Features

Features

• Intent-based networking and network automation: A primer

  Intent-based networking offers engineers intriguing network automation benefits, if it can deliver on promises and separate itself from the hype.  Continue Reading

• Networking trends 2017: Cloud, wireless, pace change

  Networking trends like cloud computing, virtualization and SDN continue to shape enterprise strategy while managers eye potential for IoT and data analytics.  Continue Reading

• Adobe multicloud strategy transforms network engineering

  Adobe created a multicloud strategy to connect to public clouds like AWS and Azure. One Adobe networking pro talks about how the new approach changed its definition of networking.  Continue Reading

• IT pros seek better methods to manage application performance

  IT pros have to manage application performance across complex networks connecting more devices and locations, as mobility changes how granular performance needs to get.  Continue Reading

• Multi-cloud architecture takes hybrid cloud to new heights

  As hybrid cloud use takes hold, enterprises need to create a multi-cloud architecture that integrates different cloud platforms to seamlessly route data from one cloud environment to another.  Continue Reading

• Ixia CloudLens Public gets Network Innovation Award

  Cloud visibility challenges force many enterprises to pull back on their cloud migration strategies. But Ixia CloudLens Public might be one way to assuage those fears.  Continue Reading

• First responders rely on improved Wi-Fi to fight fires and save lives

  First responders implement improved Wi-Fi to enhance how they share critical information in times of medical emergencies and natural disasters.  Continue Reading

• Software-defined networking technology makes inroads in the LAN

  While software-defined networking technology still isn't mainstream, network pros are looking at how 'SDN-lite' principles can improve LAN automation and flexibility.  Continue Reading

• Dredge manufacturer utilizes LTE connectivity for distributed network

  DSC Dredge improved its distributed network design using 4G LTE connectivity and Cradlepoint software-defined technology. Now, it can turn its attention to other issues -- like pirates.  Continue Reading

• Mist wireless analytics service captures NIA

  Mist makes plans to diversify its innovative wireless analytics service, as the company grows its customer base to more than 200 users.  Continue Reading

• Buying the right network security tool for your organization

  The key to selecting the network security product that will work best for your organization is choosing tools that will work together as a unified security strategy.  Continue Reading

• Criteria for vetting tools from network security vendors

  Before purchasing a network security system, consider where your data is located, who has access, where security tools will be deployed and if they're part of a unified strategy.  Continue Reading

• Odessa Medical moves to the dark (fiber network) side

  A goal of 100% network availability and uptime is hard to meet. Odessa Medical moved to a dark fiber network to meet that need, IT director Brad Shook explains.  Continue Reading

• Enterprises mirror hyperscale data centers to build new infrastructure

  IT pros offer tips to help enterprises emulate hyperscale data centers like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and the Google Cloud Platform in their own organizations.  Continue Reading

• API tools create a new networking economy

  As enterprises and vendors increasingly collaborate to strengthen networks, both sides recognize the need for flexible, robust API tools that help enable development.  Continue Reading

• Making a business case for purchasing a network security system

  A unified network security platform can offer organizations significant savings by helping them to reduce outages and the number of security components being managed.  Continue Reading

• Arista Universal Spine lands Network Innovation Award

  This month's Network Innovation Award goes to Arista Universal Spine and the technology behind the architecture.  Continue Reading

• How the basics of network security systems have evolved

  Today's sophisticated network security technologies work together to provide a tighter net and block malicious behavior both within and at the edge of the network.  Continue Reading

• Gas producer gets boost from SolarWinds network monitoring software

  In a bid to improve its network infrastructure monitoring, industrial gas producer Chart Industries deploys SolarWinds network monitoring software to reduce downtime and increase productivity.  Continue Reading

• Enterprise network management undergoes transformation

  Traditional enterprise network management is shifting in the face of new virtualization and software trends. Managers need to be aware of how technologies change their network monitoring techniques.  Continue Reading

