Tips

Tips

• Diagrams - part 2

  Combining logical and physical components on your network diagrams can be confusing, but by layering your diagrams you can represent everything on one diagram.  Continue Reading

• Keep networks healthy with patch management

  A vigorous patch management process, supported by powerful, centralized tools can go a long way toward ensuring the health of a network far into the future.  Continue Reading

• MPLS Versus IPSEC VPNs: Which one is right for you

  An examination of the similarities and differences between IPSEC and MPLS and some insight as to when one should be used over the other.  Continue Reading

• What if your network purchase is faulty?

  This tip explores your options when hardware or software fails.  Continue Reading

• Guide to network administration

  Here we've outlined the main topics and offer our best information in each area of network administration.  Continue Reading

• Tracking to ensure failover

  Using SAAs tracking feature to ensure that your routers use the best traffic route.  Continue Reading

• Network diagrams and documentation: Part 1

  Network diagrams and documentation are the topics of this tip on keeping your network organized.  Continue Reading

• Network management is critical to systems integration

  One of the most critical, yet often overlooked, components to effective systems integration is network management.  Continue Reading

• Cutting remote access costs while increasing productivity

  Companies with growing mobile workforces can gain strategic advantage by adopting a managed services model to enable convenient-yet-secure remote access.  Continue Reading

• Integrating RADIUS with an MSSP's remote access VPN

  Network security expert Lisa Phifer addresses the integration of RADIUS with an MSSP's remote access VPN.  Continue Reading

• The promise of application-aware SSL VPNs

  Application-aware SSL VPNs mitigate the risks of SSL VPNs while harnessing the benefits.  Continue Reading

• VLAN security

  There is more to VLAN security than you think.  Continue Reading

• Tools for VoIP planning, monitoring and management

  A look at some of the tools available for VoIP planning, monitoring and management.  Continue Reading

• Total print management

  Some hints for managing your network printers and also what to look for in management software.  Continue Reading

• Router Expert: Implementing IOS async terminal services

  This is the first of a two-part series on implementing an asynchronous serial line terminal.  Continue Reading

• VPNs then and now: IPsec and MPLS

  A brief history of VPN technologies and how they have changed in recent years.  Continue Reading

• Securing VoIP networks with defense in depth

  To ensure secure, reliable voice communications and reap the benefits of convergence, corporations must understand the security risks and formulate strategies to mitigate them.  Continue Reading

• Fun with mail servers

  Well, maybe not fun. This tip takes a look at all the ways Spammers will try to attack your mail servers.  Continue Reading

• Why SANs still aren't simple

  We still aren't at the point where you can just drop in a SAN and have it work. SANs need planning and know-how. Jon Toigo tells us what happens when you forget those two things.  Continue Reading

• Client-side security considerations for SSL VPNs

  Clientless SSL VPNs may be attractive for their lack of software, but they still require client-side security measures.  Continue Reading

• Optimizing Internet bandwidth with link load balancing

  Learn how link load balancing can provide an efficient, cost-effective, and easy-to-use solution to maximize utilization of Internet access.  Continue Reading

• Wireless standards update

  Today's hot topic -- wireless technologies. With all the new technologies, security concerns and hot spots popping up all over, it's time to take look at wireless landscape.  Continue Reading

• Network security, quiz: Lessons 1 - 4

  Did you find our Administrator Academy lessons on network security useful? Take this quiz to see what you learned.  Continue Reading

• What you need from your routers in today's network environment

  As we push toward IP network environments, multi-functional routers offer many benefits.  Continue Reading

• The standard work area

  As we continue our standards series let's look at why work areas need to conform to standards too.  Continue Reading

• MHSRP - Multi-group Hot Standby Router Protocol

  How to use MHSRP to easily distribute your T-1 traffic over two routers.  Continue Reading

• 10 steps to secure instant messaging

  If you have or are considering deploying IM system in your corporate communication infrastructure, this tip offers you guidelines for keeping it secure.  Continue Reading

• The 10 truths of network troubleshooting

  Need to put a hard day spent analyzing your network in perspective? Read Laura Chappell's troubleshooting truths - you'll be able to relate!  Continue Reading

• VoIP security

  A look at some of the security threats to VoIP and where to look for help.  Continue Reading

• Time is of the essence in analysis

  If you've ever resized your analyzer's summary window to move time columns out of sight -- stop! Time can help you evaluate performance and spot serious network errors.  Continue Reading

• Ports to watch

  Here's a list of some port numbers that you should watch carefully. They are often associated with lax security and security breaches.  Continue Reading

• WLAN security: Beyond the VPN

  Wired networks have used virtual private networks (VPNs) to secure transactions across this edge, but this approach has its limitations.  Continue Reading

• Advanced packet filtering

  In this article, Laura Chappell shows you the steps required to build an advanced filter using the Sniffer Pro.  Continue Reading

• IEEE standards update

  This tip focuses on updates to the IEEE's network cabling standards that falls under the category of Information Technology.  Continue Reading

• 802.1x - not just for wireless?

