More LAN/WAN In Depth

Fast-forwarding firewall faceoff

Next-generation firewalls claim to identify application-layer attacks and enforce application-specific policies while delivering top-notch performance, even with advanced security features turned on. Insider (registration required)

Three-stream Wi-Fi hits the mark

The rapid adoption of 802.11n has become a significant milestone in the history of wireless LANs. The MIMO-based technologies used in most 802.11n systems provide enough throughput, reliability, and rate vs. range performance to effectively remove the last major barriers to the broad adoption of WLANs in the enterprise.

Not-so-magic monitor, tiny routers and a kick-ass gaming headset

Shaw reviews MIMO MagicTouch 10-inch touchscreen USB monitor, 150Mbps Wireless N Nano Router, GameCom 780 USB headset.

IPv6: Dual-stack strategy starts at the perimeter

We are in an awkward point in the history of the Internet. IPv4 address depletion has occurred yet we expect to use IPv4 for the next 15 to 20 years. Organizations see two paths to choose between in the years ahead.

2012 Outlook: The end of everything?

Gibbs reviews last year's predictions and sees that the end could be nigh ...

Cisco WAAS shows pizzazz

The latest release of Cisco's WAN optimization product line -- Wide Area Application Services (WAAS) 4.4 -- proves that the company famous for routing packets can also shape, optimize and accelerate them.

How To Lock Down Your Wireless Network

If you operate a wireless network for your home or business, it's important to ward it against opportunistic hackers seeking to steal your data or hijack your Wi-Fi for their own nefarious purposes. We spoke to Steven Andrés, CTO of security consulting firm Special Ops Security, to learn about the best ways to lock down your Wi-Fi. To get started, you'll need to log in to your router's administrative console by typing the router's IP address into your Web browser's address bar. Most routers use a common address like 192.168.1.1, though alternatives like 192.168.0.1 and 192.168.2.1 are also common. Check the manual that came with your router to determine the correct IP address; if you've lost your manual, you can usually find the appropriate IP address on the manufacturer's website.

How to have real risk management

Akamai Technologies CSO Andy Ellis talks about some of the things organizations need to consider in order to better manage risk.

Will the sky fall if you don't deploy IPv6?

Will the world end? Will the Internet grind to a screeching halt? Will your computer systems disintegrate into a pile of bits and bytes? In short, no. At least not yet. But you may want to consider a few things.

High-speed Ethernet planning guide

Ten-gigabit Ethernet was so last year: Standards-based 40- and 100-gigabit Ethernet switches and routers are starting to show up in enterprise networks. Here's what you need to know.

Baker Hughes: Wake-on-LAN technology cuts energy use

Baker Hughes weaves energy reduction into its internal IT strategies, using a four-pronged approach of awareness, planning, harvesting and prevention.

Silver Surfers are past it? Never!

Been around a while? You may well be a "Silver surfer" and that makes you an IT hero!

SAN/LAN convergence can pay dividends today

Today's workers want faster computing speeds and more storage, management wants it all under budget, and IT professionals are scrambling to save money and improve productivity. The tools of choice to achieve these goals are typically virtualization, cloud computing and data center consolidation, but IT may be overlooking a simple but effective fix: storage area network (SAN) and local area network (LAN) convergence.

Best free connectivity and productivity apps

These free software gems are perfect if you're looking to push the limits of what you can fit into your day. Connectivity downloads will help you streamline your Internet connection and set up remote-control access to a second computer so you can be at work without being at work--or simply help someone from a distance fix a browser problem. Our free productivity software selections will help you get organized and move away from the infuriatingly complex and bulky Microsoft Office suite to lighter and more intuitive office programs.

Keeping the DMZ Safe

A security manager has to be vigilant about what goes into the exposed portion of the company network, and he has to make sure it's all configured correctly.

Palo Alto PA-5060 is one fast firewall

Palo Alto's new firewall delivered performance 10 times faster than when we tested in 2008, and came close to its rated capacity of 20Gbps in firewall-only mode, according to our exclusive Clear Choice testing.

How We Tested the Palo Alto PA-5060 firewall

We assessed the performance of the Palo Alto PA-5060 firewall using three sets of tests, covering rates with mixed content, rates with static content, and TCP connection behavior. Two pairs of Spirent Avalanche 3100 GT traffic generator/analyzers, each equipped with two 10G Ethernet interfaces, served as the primary test tool.

Palo Alto earns short list status

Palo Alto Networks has injected excitement and innovation into the firewall market with its "next-generation" appliances that combine traditional firewalls, threat mitigation technologies such as anti-malware and intrusion prevention, and the new magic dust of application identification.

What is a next-generation firewall?

If there is a simple way to describe the difference between a next-generation firewall and a traditional firewall, it is "more detailed controls." In firewall terms, people talk about "widening the 5-tuple."

EHRs are easy prey, but all is not lost

Christopher Burgess on writing a new prescription for health data trust.