• Cisco ACI architecture deployment options point to network evolution

  Cisco ACI architecture users recommend embracing the model's software-based capabilities instead of going the traditional networking route to meet automation needs.  Continue Reading

• Enterprises learn to lock down SD-WAN security

  SD-WANs are an option for enterprises that want to reduce network expenses, but watch out for internet vulnerabilities. Network pros are choosing a multistep approach to SD-WAN security.  Continue Reading

• Buying routers? Read this review on the latest in edge routers first

  Buying routers is more complicated than ever. This handbook on edge routers includes an overview of the latest capabilities to help you decide which you need.  Continue Reading

• Exploring the features and functions of HPE and Aruba campus switches

  HPE offers its traditional line of high-end campus switches, as well as Aruba switches, such as the 3180 series, for high-speed connectivity to SMBs and large enterprises.  Continue Reading

• Restaurant group implements VoIP telephone system and Mushroom VNF

  The Keith McNally Restaurant Group found a recipe for success after implementing a VoIP telephone system designed around a VNF product from Mushroom Networks -- VoIP Armor.  Continue Reading

• An overview of Huawei switches for campus LAN environments

  Huawei S series campus LAN switches provide a range of low-end and advanced device options that address large network environments that need high-bandwidth access.  Continue Reading

• Exploring the Juniper EX switch series for campus LAN environments

  Juniper Networks offers a variety of campus LAN switch products, including switches that provide advanced, high-availability features for high-performance network deployments.  Continue Reading

• EarthLink SD-WAN helps Dunn-Edwards Paints connect with customers

  When Dunn-Edwards Paints decided to explore software-defined WAN, they looked to their service provider, EarthLink. The latter's new managed SD-WAN service was a hit.  Continue Reading

• Enlightened shadow IT policy collaborates with users

  A cloud-era shadow IT policy still needs to manage risk, but the era of "no way" is giving way to allow users quick access to the productivity apps they need.  Continue Reading

• Time for software-based networking to free up network managers

  Software-based networking and network automation may finally be taking center stage. The test of success will be whether network managers are freed up from manual tasks to keep things running.  Continue Reading

• Manage wireless networks with the latest tools and tech

  To manage wireless networks, IT pros must keep pace with an array of rapidly changing products. Are you up to date on what tools and tech are now on the market?  Continue Reading

• An inside look at Extreme Networks' switches for campus environments

  Extreme Networks provides a variety of campus LAN switches, including those with just a few fixed ports and modular switches that can accommodate gigabit and multi-gigabit ports.  Continue Reading

• A look at Dell switches that can support networks of all sizes

  The low-end Dell N1500, N3000 and N4000 series, as well as the advanced Dell Z-Series, provide a range of switch products for smaller enterprises and large campus networks.  Continue Reading

• Arista Networks' ultralow-latency switches offer high performance

  Arista network switches offer ultralow-latency performance for large data centers, cloud and high-performance computing, and high-frequency trading environments.  Continue Reading

• The WAN revolution: Wide area network design marches forward

  Vive la wide area network revolution! In the new WAN, emerging cloud, software-defined networking and virtualization technologies save time and money while improving performance.  Continue Reading

• Medical group upgrades hospital Wi-Fi from Cisco to Aruba

  The 28-building Medical Center Health System in Odessa, Texas, replaced its Cisco hospital Wi-Fi network and moved to Aruba to handle user growth, boost performance, plan for IoT and move toward mobile-first.  Continue Reading

• Exploring the features and deployment options of Cisco campus switches

  Cisco offers several campus LAN switch models that provide UPoE, as well as redundant power supplies, built-in security, and network management and visibility capabilities.  Continue Reading

• A look at the Alcatel-Lucent campus LAN switch products

  Alcatel-Lucent OmniVista provides a network management system for converged campus networks and a full line of campus LAN switches that address the access and distribution layer.  Continue Reading

• After using both NSX and ACI, engineer says VMware wins his vote

  Sugar Creek Packing Co. sidestepped the NSX vs. ACI debate and deployed both. Now, a senior network engineer shares which technology he would recommend to enterprises.  Continue Reading

