2014
Will MPLS traffic engineering technology help you?
MPLS traffic engineering can improve VPN performance to ensure data travels the most efficient path. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Jul 2014
GENEVE primer: The answer to network virtualization interoperability?
The GENEVE network encapsulation protocol is more flexible than VXLAN and NVGRE. Will it bring interoperability to network virtualization overlays? Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Jul 2014
How to buy: Assessing next-gen firewalls
Is there a next-gen firewall in your future? Our How to Buy guide offers advice you need to ensure you purchase the best platform to meet your needs. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Jul 2014
Don't ignore this great wireless training resource
Online wireless support communities are a great resource for IT professionals who need their questions answered quickly. Continue Reading
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Quiz
25 Jun 2014
Networking Classroom: Next-generation firewalls
After watching to Dave Shackleford's webcast, reading his tip and listening to the podcast, you should be an expert of the ins and outs of next-generation firewalls. Test your knowledge with this quiz. Continue Reading
- Quiz 13 Jun 2014
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Quiz
15 May 2014
Cloud Delivery Classroom Quiz
Cloud Delivery Classroom Quiz by John Burke Continue Reading
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Opinion
18 Apr 2014
Identify this network convergence nomenclature: You could be a winner
As the admin and platform owner of a project, Patrick Hubbard has to monitor everything, and he coined a new term that describes that responsibility. Continue Reading
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Opinion
04 Mar 2014
Boost your network productivity for free with 'lost things'
Like Tinker Bell, network engineers can work magic by sprinkling fairy dust on formerly dormant equipment. And it doesn't cost a cent. Continue Reading
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Tip
06 Feb 2014
Hyper-V networking: The three virtual switches that fuel connectivity
In this Hyper-V networking primer, learn about the three virtual switches behind Microsoft virtualization connectivity. Continue Reading
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Opinion
18 Nov 2013
Your next job may be 'network programmer': What you'll need to know
SDN brings flexibility to networking, but this will require engineers to gain new skills in order to fill the emerging role of network programmer. Continue Reading
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25 Sep 2013
The evolution of network control
The degree of network control IT pros possess is expanding with new tools and solutions. Learn the latest about network management and monitoring. Continue Reading
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Answer
29 Aug 2013
Are there alternatives to the OpenFlow protocol?
Jason Edelman explains OpenFlow protocol alternatives and what's important in determining which southbound protocol will work for you. Continue Reading
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27 Jun 2013
"Wide area networks news, advice and technical information'" RSS feed is moving!
As of July 1, the "Wide area networks news, advice and technical information" RSS feed will be moving off of the Pheedo platform. Instead, please bookmark the following URL to make sure you continue to receive our content: http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/rss/Wide-area-networks-news-advice-and-technical-information.xml Continue Reading
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27 Jun 2013
"Routing and switching news, advice and technical information" RSS feed is moving!
As of July 1, the "Routing and switching news, advice and technical information" RSS feed will be moving off of the Pheedo platform. Instead, please bookmark the following URL to make sure you continue to receive our content: http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/rss/Routing-and-switching-news-advice-and-technical-information.xml Continue Reading
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27 Jun 2013
"Network security tactics" RSS feed is moving!
As of July 1, the "Network security tactics" RSS feed will be moving off of the Pheedo platform. Instead, please bookmark the following URL to make sure you continue to receive our content: http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/rss/Network-Security-Tactics.xml Continue Reading
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27 Jun 2013
"Network security news, advice and technical information" RSS feed is moving!
As of July 1, the "Network security news, advice and technical information" RSS feed will be moving off of the Pheedo platform. Instead, please bookmark the following URL to make sure you continue to receive our content: http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/rss/Network-security-news-advice-and-technical-information.xml Continue Reading
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27 Jun 2013
"Network management news, advice and technical information" RSS feed is moving!
As of July 1, the "Network management news, advice and technical information" RSS feed will be moving off of the Pheedo platform. Instead, please bookmark the following URL to make sure you continue to receive our content: http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/rss/Network-management-news-advice-and-technical-information.xml Continue Reading
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27 Jun 2013
"News on networking, mobility and voice'" RSS feed is moving!
As of July 1, the "News on networking, mobility and voice" RSS feed will be moving off of the Pheedo platform. Instead, please bookmark the following URL to make sure you continue to receive our content: http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/rss/News-on-networking-mobility-and-voice.xml Continue Reading
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27 Jun 2013
"News and technical advice on the 'new network'" RSS feed is moving!
