How to Keep the Network Compliant with Security Standards
By Jason Sherman - March 26, 2018Is your network in compliance with industry security standards such as the PCI Data Security Standard? These standards exist to safeguard sensitive information from vulnerabilities. The PCI Data Security Standard exists to ensure that organizations handling credit cards keep information secure in the following ways: Ensure Secure Networks and Systems Secure/Protect Cardholder Data Manage Vulnerability…
Learn MoreDoes This Make My Server Look Fat?
By Jason Sherman - March 13, 2018Does this make my server look fat? Is my floor starting to bulge? Yeah, we have all been there. The server room is starting to look a little heavy…or is it? Hey, we’ve all told ourselves a few little white lies from time to time, ‘maybe it’s just the way the light is hitting this…
Learn MoreFrom Hieroglyphics to NASA, Data Visualization Isn’t Anything New
By Jason Sherman - February 26, 2018I was spending some time (or wasting….you decide) on Reddit last week when I came across this article on how NASA uses IT visualization to tell visual stories from technical details. While we’re not a BI tool, what NASA is doing — and why they’re doing it — is at the very heart of the…
Learn MoreHow Does Automatic Network Mapping Work?
By Jason Sherman - February 8, 2018SNMP is an old time workhorse of information. If you’ve been a network engineer for a while, the ability to automatically discover objects when you’re documenting the network can’t be overhyped. Automatic network mapping, on this level, significantly reduces your manual workload and ensures that your documentation is accurate and up-to-date. If you’re looking at…
Learn MoreFun Network Diagrams? Use Visual Overrides
By Jason Sherman - February 5, 2018Network documentation can be fun and fulfilling…never thought I’d say that. Truth is…maybe it’s not exactly the same fun as, say, Superbowl Sunday (depending on which team you’re rooting for, of course)… but it can be a little more fun when you have the right tools for the job at hand. Using netTerrain, our network…
Learn MoreIf You Need to Replace netViz, Read This
By Jason Sherman - February 2, 2018Since the beginning of time…or, ok, since the 90’s (more or less), network administrators have created a demand for network diagramming software. netViz, a (now discontinued) product of CA Technologies, was introduced to meet network diagramming needs of IT teams. The software offered users hierarchies, (limited) automatic discovery with a graphical interface — with thousands…
Learn MoreSongs To Listen To When You’re Documenting the Network
By Jason Sherman - February 1, 2018What’s the hands-down most important part of documenting the network? What you listen to. Sorry, you can’t document the network while watching Youtube cat videos….that’s a big no-no. You’ll end up with a fur ball network diagram (oh, I’m too funny — someone get me a job as a comedian). Seriously, though: what to listen…
Learn MorePickaxe Causes Data Center Outage (Yes, a Pickaxe)
By Jason Sherman - December 22, 2017‘Tis the season…for generosity, cheer, and…apparently…massive data center outages (ok, ok: it’s always the season for massive data center outages). Are you prepared for the worst? Your outside plant cabling is, well, outside…as a result, it’s vulnerable. Let’s face it: stuff happens. Take a British cloud hosting company’s recent perils on December 13th: they suffered…
Learn MoreThe 12 Days of DCIM
By Jason Sherman - December 20, 2017‘Tis the season….in the spirit of the holidays, we’re bringing you the “12 Days of DCIM”: a look at 12 days in the life of an engineer who goes from zero documentation to using DCIM software. Day 1: ♫ On the 1st day, my boss gave to me: a network without documentation and a whole…
Learn MoreHow to Start Documenting the Network
By Jason Sherman - December 19, 2017Considering some network documentation to make managing the network less of a headache? Whether you’re troubleshooting or planning, it’s nice to quickly get answers to your questions. If you are considering implementing documentation, one of the first questions you may have is: “do I need to start from scratch?” The short answer is: no. Chances…
Learn MoreWiki for Network Documentation?
By Jason Sherman - December 5, 2017Fed up with not having the network properly documented? Are you considering using Wiki to document everything? Organizations come to us for an automated network documentation solution — and some have used a wiki for their documentation needs. Nothing wrong with that…up to a point. I get it. At first glance, maybe Wiki for documenting…
Learn MoreDoes Data Center Automation Pay Off? Federal Agencies Release ROI Reports
By Jason Sherman - December 3, 2017Recently, I stumbled upon the current DCOI optimization dashboard — which is an overall look at how data centers in federal agencies are performing across different categories. If you’re not familiar with the DCOI yet, here’s some background: DCOI is short for the Data Center Optimization Initiative. It’s a federal initiative that falls under the…
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