• So long command line? Automated networking quietly takes over

  You might not always see it, but that doesn't mean network automation isn't there ... and as its footprint grows, the command line interface could disappear.  Continue Reading

• Keep the lights on: Preventing network outages more critical than ever

  Growing end-user demands can put today's enterprise at increased risk of a major network outage -- and with so much business happening online, the stakes have never been higher.  Continue Reading

• Enterprise network monitoring tools address companies of all sizes

  Network availability monitoring tools are designed to analyze infrastructure problems for networks of all sizes and specialty products, including managed service providers.  Continue Reading

• SDN service for sale ... from a healthcare provider?

  Early NSX adopter BayState Health is weighing the possibility of a future as an SDN service provider -- using multi-tenancy to run other organizations' networks parallel to its own.  Continue Reading

• The connected stadium: If you build it, they will come

  In the next-generation sports venue, the home team's stadium network can serve as a strategic resource, driving fan engagement, concession sales and more.  Continue Reading

• Managed enterprise network services gain traction

  As network demands become increasingly complex, many enterprises are turning to managed network services, outsourcing maintenance to third-party providers.  Continue Reading

• NBASE-T switches help organizations 'futureproof' networks

  Early adopters are turning to the new IEEE Ethernet standard, 802.3bz, to help ensure their wireless networks can meet the bandwidth demands of tomorrow.  Continue Reading

• Network management platforms address big enterprises, ISPs

  The leading network availability monitoring tools troubleshoot networks deployed in big enterprises, as well as within service-provider environments that manage multiple domains.  Continue Reading

• Exploring availability monitoring tools for larger networks

  The leading enterprise network monitoring tools offer a variety of features, licensing, support and maintenance options designed for medium and larger network environments.  Continue Reading

• From consultant to enterprise network engineer: How to make the switch

  Learn how one former network design consultant made a major career change, leaving her position at a vendor and landing her dream job in the enterprise.  Continue Reading

• Open source network software promises major industry shifts

  Let the disruption commence! Observers say it's high time the networking sector accepts and sorts out open source, arguing it's not a question of if enterprises use it, but how.  Continue Reading

• Viptela SD-WAN technology transforms major healthcare network

  In this software-defined WAN case study, Kindred Healthcare says Viptela SD-WAN technology has made its network more agile and less expensive to deploy and manage.  Continue Reading

• Cisco IWAN architecture case study: Manufacturer embraces SD-WAN

  MTD Products credits the Cisco IWAN architecture with cutting costs and improving performance in the wide area network, ultimately leading to an increase in employee productivity.  Continue Reading

• SD-WAN adoption: Exxon Mobil deploys Cybera technology

  In this case study, learn how SD-WAN adoption dramatically simplified a major oil company's wide area network while improving security and increasing flexibility.  Continue Reading

• Assessing network availability monitoring tools for SMBs, larger networks

  Learn what features, licensing, support and maintenance options the leading performance and availability monitoring tools offer to SMBs and larger networks.  Continue Reading

• From Sonnet 18 to SD-WAN technology: An unlikely networking career

  From teaching Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 to taking on a major SD-WAN technology deployment: Senior engineer Phil Gervasi shares the major career pivot that brought him to networking.  Continue Reading

• White-box switches save green, but they aren't for everyone

  While some networking pros say white-box switching is the 'next big thing,' others argue that's a myth that needs busting. As usual, enterprises must consider the business case.  Continue Reading

• Identifying the IT operations analytics product your enterprise needs

  This guide to IT operations analytics tools explains how ITOA works so networking pros can determine the most important features and assess vendor offerings.  Continue Reading

• A comparison of the leading campus LAN switch vendors

  Expert Andrew Froehlich examines the factors that will ultimately help you determine which campus LAN switch vendors and types are most suitable for your environment.  Continue Reading

• Seven criteria to consider before evaluating campus LAN switches

  Before you begin researching specific vendors and campus LAN switch types, take the time to understand the requirements and capabilities you need.  Continue Reading

• VM deployment: Stack Overflow team designs custom automation app

  Stack Overflow engineer George Beech says when he couldn't find the right tool to automate the VM deployment process, he and his team members decided to create their own.  Continue Reading

• Where have all the legacy voice engineers gone?

