Network infrastructure
Network hardware and physical appliances, such as routers, switches, gateways, hubs and bridges, serve as the vital foundation of network infrastructure. Common network protocols and more emergent network software also play major roles in any architecture. While networking has shifted to software-centric principles, see how traditional network infrastructure keeps pace.
Top Stories
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Feature
10 Dec 2024
The business case for AI-driven network orchestration
Organizations that are considering AI-driven network orchestration will find it has many business cases -- chief among them are reduced Opex and efficient resource use. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Dec 2024
The purpose of route poisoning in networking
Route poisoning is an effective way of stopping routers from sending data packets across bad links and stop routing loops. This limits delays and creates a more stable network. Continue Reading
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News
18 Sep 2019
Wi-Fi Certified 6 launches new era for wireless connectivity
The Wi-Fi 6 wireless standard is now ready for deployment, thanks to the debut of a certification effort that helps guarantee interoperability. Continue Reading
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News
17 Sep 2019
Arista CloudVision 2019 from Arista Networks advances visibility
Arista Networks upgraded its network monitoring and management platform with new features that help automate and improve change management as well as visibility. Continue Reading
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News
17 Sep 2019
Cisco acquisitions in 2019 bolster service provider strategy
Cisco acquisitions in 2019 and 2018 include three that show the company preparing for when carriers will increase spending to ready networks for next-generation business services. Continue Reading
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Answer
13 Sep 2019
Bridge vs. switch comparison: What's the difference?
A network bridge connects two local area networks. A network switch, on the other hand, connects multiple clients to a network. Learn more about these two network components. Continue Reading
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News
12 Sep 2019
F5 Networks updates NGINX Application Platform, other tools
Updates include improved security and observability features, a new developer portal, API importing and improved analytics and configuration management. Continue Reading
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News
11 Sep 2019
CenturyLink acquires Streamroot, adding P2P CDN capabilities
Peer-to-peer content delivery network technology from Streamroot will enable CenturyLink to reach underserved areas and offer more services to customers. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Sep 2019
5G frequency spectrum forces new look at coverage strategies
New 5G frequency allocations will help make it an amazing technology, but it will also force a rethinking of how those signals are transmitted. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Sep 2019
How network standards and open source organizations differ
Both open source and network standards organizations want to develop the next-generation network. Yet their methods differ, and they can benefit different types of organizations. Continue Reading
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Tip
06 Sep 2019
Understanding why IPv6 renumbering problems occur
IPv6 renumbering can be a challenge, especially if a host using SLAAC obtains stale prefixes. But there are steps you can take to reduce your vulnerability. Continue Reading
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Tip
06 Sep 2019
5G vs. LTE: Comparing speed, spectrum and latency
The debate between 5G and LTE largely comes down to speed and spectrum. But latency and wired network implications are also important differentiators. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Sep 2019
The benefits of Wi-Fi 6 and how to prepare for them
In order to glean the benefits of Wi-Fi 6, enterprises first need to determine the best steps for a migration strategy. Two key steps are implementing more power and faster uplinks. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Sep 2019
How client VPN technologies will evolve with AI and automation
With help from artificial intelligence and automation, client VPN technologies could innovate the way they handle data flows within hybrid cloud environments. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Aug 2019
Ciena's Blue Planet automation suite wins TechTarget award
Ciena's Blue Planet software suite has won SearchNetworking's Network Innovation Award for enabling intelligent automation and network service orchestration across large, multivendor networks. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Aug 2019
Gartner report provides reality check on the 5G hype
The next generation of cellular technology, 5G, is nearing peak hype status, according to a Gartner report. But real, widespread adoption is still several years away. Continue Reading
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Answer
27 Aug 2019
What hyper-converged network details should I consider?
No longer a second-class citizen to compute and storage, networking is now integral to most HCIs. Keep in mind certain networking facts when adopting hyper-convergence, however. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Aug 2019
Travel tech company revs up Wi-Fi performance with analytics
TravelTab needed to find a way to improve its Wi-Fi performance so it could better anticipate customer demands and bandwidth requirements. Analytics software from Aerohive helped. Continue Reading
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Feature
22 Aug 2019
Gartner Hype Cycle deems software-defined networking obsolete
A Gartner report on enterprise networking has declared the definition of SDN and its architectural approach as deceased. Cause of death? Well, the hype didn't help. Continue Reading
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News
19 Aug 2019
IT favors open source networking over Cisco ACI, VMware NSX
Companies are turning to open source network automation tools as less expensive, good-enough alternatives to Cisco ACI and VMware NSX. Continue Reading
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Answer
16 Aug 2019
What is 5G massive MIMO and how can it boost bandwidth?
