Features

Features

• Choose your own network operating systems? IT pros weigh bare metal

  Enterprise networking pros tend to favor uptime over innovation. Many see bare-metal switches with third-party network operating systems as risky. Can they be swayed?  Continue Reading

• WAN optimization techniques pace IT investment

  TechTarget's most recent Networking Purchasing Intentions survey reveals IT's priority to invest in WAN optimization techniques in the next 12 months.  Continue Reading

• NIA: Saisei's FlowCommand SDN appliance secures network flows

  Saisei, our latest Network Innovation Award winner, uses its FlowCommand virtual SDN appliance to control network flows and prevent individual users from hogging bandwidth.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Why SD-WAN is the next breed of WAN optimization

  Enterprises want to drop costly MPLS links but hesitate to lose the control they provide. SD-WAN offers a solution, and WAN optimization brings it to life.  Continue Reading

• Brocade VDX 8770: Data center switch overview

  The Brocade VDX 8770 is a data center switch tailored for complex enterprise IT environments, such as data centers with extensive virtualization.  Continue Reading

• Cisco Nexus 9500 series: Data center switch overview

  In this overview, learn more about the Cisco Nexus 9500 series, a family of data center switches designed for enterprises and highly virtualized data centers.  Continue Reading

• Dell E1200i and E600i series: Data center-class switch overview

  Find out more about the Dell E-series family of data center-class switches, which is tailored for complex enterprise IT environments like highly virtualized data centers.  Continue Reading

• HP FlexFabric 12500 series: Data center-class switch overview

  The HP FlexFabric 12500 series is designed for enterprise IT environments, including highly virtualized data centers. Learn more about the series' features and capabilities in this overview.  Continue Reading

• HP FlexFabric 12900 series: Data center-class switch fabric overview

  In this data center-class switch product overview, learn more about the HP FlexFabric 12900 series, including its capabilities, features, and pricing and support information.  Continue Reading

• Juniper EX9200 series: Data center-class switch overview

  The Juniper EX9200 series is a family of data center-class switches for enterprises and service providers with large data centers and campuses with highly virtualized and cloud environments.  Continue Reading

• Cisco Nexus 7700 series: Data center switch overview

  The Cisco Nexus 7700 series is a family of data center-class switches designed for enterprises and highly virtualized environments. Learn about the features of this series in this product overview.  Continue Reading

• Arista EOS+ brings the programmable switch down to earth

  A programmable switch sounds appealing to many enterprises, but few have the in-house expertise to take advantage of one. Arista's EOS+ software aims to make it far more accessible.  Continue Reading

• Buying data center-class switches: What you need to know

  Choosing the right switches for your data center can be difficult in an increasingly virtual environment. In this article, we explore the purchasing criteria for data center-class switches.  Continue Reading

• Making the business case for data center-class switches

  Choosing the right data center-class switch depends on your needs. This article breaks down the benefits and uses for data center-class switches in emerging data center architectures.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Will IT generalists replace network engineering jobs?

  Network engineering jobs have moved from crimping cable to managing traffic between VMs. Software-everything means another seismic shift. Is the network engineer still relevant?  Continue Reading

• Network analytics 2.0: Say hello to advanced operations analytics

  Network analytics tools may improve visibility and performance, but advanced operations analytics can turn the network into something that brings value to the business.  Continue Reading

• When users say the network is slow, APM tools can prove them wrong

  Not a week goes by when many network managers don't hear this complaint: "The network is slow." In this Q&A, one IT pro describes how he's often able to prove otherwise.  Continue Reading

• What to consider when choosing the best Ethernet switch

  IT pros need to consider new developments in technology like software-defined networking and the Internet of Things when choosing the best Ethernet switch for their current and future network.  Continue Reading

• 'Troubleshooting Cisco IP Networks' offers Cisco TSHOOT exam advice

  In this book chapter excerpt, author Amir Ranjbar gives advice on the new CCNP TSHOOT 300-135.  Continue Reading

• Adios, legacy network architectures: Making the jump to NSX

  Frustrated by the limits of hardware-centric network architectures, cloud provider FireHost has been testing VMware's NSX platform to improve its security.  Continue Reading

• Shattering the 'single pane of glass' myth of network management

  Vendors claim that their network management systems can do it all, but in a world of virtualization and cloud, is that still true?  Continue Reading

• Layer 4-7 network orchestration: Are we there yet?

