Heavy Networking

By Packet PushersTechnology

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Heavy Networking episodes

November 27, 2019 Heavy Networking 489: Is BBR Too Unfair An Algorithm For The Internet?
BBR is a congestion control algorithm (CCA) designed for low latency. Backed by Google, BBR’s use is growing on the Internet, including as the default CCA for YouTube.
However, an element in BBR’s design means that the 1.0 version of the algorithm crowds out other commonly used CCAs, such as Cubic and Reno.
As today’s guests discovered in their research, when BBR and Cubic flows share a link, a single BBR flow will take up as much as 40% of the link’s bandwidth, leaving 16 Cubic flows to divide the rest among themselves.
This leads to questions about how BBR will interact with the legacy algorithms that are the status-quo today.
Our guests for today’s show are Ranysha Ware, a Ph.D. student in Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University; and Justine Sherry, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon. Ranysha recently presented her findings on BBR at the Internet Measurement Conference in October 2019 in the Netherlands.
Ranysha and Justine come on the podcast to discuss:
* How BBR works, including differences with legacy loss-based CCAs
* Research comparing BBR, Cubic, and Reno
* Why BBR behaves the way it does
* Potential impacts for the Internet
* Using harm, rather than fairness, as a measure for new algorithms
* More
Ranysha has also created a Congestion Control Evaluation Survey for network engineers and operators to get feedback on a proposed testbed for evaluating the impact of CCAs on applications and networks. She’d appreciate your input!
Sponsor: Tufin
Tufin has pioneered a policy-based approach to network security management using automation and analytics. As a result, you can make network changes in minutes instead of days, reliably and securely. Tufin. The Security Policy Company. Get details at www.tufin.com.
Sponsor: ThousandEyes
ThousandEyes gives you performance visibility from every user to every app over any network, both internal and external, so you can migrate to the cloud, troubleshoot faster and deliver exceptional user experiences. Sign up for a free account at thousandeyes.com/packetpushers and choose a free ThousandEyes t-shirt.
Show Links:
Modeling BBR’s Interactions withLoss-Based Congestion Control (PDF)
Ranysha Ware – Carnegie Mellon University
Congestion Control Evaluation Survey
Ranysha Ware on Twitter
Dr. Justine Sherry
Justine Sherry on Twitter
BBR Congestion Control Work at Google – IETF
Employing QUIC Protocol to Optimize Uber’s App Performance – Uber Engineering Blog
55 min
November 22, 2019 Heavy Networking 488: Using Genetic Algorithms To Avoid Internet Censorship
Today on Heavy Networking, we’re going to evolve using genetic algorithms. You heard me right.
Researchers at the University of Maryland in the United States have developed a project called Geneva that uses genetic algorithms to automatically figure out the best way to, in this use case, avoid Internet censorship.
Essentially, we’re going to discuss how to get through the Great Firewall of China with about 6,000 lines of Python.
So put on your propellor beanie, and let’s introduce our guests: David Levin, Assistant Professor, Computer Science and Co-Chair, CS Undergraduate Honors Program at the University of Maryland; and Kevin Bock, a graduate student at the University of Maryland who did much of the work on this project.
We discuss:

* Common techniques state censors use to detect and stop traffic, including encrypted traffic
* Limits to these approaches that Geneva can exploit
* How genetic algorithms work
* Training genetic algorithms against censorship techniques
* Testing mechanisms, including against real-world censors
* Could Geneva be used to thwart legitimate security controls
* More

Sponsor: ITProTV
Get over in-depth technical training from ITProTV. ITProTV offers online instruction in CompTIA, Cisco, VMWare, Microsoft and more. You can stream courses live and on demand on your favorite device. Sign up at itpro.tv/packet and save 25%. Use the code PACKET25 when you check out.
Sponsor: ExtraHop
ExtraHop is the enterprise cyber analytics company delivering performance and security from the inside out. ExtraHop offers complete visibility with machine learning to help you make quick, confident decisions about your IT environment. Explore the ExtraHop Performance Platform at extrahop.com/packetpushers.
Show Links:
Geneva: Evolving Censorship Evasion – University of Maryland
Geneva – GitHub
Dave Levin on Twitter
PQ 58: Alibi Routing With UMD’s Dave Levin – Packet Pushers
1 hr 11 min
November 19, 2019 Heavy Networking 487: Fortinet And The Secure SD-WAN (Sponsored)
Fortinet sponsors today’s Heavy Networking podcast. You probably know Fortinet as a firewall company, but today’s conversation focuses on Fortinet’s Secure SD-WAN capabilities.
Fortinet’s offering combines SD-WAN and security features such as Next-Gen firewall in the same appliance, including key features such as application identification, dynamic path selection, and SLA monitoring.
Joining us today to talk about Secure SD-WAN are Nirav Shah, senior director of products and solutions; and Alex Samonte, director of technical architecture.
We discuss:

