Network Storage Server Options
Although the need for storage available over a shared network is evident, it is not always clear which solution is right for your organization. There are a variety of options available, direct-attached storage (DAS), network-attached storage (NAS) and storage area networks (SAN). More ...
What is FTTP, FTTH, FTTB, and FTTD?
Some FTTx such as FTTN (fiber to the node), FTTC (fiber to the curb) depend on copper wires for final connection to the customers premises which contrasts with FTTP. FTTP can be further categorized into FTTH (fiber to the home), FTTB (fiber to the building), etc. More ...
Cisco Switching Fundamentals
Newer switches now use ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) for high speed hardware switching of packets. This results in much faster performance than packets processed in software. More ...
Transparent Bridging and MAC Address Filtering
A bridge uses a database to send frames across network segments. The database is a list of nodes MAC addresses and their locations on the network. To send a frame between two segments a bridge reads a frame's destination MAC address and decides to either forward or filter. More ...
ISP Multihoming Explained
Multihoming is essentially a method whereby a company can connect to more than one ISP at the same time. The concept was born out of the need to protect Internet access in the event of either an ISP link failure or an ISP internal failure. More ...
Here's a Quick Way to Build Your Fiber Optic Network
What is the most time consuming work in building a fiber network? Two works are usually thelargest line items in an fiber optic network installation budget: pulling the fiber optic cables and terminating or splicing the cables. More ...
A Guide to Broadband Internet Connections
By this point, most of America already has a Broadband Connection to the Internet. But for those that have not yet taken the plunge, a world of benefits awaits you. Broadband can get you surfing up to 50 times faster than a typical 56K modem. More ...
What Are Fiber Optic Circulators?
An optical circulator is an nonreciprocal passive device that directs light sequentially from port to port in only one direction. The operation of a circulator is similar to that of an isolator except its constructions is more complex. More ...
System Area Network Interface Cards
Whereas the standard network may use twisted-pair cabling, the System Area Network may use separate fiber-optic cabling. System Area Network interface cards are special high speed circuits that provide communications between the servers over the System Area Network. More ...
Six Things You Must Know About Fiber Optic Cable Materials
Outdoor fiber cables must endure harsh environment factors so outdoor cables must be strong, weatherproof and UV resistant. Indoor fiber cables should possess NEC required fire and smoke ratings. More ...
Overview of How DNS (Domain Name System) Works
This article presents a high-level overview of how DNS works. it focuses on the hostname-to-IP-address translation service. More ...
What are OFNP, OFNR, OFNG and OFCG? Understanding Fiber Optic Cable Fire Ratings
Just like copper cables, NEC (National Electrical Code) requires indoor fiber optic cables be marked with their fire and smoking ratings. According to NEC, a building's inside area is divided into three types of sections: plenums, risers and general purpose areas. More ...
Wireless or Wired Network?
Do you want the freedom of a wireless network, or do you want the security and reliability of a wired network? Both networks can provide you with great service and expandability, but each one varies in size, reliability, cost and speed. More ...
