Tips

Tips

• How data center network fabric and SDN intersect

  SDN and data center network fabrics both enable converged networking and the ability to manage many switches as one. Where do the two intersect?  Continue Reading

• OpenStack vs. CloudStack: What's the best approach?

  When it comes to OpenStack vs. CloudStack, IT managers need to understand the difference between the open source cloud-computing management architectures.  Continue Reading

• Five ways applications benefit from enterprise WAN optimization

  These are five ways enterprise WAN optimization technology helps overcome productivity and application issues organizations face in today's workforce.  Continue Reading

• Application performance monitoring tools: Three vendor strategies

  Application performance monitoring tools match user transaction time to network flow information to identify problems. But APM tools differ widely.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Network functions virtualization primer: Software devices take over

  With network functions virtualization (NFV), engineers replace network devices with software on basic servers for flexibility and cost reduction.  Continue Reading

• Software defined networking security enables granular policy control

  Software defined networking introduces network programmability and granular traffic management, which could contribute to enhanced SDN security.  Continue Reading

• Promote cloud adoption with extensible, policy-driven cloud governance

  Providers can help enterprises tackle cloud governance by providing them the tools to create application-specific policies for dynamic environments.  Continue Reading

• Basic wide area network optimization techniques

  Adding bandwidth to your network does not always fix slow applications problems. Consider these WAN optimization techniques first.  Continue Reading

• Evaluating business and technology needs for a robust enterprise WLAN

  It is crucial to assess business and technology issues driving the need for a robust and capable enterprise WLAN to support a new mobile workforce.  Continue Reading

• Evaluating wireless LAN requirements: What to consider before buying

  When considering a WLAN solution for your enterprise, you'll have to start by assessing the wireless LAN requirements necessary.  Continue Reading

• Ten questions to ask WLAN vendors when evaluating WLAN solutions

  Once IT professionals have developed a mobility plan, it is crucial to address particular questions with WLAN vendors when assessing WLAN solutions.  Continue Reading

• RFP process steps for selecting network carriers and equipment vendors

  These RFP process steps detail everything organizations need to include in a request for proposal to new network carriers and equipment vendors.  Continue Reading

• Benefits of WLAN infrastructure as the primary access network

  Many companies see the benefits of WLAN infrastructure as primary access network, but some need it more than others. Understanding the gains is key.  Continue Reading

• Top 5 skills SDN vendors will be looking for

  One of SDN's pioneers, Nick McKeown, offers his advice about the top skills for a job in software-defined networking.  Continue Reading

• How to manage service providers on your own

  IT professionals who handle global networks need to know how to manage service provider relationships. This article explains how to be your own MSP.  Continue Reading

• WAN file protocol optimization: Three ways to accelerate CIFS and NFS

  View these three tips for accelerating file protocols CIFS and NFS over WAN.  Continue Reading

• Floodlight primer: An OpenFlow controller

  In software-defined networks, engineers use Floodlight controllers to manage physical and virtual devices -- and each traffic flow running between them.  Continue Reading

• QFX3500 vs. EX4550: Juniper's two top-of-rack switches

  Juniper's QFX3500 and EX4550 are both capable 10 Gigabit Ethernet, top-of-rack switches. Deciding which to buy may mean choosing between traditional and fabric architectures.  Continue Reading

• Pros and cons of mobile optimization and cloud optimization

  IT research analyst John Burke discusses the pros and cons of mobile optimization clients and cloud optimization services.  Continue Reading

• Three SSL acceleration questions answered

  SSL acceleration requires making changes to traditional WAN optimization tools so that they can read through encryption.  Continue Reading

• VXLAN monitoring: How to gain virtual network overlay visibility

  Network pros need VXLAN monitoring tools for new network overlays. Until these tools arrive, they'll have to adapt existing monitoring strategies.  Continue Reading

• IPv6-ready cloud providers have edge over competitors stuck in IPv4

  IPv6-ready cloud providers offer technology advantages to enterprises planning to deploy public or hybrid cloud services, according to an IPv6/cloud analysis.  Continue Reading

• Four ways providers can improve cloud computing energy efficiency

  Although environmental issues might not be a priority for some providers, improving cloud computing energy efficiency is a great operational strategy.  Continue Reading

• Ensuring wireless network optimization for application performance

  Wireless LANs are faster than ever, but engineers must still ensure wireless network optimization for maximum application performance.  Continue Reading

• Essential elements in an internal SLA

  An internal SLA helps enterprise IT teams set the parameters for Quality of Service and uptime.  Continue Reading

• Hardware vs. software WAN optimizers: Advantages and disadvantages of each form factor

  What are the advantages and disadvantages of hardware vs. software WAN optimizers? Find out in this tip.  Continue Reading

• Tools to improve wireless video performance

  Seeking to improve wireless video delivery? The answer could be in proprietary network enhancements and WLAN performance measurement tools.  Continue Reading

