Packets Down Range #36: BlueBird, Cisco, HOUIX

Summer is finally here in Indiana. The leaves are green, the birds are chirping, and the Internet is humming along. Let’s get right into PDR #36. Interconnection & Data Center News•KC-IX/HOUIX expands into Fibertown. •Rich Miller shares his top 5 data center podcasts. ISP News•Emergent and Microsoft connect to deliver IoT. •Comcast unveils Gateway for … Read more

Cisco BGP Troubleshooting: Essential Commands Every Network Engineer Should Know

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When BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) misbehaves, the ripple effect can be massive—routes disappear, prefixes flap, and connectivity grinds to a halt. Whether you’re managing a large enterprise edge or an ISP core, knowing how to quickly diagnose BGP issues on Cisco routers is critical. Here’s a hands-on guide to the most useful Cisco IOS BGP … Read more

VRF article in an audio format

Recently, I did a VRF article. Like everyone else, I am seeing what all AI can do. As a result, I have been utilizing an AI tool to convert some of my articles to an audio format (Thanks, Cameron). The following is one such conversion of the above article. Keep in mind that this audio … Read more

Border Gateway Protocol (BGP): How the Internet’s Routing Protocol Works

Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is a protocol that makes the Capital I Internet run. It is the fundamental system that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and large networks use to exchange reachability information and ensure data finds its way across the complex web of networks making up the global Internet. This post will demystify how BGP … Read more

Top Hacking Books for cybersecurity professionals

Cybersecurity is among the fastest-growing fields today, offering exciting challenges, high demand, and strong earning potential. If you’re interested in protecting systems, networks, and data from cyber threats, here are some books to get you started. 1. Web Application Hacker’s HandbookThe highly successful security book returns with a new edition, completely updatedWeb applications are the … Read more

What is a router VRF and why it matters

This post will walk you through what a VRF is, why it matters, and how it’s used in real-world networking. What is a VRF? VRF stands for Virtual Routing and Forwarding. It’s a technology that allows multiple instances of routing tables to coexist on the same physical router or Layer 3 switch. Each VRF is … Read more