  Software-defined data centers and cloud are driving a need for Layer 4-7 network orchestration tools that can automate provisioning and lifecycle management.  Continue Reading

• 802.11ac speed gains may drive WLAN architecture changes in Wave 2

  How much your network needs to adapt to the jump in 802.11ac speed from Wave 1 -- or even from 802.11n -- to the standard's next phase, Wave 2, depends on where you are in the upgrade cycle.  Continue Reading

• Why one IT pro’s network upgrade led him from Cisco to Dell

  In this Q&A, one network admin explains how rapid growth at his company prompted a massive network upgrade that included migrating from Cisco to Dell.  Continue Reading

• Identify the right WAN optimization products for your company

  Leading WAN optimization product vendors use a variety of techniques to get the job done. Find out who does what and if it's right for you.  Continue Reading

• Choosing WAN optimization techniques, more is better

  When it comes to choosing WAN optimization techniques, more is definitely better. Part two of this three-part series offers up a catalog of optimization options.  Continue Reading

• Before you buy: Finding the right WAN optimization appliance

  Picking the right WAN optimization appliance for your environment involves comparing different data reduction methods. Learn how to pinpoint the best option.  Continue Reading

• Gaps remain in wireless networking education, but need for skills grows

  The WLAN is the new LAN, but many networking education programs don’t reflect that. There’s a wireless skills gap, and it needs to be addressed.  Continue Reading

• The WAN connection waiting game: Engineers long for faster provisioning

  It can take one to three months to install a private WAN connection at a new branch office. For many enterprises, that’s just not acceptable anymore.  Continue Reading

• 'Network Know-How' offers network troubleshooting techniques

  Download this free chapter excerpt from "Network Know-How" to gain insight into basic network troubleshooting techniques. Identify and solve most networking errors in your environment.  Continue Reading

• What is the network’s role in a cloud computing service?

  Download this free chapter excerpt from “Designing Networks and Services for the Cloud” to learn how networks can make a cloud computing service more reliable and secure.  Continue Reading

• Aruba mobile engagement platform wins Network Innovation Award

  Aruba is pushing Wi-Fi indoor positioning to new levels with a platform geared towards venues that connect with visitors via their smartphones.  Continue Reading

• SDN starter kits remove some do-it-yourself aspects of an SDN deployment

  Not many network engineers can confidently design and launch an SDN deployment from scratch. But with SDN starter kits, there's less need to do that on their own.  Continue Reading

• Network automation tools bring 'set it and forget it' to life

  In this Q&A, one engineer describes how she honed her programming skills to work on network automation tools that make it easier to configure switches.  Continue Reading

• Cloud networks need careful planning, not just more bandwidth

  Cloud computing has fundamentally changed the way enterprises deploy and use IT resources. So what does it mean to build a cloud network?  Continue Reading

• Network management projects top list of 2015 IT initiatives

  According to TechTarget’s 2015 IT Priorities Survey, 44% of enterprises are planning network management projects this year.  Continue Reading

• Intuit solves taxing problem with system availability tools

  Intuit uses application monitoring to ensure glitch-free performance during tax time.  Continue Reading

• Why you might not need an expensive wireless site survey kit

  In this Q&A, one wireless engineer shares how she built a wireless site survey rig for less than $40 using supplies from a hardware store.  Continue Reading

• Named Data Networking project wants to retire TCP/IP

  TCP/IP is buckling under the demands of today's Internet, according to researchers who want to replace it with a new Internet protocol stack. Their solution: Named Data Networking.  Continue Reading

• Latest network security threats prompt one question: ‘Are we next?'

  After the latest wave of attacks, including the most recent on Sony, network security pros are losing sleep. Can new platforms stop today's network security threats?  Continue Reading

• Could vendor divide on new Ethernet speeds hurt enterprise networks?

  Vendor alliances are bypassing the IEEE again, this time with specs for two new Ethernet speeds, 2.5 and 5 GbE. Without common standards, could enterprise networks suffer?  Continue Reading

• Network Innovation Award: Dell breaks mold with Dell/Cumulus partnership

  Dell wins this month's Network Innovation Award from SearchNetworking for its partnership with Cumulus Networks, in which Dell became the first mainstream switch vendor to permit third-party OSes to run on its switches.  Continue Reading

• As WLANs grow, so does need for secure wireless networks

  Wireless LANs are growing in size and importance, making it imperative for every networking pro to ensure they have a secure wireless network.  Continue Reading

• White-box switching: Three paths to network programmability

  White-box switching is often pitched as a way to cut costs, but the greater value lies in its ability to make networks more programmable and automated.  Continue Reading

• Cloud-managed wireless: Why network engineers love it

  Cloud-managed wireless is growing three times faster than the wireless LAN market as a whole. Network engineers rave about its benefits, but it's not for everyone.  Continue Reading

