The network team is being bombarded with configuration requests that can take days or weeks to handle, but luckily several approaches are emerging that promise to increase network agility, chief among ...

For decades, networks have been built on the same fundamental principle: dedicated hardware appliances for each network function. Need a firewall? Buy a box. Need load balancing? Purchase another ...

Unlock the full InfoQ experience by logging in! Stay updated with your favorite authors and topics, engage with content, and download exclusive resources. Dany Lepage discusses the architectural ...

What is a network protocol? Most textbook writers state something like this: A network protocol is a set of guidelines or standards for the operation of network devices, the methods of operation, and ...

Layers 7 through 4 are geared more to the application than the lower layers, which are designed to move packets from one place to another no matter what they contain. This top layer defines the ...

Listen carefully. The top level of the OSI Reference Model and the IETF protocol stack is the application layer. The application layer, however, doesn’t do applications. It provides services such as ...

With all the attention garnered by the higher OSI layers, we sometimes forget that all seven layers are necessary for communications to work. So when troubleshooting, for example, don’t forget about ...