My TN Connection

Transition Networks recognizes that service providers and enterprises have varying remote management needs depending on the specific services and support they require. To meet these requirements Transition offers several different classes of remotely managed devices — ranging from basic remote monitoring, SNMP, and Full SOAM monitoring using ITU Y.1731 and 802.1ag. Transition’s Carrier Ethernet devices are built on these multiple classes of remote management for improving business agility with assured quality, maximizing your return on investment and the total cost of ownership within your network. (more…)

In the world of media conversion,  single mode fiber to multimode fiber conversion has been around for a long time. As a matter of fact, it was back in 1997 that Transition Networks was the first manufacturer to introduce this type of mode converter for Gigabit Ethernet.

Mode converters have been commonly deployed in applications where a user needs the distance of single mode fiber, but realizes their network fiber switch only offers a multimode port. Sure, you could physically connect a single mode (SM) fiber cable to a multimode (MM) fiber port, but this is not going to work. The fiber transmitters and receivers use different sources of light, as well as different optical wavelengths, for communicating over these two different types of fiber. Therefore a SM to MM media converter is needed to make this type of connection work. (more…)

In previous posts, Sales Engineer, Zach Sherman has explained what SSH, SSL, HTTPS, and RADIUS are while also explaining how these authentication processes are vital to maintaining network security. In this edition, Zach will cover another protocol related to network management and security: ACL rules. An Access Control List (ACL) is literally a list that permits or denies access to networking equipment. In terms of the ION management module (IONMM), it is best to think of an access control list in terms of having an ‘allow’ or a ‘deny’ statement with no middle ground. You are either in, or you are out. (more…)

In a previous post Sales Engineer, Zach Sherman, explained what SSH, SSL, and HTTPS are while also relating how having secure, authentication processes in place is vital to maintaining network security. In this edition, Zach will tackle another protocol related to network management and security: RADIUS.

RADIUS is an acronym that stands for Remote Authentication Dial In User Service, which is a networking protocol designed to help centralize the management authentication process. RADIUS has been widely adopted by service providers in order to limit the number of management rules that need to be implemented at every network element. The RADIUS protocol is designed to function in a client-to-server relationship. Meaning that all of the authentication rules and monitoring are done at a centralized server (or servers) and each client will access those rules before allowing any management to be done to the client. (more…)

Since the 2003 Northeast Power Black-out, which took out power in 8 States and some areas of Canada, the momentum has been building to accelerate development of a 21st century Utility grid. Recently, the Recovery Act allocated $4.5 billion for Utilities to invest in modernizing the grid. So what does this mean, if anything? (more…)