  A look at how you can use 802.1x protocol to authenticate on a LAN.  Continue Reading

• With friends like these, you don't need enemies

  Antivirus advertising adds to the workload of network administrators.  Continue Reading

• Router Expert: IOS Secure Shell support

  This article focuses on the SSH1 implementation and operation and looks at potential security problems supported on IOS-based devices.  Continue Reading

• Sluggish long, fat networks

  Your slow networks might not be the network's fault. You might need to check your servers.  Continue Reading

• Ethernet splitters

  A look at Ethernet splitters and some of their uses.  Continue Reading

• Bottom up approach to network troubleshooting

  Last week we covered the top down approach to troubleshooting, this week we look at bottom up network troubleshooting.  Continue Reading

• Cooking with Cisco: Frame Relay traffic shaping

  This article shows how to use Frame Relay traffic shaping to ensure that the router doesn't overrun the capacity of the individual PVCs in a Frame Relay WAN.  Continue Reading

• The network's down - Top down approach to troubleshooting

  This article explains some of the methodologies used in using the top down approach to network troubleshooting.  Continue Reading

• Convergence timers and network design

  The interrelation of the network protocols that operate at different layers is an overlooked aspect of network design.  Continue Reading

• Basic packet filtering

  Laura Chappell discusses the basics of address filters, protocol filters, and data set filters.  Continue Reading

• Logical Fault Isolation in six steps

  A handy list of steps to solving complex networking problems, complete with an easy to remember acronym.  Continue Reading

• Three essential ingredients for network integrity

  Yankee Group analyst Eric Ogren says it's time to shift our thinking about network security from a defensive, attack-centric approach to a proactive, access-centric approach.  Continue Reading

• Network auto discovery and diagramming

  Microsoft's Visio, a diagramming package, is also available in an Enterprise edition that can do discovery as well.  Continue Reading

• Kicking the tires - Know what you're buying

  A brief look at the components of a network and some key points of interest.  Continue Reading

• Measuring network throughput in Unix

  Some useful utilities for measuring throughput in Unix.  Continue Reading

• Building an incident report

  A look at the essential elements of an incident report.  Continue Reading

• Looking for trouble: ICMP and IP statistics to watch

  EtherPeek's Summary Statistics window lets you easily identify network scans (ping, ARP, TCP, and UDP) and OS fingerprinting on the network.  Continue Reading

• Shrinking backup windows

  New options are available for those enterprises that are finding nights and weekend backup diminishing.  Continue Reading

• Airespace 4000 wireless switch and Airespace 1200 access point

  This Tolly Group report, commisioned by Airespace, tests the Airespace 4000 wireless switch and Airespace 1200 access point in regard to quality of service for VoIP over Wi-Fi.  Continue Reading

• 3Com Switch 7700 Layer 2 Gigabit Ethernet competitive benchmark versus Cisco Systems' Catalyst 4507R

  3Com Corp. commissioned The Tolly Group to evaluate its Switch 7700R against two switches from Cisco Systems, Inc. -- the Catalyst 4507R and the Catalyst 6509.  Continue Reading

• Intel IXP425/IXP420 network processors and performance analysis of 802.11 broadband routers and acce

  Intel Corp. commissioned The Tolly Group to benchmark the performance of several 802.11 wireless gateways that utilize the Intel IXP425 and the Intel IXP420 network processors.  Continue Reading

• Computer Networks: A Systems Approach, Chapter 1

  This chapter identifies the key metrics that are used to evaluate the performance of computer networks.  Continue Reading

• Getting DNS statistics and information

  A command line tool that can help you diagnose DNS issues.  Continue Reading

• Cisco IOS disaster recovery

  This article explains how to recover from a bad IOS upgrade.  Continue Reading

• Router Expert: More cool IOS commands - Implementing r-command support

  This month we discuss implementing IOS r-command support and an alternative to Virtual TTY (VTY) CLI access.  Continue Reading

• Snapfiles

  A look at some of the downloadable tools available at Snapfiles.  Continue Reading

• Working with Linux log files

  An overview of the Linux log files and some of the commands that you can use to manipulate them.  Continue Reading

• Understanding the wireless landscape, part 1

  In her latest tip, mobile wireless expert Lisa Phifer breaks down wireless technologies by category according to distance and intended use.  Continue Reading