  When traditional voice engineering went the way of the dinosaurs, many of its practitioners had to evolve.  Continue Reading

• Networked cloud emerges to meet evolving infrastructure needs

  Some enterprise network managers are beginning to move networking out to the cloud, as they sort out how to best meet their organizations' evolving infrastructure needs.  Continue Reading

• Do I need campus switches in my enterprise?

  The role of campus switches depends on the demands of your organization. What are the important considerations to help you make the right choice on whether or not to deploy them?  Continue Reading

• The evolution of campus LAN switches in the enterprise

  The campus LAN switch is a fundamental component of networking. There is a lot to know about the roles these switches play in a modern enterprise network.  Continue Reading

• CN Tower climbs heights with mobile engagement platform

  The CN Tower, Canada's tallest building, implements an Aruba mobile engagement platform to connect with customers.  Continue Reading

• Custom network sensors help engineer prevent downtime

  Too much information? No such thing. Engineer James Ott says network monitoring tool PRTG allows him to anticipate device failures before they occur.  Continue Reading

• Learn SDN in school, experts urge today's networking students

  Despite old school ways, academic tides slowly turn in SDN's favor -- as textbooks and instructors recognize network programming is here to stay.  Continue Reading

• CCIE certification debate continues despite exam's SDN, cloud updates

  Despite Cisco's recent CCIE exam update -- with a new section covering network programmability, IoT and cloud -- some pros still say the gold standard has lost its luster.  Continue Reading

• Need for speed: Demand for faster DCI technology grows

  As the amount of traffic traveling between data centers explodes, both enterprises and service providers look for high-octane data center interconnect options.  Continue Reading

• SD-WAN architecture: What to know before you buy

  The hybrid WAN is here and this guide explains how to buy and build an SD-WAN architecture. Learn about key features and 'nice to haves' before you approach vendors and make an acquisition decision.  Continue Reading

• From the 3G-to-4G transition to SDN, network pro rises to the challenge

  After years at a provider -- where she helped install cell towers during the 3G-to-4G transition -- an Army-trained network engineer tackles a new challenge in the enterprise: SDN.  Continue Reading

• Undersea cables keep global enterprise networks afloat

  Subsea cabling is out of sight, but it shouldn't be out of mind. Many organizations don't realize just how dependent they are on underwater fiber to stay online and in business.  Continue Reading

• Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes in IT strategy at one of the original dot-coms

  From containers to CDNs, About.com is embracing change. Director of operations Matt Landolf shares how he's seen the outlook of one of the web's oldest properties evolve.  Continue Reading

• In-house network test labs fall out of favor in cloud era

  In the era of cloud integrations and frequent network changes, fewer organizations are building in-house network test labs, relying instead on virtual and third-party tests.  Continue Reading

• ITOA to AIOps: The next generation of network analytics

  IT operations analytics tools are growing up and offering unprecedented insights into network behavior, allowing managers to automate fixes before problems occur.  Continue Reading

• ScienceLogic EM7: Network performance monitor overview

  ScienceLogic EM7 is still a newcomer to the network performance monitoring market, but it offers flexible deployment options, including VMs and software-as-a-service installations.  Continue Reading

• Viavi Observer: Network performance monitor overview

  With deployable hardware and software probes, Viavi Observer is known as one of the most robust network performance monitors in the market today.  Continue Reading

• Cisco network monitor product overview

  Cisco Prime has been on the network performance monitoring market for over five years. Networking expert Andrew Froehlich takes a deeper dive into the Cisco network monitor, Prime.  Continue Reading

• Riverbed SteelCentral product overview

  Riverbed SteelCentral is one of the most prominent network performance monitoring systems on the market today. Networking expert Andrew Froehlich takes a deeper dive into its features.  Continue Reading