• WLAN design for optimized Wi-Fi video delivery

  Wi-Fi video can tax networks, so engineers should use a number of WLAN design tactics to optimize wireless video delivery for enterprise users.  Continue Reading

• Calculating mobile application bandwidth requirements

  Learn how to calculate the bandwidth of your mobile applications to determine your cost of wide area network operations.  Continue Reading

• Network traffic analysis in a virtualized environment

  There's no need to toss out SNMP, NetFlow and packet analysis when doing network traffic analysis in a virtualized environment.  Continue Reading

• OpenFlow tutorial for cloud providers

  In this OpenFlow tutorial, networking expert Tom Nolle shows how OpenFlow can be a competitive advantage and outlines steps for providers to test it.  Continue Reading

• Securing the Internet-connected branch office

  Consider appliance, cloud and hybrid approaches when you're deciding how to secure your Internet-connected branch office.  Continue Reading

• 10 essential questions to ask potential cloud computing vendors

  Cloud providers getting ready to make decisions on cloud infrastructure products should ask potential cloud computing vendors these 10 essential questions before buying.  Continue Reading

• Five challenges in private cloud networking

  To achieve application performance in private cloud networking, cloud networks must tackle dynamic address mapping and access security, creating several network challenges.  Continue Reading

• Cloud's dirty secret: Its effects on data center energy consumption

  Cramming scores of VMs onto fewer servers has its benefits, but it's not without drawbacks -- particularly in terms of data center energy consumption.  Continue Reading

• VPN UTM vendor comparison: Evaluating secure remote access features

  View this VPN UTM vendor comparison and understand how to manage your virtual private network infrastructure as part of a unified threat management solution.  Continue Reading

• Defining Workplace as a Service: Supporting BYOD customers with cloud

  The bring your own device (BYOD) trend has caught many enterprises off-guard, but cloud providers have an opportunity to present a solution: Workplace as a Service.  Continue Reading

• Where are top Internet service providers with IPv6?

  In light of World IPv6 Launch Day, we've investigated the top Internet service providers (ISPs) of the U.S. to determine where they are with IPv6 support.  Continue Reading

• Deep packet inspection vendors: Quite the diverse crew

  Deep packet inspection vendors can vary from traditional network infrastructure vendors to third-party specialists. Here we run down a smattering of providers and their offerings.  Continue Reading

• Deep packet inspection tools: Proxy vs. stream-based

  As more enterprises consider deep packet inspection tools, network managers must choose the technique that works best for them.  Continue Reading

• Selling SaaS: Evaluating DevOps tools and models for cloud providers

  Without using DevOps tools and principles, the task of building and sustaining SaaS applications can quickly create an operational nightmare for cloud providers.  Continue Reading

• Ethernet advantages and disadvantages for WAN connectivity

  Learn the advantages and disadvantages of Ethernet in WAN environments -- Ethernet advantages include low costs and disadvantages like more resources needed.  Continue Reading

• MPLS advantages and disadvantages for WAN connectivity

  MPLS advantages include reliability and quality of service (QoS) compared to other WAN connectivity options. Learn other pros and cons in this tip.  Continue Reading

• Is OpenStack architecture really the best choice to build IaaS clouds?

  The OpenStack architecture could alter the relationship between cloud computing and the network, but is it over-hyped? That is a critical question, but it's hard to answer.  Continue Reading

• The storage hypervisor: Virtualization is about more than the server

  Implementing a separate storage hypervisor can make it easier to manage both wide-scale storage virtualization and the server virtualization environment.  Continue Reading

• Improving cloud computing performance: A path for revenue growth

  Instead of seeing customers' cloud-computing-performance concerns as a barrier, providers should regard it as an opportunity to offer application acceleration services.  Continue Reading

• Myth vs. Reality: Cloud-managed Wireless LAN

  New cloud-managed wireless LAN services have many users wondering whether Wi-Fi management as a service is dependable. Wireless expert Lisa Phifer goes on a myth-busting mission.  Continue Reading

• Cisco Nexus 5596UP as a core switch: Design considerations

  The Cisco Nexus 5596UP switch may be a better replacement for the Catalyst 6500 as a network core switch than the Nexus 7000, but there are design challenges to consider before investing.  Continue Reading

• Cisco Nexus 5500: A viable core switch for the midsized enterprise?

