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AI networking involves the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in network management and optimization. This process utilizes AI algorithms and machine learning methods to scrutinize network data, detect patterns, and make informed decisions that enhance network performance, security, and efficiency.

5G is a rapid cellular wireless technology designed for enterprise IoT, IIoT, and mobile phones that can increase wireless throughput significantly.

Private 5G: refers to a dedicated mobile network that is established and operated in a private setting, like a business campus, manufacturing plant, or sports venue. In contrast to public 5G networks, which are accessible by multiple users, private 5G networks are solely utilized by a specific organization or entity. Although private 5G presents considerable benefits, it demands specialized knowledge and investment for its development and management.

Network slicing allows carriers to maximize their wireless capacity, creating tailored 5G virtual networks that meet the specific requirements of customers.

O-RAN represents a collective effort within the wireless industry to design and construct 5G radio access networks utilizing software-defined technology alongside generic, vendor-neutral hardware.

Beamforming is a method that directs a wireless signal toward a specific device instead of dispersing the signal in all directions like a traditional broadcast antenna. This approach results in a connection that is both faster and more dependable compared to connections that do not employ beamforming.

Data centers are dedicated physical locations where enterprises manage critical applications and data. They are transitioning from being centralized, on-premises sites to edge configurations and public cloud solutions.

Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) is a metric utilized to assess the energy efficiency of a data center.

Data center automation involves employing technology to automate routine tasks and workflows within data centers. By utilizing software and automation tools, operators can optimize their operations, decrease human error, enhance efficiency, and overall performance. Common areas for the deployment of data center automation include provisioning, monitoring, and network orchestration, as well as maintenance. The advantages of data center automation encompass increased efficiency, cost savings, improved reliability, enhanced scalability, and superior security. This automation can be achieved through scripting languages (like Python and PowerShell), automation platforms (such as Ansible, Puppet, and Chef), along with cloud-based management tools.

Data center sustainability refers to the approach of designing, constructing, and operating data centers in a manner that minimizes their environmental impact by lowering energy consumption, reducing water usage, and limiting waste generation, while also fostering sustainable practices like the use of renewable energy and efficient resource management.

Hyperconverged infrastructure integrates compute, storage, and networking into one cohesive system and is widely used in data centers. Companies can select an appliance from a single vendor or deploy hardware-agnostic hyperconvergence software on standard servers.

Network firewalls were established as the main defensive barrier for many organizations, but since their inception, various versions have emerged: proxy, stateful, Web app, and next-generation firewalls.

Next-generation firewalls protect network boundaries and include advanced features that allow for intricate traffic inspection, incorporating intrusion prevention systems, deep-packet inspection, and SSL inspection within a unified framework.

Infiniband is a highly specialized technology renowned for its performance and scalability, making it an essential solution for organizations needing the utmost in network efficiency. This high-performance interconnect technology is engineered to ensure low-latency and high-bandwidth communication among servers, storage units, and other high-performance computing (HPC) components. It excels in scenarios demanding swift data transfers, such as scientific computing, financial modeling, and video rendering. Infiniband finds common application in HPC clusters, data centers, supercomputers, and scientific investigations.

Ethernet is among the pioneering networking technologies, having been invented 50 years ago. Despite its long history, this communication protocol can adapt to modern advancements while maintaining backward compatibility, allowing Ethernet to remain the standard for computer networking. As artificial intelligence (AI) tasks surge, major players in the networking industry are collaborating to ensure Ethernet can meet the rigorous networking demands presented by AI. At its essence, Ethernet is a protocol facilitating communication between computers (from servers to laptops) over wired networks that utilize devices such as routers, switches, and hubs to manage data traffic. Additionally, Ethernet integrates smoothly with wireless protocols.

The internet refers to a vast interconnected network of computers that utilize internet protocol (IP) to facilitate communication on a global scale. This system employs switches and routers that are part of a collaborative network, designed to manage data traffic efficiently while ensuring resilience in the event that certain segments of the internet encounter issues.

Tier 1 internet service providers (ISP) interconnect their high-speed fiber-optic networks to form the internet backbone. This backbone is responsible for efficiently directing traffic across different geographical regions.

An IP address consists of a unique sequence of numbers or a combination of letters and numbers assigned to each device connected to an IP network, which enables switches and routers to accurately route packets to their intended destinations.

