The Hedge

Nick Carter joins Tom and I to discuss Flock Networks. What is Flock Networks?

The Flock Networks IP routing suite is designed for unparalleled performance and massive scale. It has been implemented from scratch so it can excel on modern hardware. Each component of the IP routing suite is able to run in parallel, without being slowed down or interrupted by any other component.

AI in networks is a hotly contested subject—so we asked Bob Friday, CTO of Mist Systems, to explain the value and future of AI in networks. Bob joins Tom Ammon and Russ White for this episode.

Interdomain Any-source Multicast has proven to be an unscalable solution, and is actually blocking the deployment of other solutions. To move interdomain multicast forward, Lenny Giuliano, Tim Chown, and Toerless Eckhert wrote RFC 8815, BCP 229, recommending providers "deprecate the use of Any-Source Multicast (ASM) for interdomain multicast, leaving Source-Specific Multicast (SSM) as the recommended interdomain mode of multicast."

Tobi Metz asked What is a Technologists? in a recent blog post. Tobi joins Tom and Russ on this episode of the Hedge to expand on his answer, and get our thoughts on the question.

Time is critical for many of the systems that make the Internet and other operational networks "go," but we often just assume the time is there and it's right. In this episode of the Hedge, Karen O'Donoghue joins Alvaro and Russ to talk about some of the many attacks and failures that can be caused by an incorrect time, and current and ongoing work in securing network time in the IETF.

Many network engineers complain about their companies not giving them opportunities—but how many think about helping the company grow in a way that allows them to have the opportunities they desire? Scott Morris, aka "evil ccie," joins Tom and Russ on this episode of the Hedge to talk about the challenges of certifications, growing people, and people learning how to grow in a way what improves the business. Sometimes growing means creating opportunities rather than just waiting for them to knock.

Chris Romeo is a famous application security expert who has spent the last several years building a consulting and training company called Security Journey. Chris joins Tom and Russ to talk about the state of security and what network engineers need to know about security from an application perspective.

In this episode of the Hedge, Scott Burleigh joins Alvaro Retana and Russ White to discuss the Bundle Protocol, which is designed to support delay tolerant data delivery over intermittently available or "stressed" networks. Examples include interstellar communication, email transmission over networks where access points move around (carrying data with them), etc. You can learn more about delay tolerant networking here, and read the most recent draft specification here.

While many network engineers think about getting a certification, not many think about going after a degree. Is there value in getting a degree for the network engineer? If so, what is it? What kinds of things do you learn in a degree program for network engineering? Eric Osterweil, a professor at George Mason University, joins Jeremy Filliben and Russ White on this episode of the Hedge to consider degrees for network engineers.

Certifications are a perennial topic (like weeds, perhaps) in the world of network engineering. While we often ask whether you should get a certification or a degree, or whether you should get a certification at all, we don't often ask—now that you have the certification, how long should you keep it? Do you keep recertifying "forever," or is there a limit? Join us as Mike Bolitho, Eyvonne Sharp, Tom Ammon, and Russ White discuss when you should give up on that certification.