• Infosim StableNet network monitoring product overview

  The Infosim StableNet network performance monitor offers a variety of features, including support for telecommunications providers and an embedded hardware agent.  Continue Reading

• HPE Network Node Manager product overview

  HPE Network Node Manager comes with a wide range of plug-ins, including monitoring for IP telephony, multicast deployments and quality assurance departments.  Continue Reading

• How to buy the best application delivery controller for your firm

  Application delivery controllers have advanced in ways that make ADCs more useful for a wider range of companies than ever before. This guide outlines what you need to know in order to buy the best application delivery controller for your company.  Continue Reading

• SolarWinds NPM product overview

  SolarWinds NPM system supports a wide range of features, among them data flow collection, server and application monitoring, and quality of service for enterprise VoIP suites.  Continue Reading

• SevOne monitoring suite product overview

  SevOne monitoring products, such as the Performance Application Solution, scale to the environment size. The PAS appliance can monitor up to 200,000 network devices.  Continue Reading

• CA UIM network performance monitor: product overview

  CA Technologies' network performance monitoring products include CA UIM, which supports a variety of features, including network performance and availability management.  Continue Reading

• NetScout TruView network performance monitor: Product overview

  NetScout's retooled TruView gives administrators oversight into myriad network operations, including public and private clouds.  Continue Reading

• Comparing the top network performance tools on the market

  Choosing among network performance tools can be difficult. In this article, expert Andrew Froehlich breaks down the differences among the top products on the market.  Continue Reading

• Undersea cable sends Ethernet to observatory on ocean floor

  Thanks to donated undersea cabling from AT&T, the ALOHA Cabled Observatory provides real-time data from the ocean floor. It took a longtime networking pro to get it up to speed.  Continue Reading

• Yes, Virginia, there's a CDN service for everyone

  Super-sized media companies have used content delivery networks for decades, but recently CDN services have also become affordable for the typical enterprise next door.  Continue Reading

• In virtualized environments, importance of hardware remains

  It's tempting to get swept up in the hype around software-defined everything and cloud mania, but even in virtualized environments, networking hardware is still critical.  Continue Reading

• Purchasing the right network performance monitor for you

  Selecting the right enterprise network performance monitor system means understanding the tool's capabilities and how they can support your organization's specific needs.  Continue Reading

• Network refresh: Look at your needs, not the name on the box

  In this Q&A, one networking pro shares why he and his team broke from their existing vendors during a network refresh and went with a new roster for their routers and switches.  Continue Reading

• Jobs in networking: Enterprises vs. service providers

  It may not be the first question on your mind when evaluating job opportunities, but network engineers who have worked on both sides say there are distinct differences.  Continue Reading

• As mobility grows, enterprises assess wireless-first designs

  Are you ready to kiss Ethernet cables goodbye? Find out what it takes to build and manage a network where wireless infrastructure rules the access layer.  Continue Reading

• The business case for deploying network monitoring systems

  Network monitoring systems that focus on performance enhance network reliability and promote more efficient communication. What are some of the features you should be examining?  Continue Reading

• Binghamton University takes advantage of load balancing system

  Binghamton University implemented a new load balancing system from Array Networks to better deliver educational and other online services.  Continue Reading

• Ethernet networking: Where it is today and what's next

  Learn the latest about Ethernet -- how it works, how it's changed over the years and how Ethernet networking is evolving.  Continue Reading

• Network automation scripts: Separating myth from reality

  Network automation can make work easier, but be careful which processes you automate. Done wrong, automation can break more things than it fixes.  Continue Reading

• How to become a network architect, from those who did it

  You wouldn't be an engineer if you didn't love networking, but are you looking to make a career move? Find out how to become a network architect and whether it's right for you.  Continue Reading

• How have network performance monitoring tools evolved?

  Network performance monitoring tools have evolved as networks have become more complex. What are some of the capabilities and features these tools now possess?  Continue Reading