Platform as a Service (PaaS): PaaS refers to a cloud computing model where a provider offers a platform that developers can use to build, run, and manage applications. This service includes essential components such as the operating system, programming languages, databases, and additional development tools, allowing developers to concentrate on creating applications without needing to manage the underlying infrastructure.

Network as a Service (NaaS): This is a cloud-driven service that delivers network infrastructure components like routers, switches, and firewalls as a service. With NaaS, companies can effectively access and control their network resources via a cloud platform.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): IaaS offers the fundamental elements of cloud computing—servers, storage, and networking. This model empowers users with significant control over their cloud setup, though it does require them to handle the operating systems, applications, and additional components.

IPv6 represents the newest iteration of internet protocol, significantly increasing the available number of IP addresses from 4.3 billion, provided by IPv4, to an astounding 340 trillion trillion. This enhancement ensures that there are enough unique addresses for all devices likely to connect to the public internet.

The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a network comprising of interconnected smart devices that furnish extensive operational data to businesses. This term encompasses the broadening array of electronic devices that are not traditional computing machines but are linked to the internet for data collection, instruction reception, or both.

The industrial internet of things (IIoT) links machines and devices across various industries. This concept involves the incorporation of instrumentation and interconnected sensors along with other devices into machinery and vehicles within the transport, energy, and manufacturing arenas.

Industry 4.0 integrates different technologies to devise tailored industrial solutions, optimizing resource use. It directly connects the supply chain and ERP system to the production line, establishing seamless, automated, and potentially autonomous manufacturing processes that enhance the utilization of capital, raw materials, and workforce.

There exists an often confusing array of protocols, standards, and technologies associated with the Internet of Things. This piece serves as an essential guide to critical IoT terminology.

NB-IoT is a communication standard crafted for IoT devices to function through carrier networks, either within an existing GSM bandwidth utilized by some cellular services, in an unused “guard band” between LTE channels, or independently.

Internet protocol (IP) refers to the guidelines that dictate how data is formatted and transmitted over IP networks. 

DHCP, which stands for dynamic host configuration protocol, is an IP-network protocol utilized by a server to automatically allocate IP addresses to networked devices, while also sharing additional information that enables those devices to communicate effectively with other endpoints.

The Domain Name System (DNS) serves to match the familiar names of websites with their corresponding IP addresses, thus enhancing efficiency and adding a layer of security.

IPv6 represents the most recent iteration of the internet protocol, enabling the identification of devices across the internet for easier location, while also processing packets more efficiently, boosting performance, and enhancing security.

An IP address represents a unique identifier made up of numbers or a mixture of letters and numbers, assigned to devices connected to a network that utilizes the Internet Protocol for communication. IP addresses allow devices on these networks to have distinct identities, making it possible for them to locate and interact with one another.

Network management refers to the methods and strategies employed in overseeing and regulating computer networks.

Intent-based networking (IBNS) is a form of network management that empowers network administrators to express their objectives for the network in straightforward language. The network management platform then automatically sets up the devices on the network to achieve the desired configuration and ensure adherence to established policies.

Microsegmentation enables the creation of secure areas within networks, data centers, and cloud environments by dividing sections so that only specified users and applications are permitted access to each segment.

Software-defined networking (SDN) represents a modern strategy in managing networks that allows for adaptable and automated network configuration aimed at enhancing both performance and monitoring capabilities. This approach shifts the control mechanisms away from individual devices, allowing for comprehensive alterations across the network without the need for manual configuration of each component.

Network security encompasses the various policies, processes, and methodologies implemented to safeguard against unauthorized access, protect against misuse, monitor for alterations, and combat denial of service attacks on computer networks and resources accessible through the network.

Identity-based networking links an individual’s identity to the specific network services available to them, ensuring that access is appropriately managed.

Microsegmentation serves as a method to establish secure enclaves within networks, particularly in data centers and cloud environments, by dividing the network into smaller segments that restrict access to only authorized users and applications for each area.

Network Access Control is a strategy for securing computer networks that combines endpoint security technology, user or system authentication, and the enforcement of network security policies.

Secure access service edge (SASE) represents a network architecture that integrates software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) with security into a cloud service. This design aims to simplify WAN deployment while enhancing both efficiency and security, delivering appropriate bandwidth according to specific application needs. First introduced by Gartner in 2019, SASE provides a holistic solution for securing and optimizing network access in contemporary hybrid work settings. Its essential components include the following:

Secure web gateway (SWG): Monitors and filters web traffic, blocking harmful content and inhibiting unauthorized website access.