* The evolution of business drivers for SD-WAN from cost savings to application optimization
* How Fortinet leverages its application ID capabilities from its NGFW for SD-WAN
* Fortient’s ability to decrypt and inspect SSL/TLS traffic for SD-WAN and security policies
* Centralized management for SD-WAN and security from one console
* Hardware acceleration with purpose-built ASICs
* How Fortinet supports public cloud use cases
* More

Show Links:
Fortinet
Fortinet SD-WAN Solutions
Fortinet on Twitter
44 min
November 15, 2019 Heavy Networking 486: Measuring Global Performance Of The Big 5 Cloud Providers (Sponsored)
Understanding how the Internet carries your traffic is no longer optional.
The Internet is much of your WAN, and the Internet can have problems just like any wide area network. Beyond the Internet, the public cloud providers have their own networks.
Guess what? You need to understand how those are behaving as well.
Sponsor ThousandEyes is here to explain how you can understand Internet performance more deeply. Before we get into that part of the discussion, we’ll review the data turned up by their research arm in the second annual Cloud Performance Benchmark report. The report covers AWS, Azure, GCP, AliCloud, and IBM.
That is, how do the public clouds perform from a networking perspective? And what does that mean for you as you work with application architects placing workloads in the cloud?
Our guests are Archana Kesavan, Director, Product Marketing; and Angelique Medina, Director, Product Marketing at ThousandEyes.
We discuss:

* Why ThousandEyes decided to develop this annual report
* How it measures cloud provider performance
* What’s new in the second report, such as the inclusion of performance details on AliCloud and IBM
* Result highlights and comparisons of cloud performance across geographical regions
* The introduction of Internet Insights, a real-time view of global Internet health
* More

Show Links:
Cloud Performance Benchmark – ThousandEyes
Internet and Cloud Intelligence Research – ThousandEyes
53 min
November 12, 2019 Heavy Networking 485: Understanding Edge Exchanges
Internet Exchanges (IXs) perform a core function of allowing provider networks to exchange traffic and data. IXs are key to the functioning of the Internet. However, there are relatively few physical locations in the United States where those exchanges exist.
That means traffic may have to trombone or take non-optimal routes to get from one network to another.
Thus, the emergence of edge exchanges. An edge exchange is a micro-data center positioned at the network operator side of a last-mile networks. That network can be wired or mobile.
The goal of an edge exchange is to provide direct interconnection and traffic exchange between provider networks closer to end users and mobile towers.
Our guest to walk us through the ins and outs of edge exchanges is Alex Marcham, Technical Marketing Manager at Vapor IO.
We discuss:

* The role of IXs in moving Internet traffic
* How edge exchanges differ from Internet exchanges (IXs)
* Why edge exchanges have emerged and the problems they are meant to address
* The Linux Foundation’s LF Edge project
* More

