Back in the day, network management was a resource-hungry tedious process.  Network topology and equipment configuration was manual, usually through a command-line interface.  Today, with ever-more complex networks supporting more types of traffic, there isn’t the luxury of time for box-by-box network configuration and management. The current move to Software-Defined Networks (“SDN”), with the ultimate […]

The stampede to the cloud is well underway, both as the implementation of cloud principles in-house or moving to an outsourced managed service provider. In all cases, one concern is that of taking reusable backups as part of normal operations and as part of a business continuity plan. The first question to answer is to […]

Network users need consistency.  A network where response times vary from lightning-fast to “go get a coffee while the screen loads” is one guaranteed to bring complaints.  Networks are at the core of most business operations. Slow, unresponsive networks can reduce business efficiencies and prevent them from attaining an edge over their competition. Networks are […]

One of the more exciting developments in the normally staid world of networking has been the Internet of Things. (“IoT”) means different things to different people, but in essence, is the prospect of connecting everything digital to everything else digital.  A digital representation of Jung’s collective subconscious perhaps. The number of devices has been growing […]

Most major network suppliers including Cisco and HP have taken up the concept of the Software-Defined Network (“SDN”), intending to move to a full-blown Intent-Based Network (“IBN”) in the future. Simply put, an SDN reduces the capital and operational costs of network infrastructure by automating the basic configuration and management of the network. This moves […]

As networks have grown more complex, the need for network automation tools has become more necessary. On one side, the need for advanced network management and security skills has increased the IT budget, at the same time as management has exerted downward pressure on budgets. One option is outsourcing, which has the benefit of fixing […]

Preventing unauthorised access to corporate networks is a major priority for most network managers. A firewall is an essential brick in the wall against hackers, and network managers need to pay close attention to it.  Changes in network organisation, updates to existing systems and introduction of new applications can all change the optimal configuration of […]

A key element of the management environment in any IT Networking scenario is the ability to manage and monitor network activity. It is usually split into two main areas, network security and network performance management. To be sure there are areas where requirements will overlap, and information from one may trigger activity in the other.  […]

A Content Delivery Network (“CDN”) is a network of proxy servers and data centres, specifically designed to provide high availability and performance for delivery of Internet content.  Initially mainly confined to media content delivery, their scope has expanded to other types of Internet content. They are frequently used by e-commerce vendors and media companies, who […]

Recently, WiFi has moved from large corporate environments to implementation of home networks for home and small business offices, domestic internet connections and other IP based applications such as home security and CCTV. Network designers need to keep some practical issues in mind when designing WiFi implementations. There are no real shortcuts to a good […]