As of July 1, the "News and technical advice on the 'new network'" RSS feed will be moving off of the Pheedo platform. Instead, please bookmark the following URL to make sure you continue to receive our content: http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/rss/News-and-technical-advice-on-the-new-network.xml Continue Reading
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News
13 Jun 2013
News briefs: Red Hat OpenShift Online goes live; Lenovo pushes cloud
This week, Red Hat's OpenShift Online rolls out for commercial use, Lenovo enters the cloud market and NTT deploys VMware network virtualization. Continue Reading
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Quiz
12 Jun 2013
VMware NSX pop quiz: Do you know NSX's network virtualization features?
Test your knowledge of VMware NSX, which evolved rapidly out of VMware's homegrown and acquired network virtualization technologies. Continue Reading
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Feature
03 Jun 2013
What is Ethernet-dedicated Internet?
Ethernet-dedicated Internet is a continuous, high-bandwidth way for enterprises to connect their LANs to the public Internet and to streamline the performance of their WAN. Continue Reading
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News
06 May 2013
Interop Conference 2013
Your home for all the news at Interop Conference 2013. Cloud computing, SDN, big data, virtualization, data center networking and more from New York City. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Apr 2013
Primer: A new generation of programmable ASICs
Programmable application-specific integrated circuits allow the data plane of switches to support new technologies, like software-defined networking. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Apr 2013
Ways to mirror vSphere networking with VMware Virtual Network Editor
Not every VMware vSphere networking option is available in Workstation, but it's a useful tool for users to mirror the ESXi network for tests. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Mar 2013
Migrating from a standard switch to VMware vDS with no downtime
Replacing standard switches with VMware vDS will broaden your virtual network's capabilities. Learn how to migrate switches without powering down VMs. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Mar 2013
How to plan for a campus core switch refresh: Basic requirements
Network architects and engineers discuss the features and functions they look for when planning a campus core upgrade. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Mar 2013
Centralized vs. decentralized SDN architecture: Which works for you?
Two SDN architecture models -- centralized and decentralized -- have much in common, but key differences center on the use of the OpenFlow protocol. Continue Reading
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Feature
03 Jan 2013
Networking 2012: Top ten news stories of the year
The top ten networking news stories of 2012 reflect the tectonic shift in network technology, including software-defined networking and BYOD Wi-Fi. Continue Reading
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Photo Story
19 Dec 2012
Networking 2012: Top ten news stories of the year
The top ten networking news stories of 2012 reflect the tectonic shift in network technology, including software-defined networking and BYOD Wi-Fi. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Nov 2012
Will we ever need 400 Gigabit Ethernet enterprise networks?
With 40 and 100 Gigabit Ethernet so new, what could possibly drive the need for 400 Gigabit Ethernet in the enterprise? Hint: It’s not just the WAN. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 Oct 2012
Using vSphere distributed switches for virtual networks
VMware's vSphere distributed switch is shared between hosts in a network, unlike standard switches. Here's how to create and use distributed switches. Continue Reading
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Report
18 May 2012
Interop 2012: Conference Coverage recap
Check out our news, views and video from Interop 2012 in Las Vegas, which covered new service offerings, product announcements and networking trends. Continue Reading
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Answer
04 Apr 2012
How do I disable VPN passthrough? What are the pros and cons to disabling it?
In this Ask the Expert response, Rainer Enders explains how to disable VPN passthrough and what the benefits and drawbacks are. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Feb 2012
Turf war: Systems vs. networking at the virtual edge
Network engineers fight to gain visibility and management control in a virtual environment. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Jan 2012
Network time synchronization for VMware ESXi: Timing is everything
Time is money, and in your VMware infrastructure, network time synchronization ensures that your ESXi hosts are timed to work correctly with other hosts and services. Continue Reading
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Photo Story
06 Jan 2012
Top 5 wide area network (WAN) trends of 2012
Cloud computing, mobility and video are some driving forces affecting enterprise networks. See the top five wide area network (WAN) trends of 2012. Continue Reading
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Photo Story
04 Jan 2012
Mobile network management applications offer monitoring on the go
As smartphone and tablet devices in the enterprise grow, vendors are developing mobile network management apps for iOS and Android, offering accessible views into the network. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
28 Jul 2011
ADSL IP VPN advantages and disadvantages
Find out the ADSL IP VPN advantages and disadvantages before upgrading your enterprise wide area network (WAN) link to this telecom service. Continue Reading
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News
23 Sep 2010
Next-generation firewalls not ready to replace all legacy firewalls
Application-aware firewalls enhance network security by offering deeper visibility, but enterprises will hang on to old-style firewalls. Continue Reading
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News
16 Sep 2010
Networking vendors aim to improve server virtualization security
Server virtualization security is no longer guaranteed by creating physical security zones for different classes of virtual machines on host servers. Networking and network security vendors are introducing virtual security products that apply security controls and policies directly to virtual machines within virtual hosts. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Aug 2010
Using virtual appliances and desktop virtualization
IT organizations are implementing desktop virtualization and virtual appliances for virtual WAN optimization and virtual application delivery, but there are challenges to overcome along the way. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
12 Mar 2010
Cloud computing network primer
Cloud computing network architecture is moving toward a flat, leaf-spine topology, enabling reduced latency and balancing bandwidth, providing any-to-any connectivity within and between servers. Learn more in this primer. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Dec 2009
Avaya-Nortel acquisition: Infamous end; questionable beginning
The Avaya-Nortel acquisition was one of the more notable top networking stories of 2009, marking the end of a legacy player and a questionable beginning for Avaya as it struggles with whether to integrate the Nortel data networking portfolio. Continue Reading
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Answer
04 Feb 2009
VLANs versus IP subnets: Why use a VLAN over IP subnetting?