• On Reddit, network pros say 'hell, no!' to SDN investment

  Let's face it: It'll be a while until we see widespread SDN investment. On this Reddit thread, network engineers demand an end to crappy marketing jargon, and tell vendors what they really need from SDN.  Continue Reading

• Five reasons IT pros are not ready for SDN investment

  Vendors will tell you all the reasons you should buy SDN, but we talked to a group of IT leaders who explain why they can't yet recommend SDN investment. (Think: security!)  Continue Reading

• 25 Gigabit Ethernet: Why that, why now and what's next

  If you blinked, you may have missed it: A consortium formed this summer to develop a 25 Gigabit Ethernet specification, with plans to have 25 Gbps switches shipping in two years. Here's why the industry is in such a hurry.  Continue Reading

• Aggregation in IPv6 routing curbs effects of Internet growth

  IPv6 addresses are four times larger than those based on IPv4, but experts say that doesn't mean IPv6 will slow down routers. In fact, IPv6 routing makes route aggregation simpler, which leads to smaller routing tables.  Continue Reading

• The bare-metal switch moves closer to mainstream

  Bare-metal switching has been considered niche, but Dell's foray into the market suggests other big vendors may soon follow. And while you might worry a bare-metal switch requires a Ph.D. to set up, early adopters say it's not that scary to use.  Continue Reading

• Open Network Install Environment gives end users network OS choices

  The Open Network Install Environment's community of vendors offers an open install environment for bare-metal switches using its Linux-based OS installer.  Continue Reading

• Upgrading the core when network downtime isn't an option

  Network downtime is often a necessary evil for network upgrades, but in the world of 24/7 broadcast media, maintenance windows are hard to come by.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Context-aware security: Big benefits for networks, but no shortcuts

  Context-aware security has the potential to make network security a lot smarter. But it also requires legwork many IT shops aren't equipped to handle.  Continue Reading

• Transit companies seek to upgrade communications capabilities

  Amtrak's announcement to upgrade its on-board Wi-Fi emphasizes the pressure on the transportation industry to provide faster service at a low cost.  Continue Reading

• Docker networking: How Linux containers will change your network

  Docker is making Linux containers a lightweight alternative to hypervisors; network engineers must be prepared. Find out what you need to know about Docker networking.  Continue Reading

• Major SDN vendor strategies at a glance

  Vendors' SDN strategies are constantly evolving. Take a look at how major players in the space are approaching SDN, and see which releases have taken place since SDN entered the market.  Continue Reading

• Network Innovation Award: ThousandEyes multiplies view

  ThousandEyes is this month's SearchNetworking Network Innovation Award winner for its network performance platform.  Continue Reading

• Why not replace routers with smart switches?

  In this Q&A, one network manager discusses how he's ripping out routers and replacing them with smart switches at sites with Ethernet WAN transport.  Continue Reading

• MPLS networks not obsolete, but Internet as WAN catches up

  MPLS networks have been the undisputed king of WAN services for years, but more enterprises are looking at supplementing them with Internet services.  Continue Reading

• Choices in SDN wireless technology emerge

  New SDN wireless technology uses intelligent controllers in the cloud to granularly direct traffic and policy among access points on premises.  Continue Reading

• 802.11ac standard: How did we get here?

  The timeline describes the evolution of the 802.11ac standard, commonly known as Wi-Fi, starting with the creation of the Ethernet in 1973.  Continue Reading

• 802.11ac Wi-Fi takes the lead, but wired network has to play backup

  As adoption of the new 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard picks up, wired networks must be ready to support faster speeds and greater capacities it brings.  Continue Reading

• Complex apps need network-based application performance management tools

  As more networking pros get pulled into application performance management, they need tools that speak their language. Meet network-based APM.  Continue Reading

• IPsec vs. SSL VPNs: Understanding the basics

  This infographic outlines some of the key differences between IPsec and SSL VPNs.  Continue Reading

• IEEE's 802.11ac ratification: What gigabit speed means for you

  With the ratification of the IEEE 802.11ac standard, Ethernet is all but dead. But is your organization's network ready for gigabit speeds?  Continue Reading

• OpenStack networking and orchestration: What's possible?

  OpenStack's networking service, Neutron, integrates provisioning and management of network resources into the orchestration of IT infrastructure.  Continue Reading

• Network engineer job description will evolve, not evaporate, with SDN

  Most networking pros won't need to become programmers to survive. SDN will expand the network engineer's job description, not invalidate it.  Continue Reading

• F5 wins networking award for BIG-IP's platform intelligence

  F5 wins this month's SearchNetworking Network Innovation Award for the programmability and intelligence added to version 11.4 of its BIG-IP software.  Continue Reading

• Is service agility the payoff in network functions virtualization?

