- a good morning combination!
What do in the morning?
Well for me early while the rooster is crowing,
I'm busy working with different networking scenarios. While my home office labs is not a robust 1,000 user environment. It is a lab that has all the elements, and can experiment and keep sharp. The latest is setting up and adding to my home testing environment. Have a 48 port switch that connects devices together by Ethernet connections.and designing custom configurations. Switches are important, these are the lifeline connections between the brick and morter building and cloud!
While more and more services are moved to the cloud, there still needs to be a way to connect computers at businesses to the cloud, and the switch is just that device and still needed.
But configuring switches can be just like the baker, who has to make a cake. Here in my home labs, can design different network configurations and make different scenarios, and save them. Just as the baker has different recipes for cake, VLANs (Virtual Local Area Networks) network switches and cake, can compare LOL! And in real world scenarios most often switch configurations are unique to what the business organization needs in cloud connections and devices on premises, that need an outside connection to the internet and cloud services.
To compare and relate. While all cake is cake LOL, there are different ingredients and ways and looks of cake, depending on the baker and the person who ordered the cake of the way they wanted it.
The same applies to networking and business models of any company or organizations network. Networks are separated by what is known as VLANS, these are invisible walls that keep networks separated, and resulting in both safe and efficient networking. Both on data transmission lines in wall ports etc, and also WIFI. just like the cake has a recipe, the networking switch with VLAN has whats known as a config. (configuration). These settings are unique to every switch, and with this, the switch knows how to interact with incoming and outgoing data over network, and help reach its final destination between any connected devices, whether it be a ethernet cabled device, or a wifi connected device.
In best practices scenarios these switches, most common are 48 port models, some may have more some may have less, and depends on what is needed, and if scalability to grow when installed, the switches are stacked up in a utility closet someplace on each floor, in a rack, With an entry door that remains locked, and all are interconnected with Ethernet cables ran through the building. A maze of spaghetti wire in various colors, when you open the door - and have a look! Each switch works together as a team, and one is designation the main one! So the others need to stay in line - and get all that traffic to that main one!
Since it is the boss of the stack of switches!
A maze basically!
Remember as kids we would draw the line and find our way? Fun stuff is that network traffic has to do that all the time!
A maze you say? well basically that is what happens when a device reaches out and say, hey get me internet!, and proceeds to find its way to the Cloud internet, through a maze of switches and VLANs, BGP until VOILÀ the final destination is reached ,and now you are here!
As mentioned much like the mazes we all traced out as kids, and guided our pencil around the maze to find our way to the exit, and the network connection has to find its way in the same scenario! and the hunt to the internet from your device is now on the way!
So now you know about the magic segregation of VLANS and switches to make this all happen, in getting a connection to the internet, cloud and resources. In best practices this is general networking concept scenario. Security cameras on a certain VLAN, and Guest WIFI on a certain VLAN, and then users who sign into the server on their computer are yet on another VLAN, and all via the switches. And guests who join the guest WIFI then they are separated and cannot get to the main data lines. So all get the same thing, destination to internet and cloud, but on their own different maze routes!
This method keeps connections secure, and simplifies management of the network connections. A built in network traffic director is working hard day and night behind the scenes!
Imagine you are at a Hotel, or on Vacation, Airports etc, since you have been I am sure. Or you are at work and signed into a computer on a network. Then YOU have been or are right now are using a VLAN and did not know it! Because since you are a guest, on that companies network, you are separated from the main network of data servers etc. And servers controlling workstations printing etc. And if you are at work reading this and depending on if you are in the office, and have to sign into a computer, then you are on a VLAN! enjoy the ride!
So working with VLANs is part of my skill sets, in the real world of IT. And very interesting stuff!
Just some things I do here at my home office before work, to stay sharp, try different network configurations, see how the network reacts to changes, and overall testing and continued self learning, and staying refreshed of network concepts and best practices. Thanks for reading as continue my daily journey of continued self education in the ever changing world of Information Technology! - Because in the IT world, what is new today, is old tomorrow!
Mike
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So what was "before" this current high speed everyday out of sight super fast connections to the internet?
Well happy to say, I was part of the frontier of the bridge from dial up to high speeds and what was one time the middle ground of DSL, and when Verizon became what is, I was there and lived it!
my story on that and technology can be fun stories!
Verizon DSL days, the early stages of DSL and was a fun and challenging time.
Way back when picture - maybe that is Milton from office space LOL?!
Was an exciting opportunity - Bell Atlantic Corp. had just merged with GTE Corp, and became what is now known as Verizon. Verizon wanted to push the new DSL, Digital Subscriber Line - as so many were struggling with the old dial ups, and that was Verizon's answer to faster speeds. But due to DSL transmitting over copper lines, was a challenge getting all the subscribers going.
Most got the self install kit, and with the filters needed and the self setup, was often someone who called in and got transferred to the escalation line. Either live or by ticket or email transfer. I was up to the task though, and succeeded on most, as had to sort through many issues to the final end result- of the steady green LED on the modem. When the customer said the green led no longer blinked. Was a whoohoo! moment, and the customer and I celebrated that success together! Some were what is known as VIPs and others were business and at home owners, but all had the common frustration with the blinking LED and non syncing modem.
In this picture - manage tickets , and help end users with the new DSL technology. it was just on the horizon and since depended on copper wire ,and loop length was a challenge. As sales team sold everyone the pitch they could have DSL, and some challenges were ahead for sure.
I was part of top level escalations teams. Main role was to calm the customer who had extensive issues, and even mentored lower level support desks, and and also tech dispatches to the customers premises onsite. And to help the customer whether was a computer hardware issue, DSL modem issue, applications on computer issue, you name it, and had to resolve it!
Back then was no remote control software, so had to talk the customer or the Verizon technicial onsite on all steps, and was not an easy task for sure!
But overall closely worked with the customer, and NOC and the on ground as mentioned with Verizon techs who had to hook up the copper to the home at the Demarc, and after some hard work, got those escalations working, 😀 and finally got success!
That was the best feeling to know that I made a difference, was challenging and an exciting position. Unfortunately eventually back then, as businesses restructure, Verizon decided to move some of their support outside of US, and the call center was closed down. And I moved on to other things. 😀 😁