With a large array of small antennas and time division duplex communication, 5G massive MIMO is expected to support more bandwidth and users with lower latency. Continue Reading
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News
15 Aug 2019
Cisco faces sales slump amid Chinese tariffs, falling SP revenues
Cisco forecast weak revenue growth in the current quarter, as service provider sales fell and product orders were flat. The company also reported being shut out of China. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Aug 2019
Achieve network perimeter security through deep segmentation
Firewall effectiveness is in deep decline, but there's still a way to create an effective security perimeter through the practice of deep segmentation. Learn how. Continue Reading
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Answer
07 Aug 2019
What effect will 400 GbE have on enterprise networks?
400 Gigabit Ethernet is the next hurdle for Ethernet capabilities to surpass. But enterprises may not be prepared for this technology yet, due to its immaturity. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Aug 2019
6 steps to a successful network disaster recovery plan
Don't wait until disaster strikes to consider network resiliency and recovery. Use these six practical steps to build a network disaster recovery plan that fits your business needs. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Jul 2019
Industry grapples with new Wi-Fi naming conventions
What's in a name? As the industry gets accustomed to the WFA's new Wi-Fi naming conventions, networking pros discuss pros and cons -- and when to use Wi-Fi 6 vs. 802.11ax. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Jul 2019
Pros and cons of buying used networking equipment on eBay
To buy or not to buy used networking equipment on eBay, that is the question. Here are the pros and cons, as well as best practices for making a gray market purchase. Continue Reading
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Answer
31 Jul 2019
What is the difference between TCP/IP model vs. OSI model?
Use this expert advice to learn the differences between the TCP/IP model vs. the OSI model, and explore how they relate to each other in network communications. Continue Reading
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News
30 Jul 2019
VMware acquisition of Uhana bolsters 5G offering to carriers
The VMware acquisition of Uhana adds AI-driven network automation to VMware's virtualization platform for carriers. VMware competes against IBM's Red Hat. Continue Reading
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News
25 Jul 2019
Arrcus upgrades ArcOS to support Jericho2-based routers
Arrcus' latest version of ArcOS supports Broadcom's Jericho2 chipset for switches and routers aimed at 5G networks, hyperscale cloud and the edge. Continue Reading
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News
23 Jul 2019
Verizon, Equinix cooperate on SDI to colo data centers
Verizon is offering a software-defined interconnection to Equinix colo data centers. The Verizon-Equinix service is an alternative to a physical network connection. Continue Reading
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Answer
23 Jul 2019
What steps should I take in the event of a network failure?
Don't panic when the network goes down. Instead, use this checklist to go through five factors that could cause network failure, and follow tips on how to plan for them in advance. Continue Reading
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News
18 Jul 2019
AT&T-Microsoft deal secures use of 5G wireless, Azure cloud
The latest AT&T-Microsoft partnership announcement lacked details for buyers of enterprise products and services but gave a big boost to Microsoft's Azure public cloud. Continue Reading
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News
17 Jul 2019
VMware tops Cisco in fast-growing SDN market
VMware surpassed Cisco in grabbing the largest share of the money spent on software-defined networking for the data center in 2018, when the SDN market reached $7 billion. Continue Reading
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Answer
11 Jul 2019
What does stateful vs. stateless mean in a networking context?
When it comes to understanding state from a networking perspective, knowing the difference between stateful vs. stateless firewalls is a crucial starting point. Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Jul 2019
BGP tutorial: How the routing protocol works
Border Gateway Protocol is the complex routing protocol that literally makes the internet work. This tutorial walks you through how BGP functions and offers troubleshooting options. Continue Reading
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News
10 Jul 2019
Cisco's acquisition of Acacia bolsters service provider offerings
Cisco plans to buy Acacia for $2.6 billion. Cisco's acquisition will make it a direct supplier of optical interconnects for the data centers of carriers and service providers. Continue Reading
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News
03 Jul 2019
U.S. tech buyers expected to shun Huawei CloudEngine refresh
The latest refresh of the Huawei CloudEngine switches highlights the preference of U.S. and Chinese enterprises to buy homegrown gear. Continue Reading
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Answer
03 Jul 2019
What does open source SD-WAN look like, and do we need it?
