Problem solve

Campus area networks and services

• Selling next-generation firewalls: Overcoming resistance, challenges

  Partners can find new business opportunities in helping customers understand the need for next-generation firewalls. Continue Reading

• Traffic Talk: Pcapr.net -- where Web 2.0 meets network packet analysis

  Solution providers can better customer networks with network packet analysis collaboration from Pcapr.net, a free packet collaboration site hosted by Mu Dynamics. Learn how to use Pcapr.net in this tip from Richard Bejtlich. Continue Reading

• Testing LAN switch interoperability: A series of best practices

  Ensuring LAN switch interoperability is crucial when extending existing LANs or building new ones. The Tolly Group compiled a list of functions that must be tested to ensure true interoperability. Continue Reading

• Router and switch upgrades: Five reasons your customer should invest

  Mid recession, customers are avoiding investment in even basic router and switch upgrades, but one surefire way to convince them is long-term savings that will outweigh investment. Continue Reading

• Daemonlogger for packet capture and redirection

  Daemonlogger, a packet capture tool by Marty Roesch, has two features that prove helpful to security solution providers. Learn what those features are in this edition of Traffic Talk. Continue Reading

• Network security monitoring: Know your network

  One of the ways to keep a secure network is to know the network inside and out. Network security monitoring can be carried out in many different ways, but it always comes back to being aware of what is going on in your network. In this edition of ...Continue Reading

• Using Wireshark and Tshark display filters for troubleshooting

  Display filters can be used to analyze different types of network traffic. In this Traffic Talk tip, Richard Bejtlich explains how to use Wireshark and Tshark display filters for security and network troubleshooting.Continue Reading

• DNS troubleshooting and analysis

  This first edition of Traffic Talk takes a look at the Domain Name System (DNS), the mechanism that translates IP addresses to hostnames and back, plus a slew of other functions. Learn how to identify problems with DNS records and learn more about ...Continue Reading

• Troubleshooting 802.1x missing supplicant problems, part 1

  Learn how to diagnose and solve 802.1x missing supplicant problems.Continue Reading

• Troubleshooting 802.1x missing supplicant problems, part 2

  Learn how to deal with peripheral devices and hubs that don't have 802.1x supplicants in this chapter excerpt of Implementing 802.1x Security Solutions by Jim Geier.Continue Reading

• What are the top reasons for network upgrades?

  Learn why performance, reliability and security are the three most important reasons for recommending a network upgrade to your clients.Continue Reading

• When to recommend a PBX replacement vs. adding VoIP to PBX?

  VoIP phone systems offer a wide range of features that can enhance productivity, reach-ability and efficiency for a business. Some of these features, such as unified communications and sophisticated call routing, work a lot better when directly ...Continue Reading

• How to troubleshoot five common routing errors

  Troubleshooting router errors is made easier with this tip, which covers the five major routing errors -- filtering redistribution, mismatched neighbor parameters in OSPF, subnets, metrics and tweaking EIGRP metrics.Continue Reading

• How to troubleshoot IP connectivity and Cisco IOS CEF

  Troubleshooting problems with Cisco Express Forwarding's network switching is easier than you might think. In this chapter from Cisco Express Forwarding, learn how to identify and fix common problems, many of which don't require extensive knowledge ...Continue Reading

• Security authentication: Strategy to implementation

  IT consultants need to know how to implement a large strategic authentication plan. Get details on issues like the benefits of multiple LDAP corporate directories, using group policies at the directory level, and the use of tiered groups to best ...Continue Reading

• Troubleshooting: The OSI model

  Troubleshooting a customer's temperamental network is a tough job made even tougher if you don't have a strategy. An organized methodology for troubleshooting will not only make a VAR's search for the source of a network's problems more effective, ...Continue Reading

• Network documentation and cable management

  VARs and networking consultants are often asked to make decisions for their customers that will have consequences down the line. Good documentation on these decisions, including the reasons behind them, can not only protect a channel pro's ...Continue Reading

• Router configuration shortcuts

  Keyboard shortcuts are a useful way for VARs and SIs to lessen the amount of time it takes to complete the tedious work of configuring routers. In this tip we list some of the more helpful commands.Continue Reading

• Cycling power with Power over Ethernet

  Cycling power to devices is made simpler with Power over Ethernet. Value-added resellers (VARs) and systems integrators can use this helpful tip to easily cycle power to many devices remotely.Continue Reading

• Introduction to IPv6, part 1

  A customer may ask, "Why do we need a new protocol?" As you will see, this isn't a completely new protocol -- it's been developed on the strengths of IPv4. In this series Silvia Hagen takes a detailed look at what's new in IPv6.Continue Reading

• Formulating a scalable IP addressing plan

  A scalable IP addressing plan will support your customer's network as it grows. This tip explains how to use variable-length subnet masking and route summarization to create a scalable IP addressing plan.Continue Reading

• IP address assignment: Considerations for developing a plan

  When tasked with IP address assignment for a customer's network, networking consultants and value-added resellers (VARs) need a plan. The factors outlined here help VARs develop an IP addressing plan that makes the most efficient use of space, while...Continue Reading

• IP address planning: Choosing a routing protocol

  Choosing the appropriate routing protocol is critical to an IP addressing plan. This tip explores the parameters used to evaluate the suitability of a routing protocol. The different characteristics of IP routing protocols are described along with ...Continue Reading

• Network documentation: How to realize its benefits

  A thorough network documentation has several payoffs. Learn what to include in the documentation of your customers' networks to reap these benefits.Continue Reading

• Compiling a hardware and software inventory

  Performing a network inventory is not a one-size-fits-all task. This tip helps value-added resellers and networking consultants identify scope and choose a method (automated vs. manual) when performing an inventory.Continue Reading

• Network troubleshooting: Choosing a remote access mechanism

  Troubleshooting your customers' network via a remote access mechanism saves you time and money, and improves your customer service. Learn how to choose a remote access mechanism that suits you both.Continue Reading

• Remote management: Four common problems and solutions

  This checklist addresses four remote management problems commonly seen by network consultants and systems integrators, and offers suggestions on how to troubleshoot them.Continue Reading

• Introduction to freeware packet sniffer SmartSniff

  A packet sniffer is a valuable tool in the network consultant's troubleshooting arsenal. This tip covers the basics of freeware packet sniffer program SmartSniff.Continue Reading

• Troubleshooting domain controllers on a Windows network

  This tip addresses common causes for login issues and domain management trouble, and offers advice to systems integrators and network consultants for optimizing domain controllers.Continue Reading