Sponsor: Ixia
Today’s show is sponsored in part by Ixia. Join Ixia for The Network Makeover, a unique event featuring >50 giveaways and tips & tricks designed to help you turn network data into dynamic network intelligence. Register now and then tune in December 2-13 for daily chances to win. Go to www.ixiacom.com/packetpushers to sign up.
Sponsor: Pilot Fiber
Pilot Fiber is hiring network engineers for support and infrastructure roles! With hundreds of happy customers in NYC, we’re out to prove that a happy team means happier customers. Pilot is looking for technical pros who share a passion for driving an unprecedented end-to-end experience. Find out more at pilotfiber.com/packetpushers.
Sponsor: Tufin
Tufin has pioneered a policy-based approach to network security management using automation and analytics. As a result, you can make network changes in minutes instead of days, reliably and securely. Tufin. The Security Policy Company. Get details at www.tufin.com.
Show Links:
Alex Marcham on Twitter
Network Architecture 2020 – Alex’s Blog
LF Edge – Linux Foundation
Datanauts 135: An Introduction To Edge Computing – Packet Pushers
PQ Show 105: Will 5G Improve Rural Broadband? – Packet Pushers
1 hr 5 min
November 08, 2019 Heavy Networking 484: Cloud And SD-WAN Are New Opportunities To Rethink Your Network (Sponsored)
Today on Heavy Networking our subject is: Stop treating your wide area network like a network.
What does that mean? Is it a Zen koan? If we meditate on the inherent contradictions in that sentence, will we achieve enlightenment?
Maybe not. But maybe we will learn to let go of old notions about how to design and run a WAN as more and more of our applications and infrastructure vanish into the cloud.
Open Systems is our sponsor for today’s episode and our Zen master for this discussion is Silvan Tschopp, head of solutions architecture at Open Systems.
We discuss:

* What Open Systems means by not treating the network like a network
* How SaaS and public cloud affect WAN design
* Using SD-WAN to get around traditional WAN limitations
* Benefits of integrating SD-WAN and security controls
* Potential tradeoffs that come with weighing down SD-WAN with features
* More

Show Links:
Open Systems
Silvan Tschopp on LinkedIn
Heavy Networking 474: Find Breaches With Continuous Monitoring From Open Systems (Sponsored) – Packet Pushers
Heavy Networking 466: Securing The Network That’s Everywhere With Open Systems (Sponsored) – Packet Pushers
Heavy Networking 446: How Open Systems Integrates Security And SD-WAN As A Service (Sponsored) – Packet Pushers
42 min
November 05, 2019 Heavy Networking 483: SD-WAN Incompetence, Myths, And Fallacies
Managed Service Providers (MSPs) are trying to sell SD-WAN services by convincing you that you don’t have the staff, training, or competence to operate an SD-WAN.
On today’s Heavy Networking, Greg Ferro and Ethan Banks pick this argument apart to see if there’s anything to it.
Short answer? There really isn’t.
Greg and Ethan discuss:

* Why SD-WAN is well-suited to being operated in house
* Why MSPs are not well-suited to managing a dynamic technology such as SD-WAN
* The mistaken notion that MPLS circuits are a must-have in your WAN
* Why it’s bad for your business to outsource a developing technology to a provider
* More

This discuss is based around the whitepaper “SDWAN: Get A Managed Service Or Do It Yourself? (Your Incompetence Is My Opportunity” by Greg Ferro. The whitepaper is available for Ignition subscribers. Membership is $99 per year.
Sponsor: Tufin
Tufin has pioneered a policy-based approach to network security management using automation and analytics. As a result, you can make network changes in minutes instead of days, reliably and securely. Tufin. The Security Policy Company. Get details at www.tufin.com.
Sponsor: Ixia
Join Ixia for The Network Makeover, a unique event featuring more than 50 giveaways, plus tips and tricks designed to help you turn network data into dynamic network intelligence. Register now and then tune in December 2-13 for daily chances to win. Go to www.ixiacom.com/packetpushers to sign up.
Show Links:
Packet Pushers Ignition
SDWAN: Get A Managed Service Or Do It Yourself? (Whitepaper – Subscription required)
1 hr 9 min
November 01, 2019 Heavy Networking 482: Test Your Limits With The TRex OSS Traffic Generator
TRex is an open source traffic generator backed by Cisco. Joining us on Heavy Networking today is Hanoch Haim, Principal Engineer with Cisco, and the lead developer on the TRex project.
This is not a sponsored show. I heard about TRex from an audience member.
I thought it was a really interesting open source alternative to commercial traffic generators that cost six figures. I reached out to Hanoch, and he was kind enough to join me for this episode to talk about TRex.
We discuss:

* How TRex works
* Use cases for traffic generation in testing
* How to deploy TRex
* Performance limits
* Why Cisco put this project into open source instead of selling it
* More