Open source software has an openly available source code that users can adopt or modify. Open source combined with SD-WAN might be a perfect match or a too idealistic goal. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Jun 2019
Open networking switch market extends focus to campus edge
Factors such as cost and flexibility, which make open switches attractive to data centers, will eventually extend to edge deployments in campus environments. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Jun 2019
What networking analysts are saying about Cisco's future
Has Cisco outgrown networking? One industry insider seems to think so. Plus, other analysts size up Cisco's future around security and intent-based networking. Continue Reading
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Feature
25 Jun 2019
How products from leading campus LAN switch vendors compare
Before evaluating campus LAN switches, assess the organization's core needs as well as future requirements, such as capabilities for Wi-Fi 6 or high-end PoE to power IoT devices. Continue Reading
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News
25 Jun 2019
Mist Wi-Fi no longer just cloud
The Mist Wi-Fi is no longer cloud only. The company's new Mist Edge appliance splits some management components between the cloud and on premises. Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Jun 2019
802.11ac drives enterprise WLAN market growth for now
802.11ac played a crucial role in enterprise WLAN market growth, as companies felt the pressure to upgrade their wireless infrastructure. But 802.11ax is the future. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Jun 2019
Edge computing and IoT combine to reshape the network
Enterprises are examining edge computing and IoT in a new light to determine the best way to process and transmit the mountain of data generated by IoT devices. Continue Reading
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News
14 Jun 2019
VMware acquisition of Avi fills NSX gaps
VMware plans to acquire Avi Networks. The VMware acquisition of the application delivery controller maker will fill gaps in VMware's NSX virtual networking software. Continue Reading
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News
11 Jun 2019
CEO Robbins: Cisco won't use Huawei ban in sales pitch
CEO Chuck Robbins said Cisco won't use the U.S. ban on Huawei exports in sales pitches. Robbins also said the Huawei ban has not had an effect on sales. Continue Reading
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Feature
07 Jun 2019
Operators make multigigabit switch push in campus networks
As applications become more bandwidth-intensive, operators are racing to install multigigabit switch foundations in their campus network architectures. Continue Reading
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Definition
07 Jun 2019
speculative execution
Speculative execution is an optimization technique in which a processor (CPU) performs a series of tasks before it is prompted to in order to have the information ready if it is required at any point. Continue Reading
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News
06 Jun 2019
New Arista campus switches, APs complete product portfolio
The latest Arista campus switches and Wi-Fi 6 APs meet enterprise requirements. But success against established rivals will depend on an effective sales and channel strategy. Continue Reading
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News
06 Jun 2019
Pluribus Networks unveils edge router for service providers
Pluribus Networks has unveiled a gateway router for service providers that's a no-frills alternative to products from Cisco and Juniper Networks. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Jun 2019
The 5G future will spark an evolution of telecom networks, ISPs
Telecom networks are evolving thanks to new technologies such as 5G. This evolution will affect various types of organizations, ISPs and available services. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 May 2019
School adopts Wi-Fi 6 in early Wi-Fi upgrade case study
High-capacity wireless can help close the gap between urban and rural schools. Here's how an aggressive Wi-Fi upgrade strategy helped one district meet its community's needs. Continue Reading
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News
24 May 2019
Huawei ban will hasten its retreat from U.S. suppliers
The Huawei ban will spur a faster retreat from U.S. suppliers, as the Chinese tech company invests more in its manufacturing plants and adds non-U.S. partners, analysts said. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 May 2019
The status of white box networking in the enterprise
Despite the benefits of white box networking, most enterprises are cautious about deployment. Use these five questions to determine when white box implementation is a smart move. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 May 2019
Could open switches be a game-changer for your network?
Before selecting campus edge switches, consider evaluating open switches -- versus switches from a traditional vendor -- and learn the benefits of this open networking approach. Continue Reading
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Answer
22 May 2019
How is service mesh architecture different from SDN and NFV?
Service mesh separates itself from SDN and NFV approaches with its clear focus on managing the communication and forwarding between multiple microservices. Continue Reading
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News
21 May 2019
Riverbed launches SaaS accelerator and updates SD-WAN products
Riverbed's latest update is spearheaded by the launch of its SaaS Accelerator, promising to speed up SaaS apps primarily for enterprise users working remotely. Continue Reading
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News
21 May 2019
Customers get a peek at future Extreme Networks products
Extreme Connect attendees got a peek at the company's product roadmap. Upcoming Extreme Networks products include an IoT device profiler and online application store. Continue Reading
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Answer
21 May 2019
What's the difference between a router, switch and hub?
