Feature Articles

Maintaining a secure Ethernet network is a constant struggle, with new vulnerabilities and exploits being discovered all the time. Steps to prevent unauthorized network access should be based on an IT Security Policy, backed by a proactive approach by network administrators.

Network management systems (NMS) are applications that allow administrators to manage independent components of a network, including both software and hardware components. The key benefit of NMS is that it makes the management of widely dispersed network assets manageable from a single location.

Quality of Service (QoS) is a networking mechanism that helps control and prioritize traffic so that more critical traffic can be sent first on the network. This feature helps ensure performance for critical network traffic. QoS is especially useful in Intelligent Transportation Systems where it helps solidify Signal Controller communication in high volumes of local video traffic.

Network troubleshooting requires the identification, diagnosis, and solving of problems on a network. This process should be rigorous and repeatable, and the solutions should be testable. This article will provide a brief overview of the tools and steps used in the troubleshooting process.