Ian Dunn » Networking

Deflating the Hype Behind Cloud Computing

Ian — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 06:18:16 +0000

In a lot of ways I’m leery of the recent trends towards converting traditional products that you buy once and own into services that you have to lease every month, and hosting data with centralized corporate networks instead of locally, so I appreciate Mark Maunder’s post on his experiences collocating his company’s hardware instead of using the cloud. I think there are valid cases for the cloud, but there are also a lot of drawbacks that get dismissed in all the hype surrounding it.

The Correct Way to Roll Cables

Ian — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 21:01:57 +0000

This video explains the right way to roll cables, alternating over- and under-hand loops to maintain the natural curve of the cable. Using this method helps avoid knots, makes it quicker to unravel, reduces wear on the cable and makes it easier to get a clean, symmetrical coil. The video is geared towards audio cables, but applies equally to networking and other types of cabling.

At the end he demonstrates a way to secure the ends without velcro straps, which is useful because straps and ties are less common in the IT world. I don’t think his method works well for stiffer cables, like CAT5, though, so I prefer to run the last 2-3′ through the entire loop, alternating inside and outside, and then slipping the end between two parallel sections to hold it in place.

Memorable IP Address

Ian — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:16:29 +0000

If you’re troubleshooting a network’s uplink to the Internet and want a memorable external IP address to ping, then you can use 4.2.2.2, which is one of Verizon’s DNS servers.