• Understanding the wireless landscape, part 2

  Part 2 of Lisa Phifer's comparison of wireless technologies.  Continue Reading

• Outsourcing license management

  Consider outsourcing license management as a way to offload one of the more tedious and time consuming network manager responsibilities.  Continue Reading

• Performance command line utilities

  When network issues arise, you can get quick help from these command line utilities.  Continue Reading

• Network Analysis, Architecture and Design: Chapter 1

  Chapter 1 introduces the analysis, architecture, and design processes.  Continue Reading

• Case study: How NetIQ secured low-cost mobile access

  NetIQ Corp., like many midsized companies, faced the challenge of patching together secure, reliable and low-cost wireless coverage for its mobile workers.  Continue Reading

• Router Expert: Cool IOS commands

  Michael covers IOS image and router config files, default bootstrap behavior, alternative IOS and config loading options, and Internetworking File System (IFS) file mgmt tools.  Continue Reading

• Bandwidth management solutions

  Some ways to manage your bandwidth, whether you have money to spend or not.  Continue Reading

• Command line performance utilities

  Utilities for managing performance counters.  Continue Reading

• ROI/TCO fruit salad

  This guide is designed to help you make sense of ROI and TOC.  Continue Reading

• Log monitoring with swatch

  A tool to search log files for interesting stuff.  Continue Reading

• Network Security: The Complete Reference

  Chapter 10 - Network Device Security  Continue Reading

• Scan for your open ports

  Tools for port scanning.  Continue Reading

• Security - Managing the unmanageable

  Network column by expert Carrie Higbie on managing security and security policies.  Continue Reading

• Network auditing with dsniff 2.3

  A tool for monitoring and managing traffic.  Continue Reading

• Designing Network Security, Chapter 5

  This chapter helps you identify which areas of the network are more susceptible to network intruders and who is the common attacker.  Continue Reading

• The shutdown event tracker

  What it is and how it helps.  Continue Reading

• Router Expert: The router is the firewall, part 4 - - Implementing IOS Authentication Proxy

  This month we will focus on Authentication Proxy (AP).  Continue Reading

• No more polluted caches!

  Why it happens, and how to stop it.  Continue Reading

• Understanding denial-of-service attacks

  Mike Paquette of Top Layer Networks explains DoS attacks in this interview.  Continue Reading

• Manage your authorizations

  How to use the MMC snap-in for managing authorizations.  Continue Reading

• Shoot the messenger

  How to turn Windows Messenger applications off.  Continue Reading

• Ten steps to a holistic secure messaging strategy

  Jim Reavis offered ten tips for a holistic secure messaging strategy at Security Decisions.  Continue Reading

• IM policy management

  Instant messaging security has often been neglected in most organizations, writing it into a security policy is usually a good start.  Continue Reading

• Get a little backbone

  High-speed backbone even in small networks can increase throughput.  Continue Reading

• Get the spam out of here!

  Spam is becoming a serious problem -- for security administrators. Here are some tips to solve the problem.  Continue Reading

• Router Expert: Configuring CBAC - Policy configuration and CBAC implementation

  In this tip we focus on policy configuration and CBAC implementation on IOS FFS capable routers.  Continue Reading

• The importance of securing the backup and restore networks

  The importance of securing the backup and restore networks  Continue Reading

• What's up? Get a general network audit

  What it should contain.  Continue Reading

• Some useful server resource tools

  What's available on Microsoft.com.  Continue Reading

• Backup basics: Three backup plans

  Backup basics: Three backup plans  Continue Reading

• Virtual LANs -- Basics

  A decade ago, a simple switch was something that only large companies with big budgets could afford, while the rest with tight budgets were left with hubs as their only affordable solution to interconnect their local networks. One of the most ...  Continue Reading

• Troubleshoot your DHCP setup

  How to troubleshoot DHCP.  Continue Reading

• Designing a backup architecture that actually works

  When it comes to effectily backup design, there are four basic options to choose from: LAN-based, LAN-free, client-free and server-free backup. W. Curtis Preston details each.  Continue Reading

• Router Expert: Configuring firewall active access control

  Expert Michael Martin examines active network access control and describes instances where "active" access control is needed to control access to the network.  Continue Reading

• Calculate the cost of downtime (ROI calculator)

  Calculate the value of your network time and define how much money you can save by fixing network problems quickly and efficiently using a network analyzer.  Continue Reading

• Building VPNs: With IPSec and MPLS - Chapter 1

  Chapter 1 addresses three types of VPNs: remote access, site-to-site, and firewall-based (a site-to-site variation).  Continue Reading

• Watch out for loopbacks

  Troubleshooting loopback problems.  Continue Reading

• Analyzing your network: Statistical monitoring vs. real-time performance

  Here's a look at some pros and cons of using prior statistics to make management decisions for future planning and we'll take a look at some alternatives.  Continue Reading