Networking In IT

Let me take you back to when I was working at Microsoft… I was visiting one of our enterprise customers to review their Azure architecture as part of my role. During our discussions, I noticed a familiar pattern they were replicating their on-prem networking strategy in Azure. Their approach? Creating multiple subnets for each workload, assuming this was the best way to achieve security and isolation. I sat down with their Architect Manager and explained why this might not be the best fit for Azure. I told him: "This traditional model introduces unnecessary complexity and doesn’t align with cloud best practices." Then I started to highlighted: ❌ Increased complexity as you will Managing hundreds of subnets was making network management unscalable. ❌ Operational overhead as the Troubleshooting network issues required deep subnet analysis. ❌ Rigid security model by Subnet-based isolation lacked flexibility for modern cloud security. After reviewing their architecture, I proposed a Modern Approach instead (I named like this 😊) ✅ Network Security Groups (NSGs) To enforce precise traffic filtering without excessive subnets. ✅ Private Endpoints To secure access to PaaS services without exposing public IPs. ✅ Application Security Groups (ASGs) To dynamically group workloads, simplifying NSG rule management. ✅ Azure Firewall To centralize security policies while maintaining Zero Trust principles. At first, there was resistance (as usual 😅) it’s not easy to challenge legacy thinking. But after some deep discussions and urge back-and-forths, we moved forward with this modern networking strategy. So let me know tell the impact after the implementation modern approach Firstly 50% Reduction in network complexity by Removing unnecessary subnets simplified management. Theb we gain Stronger Security Posture by Private Endpoints ensured no direct internet exposure As well as Improved Scalability by NSGs & ASGs allowed dynamic policy enforcement as workloads scaled. Finally we become Faster Deployment by Application teams no longer needed subnet approvals for each deployment. This experience was a reminder that on-prem strategies don’t always translate well to the cloud. In the end I want to say Not every workload needs its own subnet! But By leveraging NSGs, Private Endpoints, and ASGs, companies can build secure, scalable Azure architectures without unnecessary complexity. So, tell me honestly are you still using traditional subnet segmentation in your Azure architecture? 😉 #AzureNetworking #CloudSecurity #MicrosoftAzure #ZeroTrust #CloudArchitecture #DigitalTransformation #EnterpriseIT #CloudBestPractices

🚨 Big milestone in photonic interconnects: Lightmatter has demonstrated a 16-wavelength bidirectional optical link on standard single-mode fibre. Why this matters: 🔹 Hyperscale AI infrastructure is hitting bandwidth and radix limits faster than expected. 🔹 Traditional co-packaged optics (CPO) solutions can’t keep pace with trillion-parameter models and emerging workloads. 🔹 By delivering 800G bidirectional bandwidth per fibre with robust thermal and polarisation performance, Lightmatter just set a new benchmark for fibre bandwidth density. For hyperscalers, this means more capacity on existing fibre, reduced CapEx and OpEx, and a path to higher scalability without waiting for exotic infrastructure. At 650 Group, LLC, we see this as a game-changer for data center efficiency and scalability. It brings advanced CPO closer to commercial reality and directly addresses one of the most pressing bottlenecks in AI development: networking. https://lnkd.in/gDGpvn7G #AI #Datacenters #Networking #Optical #CPO #Hyperscale

