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Managing Internet of Things risks
This week, bloggers explore management for Internet of Things risks, layered protocol stacks and TELoIP's SD-WAN offering.
Gartner analyst Drue Reeves recently explored ways to mitigate security threats associated with Internet of Things risks. Among other steps needed to diminish Internet of Things risks, Reeves highlighted the need for circuit breakers, or other fail-safes that should be engineered in IoT systems. He noted the potential for "catastrophic events" in environments driven by machine learning algorithms and fully automated systems that can take actions based on real-time data streams in a matter of seconds.
To address Internet of Things risks, Reeves said he believes fail-safes are an absolute necessity. But how should they be implemented? He said shutting down machine learning and prescriptive analytics may be a first step, followed by cutting off streaming and ingestion processing engines. Additionally, IoT environments can be strengthened by adding software gates, anomaly detection software and putting in place software-based "dead man's" switches. As a last resort, IT teams can simply cut power to their devices.
Read more of Reeves' thoughts on Internet of Things risks.
The evolving layered protocol stack
Ethereal Mind blogger and network expert Greg Ferro explained the evolution of layered protocol stacks in a recent post. He said because of the rigidity of the IPv4 protocol, IPv6 adoption has slowed owing to a bottleneck that allows change in some levels, but not others. Change is easier in Layers 5, 6 and 7, but it's much more challenging in Layers 1 and 2.
According to Ferro, the IP stack has an architecture that resembles an hourglass, with protocols at the "waist" that are increasingly "ossified" and frozen in place. Ferro proposed a similar, but different model for understanding things through the more abstract EvoArch model. In the model, protocols compete with each other on the same layers, and gain prominence and value through higher-layer applications. According to Ferro, although EvoArch has a similar hourglass structure, it is more robust, and thus could provide the foundation for more competitive protocols and services.
Explore more of Ferro's thoughts on the evolution of the IP stack.
Prepackaged SD-WAN coming to a reseller near you?
According to Packet Pushers blogger Drew Conry-Murray, resellers should be on the lookout for SD-WAN offerings from TELoIP Inc. The company, based in Mississauga, Ont., vends prepackaged SD-WAN to managed service providers and recently released its Virtual Intelligent Network Overlay (VINO) WAN product. The new product is intended to support remote and branch-office connectivity.
Conry-Murray noted that in crowded SD-WAN marketplace, TELoIP is taking the lead in selling to providers -- in a similar way as Versa Networks. VINO is based on x86 boxes manufactured in Taiwan, with a rated throughput of 50 Mbps. Conry-Murray added that VINO includes multiple matching circuits -- such as broadband and 3G/4G -- easy tie-ins with the overlay network, and supports virtualized functions, firewalling and encryption.
Learn more about Conry-Murray's thoughts on TELoIP.