  As virtualization and new storage arrays place greater demand on the network, engineers may find that the Cisco Nexus 5500 is a better core switch than the Cisco Catalyst 6509.  Continue Reading

• Cloud storage management: It's more than just capacity planning

  Enterprises are eying cloud storage to support ongoing data growth. This presents a clear opportunity for providers, but only if they can master cloud storage management.  Continue Reading

• Leasing data center space: How it may affect cloud service delivery

  Rather than spend millions building out their own facilities, more cloud providers and MSPs are choosing to lease data center space. But how will that affect service delivery?  Continue Reading

• How to optimize voice over WAN

  Enterprises must learn how to architect their wide area networks in order to optimize voice over WAN environments.  Continue Reading

• How to use iPerf to measure throughput

  Learn how to use iPerf, a network testing tool to measure throughput and benchmark your WAN links.  Continue Reading

• How to calculate the cost of VPN links

  Do you need to upgrade the bandwidth of your virtual private network (VPN)? Calculating link capacity will help control the cost of VPN links.  Continue Reading

• Hardware vs. software VPNs: Choose the right enterprise solution

  Deciding between hardware vs. software VPNs is the first step in narrowing down the best VPN solution for your enterprise.  Continue Reading

• How to design and tune a WLAN to support mobile VDI clients

  In order to support tablets and smartphones as mobile VDI clients, engineers will have to build WLANs with plenty of bandwidth and as little interference as possible.  Continue Reading

• Testing VDI network performance to avoid application meltdown

  Ensuring VDI network performance is central to providing a good VDI user experience, so engineers must start by testing the impact of VDI on bandwidth and traffic flow.  Continue Reading

• Cloud access: Alternatives to Internet connectivity

  The Internet's unreliability and questionable security keep many enterprises from adopting cloud services. But companies can consider these alternative cloud access options.  Continue Reading

• First-hop security in IPv6

  Understand the concept of first-hop security and the challenge of trying to apply the techniques currently enforced in IPv4 networks to emerging IPv6 deployments.  Continue Reading

• Optimizing network performance for WLAN real-time applications

  Transitioning to WLAN calls for network infrastructure upgrades, making supporting real-time applications tricky. This guide explains strategies for optimizing network performance.  Continue Reading

• Private cloud network VLAN problems: Is OpenFlow the answer?

  In order to create dynamic private cloud networks, engineers will turn to software-defined networking and control planes that integrate virtual and physical switching.  Continue Reading

• The art of cloud balancing: Interconnect data centers to be one cloud

  Cost-effectively load balancing, or "cloud balancing," traffic among multiple data centers carries implications for cloud provider networks, storage and management.  Continue Reading

• Hadoop enables distributed 'big data' processing across clouds

  The Hadoop framework enables distributed 'big data' processing across servers that can improve application performance and offer up redundancy.  Continue Reading

• Video conferencing bandwidth requirements for the WAN

  In this tip, learn to calculate video conferencing bandwidth requirements for all of the sites in your company across the enterprise wide area network (WAN).  Continue Reading

• Ping latency test results: How slow is your WAN link?

  Understand your ping latency test results to determine whether your WAN link needs WAN optimization, QoS or other technologies.  Continue Reading

• IPv6 firewall security: Fixing issues introduced by the new protocol

  As IPv6 gets rolled out on enterprise WANs, so will IPv6 firewalls. However, IT should be aware of IPv6 security loopholes to adequately protect WANs.  Continue Reading

• Preparing your WAN for 10 GbE implementation

  Where can 10 GbE be used in a wide area network (WAN) and how can you prepare the WAN for such an implementation? Read this article to find out.  Continue Reading

• Measuring WAN Latency

  In this tip, learn how to measure wide area network (WAN) latency to determine whether the WAN is the source of network slowness complaints.  Continue Reading

• Cloud automation, orchestration vital to run seamless cloud services

  The need for cloud automation and orchestration in complex, on-demand environments is a critical issue that affects cloud providers of every size.  Continue Reading

• NVGRE standard primer: More VLANs and isolated tenants in the cloud

  Microsoft's NVGRE standard offers competition to VMware's VXLAN standard, promising to create more VLANs that stretch across Layers 2 and 3 for multi-tenant cloud networks.  Continue Reading

• Cloud computing server architecture: Designing for cloud efficiency

  Optimizing cloud computing server architecture requires cloud providers to classify applications by their resource needs and evaluate them against their cloud business plans.  Continue Reading

• VDI over WAN: Performance preparations

  Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) over WAN environments causes slow performance. To prepare your WAN, learn in this tip how to monitor traffic and update your network design.  Continue Reading

• Storage virtualization benefits and challenges: A primer

  Storage virtualization benefits abound, but along with the ability to implement dynamic storage provisioning for the cloud come some complications…including latency.  Continue Reading

• Using QoS to limit bandwidth

  Quality of Service may be the simplest and cheapest fix to a real-time application performance problem. Learn in this tip how using QoS to limit bandwidth can decongest WAN links.  Continue Reading

• VXLAN standard primer: Extended VLANs, long-distance VM migration

  The VXLAN standard aims to solve the long-distance VM migration dilemma by enabling extended VLANs across geographically dispersed data centers for a multi-tenant cloud network.  Continue Reading