Cloud access security broker (CASB): Implements security policies and controls for cloud applications to safeguard data and thwart unauthorized access.

Zero trust network access (ZTNA): Gives application access based on user identity and device state, instead of depending on network location.

Firewall-as-a-service (FWaaS): Offers a cloud-centered firewall to shield networks from threats and unauthorized access.

Unified management: A centralized interface for overseeing and tracking both network and security elements.

Automation: Streamlined workflows and policies designed to ease operations and boost efficiency.

Analytics: Sophisticated analytics that yield insights regarding network and security performance.

A network switch functions at the Data Link layer within the OSI model — specifically Layer 2. It receives packets from devices connected to its ports and redistributes them, doing so only through those ports that connect to the intended devices. Additionally, switches can operate at the network layer — Layer 3, where routing takes place.

The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) reference model serves as a framework for organizing messages exchanged between any two entities within a network.

Power over Ethernet (PoE) facilitates the transmission of electrical power alongside data to connected devices using a single network cable. This innovation streamlines device design by removing the necessity for a separate electrical plug and power adapter, thus eliminating the requirement for additional AC wiring and outlets in proximity to each device.

A router serves as a vital networking apparatus that directs the traffic of data packets between different computer networks. Operating at Layer 3 of the OSI model, routers manage the communication process among various subnets within organizations and across the internet.

Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) functions as a standardized method for the exchange of routing and reachability details between extensive, independent systems operating on the internet.

User Datagram Protocol (UDP) is a communication protocol predominantly employed to establish rapid and loss-tolerant connections between internet applications. This approach enhances transmission speeds by allowing data transfer to commence prior to the recipient device’s approval of the connection.

Storage networking refers to connecting external storage systems over a network, allowing all linked computers or nodes to access shared resources.

Network-attached storage (NAS) represents a type of file-level storage attached to a network, facilitating data access and file sharing within a diverse client-server environment.

A communications protocol crafted for all-flash storage, NVMe delivers enhanced performance and higher density than older protocols. It is particularly suited for enterprise applications that demand exceptional performance, such as real-time data analytics, online trading systems, and other workloads sensitive to latency.

A storage-area network (SAN) is a specialized, high-speed network designed for accessing block-level storage. The introduction of SANs has helped boost application performance and availability by isolating storage traffic from the general local area network (LAN).

Virtualization involves creating a digital version of various components, such as computer hardware, storage systems, and network resources. This concept includes virtual servers that can operate independently on the same hardware.

A hypervisor is a type of software that dissociates a computer’s operating system and applications from its physical hardware, enabling multiple virtual machines to share the same hardware efficiently.

Network virtualization merges network hardware and software resources while providing network functionality into one cohesive, software-driven administrative unit referred to as a virtual network. This process often combines platform virtualization with resource virtualization.

Network functions virtualization (NFV) utilizes standard server hardware to substitute specialized network appliances, leading to enhanced flexibility, efficiency, and scalability in services.

An application delivery controller (ADC) serves as a networking element that oversees and enhances the connections between client machines and web or enterprise application servers. Generally, an ADC can be either a physical device or a software application that effectively manages and regulates the data flow to various applications.

A virtual machine (VM) is a software framework that allows the execution of programs or applications independently from a physical machine. Within a VM environment, multiple guest machines have the capability to operate on a single physical host computer.

A virtual private network facilitates secure remote-access and site-to-site connections at low costs, serves as a foundational element for software-defined WANs, and is becoming increasingly valuable in the realm of IoT.

Split tunneling refers to a device setup that guarantees that only traffic aimed at corporate resources passes through the company’s internet VPN, while all other traffic goes directly to external sites on the internet, bypassing the VPN.

A WAN, short for wide-area network, is a type of network that utilizes different types of connections, such as private lines, Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), virtual private networks (VPNs), and wireless connections like cellular networks, as well as the Internet. This allows organizations to link together sites that are spread out geographically. For businesses, a WAN facilitates communication between branch offices, remote workers, and headquarters or data centers.

Data deduplication, often referred to as dedupe, is the process of identifying and removing duplicate information within a dataset. This practice helps minimize the amount of data that travels over WAN connections. Deduplication can uncover redundant data blocks across files located in various directories, among different data types, and even spanning multiple servers located in diverse geographic areas.

Multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) is a type of packet protocol designed to provide reliable connections for real-time applications. However, its high cost has led many organizations to explore SD-WAN as an alternative to reduce its dependency.

Secure access service edge (SASE) represents a network architecture that integrates software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) with security features within a cloud service. This approach aims to streamline WAN deployment, enhance efficiency and security, and allocate appropriate bandwidth for each application. The term SASE was introduced by Gartner in 2019, presenting a holistic solution for securing and optimizing network access in the modern hybrid work environment. Its fundamental components are as follows:

Secure web gateway (SWG): Monitors and filters web traffic to block harmful content and restrict unauthorized access to websites.

Cloud access security broker (CASB): Implements security protocols and controls for cloud applications, safeguarding data and preventing unauthorized access.

Zero trust network access (ZTNA): Assigns application access based on user identity and device status, rather than relying solely on the network location.

Firewall-as-a-service (FWaaS): Offers a cloud-based firewall to protect networks against threats and unauthorized access.

Unified management: A centralized solution for overseeing and monitoring both network and security elements.

Automation: Automated processes and policies to simplify tasks and boost efficiency.

Analytics: Enhanced analytics to deliver insights into network and security performance.

Software-defined wide-area networks (SD-WAN) are advanced software solutions designed to manage and direct WAN traffic efficiently across various wide-area connections. This routing is based on policies that consider numerous factors, such as cost, link performance, time of day, and specific application requirements. In a similar vein to its larger counterpart, software-defined networking, SD-WAN separates the control plane from the data plane.

Virtual private networks (VPNs) are capable of establishing secure remote-access and site-to-site connections at a low cost. They serve as a viable option within SD-WANs and are proving to be beneficial in the realm of IoT.

Wi-Fi refers to wireless local area network technologies that adhere to the IEEE 802.11 standards for communication. Devices equipped with Wi-Fi software clients communicate through radio waves to access points, which subsequently route the data to the connected wired network.

802.11ad is a significant update to the IEEE 802.11 wireless networking standard. It aims to provide a wireless networking system at multiple gigabit speeds operating at a 60 GHz frequency, representing the standard for WiGig networks.

802.11ay is an anticipated upgrade to the existing technical specifications for Wi-Fi as of 2021. Serving as a successor to IEEE 802.11ad, it aims to quadruple the available bandwidth while implementing MIMO technology with up to 8 streams, marking its place as the second standard in the WiGig series.

802.11ax, branded by the Wi-Fi Alliance as Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E, represents an IEEE standard for wireless local area networks and is the successor to 802.11ac. It is also referred to as High Efficiency Wi-Fi due to the enhancements it offers to Wi-Fi 6 devices operating in congested environments.

Wi-Fi 6E builds upon Wi-Fi 6 technology, utilizing the 6GHz spectrum for unlicensed wireless communication. This extension provides lower latency and improved data rates compared to Wi-Fi 6, albeit at a shorter range. The increased number of channels also qualifies it for usage in high-density settings, such as sports arenas.

Beamforming is a method that directs a wireless signal specifically towards a designated receiving device rather than dispersing the signal in all directions from a transmitter. This focused connection results in faster and more dependable communication compared to the traditional broadcasting approach.

Enterprises no longer need to rely on dedicated Wi-Fi controllers in their data centers since that functionality can now be managed by access points or transitioned to the cloud, although it may not be suitable for every organization.

MU-MIMO, which stands for multi-user, multiple input, multiple output, is a form of wireless technology utilized by routers and endpoint devices. This is an advancement beyond single-user MIMO (SU-MIMO), commonly known just as MIMO. The MIMO technology was developed to boost the number of users that a single access point can accommodate simultaneously, initially achieved by increasing the number of antennas on a wireless router.

Orthogonal frequency-division multiple-access (OFDMA) empowers Wi-Fi 6 with enhanced throughput and greater network efficiency by allowing numerous clients to connect to a single access point at the same time.

802.11ax, officially recognized by the Wi-Fi Alliance as Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E, is an IEEE standard for wireless local area networks and serves as the successor to 802.11ac. It is also referred to as High Efficiency Wi-Fi, due to the significant improvements it brings to Wi-Fi 6 clients, especially in dense environments.

Constant advancements in Wi-Fi standards result in more robust and faster Wi-Fi connections.

The WPA3 Wi-Fi security standard addresses the vulnerabilities of WPA2, enhancing the security of personal, business, and IoT wireless networks.

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