The way we build and operate data centers is changing, and AI workloads are a big reason why.   A new global survey of over 1,300 data center decision-makers confirms what many teams are already preparing for: the network demands driven by AI will outpace anything we’ve seen before.   Over the next five years, data center interconnect (DCI) bandwidth is expected to grow at least 6x. Nearly half of all new facilities will be built specifically for AI workloads.   Operators are responding by rethinking the core of their infrastructure.   87% of survey respondents expect to need 800 Gb/s or more per wavelength. Most are turning to managed optical fiber networks to connect distributed AI clusters, and 98% see pluggable optics as key to meeting power and space constraints.   As AI traffic grows, so does the complexity. Static networks built for predictable patterns won’t hold up. Instead, we’ll see wider use of automated systems that can adjust bandwidth, power use, and routing in real time.   Network slicing will play a role too, helping allocate resources for specific workloads based on latency, throughput, or data sovereignty needs.   There’s no question that compute matters. But without the right network strategy, AI can’t scale. The next generation of data centers won’t be defined by GPUs alone—they’ll be shaped by how well we connect them.     #Venturecapital #AI #Deeptech #Startups   Follow us at APEX Ventures and subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive content on groundbreaking Deep Tech startups: 🔗 https://t2m.io/EV2qHQuo

Looking for an easier way to manage and secure your Azure network? The Hub Spoke Topology in Azure is a network architecture that separates concerns between security, workload management, and shared services. This approach centralizes shared services and provides a clear path for traffic management and segregation. Here’s a brief guide on the Hub Spoke Topology as illustrated in the diagram: ✅ Hub is a Central point that contains services common across the network, like security and connectivity components (Azure Firewall, VPN Gateway, and Azure Bastion). ✅ Spoke represents different business units or workloads that connect to the hub using VNET Peering, ensuring isolation and traffic control. ✅ Security is implemented through network security groups (NSGs) and firewalls, regulating access and protecting against threats. ✅ Connectivity is maintained with Azure's VPN Gateway for on-premise connections and ExpressRoute for dedicated private network fiber connections. ✅ Workloads in spokes can scale and change independently without affecting other spokes or the hub. ✅ Azure services like Monitor and Log Analytics help maintain visibility and control over the environment. Why adopt the Hub Spoke Topology? ✅ Centralized Management ✅ Cost-Effective ✅ Scalability Considerations when implementing this topology: ➖ Initial setup and configuration require a solid understanding of Azure networking. ➖ Requires proper governance to ensure correct peering and resource deployment. This architecture is all about centralizing common services and simplifying network and security management. Have you already implemented Hub Spoke topology? Let’s discuss below. Feel free to share this for anyone rethinking their Azure network strategy! #Azure #Networking #CloudArchitecture #CloudSecurity #Cloud #CloudComputing

Here is another tip for #Cloud & #Devops related fo #AWS #Architecture #Networking #Scenario: Imagine as a Cloud and DevOps Engineer, you’re working on a project with three AWS accounts within a single AWS Organization 1. Network Account: Manages the VPC, networking resources, and on-prem connectivity. 2. Application Account 1:Used by the first application team. 3. Application Account 2: Used by the second application team. #Challenge: The application teams want to focus only on their applications without taking any operational overhead on the networking resources. The app 1 workloads in account 1 needs to communicate with account 2 app workloads and also with on-prem resources, all while avoiding complex and costly networking setups like VPC peering or Transit Gateways in their accounts. #Solution: To address these needs, you implemented ‘subnet sharing’ from the Network Account to the Application Accounts. This allows both application teams to deploy their workloads within shared subnets, enabling seamless communication between applications and with on-prem resources. Also each application account has control over their respective workloads only. The solution is simple, cost-effective, and avoids the need for additional networking resources in the application accounts. PS: Not all scenario fits the sharing of subnets , Transit Gateway and Peering are equally important where there are large number of accounts, cross region and complex routing needs are required.