Although a router, switch and hub all help direct network traffic, the devices transmit packets in different ways. Discover the differences among these network devices. Continue Reading
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News
20 May 2019
Marconi Mainnet launched for building, scaling complex networks
The Marconi Mainnet platform provides blockchain security, multi-cloud connectivity, advanced firewalls and secure gateways for decentralized networks. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 May 2019
Key factors to consider before evaluating campus edge switches
Before buying a campus edge switch, it's important to understand how technologies such as IoT could affect campus traffic and how you architect your network. Continue Reading
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News
16 May 2019
New executive order moves to ban Huawei
U.S. businesses are barred from dealing with Huawei following an executive order from the White House and the additions of Huawei and its affiliates to a trade blacklist. Continue Reading
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Feature
15 May 2019
Expectations about SDN cost savings don't match reality
While most enterprises prepare for Opex and Capex increases during the initial stages of SDN deployment, many don't expect a continued delay in SDN savings, according to IHS Markit. Continue Reading
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Answer
15 May 2019
What's the difference between an edge router vs. core router?
Clearly, an edge router and core router are placed in different parts of the network, but their routing roles are more complex than their physical locations. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 May 2019
The benefits of open source networking for enterprise IT
The benefits of open source are proved among large providers. But enterprises are less inclined to use open source networking, due to its limited functionality and support. Continue Reading
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News
02 May 2019
Dell EMC offering a VeloCloud SD-WAN Edge appliance
The new Dell EMC SD-WAN Edge product includes hardware and support, as well as VMware's VeloCloud software. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 May 2019
Weighing the pros and cons of enterprise network subscriptions
A centralized repository of network licenses can help enterprises visualize their IT assets and manage their purchases. But higher costs and amortization issues lurk. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 May 2019
Wireless capacity more important than fast Wi-Fi 6 speed
Wi-Fi 6 speed may be getting all the attention, but the most compelling advantages of the new standard are techniques engineered to increase wireless capacity. Continue Reading
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News
30 Apr 2019
New Cisco Wi-Fi 6 products include Catalyst switch, APs
Cisco has launched itself into the Wi-Fi 6 market with the release of the Catalyst 9600 core campus switch. Other new Cisco Wi-Fi 6 gear includes Catalyst access points. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Apr 2019
Drawbacks of open source networking could impede full growth
IT teams have increasingly accepted the use of open source within their organizations. But open source networking continues to lag behind -- and it may not catch up. Continue Reading
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News
25 Apr 2019
Pica8 Nymble provides branch network automation
Pica8's second branch product provides network automation and provisioning. But the jury is out on whether Pica8 Nymble can compete with offerings from established vendors. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Apr 2019
Should you buy 802.11ax devices before the Wi-Fi standard is ratified?
The Wi-Fi 6 standard has not been ratified yet, but enterprises are faced with a decision. Should they buy 802.11ax devices now or wait for the standard to be approved? Continue Reading
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Answer
17 Apr 2019
What is a programmable data plane and where does P4 fit in?
A programmable data plane presents a versatile way to forward packets and supports various formats and protocols. The P4 language is used to configure the forwarding actions. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Apr 2019
What happens when edge computing hits enterprise networks?
Is it time to take your network to the edge? Learn what edge networking can do to improve traffic flows, ease demand for high-performing connectivity and more. Continue Reading
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News
11 Apr 2019
Juniper SD-WAN as a service linked to wired, wireless LAN
The new Juniper SD-WAN as a service integrates with the vendor's EX Series wired LAN switches and the Mist wireless LAN. The bundle shows Juniper moving toward an SD-branch offering. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Apr 2019
Examine the requirements for 5G core networks
The 5G core network will support millions of devices that need high-speed communication and data processing. Learn what other capabilities are required for 5G deployment. Continue Reading
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Answer
11 Apr 2019
What is Cisco Smart Licensing and how might it benefit my business?
Cisco Smart Licensing, the networking vendor's fairly new approach to software licensing, aims to provide customers with more visibility and control over their licenses. Continue Reading
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Answer
09 Apr 2019
When will enterprises adopt the new Wi-Fi 6 standard?