A virtual local area network (VLAN) is better than IP subnetting because its advantage is security. Learn what a VLAN is and how it differs from creating IP subnets, in this expert response from our networking fundamentals expert. Continue Reading
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Answer
04 Feb 2009
Difference between circuit-switching and packet-switching in examples
What is the difference between a circuit switching and packet switching? Our networking fundamentals expert gives examples of packet switching and circuit switching in this response. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Dec 2008
Avoid high-risk data commingling with VMware virtual networks to prevent security vulnerabilities
Avoid security vulnerabilities caused by placing VMware ESX and ESXi data of varying security and classification levels on a converged network by understanding how storage and virtual machine data interoperates over various networks. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Apr 2008
Teaming NICs achieves load balance and failover on VMware ESX
By grouping, or teaming, network interface cards (NICs), you can achieve better load balancing and failover capabilities for VMware ESX guest virtual machines. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Feb 2008
Troubleshooting remote scripting using Network Monitor 3.0 -- Managing Windows networks using script
Learn how to use Network Monitor 3.0 for troubleshooting a remote scripting error in this tip originally published on WindowsNetworking.com. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 Jul 2007
Optical networks: Core network design best practices
Core optical network design must take into consideration network requirements specific to the core, including a high degree of aggregation, low reconfigurability, and large geographic scope, while confronting such challenges as router adjacency, service interconnection and overall management. Continue Reading
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Answer
20 Apr 2007
What equipment do I use to connect two LANs in different cities? What are the steps?
How do you connect two LANS from different cities? VPN expert Sampath Ramaswami notes the steps to be taken, in this Q&A. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Feb 2007
Cisco wireless access point configuration from scratch
Learn what the Cisco 1242 wireless access point can do for you and how to configure one from scratch. This tip covers basic security settings, enabling the wireless radios, and how to make a successful connection. The 1242AG is a powerful business-grade wireless AP with lots of features. Continue Reading
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Answer
25 Nov 2006
Half duplex vs. full duplex Ethernet 10BASE-T topologies
Ever wonder why half duplex Ethernet 10BASE-T topologies have a slower data transmission rate than full duplex Ethernet 10BASE-Ttopologies? Find out in this expert response by Lindi Horton. Continue Reading
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Answer
25 Nov 2006
What are the fundamental principles of CDMA?
In this Q&A, our expert, Lindi Horton gives us an explanation of what CDMA is and what some of its fundamental principles are. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Nov 2006
IP addressing and subnetting: Calculate a subnet mask using the subnet's formula
IP addressing and subnetting are an important part of networks. Learn how the subnet's formula works and why it's important to know how to calculate the subnet mask "longhand." Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Aug 2006
Duplex mismatch
What is duplex, and what is the difference between half and full duplex? What is a duplex mismatch? How can autonegotiation help or hurt your network? How can you resolve duplex conflicts? In this tip, David Davis helps networking engineers and newcomers understand the issues behind one of the most troublesome problems plaguing today's networks. Continue Reading
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Definition
07 Aug 2006
Kbps (kilobits per second)
In the U.S., Kbps stands for kilobits per second (thousands of bits per second) and is a measure of bandwidth (the amount of data that can flow in a given time) on a data transmission medium. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Apr 2006
Wi-Fi vulnerability assessment checklist
Vulnerability assessments can help you find and fix WLAN weaknesses before attackers take advantage of them. But where do you start? What should you look for? Have you covered all the bases? This checklist will help to answer these questions. Continue Reading
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Definition
21 Sep 2005
well-known port numbers
The well-known port numbers are the port numbers that are reserved for assignment by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) for use by the application end points that communicate using the Internet's Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) or the User Datagram Protocol (UDP). Continue Reading