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 […]

At the heart of every network is a router.  It’s a bit like a traffic policeman, making sure that inbound and outbound traffic ends up on the correct network and regulating the traffic flow so it conforms with Quality of Service and maximises traffic flow. An incorrectly configured router can seriously affect network performance and, […]

Organisations are now so reliant on the Internet for the conduct of their business that it is no longer a question of “Do we need an Internet Connection” to “What is the best connection for us”.  Loss of an Internet Connection can have a serious effect on business performance, and in the case of online […]

Application security policies have been receiving a lot of attention recently as part of an overall corporate security environment. They are required to cover both the applications development process to ensure that security aspects are properly considered in the design and development phases and that the operational environment is also secure. As you can see, […]

The evolution of IT network silos mirrors the development of IT networks over the last thirty years or so. Back in the day, networks were constructed on a hub and spoke model. The data centre providing IT advice and support lay at the centre, and a well-defined network edge was where the business units operating […]

Fibre optic networks are becoming the transmission medium of choice in today’s networks. The traditional copper-based cabling is on the way to not supporting the high-bandwidth requirements of multi-media sites. Coupled with its life span of about 10 to 15 years, many copper-based UTP installations are needing to be replaced or upgraded. A further motivator […]

As business networks have evolved, they have become increasingly complex as digital convergence requires that they support different applications, including data, voice, and other media content.  In addition, separate applications like CCTV and Access Management may also run on the same infrastructure. Network management from design and configuration onwards is no longer a simple task. […]

The current drive by the major network equipment manufacturers and software houses towards network automation is driven by several, potentially competing factors.   These factors include the inevitable budget pressure on IT departments to do more with less. Current pressures include moves towards a Cloud environment, and the demands of the mobile warrior who needs access […]

The big buzzword nowadays in IT is 5G.  Many companies are rushing pell-mell to tell everyone how much better their technologies will work under 5G.  However, a lot of this chatter is smoke and mirrors.  Part of the chatter that is not heard so much is that 5G is a migration, not an epoch-changing event […]