Network Dictionary - Freelance

Freelance - the term for a Knight of honour that is not pledged to a Lord. Modern Use: person who pursues a profession without a long-term commitment to an employer

On the contest field, each Knight would pledge his lance to the Lord who owns his fealty. A Knight with no such pledge was Free Lance. Free as in freedom to choose his contest and the nature of the fight.
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Network Dictionary - Velvet Rut

“velvet rut” describes operational practice in a network that hasn’t changed in along time. Typically, some action that is done that way “because it’s always done that way”. Because it works and the world is a happy place therefore the practice must be a good one.

Being stuck in a rut is no excuse for not changing, but good practices can be worth keeping - and are described as ‘the velvet rut’.

Blessay:Cloud Computing Not “Essential Service”, More Like “Public Transport”

Cloud Computing is generating a lot of smoke, but it is hard to find flammable material that makes it “hot”. Cloud Computing is unlikely to become Essential Service, but will be more like Public Transport - cheap, mass capability, limited function and “acceptable” for some. Read more

Network Dictionary - Tuple

Tuple

1. English term that is used to refer to a “number set” of things. Thus quintuple and sextuple are examples representing a “five set” and “six set” respectively..

2. Used generically to describe a IP connection data set, thus, IP/Mask/Next Hop is known as the routing tuple, Source IP / Source Port / Destination IP / Destination Port is referred to as an IP Flow tuple, and

The IP routing tuple is network / subnet / next hop.

A host IP tuple is IP / mask / gateway (although some would corrupt the purity of IP with DNS entries in the data set.

I use this often in thinking over design and in documentation as it saves lot of typing.

Secure Computing Sold to McAfee - What a Waste of Human Life

Press release at Secure Computing website confirming that they have been sold to McAfee - its a sad day when one of the best security technology companies gets the kiss of death. Read more

FCoE Might Improve Storage but Will Complicate IT and Cause Team Disruption

I was thinking over the integration of an IT Engineering team to provide a cloud computing services. While discussing team responsibilities and operational “edges” I realised how divisive and dysfunctional FCoE will be to a team. Read more

The Difference Between Network and Server Engineers - Pictorial

I have been planning cloud computing systems recently, and had many long discussions with different teams. I have prepared the following diagram to show the perceptual difference between how each team perceives the data centre. Read more

Blog:Considering CCIE Security Training Material

I am seriously considering whether to undertake my second CCIE exam by doing the CCIE Security. Since the credit crunch has created a downturn in the market it is the best time to study. I am reviewing the training resources available and deciding which products might be worth purchasing. Read more

OS X:Tools - Mental Case - Flash Cards - With iPhone Support

I have a constant struggle to memorise new content and review material. After some research I decided to try using flash cards as a new technique. Now I have some software to do this and its one of my favourite tools. Read more

Network Dictionary - Orgy of Failure

“orgy of failure” is the party thrown at the end of large project to celebrate it’s “completion”.

This is not necessarily a negative term, but usually, it is.

At some point in your career you will be involved in a project that doesn’t achieve the original goals, but will be declared a success by ‘adapting the goals’ or ‘realigning to business requirements’. This completion party is usually more fervent and desperate in this case because everyone is so relieved it’s over.

We gather round, and drink heartily, laugh nervously, eat with gusto in an “orgy of failure”.

TCP SYN Cookies - DDoS Defence

A TCP SYN Cookie is typically used in DDoS engines and load balancers to create another level of protocol security for Denial of Service attacks. Lets take a quick dive through the technology. Read more

Design: Lack of Choice Improves Client Outcomes

One of the prime criteria for a design process is to search for and evaluate design choices. But research suggest that excessive choice actually produces negative outcomes, its hardwired into the human brain. Therefore a Network Designer needs to ensure that they are overriding their natural instinct. Read more

Rant: Certguard in Computerworld - Go and Register Your Disgust

Certguard have been mentioned in a Computerworld article about exam cheats. Please go and leave a comment to show how disgusting that Certguard, who falsely accuse people of cheating, have been used for comment.

Managing and Technical Life - Reprise

Give the amount of misinterpretation from my previous post, let me expand my hypothesis a little further.
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Network Dictionary - Insufflate

Insufflate

1 - to inhale, typically a powder (drug).
2 - to absorb technical information.

Thus, Dilbert started a new project that was using the Cisco Guard DDoS technology. Not having worked on this before, he got the manuals to insufflate some knowledge.

See also grok

Rant:Managing Is Easy Compared to Technical Life

Not everyone will be a good manager, but very few people will ever be a good, I mean _really_ good, technician or engineer. You should be willing to pay for that.

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