LANs / WANs

WAN optimization

Keao Caindec — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:39:00 -0500

WAN optimization awareness of 66% is not bad for such a young industry with so few real players. Optimization should be a key component of any global enterprise network architecture. In addition to "improving response times and getting more out of the WAN," our users of managed WAN optimization cite: improved collaboration and rolling out new applications

Billion dollar financial fraud revealed within Satyam, a collaboration partner of Cisco

Brad Reese — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:52:52 -0500

The above photograph shows Cisco chairman John Chambers and Satyam chairman B. Ramalinga Raju announcing a collaboration that evolved into Satyam Global LifeNet (SGL), a joint venture between Cisco and Satyam. In his resignation letter this week, Satyam chairman B. Ramalinga Raju listed the following financial fraud irregularities on the books of Satyam Computer Services:

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Uncle Sam is gettin spendy!

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 09:24:40 -0500

When will the spending madness end? Government seems like a 16 year old girl with a credit card at the mall.

China CCIE count grows 11 times more than U.S.

Brad Reese — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:20:20 -0500

This week Cisco released the January 2009 net new worldwide CCIE count. According to Dual CCIE #18532 Security/Routing and Switching - George Morton, Ph. D:

"The trend from the last update done in November 2008 has continued to show that the growth in CCIEs is coming from outside the U.S. Using a five month average the growth during this period was just above the five month average. "Now for the U.S. you could argue that Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. played a role, and you might be right; but then why did Europe have more CCIEs in the same period?"

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bullshit

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:21:22 -0500

bullshit

Why IT will adopt Windows 7

Ron Barrett — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:41:38 -0500

In the next few days, I want to take some time to address the coming release of Windows 7. As a person who was named a Windows Vista Master, I want to look at three areas where Windows 7 will make a difference when Windows Vista did not seem to make a dent, so to speak. Starting today, I will discuss the following topics: 1. Why IT will adopt Windows 7 2. Why XP users will switch to Windows 7 3. Why Windows 7 will crush Linux (that’s right -- I said CRUSH)

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Cisco changes its docs to reflect that it DOES support 3rd party VPNs

jheary — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:22:42 -0500

There is Internet buzz and customer complaints around wording buried in some ASA configuration docs that can be interpreted as, “Cisco doesn’t support 3rd Party VPN connections” To set the record straight, Cisco has changed all of their documentation (in record time) to reflect their true stance. The text in question:

ASAs support IPsec LAN-to-LAN VPNs with other Cisco peers. Because we adhere to VPN industry standards, ASAs may work with other vendors' peers in LAN-to-LAN VPNs; however, we do not support them.

Has been updated to this:

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Cisco goes Hollywood with product placements

Brad Reese — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:09:09 -0500

Cisco product placements seem to be everywhere in Hollywood these days, catching both TV and movie viewers' attention.

In the recently released hit movie comedy, Yes Man, starring the hilariously funny Jim Carrey, a Cisco IP phone catches everbody's eye as Carrey's character, a bank loan officer named Carl Allen, rubber-stamps YES on all loan applications that cross his desk for approval, regardless of a loan's credit risk. Approving those hundreds of loans eventually made Carrey's character the top loan producer for the bank earning him a promotion "upstairs to corporate," along with a fat pay raise.

At the 2 second timemark in the Yes Man Movie video trailer below, you can see a Cisco IP phone prominently featured on the bank desk of Jim Carrey's character, a bank loan officer.

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Network World Job channel

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:51:56 -0500

Is this a new job channel? http://networkworld.realmatch.com

Marc Randall at Foundry?

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:32:17 -0500

Wonder what Force 10s former CEO knows that Turin doesn't

Cisco activates crisis management team as global manufacturing hits new low

Brad Reese — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:19:19 -0500

Cisco has quietly activated a Manufacturing Crisis Management Team (MCMT) as the JPMorgan Global Manufacturing PMI (Purchasing Managers Index) posted its weakest ever reading: Source: JPMorgan and Markit Economics in association with ISM and IFPSM. According to a Shipping Digest article: Fears of unprecedented disruptions to supply chains have prompted shippers to create formal crisis-management teams to keep their operations moving as the global recession worsens.

After finishing a three-week tour to discuss the fallout of the financial crisis with 250 executives at 150 companies around the world, Gary Lynch - Global Risk Intelligence Strategies and Resiliency Solutions Practice Leader Marsh, Inc. states: "I don’t want to overstate anything, but this is the first time I’ve ever really seen fear."

