The key difference between routers and switches in TCP/IP networks is that Switches primarily function to provide Layer 2 connectivity and Routers provide Layer 3 connectivity (as described in the OSI layer model). What exactly does this mean? From a high level view it means that switches allow hosts to communicate as long as they […]

An Internet Protocol (IP) Address is a term that you will hear a lot if you are into any field of Information Technology. Especially people in TCP/IP networking have to deal with IP addresses in their every-day professional life. Just like any house or building in the world has a unique postal mail address in […]

Computer networking has been around for several decades, which is the backbone of what we all know as the Internet today. The Internet is simply a network of networks, which connects the world’s networks together for a holistic communication infrastructure. For a user or host computer to participate in data and resource sharing, it has […]

Every network engineer is familiar with Cisco, and with its multiple brand acquisitions, it’s even become a household name for consumers in addition to business professionals. Cisco isn’t the only major player in the hardware and TCP/IP networking game, however. This technology giant has at least a dozen formidable competitors, many of which have developed […]

Packet-based communication networks that operate using protocols like IP follow layered models such as the OSI and TCP/IP frameworks. These models involve the encapsulation and decapsulation of protocol data units (PDUs) through the addition and removal of headers at each layer. Two key parameters involved in this encapsulation process are the Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) […]

As Network Engineers we need to be versatile and troubleshooting-savvy in our work environment. In addition to having strong knowledge of networking protocols and commands on network devices (routers, switches, firewalls etc) we need also to have very good knowledge of IP and other networking related commands on end-point devices such as Windows computers, Linux […]

Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is a key tool for many IT professionals and remote workers. It allows users to connect to other computers (mainly used on Windows OS computers) over a network connection. Knowing which port RDP uses is important for setting up secure remote access and for allowing firewall access to servers remotely. RDP […]

Spanning Tree Protocol, or STP is an important part of Layer 2 networking. STP is virtually ubiquitous in switches of all types, including both managed and unmanaged devices from a multitude of vendors. Over the years, various newer versions of the protocol have been introduced, further refining, perfecting, and accelerating the functionality of this vital […]

Modern IT landscapes increasingly rely on distributed network solutions such as software-defined wide area networks (SD-WAN), content delivery networks (CDN), and secure access service edge (SASE). They offer unmatched performance, scalability, and flexibility, enabling businesses to operate smoothly across different geographical locations. Managing these intricate networks poses a distinct set of obstacles for network administrators […]

Network outages continue to be a major challenge, disrupting businesses, individual lives, and major communication platforms. The significant impact of such disruptions is highlighted by one such incident, the Australian telecom outage. The widespread disruption caused by the outage lasted for several hours, affecting Australian businesses, critical services, and everyday lives. This example showcases the […]

When it comes to network design, it is typically considered best practice to place your network servers within their own dedicated VLAN. But why? And is this always the case or are there situations in which you would use a different approach? In this article we’ll examine these questions and more about how to deploy […]