The Lippis Report

April 30th, 2012

On March 30th I met with Dave Husak, the Founder and CEO of Massachusetts Software-Defined Networking (SDN) start-up Plexxi, along with two other employees. For those who don’t know Dave, he’s intense and driven. Out of this two-hour meeting, Dave provided the inspiration to describe SDN as the third epoch of computer networking. In a nutshell, the first epoch was IBM mainframes and SNA, the second is client-server computing and LAN/WANs, with the third being mobile plus cloud computing and SDN. After attending the second Open Network Summit (ONS) last week to sold-out crowds, the main question I walk away with is this: is SDN the third epoch or a new set of features added to layer 2/3 networking? In other words is SDN a new disruptive market or a high-end networking technology like InfiniBand? In this Lippis Report Research Note, I share the top ten observations at ONS and answer the above question.

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December 20th, 2011

By Jim Metzler, Ashton Metzler & Associates

This white paper proposes a new approach to architecting and designing data center networks for current dynamic and highly virtualized data centers.

December 20th, 2011

By CIO Magazine

Feature-rich, next-generation networks help drive innovation and value to midsize companies and position them for competitive advantage. Next-generation networks give midsize companies a competitive advantage. By removing many of the operational headaches of running a network, Cisco’s solutions free up departments to focus on driving business value and innovation. Feature-rich, strategic networks built for today and tomorrow remove the barriers to growth and give midsize businesses the agility they require to lead their markets. Find out how by downloading this executive white paper.

November 7th, 2011

by Cisco Systems

It can be easy to forget how much depends on the enterprise network—until you have to tell the VP of sales that he can’t use his iPhone on the corporate network because the appropriate security controls aren’t in place. Or you must tell the CIO that expanding the virtualization initiative to include business-critical applications will severely tax bandwidth. The truth is, nearly everything in modern businesses is dependent on the enterprise network, and every decision you make is based on whether the network can handle it. This paper takes a look at a common pitfall in IT circles that can have a serious impact on the IT decision maker’s ability to say “yes” to new business initiatives. It also offers recommendations for IT organizations that wish to act as business enablers.

August 23rd, 2011

On Tuesday Auguest 16th a week before HP’s news of potentially exiting the PC business, Zeus Kerravala, Senior VP of Research at the Yankee Group and Andre Kindness Senior Analyst at Forrester Research joined me in a round table discussion to reflect on HP Networking. We assess HP Networking’s progress since it announced the acquisition of 3Com back in Nov of 2009 and its prospects for the future. In a word our mutual assessment is disappointment with major short and long-term threats from Huawei. But there is hope for the future if HP can create a bold new vision for the industry and execute it. If you are going to listen to one podcast this year about HP, this should be it.

January 17th, 2011

A typical “non-virtualized” data center has three network layers, Top-of-Rack, End-of-Row and Core switches. But virtualized infrastructure adds two additional layers—the virtual switch and blade switch—raising the number of tiers from 3 to 5. This significantly increases latency plus the number of network elements within the data center resulting in increased data center management complexity. I talk with Shehzad Merchant, Senior Director for Strategy at Extreme Networks, about Extreme’s flattening approach to data center network fabric through its DirectAttach.

December 13th, 2010

By Cisco Systems

Key Highlights

• 79% of clicks on “Here You Have” email occurred within the first three hours of the worm’s spread.
• During 3Q10, 7% of all Web malware encounters resulted from Google referrers, followed by Yahoo at 2%, Bing/MSN at 1% and Sina at 0.1%.
• Exploits targeted Sun Java increased from 5% of all Web malware encounters in July 2010 to 7% in September 2010.
• The Rustock Botnet was the highest occurring ROS event in 3Q10, at 21% of events handled during the report period.
• Peak Rustock activity occurred in late August 2010, declining in September 2010.

Download the report here

December 13th, 2010

By Forrester Research

Read the commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting: Total Economic Impact of Cisco’s Borderless Networks.

December 13th, 2010

By Cisco Systems and Splunk

This document is for the reader who:

-Has read the Cisco Security Information and Event Management and Borderless Networks Enterprise Deployment Guide
-Wants to connect Borderless Networks to a Splunk SIEM solution
-Wants to gain a general understanding of the Splunk SIEM solution
-Has a level of understanding equivalent to a CCNA® certification
-Wants to solve compliance and regulatory reporting problems
-Wants to enhance network security and operations
-Wants to improve IT operational efficiency
-Wants the assurance of a validated solution

December 13th, 2010

By Cisco Systems and RSA

This document is for the reader who:

-Has read the Cisco Security Information and Event Management and Borderless Networks Enterprise Deployment Guide
-Wants to connect Borderless Networks to a RSA SIEM solution
-Wants to gain a general understanding of the RSA SIEM solution
-Has a level of understanding equivalent to a CCNA® certification
-Wants to solve compliance and regulatory reporting problems
-Wants to enhance network security and operations
-Wants to improve IT operational efficiency
-Wants the assurance of a validated solution

December 13th, 2010

By Cisco Systems and nFX Cinxi One

This document is for the reader who:

-Has read the Cisco Security Information and Event Management and Borderless Networks Enterprise Deployment -Guide
-Wants to connect Borderless Networks to a nFX Cinxi One SIEM solution
-Wants to gain a general understanding of the nFX Cinxi One SIEM solution
-Has a level of understanding equivalent to a CCNA® certification
-Wants to solve compliance and regulatory reporting problems
-Wants to enhance network security and operations
-Wants to improve IT operational efficiency
-Wants the assurance of a validated solution

December 13th, 2010

By Cisco Systems and LogLogic

This document is for the reader who:

-Has read the Cisco Security Information and Event Management and Borderless Networks Enterprise Deployment Guide
-Wants to connect Borderless Networks to a LogLogic SIEM solution
-Wants to gain a general understanding of the LogLogic SIEM solution
-Has a level of understanding equivalent to a CCNA® certification
-Wants to solve compliance and regulatory reporting problems
-Wants to enhance network security and operations
-Wants to improve IT operational efficiency
-Wants the assurance of a validated solution

December 13th, 2010

By Cisco Systems and ArcSight

This document is for the reader who:

-Has read the Cisco Security Information and Event Management and Borderless Networks Enterprise Deployment Guide
-Wants to connect Borderless Networks to the ArcSight SIEM solution
-Wants to gain a general understanding of the ArcSight SIEM solution
-Has a level of understanding equivalent to a CCNA® certification
-Wants to solve compliance and regulatory reporting problems
-Wants to enhance network security and operations
-Wants to improve IT operational efficiency
-Wants the assurance of a validated solution

Download this deployment guide here:

November 30th, 2010

By Cisco Systems

Over the next few years Wi-Fi networks will transition to 802.11n technology. During this time, many networks will support a mix of 802.11a/g and 802.11n clients. Because they operate at lower data rates, the older clients can reduce the capacity of the entire network. ClientLink technology can help solve problems related to adoption of 802.11n in mixed-client networks by making sure that 802.11a/g clients operate at the best possible rates, especially when they are near cell boundaries.

Find out how by downloading this white paper