Show Links:
TRex – Cisco Systems
TRex Docs
TRex on GitHub
TRex Forum – Google Groups
PQ Show 85: FD.IO & VPP Open Virtual Switch – Packet Pushers
TRex: An Open Source Traffic Generator – YouTube
TRex as a stateful traffic generator – Cisco Presentation
TRex traffic generator from Userspace 2015 in Berlin – Slideshare
Adding stateless support to TRex – Slideshare
Adding stateless support to TRex (video from DPDK Project) – YouTube
1 hr 14 min
October 25, 2019 Heavy Networking 481: Enhancing Cloud Security With Network Detection And Response From ExtraHop (Sponsored)
Today on Heavy Networking we talk security, both on premises and in the public cloud.
The network you build and run on premises and in the cloud are expressly designed to connect users and customers to applications and data, but they’re also a vehicle for malware, exploits, and intruders.
The network is being asked to do more filtering, more scanning, more blocking, more decision-making to try keep out the bad stuff, but we’ve also seen the limits of anti-virus, anti-malware, intrusion prevention, and Next-Gen Firewalls; even if these products are 99.999 percent effective, one mistake is all an attacker needs to get a toehold.
On today’s sponsored show we’re going to talk with ExtraHop about network detection and response (NDR), with a focus on public cloud. Our guest is ExtraHop founder and CTO Jesse Rothstein.
He’s here to talk about how NDR differs from prevention, how to use it in the cloud, ExtraHop’s ability to take advantage of native cloud traffic mirroring, and more.
We discuss:

* The shift in security from prevention to detection
* How to leverage the network as a source of ground truth for security investigations
* Getting useful visibility in hybrid environments
* The benefits of cloud-native traffic mirroring
* Dealing with information overload
* Behavioral modeling and analysis
* Traffic decryption challenges and solutions
* More

Show Links:
ExtraHop
ExtraHop Reveal(x) Cloud – ExtraHop
Cloud-Native Network Detection & Response – ExtraHop
Tech Bytes: How ExtraHop Leverages Cloud-Native Traffic Mirroring For Security (Sponsored) – Packet Pushers
49 min
October 22, 2019 Heavy Networking 480: WTF Is Digital Transformation?
Welcome to Heavy Networking from the Packet Pushers Podcast network. Today’s show is all about Digital Transformation.
CIOs, executives, analysts, and product managers talk about digital transformation the way exercise junkies talk about CrossFit: as the way and the truth and the blueprint for…what, exactly?
Businesses already use technology. Things are pretty well digitized. Employees have laptops and mobile devices, and IT teams build and run elaborate systems to move and process data.
Does digital transformation just mean adopting the latest gadget and moving data faster, or is there something more?
That’s the question we’ll explore on today’s episode. We’ve brought on several guests to help puncture the hot air balloon of digital technology and see if there’s anything useful inside: Paul Beyer, Infrastructure Architect; Tobias Metz, Consultant Network Engineering & Training Coordinator; and Emma Cardinal-Richards, Senior Network Architect.
In our conversation we:

* Try to assemble a working definition of digital transformation
* Explore how the idea of digital transformation differs from previous eras of technology adoption
* See if we can tie the notion of transformation to particular technologies
* Discuss the impacts of digital transformation on engineers

Sponsor: ExtraHop
ExtraHop is the enterprise cyber analytics company delivering performance and security from the inside out. ExtraHop offers complete visibility with machine learning to help you make quick, confident decisions about your IT environment. Explore the ExtraHop Performance Platform at extrahop.com/packetpushers.
Sponsor: ITProTV
Get over in-depth technical training from ITProTV. ITProTV offers online instruction in CompTIA, Cisco, VMWare, Microsoft and more. You can stream courses live and on demand on your favorite device. Sign up at itpro.tv/packet and save 25%. Use the code PACKET25 when you check out.
Show Links:
Paul Beyer on LinkedIn
Paul Beyer’s blog
Tobias Metz on LinkedIn
Emma Cardinal-Richards on LinkedIn
Emma Cardinal-Richards on Twitter
1 hr 6 min

About Heavy Networking

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Heavy Networking is an unabashedly nerdy dive into all things networking. Described by one listener as "verbal white papers," the weekly episodes feature network engineers, industry experts, and…