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Product issues are killing Force 10

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:14:59 -0500

Force 10 bet the farm on it's next gen architecture neglecting their current product shortcomings. When your current products keep failing its hard to sustain a revenue stream. They are now paying the price for bad management.

Strategize 2009: Virtualization Continues to Lead

Matthew Nickasch — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 09:45:36 -0500

Virtualization is not a new topic, however, it continues to be an emerging and quickly-adopted strategy for combating several enterprise technology problems. How does adopting a continual virtualization plan help an organization's bottom line? In many ways, actually. Believe it or not, many have been slow to adopt this strategy. They still have datacenters full of under-utilized hardware, consuming precious resources. Why should adopting a prominent virtual environment be a part of your 2009 strategy?

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Top 20 Most Braindumped Certification Vendors of 2008

Robert Williams — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 07:54:11 -0500

Well, it’s that time of year. In our first blog post about the “Top 20 Most Braindumped Certification Vendors” we promised that we would keep you abreast of the progress each vendor is making. Unfortunately, the numbers being presented here don’t show there is any progress being made, but I assure you that progress is being made. Although the numbers have risen since we published the first blog post, the numbers here are a combination of newer websites opening up and some of the other websites being shut down.

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CertGuard Official Braindump Quiz

Robert Williams — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 07:49:39 -0500

We at CertGuard are always looking for ways to expand education on the Internet when it comes to preventing braindumps. Today, we are pleased to announce the CertGuard Official Braindump Quiz.

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Increasing Network Availability with Visio

Scott Hogg — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 12:21:41 -0500

Today, most business applications are network centric. Their real-time business applications require the highest level of network availability. Downtime can cause lost revenue, reduced productivity, and a tarnished image. However, few executives realize how important the underlying network is to their sustained operations.

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What buyer's guide?

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 19:15:04 -0500

How is this a buyer's guide? This is a straight apple plug. Let me paraphrase - "Apple does wifi better than anybody else. There are alternatives but they are too hard for your simple minds and what does anybody else know about wireless and ease of use anyway. Just buy apple products and you will be happy." I don't mind if you called it "how to use your mac with apple wifi" but you said it was a "wifi buyers guide." To me that means viable options and an actual discussion of the pros and cons of each.

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Is Cisco customer advocacy being thrown under the bus?

Brad Reese — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 21:18:18 -0500

Cisco to customers: We only support ASA IPsec LAN-to-LAN VPNs with other Cisco peers. Cisco has created puzzlement among network engineers as well as scorn from a competitor with regard to a potential interoperability support issue that was noticed by a Triple CCIE in the Cisco Security Appliance Command Line Configuration Guide, Version 8.0:

Configuring LAN-to-LAN IPSec VPNs A LAN-to-LAN VPN connects networks in different geographic locations. ASAs support IPsec LAN-to-LAN VPNs with other Cisco peers. Because we adhere to VPN industry standards, ASAs may work with other vendors' peers in LAN-to-LAN VPNs; however, we do not support them.

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Happy 2009

Kerrie Meyler — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 00:12:36 -0500

Here it is January 1, 2009 - a Happy New Year's to all, and here's hoping that 2009 will bring an improved economy.

I am happy to report that I received the 2009 Microsoft MVP Award today. All current MVPs must be reawarded on their anniversary date to remain in the program. I'm looking forward to working with my fellow Operations Manager MVPs for another year.

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Cisco ain't got the skills to make it in the consumer market

Brad Reese — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 04:01:01 -0500

In the opinion of yours truly, a very eye-catching critical salvo was fired this week at Cisco's much ballyhooed consumer market hype:

"In order for Cisco to compete with Samsung, Sony and even Apple, the company would need to rewire its entire DNA, and unfortunately, it ain’t got the skills," said Om Malik - Founder and Senior Writer of the emerging technology news site GigaOM. "Cisco has a checkered past when it comes to diversification into new markets. Lets face it: Cisco’s skills are in selling equipment to corporations and the government, which is why their push into telepresence (video conferencing) and data center-related equipment makes a lot of sense. "How does a company that gets big fat margins from selling expensive equipment (and paying its sales team accordingly) live with the razor-thin margins of consumer entertainment gear? For Cisco this would like climbing Mount Everest without an oxygen tank."

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