🔴 Broadcom Unveils Thor Ultra: The First 800G Ethernet NIC for AI-Scale Data Centers As GPU clusters expand toward hundreds of thousands of nodes, networks are hitting unprecedented limits. ⚡ Throughput, 🧠 intelligence, and 🔒 efficiency now define the new era of AI infrastructure. 🎙️ In the latest discussion, James E. Carroll (NextGenInfra.io) speaks with Hasan Siraj, Head of Software Products & Ecosystem at Broadcom, about the launch of Thor Ultra - the industry’s first 800 Gigabit Ethernet NIC purpose-built for AI-scale data centers. 🔍 Highlights: 💡 AI vs. Cloud Traffic: AI’s “elephant flows” can consume up to 57% of infrastructure time — demanding revolutionary networking approaches. ⚙️ RDMA Modernization: How the Ultra Ethernet Consortium is redefining RDMA for massive GPU clusters. 🧩 Programmable Congestion Control: Adaptive pipelines ensure stable, low-latency performance at AI scale. 🔐 Line-Rate Encryption: Maintains security at full performance - no trade-offs. 🌐 Ecosystem Compatibility: Broadcom’s open, multi-vendor approach prevents lock-in and enables scale-out AI fabrics. 🚀 Broadcom Thor Ultra sets a new benchmark in high-performance networking — powering AI architectures from 128K GPU clusters to multi-data center fabrics. 🎥 Watch the full interview: https://lnkd.in/dQy8T_TK #Broadcom #ThorUltra #Ethernet #AIInfrastructure #Networking #DataCenters #Semiconductors #UltraEthernet #RDMA #AIClusters #HighPerformanceComputing #HPC #DataCenterNetworking #AI #CoPackagedOptics #CPO #NetworkInnovation #ProgrammableNetworking #Connectivity #Photonics #AIHardware #CloudInfrastructure #PowerEfficiency #UltraEthernetConsortium #NextGenNetworks #TechnologyLeadership #Bandwidth #Security #Encryption #Scalability

🚀 Reduced Latency by 40% Through VLAN & RSTP Optimization In a recent internal network audit, we identified latency issues affecting inter-departmental traffic — particularly between HR and IT systems. 🌐 🔍 Using tools like Wireshark, Cisco CLI, and NetFlow, we discovered the root cause: ➡️ Suboptimal RSTP root bridge election ➡️ Unnecessary broadcast traffic between VLANs ➡️ Inefficient trunk configurations --- 📘 What We Did 🔧 1. Packet Capture (Wireshark): Revealed delayed ARP requests and retransmissions between VLAN 10 (HR) and VLAN 20 (IT). 🔧 2. RSTP Optimization: Used spanning-tree vlan 1 priority 4096 to elect a central router as the Root Bridge, reducing STP reconvergence delays. 🔧 3. VLAN Traffic Tuning: Refined VLAN trunk links and isolated broadcast domains, improving switching performance. 🔧 4. Flow Analysis (NetFlow): Confirmed smoother traffic paths and reduced congestion between Layer 2 switches. --- ⚡ Result? ✅ Latency dropped by 40% ✅ Improved VoIP, file sharing, and inter-VLAN communication ✅ Cleaner topology and faster failover recovery --- 🎯 Key Takeaway: Sometimes, simple STP tuning and VLAN hygiene can massively boost network performance — especially in distributed enterprise topologies. 💬 Curious how RSTP and VLAN tuning can optimize your setup? Let’s connect and talk networking! #Networking #Cisco #RSTP #VLAN #NetworkOptimization #Wireshark #NetFlow #CiscoCLI #LatencyReduction #Layer2Switching #ITInfrastructure #NetworkEngineer

