Packets DownRange
Internet Service provider topics, Network operations, and other topics. Some topics include Mikrotik, Cisco, Arista and other configurations.
If you manage a network and haven’t considered synchronizing your devices with the NTP protocol, this article is for you. Logs, BGP sessions, RADIUS accounting, DHCP leases, syslog, NetFlow, security alerts. Every one of them depends on accurate time. Network Time Protocol, usually called NTP, is the protocol that keeps clocks in sync across IP networks. It runs over UDP port 123.
This is the second installment in my series about the modern Internet Service Provider. The term AIOps gets thrown around liberally, and it’s worth being precise about what machine learning actually does well in network operations versus where it’s still a pipe dream. Where ML Delivers Measurable Value Today Anomaly detection is the most mature … Read more
The three-tier model of core (edge), distribution, and access remains the foundation of ISP network architecture, though the distinctions between these layers have become less defined. A current assessment requires analysis beyond standard diagrams.
You’re managing a network that deals with more traffic than ever before. Your subscribers stream 4K video, work from home using cloud-based tools, and rely on applications where even a slight delay matters. The systems you have now are working, but the reality is that the network design you use today won’t be enough for the next five years.
Identifying a DDoS attack requires an understanding of normal network behavior. In the left portion of the graph,
How Internet Service Providers can use AI – the 10,000 foot level
If you have been around the Data Center world working on switches, you will have run into this at one point. A stuck SFP. If you have ran into this, the following article by Edge Optical Solutions will be of use. https://edgeoptic.com/kb_article/how-to-remove-a-stuck-sfp-module There is also a Reddit thread on this. Isn’t there always a Reddit … Read more
https://bufferbloat.libreqos.com What Each Phase Tests Baseline Your connection’s inherent latency when idle (measures base network quality) Download How much latency increases when downloading large files (simulates streaming, software updates) Upload How much latency increases when uploading data (simulates video calls, cloud backups) Bidirectional How much latency increases during simultaneous heavy download and upload (simulates real-world … Read more
Wireless signal fade happens when the radio signal drops in strength or quality. Distance, weather, interference, and physical obstructions all play a role. Even small changes matter. Water absorbs RF energy. Heat bends signals. Trees grow. The result is lower signal-to-noise ratio, higher error rates, and retries that pile up fast
I have written many times that ISPs should be running their own local recursive DNS servers. Today I am releasing this new version of my DNS recursive script for Ubuntu to the public.
Many Internet service providers believe PeeringDB is just for networks in large data centers. That belief sticks around like an old patch cable at the bottom of a toolbox. The reality is simpler: every ISP should have a PeeringDB entry, even if you never set foot in a carrier hotel, IXP, or meet-me room. Your … Read more
