Multi-Vendor Firewalls: Managing Them For Fun and Profit

OK, there probably isn't any profit, and the idea of "fun" may be a bit of a stretch as well. Organizations that have multiple firewalls, from multiple vendors need an efficient way to monitor, manage, and optimize them. Network administrators just keep adding rules on the fly, rarely documenting...
Disabling IPv6 in Windows Vista

IPv6 is the latest, greatest, cutting edge version of the IP protocol. It is designed to be more secure, more efficient, more stable, and provide a larger (exponentially larger) pool of addresses to work with than its IPv4 predecessor. So, why would you want to disable it? In
How Routers Work

To many, routers are the proverbial "man behind the curtain". We all know they are there, and that they are integral to getting our data from Point A to Point B, but how? Why do I need a router? How does a router magically know how to get an email from my home in Houston, TX, to a recipient in...
Hyperconnectivity: Accessing the Internet Anywhere From Everything

At some point in the future, maybe the next generation will simply see the rate of evolution of technology as a given. A normal way of life. On a day to day basis, I don't think that much about it, but when I look back and realize just how much has been invented, and developed in just the past 10...
Network Hardware Vendors Fight To Keep Up With Bandwidth Demands

Unless you have been in a coma, or living in a cave for the past year, you should be aware that the whole world is being converged into a single, IP-based network. Telephone and television service are both available via IP. Video services such as YouTube.com, and video conferencing for enterprise...
Cisco Launches New Products

Cisco launched their new application acceleration appliance, the ACE (Application Control Engine) 4710. At just under $16,000, this device is aimed at small and medium enterprises. It can support up to 50 virtual devices at throughput of 2 Gbps, enabling organizations to get the performance and...
Configuring VLAN’s

One of the ways to organize your network so that it is easier to manage and protect is to segment it into smaller, interconnected subnets. Using a virtual LAN, or VLAN, you can easily and conveniently set up separate subnets, and connect ports from various switches, or even separate buildings, so...
Network Mapping With Windows Vista

It can be very useful to have a network map. A graphic depiction of the layout, devices, and interconnections of the network can help with planning and troubleshooting, as well as asset or inventory control. Microsoft included an automatic network mapping feature in Windows Vista that uses the Link...
New Internet Tools From Microsoft

Microsoft is taking off the gloves to do battle with Google. They are going head to head on Internet search, Internet advertising, and web browser toolbars. It is hard to imagine Microsoft playing the role of underdog, but in these areas Microsoft is stepping out of their dominant arena and facing...
Understanding MPLS

MPLS seemed to be one of the big network buzz words of 2007, overshadowed only by VoIP. It seems like everyone is racing to implement MPLS networks. What is the big deal? What does MPLS even stand for? Well- I can answer that last one: MultiProtocol Label Switching. In a nutshell, MPLS is faster...