Part 2 - Mastering AWS Real-World Scenarios: Practical Q&A for Solution Architects 🚀 🌐 Introduction: Amazon Web Services (AWS) offers a plethora of tools to solve real-world challenges, especially in domains like Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) and Identity & Access Management (IAM). From creating secure environments to optimizing costs and performance, mastering these scenarios is crucial for certification preparation and real-world implementation. In Part 2 of our series, we dive into practical scenarios, tackling topics such as: ✅ Creating secure and isolated VPC environments ✅ Ensuring high availability with Multi-AZ deployments and ELB ✅ Optimizing performance using VPC Endpoints and Peering ✅ Managing costs effectively with AWS Cost Explorer and Budgets ✅ Enhancing security with AWS IAM, KMS, Config, and Shield 💡 Featured Scenarios: 1️⃣ VPC and Networking 🔹 Challenge: Create a secure, isolated network for applications. 🔹 Solution: Use Amazon VPC for logically isolated environments, Security Groups, and Network ACLs for traffic control. 🔹 Challenge: Ensure high availability and recovery. 🔹 Solution: Implement Multi-AZ deployments and Elastic Load Balancing (ELB). 🔹 Challenge: Optimize performance. 🔹 Solution: Utilize VPC Endpoints for private connectivity and VPC Peering for seamless cross-VPC communication. 2️⃣ IAM and Security 🔹 Challenge: Grant least privilege access to AWS resources. 🔹 Solution: Leverage AWS IAM for fine-grained permissions and auditable access management. 🔹 Challenge: Encrypt data at rest and in transit. 🔹 Solution: Use AWS KMS for encryption at rest and AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) for SSL/TLS certificates. 🔹 Challenge: Protect against DDoS attacks. 🔹 Solution: Deploy AWS Shield and WAF to secure applications against threats. 🤝 Meet amazing Cloud & DevOps Enthusiasts #inspirations: Abhishek Veeramalla, Savinder Puri, Piyush sachdeva, Shubham Londhe, Saiyam Pathak, Suman Chakraborty, Sai Kiran, Pavan Elthepu, Aman Pathak, Saikiran Pinapathruni ... #aws #cloudcomputing #solutionsarchitect #awscertification #ec2 #autoscaling #cloudoptimization #devops #sre #cloudsecurity #cloudperformance #linkedinlearning #techcommunity #linkedin #techtips

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 Ever heard the saying, “Too many paths can lead you in circles?” In networking, that’s not just philosophy, it’s science. When redundant links at Layer 2 aren’t properly managed, they can cause loops that bring even the strongest networks to their knees. This week, while working on a lab featuring multiple switches and port channels between the distribution and access layers, I dove deep into how features like BPDU Root Guard, Rapid PVST, PortFast, Root Election, and Error Disable work together to keep our networks loop-free, stable, and predictable. Spanning Tree Protocol(STP) prevents loops in redundant topologies by electing a Root Bridge, the central decision-maker of the network. In Per-VLAN Spanning Tree (PVST+), every VLAN holds its own election, and the switch with the lowest Bridge ID (priority + MAC address) becomes king. But a smart network engineer never leaves such decisions to chance, we manually set our distribution switches as the root, ensuring a stable and intentional design hierarchy. Rapid PVST+ is an upgraded version of STP (IEEE 802.1w) that brings agility to the table. It accelerates convergence, letting ports move from blocking to forwarding in seconds instead of the old 30-50 second wait. Faster convergence means quicker recovery, minimal downtime, and a seamless user experience, exactly what modern networks need. Now, here’s where things get protective: BPDU Root Guard. Think of it as the royal guard of the network castle. It ensures that access layer switches can’t suddenly declare themselves as the new “king.” If a port with Root Guard receives a superior BPDU, it instantly goes into a root-inconsistent state, effectively saying, “Nice try, but you’re not the boss here.” PortFast, on the other hand, is the speed boost every end device deserves. It lets access ports connected to PCs or printers skip the STP listening and learning stages, jumping straight into the forwarding state. The result? Instant connectivity and faster startups, but it’s strictly forbidden on switch-to-switch links (unless you enjoy chaos). Finally, Error Disable (Err-Disable) acts as the network’s self-defense system. If a PortFast-enabled port suddenly receives a BPDU, the switch immediately shuts it down to prevent loops. It’s a bit like your immune system isolating a potential threat before it spreads. Once the issue is resolved, the port can be manually or automatically re-enabled. In the end, features like these remind us that network stability isn’t luck, it’s design. Every parameter we configure, every guard we enable, ensures that our Layer 2 kingdom stays loop-free, reliable, and resilient. Learn with Cisco