Features

Features

• '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

• In wireless, SDN can boost interoperability and performance

  SDN proves it isn't just for the data center, as wireless LAN vendors consider new architecture options for improved interoperability and performance gains.  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

• Mobile application performance takes center stage

  As more businesses move to mobile platforms, enterprises have to make sure their mobile applications perform like they're supposed to. Vendors are trying to address that need with more granular mobile application performance management (APM) tools.  Continue Reading

• Hardware open source key goal of OCP project

  Open Compute Project garners this month's Network Innovation Award for its work in developing an OS-agnostic top-of-rack switch.  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

• 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

• TEST Embed SurveyGizmo Survey

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• Network engineers say wireless network privacy is misunderstood

  With high-profile security breaches and NSA snooping in the news, wireless network privacy has never been more misunderstood. Should users be concerned about Wi-Fi location-based services, and should the government get involved?  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

• Hybrid SDN is the gateway drug to the new network

  Enterprises aren't ready to revamp entire networks for SDN, but it's not a zero-sum game. A hybrid SDN strategy introduces it gradually or partially.  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

• Extreme's Purview draws application analytics from networks

  Purview, Extreme Networks' network-based application analytics engine, is the winner of this month's SearchNetworking's Network Innovation Award.  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

• Buying WAN optimization tools: What you need to know

  SearchNetworking's How to Buy series examines what you need to know before deploying WAN optimization technologies.  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

• As demands and devices multiply, high-density wireless gains traction

  As users crowd Wi-Fi networks with more devices, network managers are looking at high-density wireless designs to ensure unfettered access.  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

• When SDN meets cloud-managed Wi-Fi control, HotSpot 2.0 gets easier

  With Tallac Networks' technology, MSPs use a cloud-based SDN platform for Wi-Fi control and provisioning, and to simplify HotSpot 2.0 management.  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

• BYOD network design: Beyond iPhones and iPads

  Maintaining a BYOD network that enables a more open interpretation requires creative approaches to wireless network engineering.  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

• ENovance on why OpenStack public cloud is the telco platform of choice

  OpenStack's public cloud platform may be the way to go for telecom providers looking to enter the cloud, eNovance executives explain.  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

• Remote access for the iPad generation: Managed vs. cloud VPN services

  Mobile device capabilities have advanced rapidly, along with user expectations for remote access. Managed or cloud VPN services can help you keep up.  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

• Top WAN tips of 2013: 10 tips and tricks to keep your WAN afloat

  Looking for tips, tricks and advice to manage your wide area networks? Here are the top WAN how-to articles and videos of 2013.  Continue Reading

• Average networking salary below rest of IT, but few look for new gigs

  The average networking salary is $20,000 less than the average for all IT, but few networking pros seek new jobs, says a recent TechTarget survey.  Continue Reading

• HP FlexFabric 12900: Standards-based support for TRILL protocol, SDN

  HP's FlexFabric 12900 series, offers 36 Tbps of capacity on top of standards-based support for the TRILL protocol and OpenFlow 1.3.  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

• Hybrid cloud: Who's in control when public and private clouds collide?

  There's plenty of potential in unifying public and private cloud resources, but there are also hybrid cloud challenges that make the IT team question its role.  Continue Reading

• Is it time to switch service providers?

  Answer the questions in this flow chart to determine whether you're with the right WAN service provider or whether you should switch.  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

• Carrier cloud services: Do customers care if you own the network?

  With carrier cloud services, telcos can differentiate with their networks. Whether enterprises care remains to be seen.  Continue Reading

• Network Innovation Award: Polycom CloudAXIS extends video to browsers

  Polycom CloudAXIS, winner of SearchNetworking's Network Innovation Award, enables internal and external users to join video calls with just a browser.  Continue Reading

• The programmable WAN: Applications are boss and networks bend

  In the new programmable WAN, network hypervisors can provision virtual network segments on demand to support specific applications or sets of data.  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

• Is IT operational efficiency sexy enough to entice investment?

  Technologies like unified communications and SDN promise IT operational efficiency as a return on investment, but that can be difficult to measure.  Continue Reading

• Network Innovation Award: ExtraHop EH8000 for operational intelligence

  ExtraHop Networks is September's winner of SearchNetworking's Network Innovation Award for its operational intelligence platform, the EH8000.  Continue Reading

• Network infrastructure upgrade helps Denver Broncos score with fans

  The Denver Broncos kicked off the 2013 season by upgrading Web and Wi-Fi access at Sports Authority Field.  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

• CIOs are laying SDN plans, but slowly

  CIOs are taking SDN plans seriously, especially for virtualization and the cloud, but they’re waiting for the technology to mature.  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

• Network Innovation competition: Plexxi Inc.

  Plexxi Inc. is this month's recipient of SearchNetworking's Network Innovation Award for creating its innovative networking framework.  Continue Reading

• Vendor SDN certification programs emerge

  Experts and vendors maintain SDN certification programs are necessary for professionals looking to stay relevant in the networking space.  Continue Reading

• Survey shows providers to spend on networking hardware, evaluating SDN

  Providers plan to increase spending on conventional networking hardware, but few have adopted emerging technologies, a recent survey shows.  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

• Patent trolls invade the cloud: What the attack means for providers

  As a growing market with plenty of vulnerable startups and difficult-to-define technology, the cloud space is an ideal target for patent trolls.  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

• Network Innovation competition: Ixia IxNetwork 7.0

  Ixia is the May recipient of SearchNetworking's Network Innovation Award for creating its network performance assessment and emulation platform.  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

• WAN optimization policy goes deep: Think, user, time, location

  IT teams are setting WAN optimization policy that takes into account user, location and application type.  Continue Reading

• WAN security vendor: To go network hardware provider or third-party?

  Network hardware providers and third-party vendors have very different WAN security offerings. How do you choose?  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

• Exploring OpenFlow scalability in cloud provider data centers

  OpenFlow scalability questions remain as cloud providers consider the technology for their data centers.  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

• Network Innovation competition: Riverbed Cascade 10.0

  Riverbed Technology is the April recipient of SearchNetworking's award for creating its quality performance management application.  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

• Will the VMware-Cisco partnership become irrelevant?

  The VMware-Cisco relationship started out as a tech partnership but is turning into a war. Which company will control network virtualization and SDN?  Continue Reading

• Customers say ecosystems are top priority when choosing PaaS providers

  Customers said that the top reason they selected their current PaaS provider was that they valued its ecosystem, according a new TechTarget survey.  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

• As BYOD trend takes off, cloud providers see opportunity to add value

  IT departments often feel somewhat squeamish about data security issues with the BYOD trend, but that's where cloud providers can step in.  Continue Reading