In this episode, we explore a variety of hardware and software technologies that control traffic, enable communication, and deliver power across network devices. We begin with firewalls—both hardware and software-based—explaining how they inspect traffic based on rules and determine what should be allowed or denied. Then we move to network interface cards, also known as NIC s, which enable devices to physically connect to networks via Ethernet or wireless adapters.

Next, we introduce Software Defined Networking, or SDN, which is an emerging concept that allows centralized control of network hardware through abstracted layers. Finally, we cover Power over Ethernet, or PoE, a technology that allows power and data to be delivered through the same Ethernet cable. These topics are important because they appear in multiple-choice questions that mix hardware with modern networking principles. Brought to you by BareMetalCyber.com.