N Is For Networking

Dive into the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol as it assigns IP addresses automatically, making network connectivity smoother. Explore its historical roots in BootP and the significance of RFC documents like RFC 2131. Learn about the critical role of DHCP servers, including configuration intricacies and the importance of redundancy to prevent downtime. Discover how security measures like VPNs and zero trust access enhance network safety while tackling the challenges of IP address conflicts and unauthorized servers. It's a networking adventure you won't want to miss!

This week we continue with DNS. In our last episode we covered the basics; today we expand our scope to cover topics such as security for DNS, reverse DNS, and DNS record types. For dessert this week, a serving of Raspberry Pi and Happy Eyeballs. Episode Links: DNS: Turning Names into Numbers – N Is... Read more »

The Domain Name System (DNS) keeps the Internet running. On today’s N Is For Networking podcast, we talk about how DNS transforms human-readable host names into IP addresses so that Internet traffic can be sent to the right place. We talk about root name servers, Top Level Domains (TLDs), and other elements of the DNS... Read more »

Following last week’s introduction to network monitoring, we discuss the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), one of the most implemented types of network monitoring. We discuss how it is organized, operations that SNMP can perform, and versions of SNMP. This week’s bonus conversation is a discussion on the future for SNMP. Episode Links: MIB tree... Read more »

How do you know what is happening within your network, especially when something isn’t working? Network monitoring is the answer. On today’s show, we’ll start with the basics of network monitoring. We’ll cover what it is, how it’s used, and suggest some paid and open source network monitoring tools. This week’s bonus material is a... Read more »

To cert or not to cert? That is the question Holly & Ethan discuss on today’s episode. Will a certification really land you a networking job? Are certs the guaranteed path to tech career success? We consider this, talking through the benefits, challenges and even risks of networking industry certification. And there’s some bonus material,... Read more »

In today’s episode, we continue the discussion about routing and routing protocols by focusing on commonalities rather than differences among  protocols such as OSPF, RIP, EIGRP, or BGP. We explain how, in general, routing protocols discover each other, communicate, maintain relationships, and exchange routing information. Next, we explore the topics of selecting best paths in... Read more »

Ready for more routing and routing protocols? Today we discuss the roles of the network operating system (NOS), routing protocols, the Routing Information Base (RIB), and the Forwarding Information Base (FIB). We also include the dynamics of routing protocols, the importance of hardware like TCAM for performance, and the concept of administrative distance or route... Read more »

Dive into the essentials of layer 3 routing and unlock the mysteries of routers and routing tables. Explore the evolution of IP and the hurdles of new technologies. Learn how routers direct packets and the vital role subnetting plays. Discover the differences between static and default routes, plus the power of dynamic protocols like BGP and OSPF. Engage with practical Wireshark exercises and unravel the connections between packets and frames for a deeper networking understanding.

The line between switches and routers can get a little blurry. On today’s N Is For Networking, we try to clear things up. We start by defining what a router and switch are, and then provide some historical and technical context to better understand the differences. Then we discuss how modern switches have evolved to... Read more »