Networking vendors have unveiled Wi-Fi 6 devices, yet the wireless standard is not ratified. Don't expect Wi-Fi 6 to flow into the mainstream anytime soon. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Apr 2019
3 considerations that can spark modern networking innovations
In this roundup of networking blogs, experts explore the possibility of network transformations, including where the industry needs the most change and new ways of thinking. Continue Reading
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News
05 Apr 2019
Execs talk product roadmap at Aruba Atmosphere 2019
At Aruba Atmosphere 2019, executives said the WLAN vendor plans to improve its cloud services this year with changes to Central, ClearPass, Introspect and NetInsight. Continue Reading
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Opinion
04 Apr 2019
Skip the wireless site survey cost and invest in more wireless APs
A wireless site survey simply provides a one-time snapshot of a work environment's wireless coverage. But Wi-Fi requires ongoing management based on several changing variables. Continue Reading
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Feature
03 Apr 2019
How cloud network architecture can redesign the enterprise edge
Networks are changing at the edge, and maintaining edge connectivity is crucial. Cloud network advancements are transforming connectivity options, as well as WANs and SD-WANs. Continue Reading
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Opinion
02 Apr 2019
Wireless site surveys and why you no longer need them
Wireless site surveys have always been part of a WLAN installation, but today that no longer should be the case. Capacity, not coverage, is more important. Continue Reading
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Infographic
01 Apr 2019
802.11ax release date: Here's what has to happen first
Members of the IEEE committee developing the new wireless LAN standard now expect the final 802.11ax release date won't arrive until mid- to late-2020. Here's what has to happen first. Continue Reading
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Definition
01 Apr 2019
baseband unit (BBU)
A baseband unit (BBU) is a device that interprets baseband frequencies in telecom systems including computer networks, the internet, phone networks and radio broadcasting systems. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Mar 2019
The campus edge switch market evolves, offers new innovations
The campus edge LAN switching market has evolved to offer a multitude of products boasting multi-gigabit port speeds -- there are more available port speed options than ever. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Mar 2019
A brief glossary of network service provider types
For network novices and experts alike, this glossary of basic terms covers essential keywords related to network services and the various providers that sell them. Continue Reading
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News
28 Mar 2019
F5 Cloud Services aims ADC features at DevOps
Initially, F5 Cloud Services will provide only load balancing for DNS servers. Later in the year, F5 plans to add security features for DevOps teams building cloud applications. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Mar 2019
How 5G can start a brand new era for the virtual RAN
5G is forging the way for operators to delve into virtualized RANs. Yet, despite its benefits, vRAN lacks standards and is still in the early developmental stages. Continue Reading
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Answer
22 Mar 2019
What tools can reinforce network edge security?
Firewalls, intrusion prevention systems and cloud-based threat intelligence are just a few of the many ways that organizations can bolster network edge security. Continue Reading
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News
22 Mar 2019
Array Networks launches monitoring system for app performance
Array Networks launches a monitoring and reporting tool that draws data from the vendor's application delivery controllers to pinpoint application troubles. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Mar 2019
How to monitor CPU usage in SDN environments
Monitoring CPU usage in a software-defined network is necessary to determine adequate network capacity and compute capacity, especially if workloads are competing for resources. Continue Reading
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Feature
15 Mar 2019
Automation connects 5G, Wi-Fi 6 and other networking trends
At IDC Directions, analyst Rohit Mehra discussed the role of automation in some of 2019's most talked about trends, including 5G, Wi-Fi 6, SD-WAN and the network edge. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Mar 2019
What is service chaining and where does VNF onboarding fit in?
Service chaining and VNF onboarding aren't easy. Companies interested in these processes need to understand the challenges involved, as well as various requirements for onboarding. Continue Reading
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News
12 Mar 2019
F5-NGINX acquisition removes open source rival
F5 Networks plans to buy NGINX for $670 million. The F5-NGINX acquisition removes from the market a business founded on open source software used in 375 million websites. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Mar 2019
Network visibility challenges in modern networks
To tackle current visibility issues, you must first understand the nature and sources of the problems. Learn why visibility is essential but so tough to achieve. Continue Reading
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News
05 Mar 2019
AI-powered WLAN behind Juniper-Mist acquisition
Juniper plans to acquire WLAN vendor Mist for $405 million. The Juniper-Mist acquisition is an offensive move that fills a hole in the networking vendor's campus portfolio. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Mar 2019
Take steps now to ready your network for 802.11ax specification
The 802.11ax specification promises higher speeds and lower latency. Preparing now will help you make the transition easier. Here's what you need to know. Continue Reading
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News
27 Feb 2019
Macroeconomics, service providers behind ICT spending slowdown
Service providers will buy less information and communications technologies, contributing significantly to an overall slowdown in ICT spending this year and next, IDC said. Continue Reading
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News
21 Feb 2019
HPE, Juniper intro 5G hardware for the edge
Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Juniper Networks have introduced 5G hardware for service providers' network edge. Continue Reading
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Infographic
21 Feb 2019
NetOps by design: How data center pods enable network agility
To bring a DevOps approach to the network, one expert suggests enterprises take a page from the cloud-provider playbook. Here's how data center pods can support a NetOps evolution. Continue Reading