• Identifying flexible cloud technology models: A primer

  Until the perfect cloud technology model is identified, providers are building services using servers, storage, software and networking tools that give them the most flexibility.  Continue Reading

• Cloud infrastructure services: Balancing high availability and cost

  Building cloud infrastructure services to high-availability (five 9s) standards will make them too complex and expensive. Ivan Pepelnjak looks for a reliable compromise.  Continue Reading

• Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) challenges over the WAN

  Many virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) challenges present themselves over wide area networks (WANs). Here is how you can prepare your WAN for VDI while the technology matures.  Continue Reading

• vSwitch architecture best practices

  vSwitch architecture varies depending on the type of traffic being managed and how many physical NICs are connected. Learn these best practices.  Continue Reading

• vSphere vSwitch primer: Design considerations

  It takes the right kind of vSphere vSwitch design to implement segmentation for traffic manageability, security, redundancy and failover in a virtual environment.  Continue Reading

• Network energy efficiency starts in the LAN closet

  Many look to data center servers and storage to cut power use, but network energy efficiency can start inside the LAN closet with switches, routers and security devices.  Continue Reading

• Virtualization security challenges are plentiful: What's the answer?

  The network plays a role in addressing virtualization security challenges, but typical firewalls are not necessarily part of the solution.  Continue Reading

• Best practices for connecting virtualization hosts to DMZ networks

  DMZ networks can be used to protect virtualization hosts, but best practices must be considered, including combing virtual and physical firewalls and locking down virtual switches.  Continue Reading

• How to connect virtual environments to DMZ network architecture

  Connecting virtualized environments to DMZ network architecture creates new challenges. Network managers must learn new design methodologies to protect virtual traffic in the DMZ.  Continue Reading

• Mobile Wi-Fi hotspots for the enterprise

  Businesses have taken notice of the mobile Wi-Fi hotspots trend and have invested in mobile hotspot devices. Question is, which of several options is most suitable for business?  Continue Reading

• Enterprise energy management: IT and building management systems meet

  As IP-based building management systems emerge, networking teams will control integrated IT and building resources as part of an overall enterprise energy management strategy.  Continue Reading

• New service needs drive changes to telecom data center architecture

  The need to deliver content, mobile and cloud services and compete with OTT providers is driving a three-phase change to telecom data center architecture for network operators.  Continue Reading

• How does your WAN intersect cloud services?

  Where is the line between cloud service and the wide area network? In this tip, Tom Nolle breaks down information flows to recommend the best WAN connectivity for cloud computing.  Continue Reading

• How to integrate your WAN with Internet cloud services

  Learn what issues are involved with integrating your wide area network (WAN) with Internet cloud services and how to solve problems around Internet-based cloud services.  Continue Reading

• Three business drivers promote operator cloud/network integration

  Three technology and business drivers provide the impetus for network operators to work toward tight cloud and network integration to monetize expensive and valuable network assets.  Continue Reading

• Understanding gigabit Wireless LAN: 802.11ac and 802.11ad

  Just when enterprises are getting comfortable with 802.11n technology, enter gigabit wireless LAN standards 802.11ad and 802.11ac, which could produce draft products in a year.  Continue Reading

• How to build a scalable IaaS cloud network infrastructure

  Attempts to scale Infrastructure as a Service cloud network infrastructure often involves workarounds, but providers should look to IP-over-IP transport and invest in design.  Continue Reading

• Managing virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) traffic over the WAN

  Organizations must understand how virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) traffic behaves over the WAN before deploying VDI to ensure an optimal end-user experience.  Continue Reading

• Controlling embedded Wi-Fi device access

  Enterprise IT shops are finding themselves using WPA2-Personal and other authentication methods to manage embedded Wi-Fi devices on the WLAN.  Continue Reading

• Virtual branch office in a box (vBOB) devices may replace hardware

  As you introduce your enterprise WAN to virtualization, a virtual branch office in a box (vBOB) may take shape in remote offices. Learn in this tip how BOBs are being reinvented.  Continue Reading

• Wireless LAN access control: Managing users and their devices

  Wireless LAN access control may not be as simple as 802.1X authentication. Network managers will have to shoot for policy creation, device fingerprinting and network integration.  Continue Reading

• Planning a virtualization firewall strategy

  Creating a virtualization firewall strategy entails determining exactly how you want to protect your virtual environments and then implementing firewall segmentation for security.  Continue Reading

• Virtual network appliances: Benefits and drawbacks

  There's lots of talk about network virtualization benefits, but are virtual network appliances all they're cracked up to be? Only in some scenarios.  Continue Reading

• Unified threat management (UTM) features needed for Internet security

  In order to deliver the best and broadest Internet security and WAN access to your users, you must evaluate UTM features, or unified threat management appliance features -- like the ones discussed in this tip -- to evaluate which product is best for...  Continue Reading