Packets DownRange
RFC 10005 defines a BGP extended community that lets a router attach link bandwidth information to a route. Another router can use that value when it spreads traffic across multiple BGP paths. RFC 10005 matters because links are not always of the same capacity. This RFC provides routers with a standard way to carry bandwidth … Read more
We are starting to hear about “Thin” and “Fat” rails in AI fabrics. These are just another way to say a connection from compute into the Fabric. The link either has sufficient capacity (Fat) or insufficient capacity (Thin). A thin rail provides the node with a single path into the fabric. That may be one … Read more
I originally posted this over on the FD-IX Bloghttps://blog.fd-ix.com/george-washington-the-delaware-and-direct-routes/ When George Washington crossed the Delaware River on Christmas night in 1776, the goal was simple. Reach the objective by the most effective path while avoiding unnecessary delays and giving the opposing force as little warning as possible. The crossing was risky, but it created a … Read more
A browser does not always need the whole file at once. Sometimes it only needs a slice of the file. That slice might be the next part of a video or a chunk of a large object sitting behind a CDN. When that happens, the client can request a byte range instead of requesting the … Read more
Justin Wilson announces his second children’s networking book, A Kid’s First Visit to an Internet Exchange. Follow Sam as he learns how networks meet, peer, and move Internet traffic.
NBASE-T bridges the gap between 1 Gigabit and 10 Gigabit Ethernet by supporting 2.5 Gbps and 5 Gbps over existing copper cabling. Learn how it works, where it makes sense, and what network engineers should look for when deploying and troubleshooting multi-gigabit links.
Say that 3 times. I like these keystone style parch panels because they save so much time. No more punching down. https://amzn.to/4g3tJ8W
In case you forgot: RETIREMENT NOTICE Google Cloud Spectrum Access System (SAS) is being retired. Starting June 10, 2026, we are no longer accepting new customers. The service will remain fully operational for existing customers during the transition period and will be shut down on June 10, 2027. Please review the migration steps below for instructions on … Read more
I have updated to a newer theme and ditched the “featured post” at the top, which had no active link. I am still searching for a theme that highlights posts similar to what the Ghost blog system does on https://blog.fd-ix.com/ . I kind of like the categories. It’s one of those things is I could … Read more
Welcome to Packets Down Range #41.
A good data center is not about lobby photos or vendor language. It is about clean power, working cooling, clear cable paths, useful remote hands, and gear that can be repaired without fighting the building.
Latency is the time a packet takes to make the trip. Jitter is the swing between packets. One makes the path feel far away. The other makes voice, video, gaming, and remote desktop feel broken.
Tags: jitter, latency, network troubleshooting, packet loss, QoS, ISP networks, wireless networks, network