  NFV may not let operators toss their routers for generic servers yet, but it could mean a new level of service agility and increased revenue.  Continue Reading

• New network architectures and traditional components: Why both are key

  The next stage in network architecture's evolution is upon us. An SDN future is certain. What's less clear is how quickly it will become the norm, and what network architects should do in the meantime to keep their systems healthy and operational.  Continue Reading

• IPv6, SDN: When worlds collide ... in a good way

  IPv6, SDN and the cloud seem like separate initiatives, but they are interdependent. SDN and IPv6 will enable cloud agility. The good news is they are also complementary.  Continue Reading

• Ethernet fabric primer

  Virtualization and cloud exposed legacy data center networks as fragile and inefficient. This primer explains how Ethernet fabrics meet new demands.  Continue Reading

• Application visibility and control tools emerge for the wireless world

  A new generation of application visibility and control (AVC) tools allows network managers to peer into applications across their WLAN infrastructures and optimize how that traffic is delivered. These new AVC tools will help network managers deliver...  Continue Reading

• For cloud providers, fraud detection is integral part of business plan

  Without the proper cloud fraud detection and prevention practices, cloud providers can become unwitting hosts for cybercriminals.  Continue Reading

• Unified network management primer

  Unified network management tools provide a single user interface from which admins can manage both their wired and wireless network devices.  Continue Reading

• Unified network management tools: Key features, vendor approaches

  Unified network management platform buyers should look for key product features and be aware of three different vendor approaches to the market.  Continue Reading

• The 802.11ad standard is fast, but do we need that much throughput?

  The new 802.11ad standard offers 7 Gbps of throughput and can supplement existing wireless networks, but it’s got technical challenges.  Continue Reading

• When network monitoring tools improve business intelligence

  As network architectures become more complex, users need network monitoring tools that provide performance data and business intelligence.  Continue Reading

• SDN education: Universities tackle SDN course content

  Universities would like to create SDN education programs, but SDN courses are difficult to plan since the technology is rapidly evolving.  Continue Reading

• Military college bolsters remote device access to support virtual lab

  Vermont military college, Norwich University, improved student access to its virtual forensics lab with a new gateway from Array Networks.  Continue Reading

• Differentiating your cloud computing SLA: Availability vs. performance

  Most providers make cloud computing SLA claims around availability, and some are exploring the viability of performance claims. But there are risks.  Continue Reading

• Ten essential network virtualization definitions

  SDN has sparked discussion about what network virtualization truly is. Here are 10 key network virtualization definitions that explain the basics.  Continue Reading

• 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

• SDN and wireless LAN meet for unified network management, at last

  If SDN and wireless LANs both run on a controller-centric architecture, why not combine the two for unified wired and wireless network management?  Continue Reading

• Engineers share lessons learned from OpenFlow implementations

  Engineers talk about their early experiences with OpenFlow: Enjoy the energized community, but only adopt if it can improve your data center.  Continue Reading

• The role for XMPP as a southbound SDN protocol

  How can XMPP be used in hybrid software-defined networking as an alternative or complement to OpenFlow?  Continue Reading

• Border Gateway Protocol as a hybrid SDN protocol

  Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), a well-known core Internet protocol, is being adapted for use as a hybrid SDN protocol.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Cloud marketing strategy: Do consumers care if it's called cloud?

  While some providers play up the lingo in consumer cloud marketing, others say confusion has left the term 'cloud' too diluted to be valuable.  Continue Reading

• Cisco's revised CCNA certification exams change up the networking mix

  Cisco's streamlined CCNA certification exam changes what network admins need to know before getting specialty certifications. Find out why.  Continue Reading

• How does advanced malware use the network against you?

  Find out how advanced malware can be detected by tracking its abnormal network behavior.  Continue Reading

• Advanced threat protection: Behavior-profiling network communications

  Advanced threat protection specializes in detecting advanced and persistent malware inside networks.  Continue Reading

• Overlays may be the best path forward for networking

  Vendors VMware, Big Switch, Cisco, and others are working to come up with the ‘winning’ overlay approach to creating virtual network abstractions.  Continue Reading

• Integrating physical and virtual networks: Virtual switching tactics

  In order to make networks flexible enough to support cloud orchestration, engineers will have to bridge physical and virtual networks.  Continue Reading

• Cloud providers can enable 'self-service' IT with a cloud portal

  With a good cloud portal, service providers can allow customers to provision IT services on their own.  Continue Reading

• Campus core switch comparison: How Cisco, HP, Juniper differentiate their switches

  How do three top campus core Ethernet switch vendors Cisco, HP and Juniper differentiate their offerings?  Continue Reading

• 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