No DNS Disclosure Debacle Here: Stiennon Pens the Funniest Thing I've Read in 2008...
Hat tip to Rothman for this.
I don't know if Stiennon is off his meds or simply needed to re-post something from 2001 to meet an editorial quota, but his Network World article titled "The Most Important Networking Trend of 2008" ties thus far with the "Evolution of Dance" as my vote for most entertaining Internet content.
Richard's epiphany goes something like this:
- Multifunction network devices that have the ability to "route" traffic and combine security capabilities are the 'next big thing'
- If a company offers a multifunction network device that has the ability to "route" traffic and combine security capabilities but have the misfortune of using Linux as the operating system, they will "...forever be pigeon-holed as SMB solutions, not ready for enterprise
prime time."
- The Wall Street Journal issued "... the year's most important article on networking" in an article titled "New Routers Catch the Eyes of IT Departments" which validates the heretofore undiscovered trend of convergence and commoditization!
- "Real" network security players such as Cisco, Juniper and Redback are building solutions to this incredible new trend and because of the badge on the box, will be considered ready for "...enterprise prime time."
- The WSJ article talks about the Cisco ASR1000 router as the penultimate representation of this new breed of converged "network security" device.
- Strangely, Stiennon seems to have missed the fact that the operating system (IOS-XE) that the ASR1000 is based on is, um, Linux. You know, that operating system that dictates that this poor product will "...forever be pigeon-holed as SMB solutions, not ready for enterprise
prime time."
Oh, crap! Somebody better tell Cisco!
So despite the fact that Cisco ASR1000 is positioned as an edge device as are these crazy solutions called UTM devices, it seems we're all missing something because somehow a converged edge device now counts as being able to provide a "secure network fabric?"
In closing, allow me to highlight the cherry on top of Stiennon's security sundae:
Have you ever noticed how industry "experts" tend to get stuck in a rut and continue to see everything through the same lens despite major shifts in markets and technology?
Yes, Richard, I do believe I have noticed this...
Funny stuff!
/Hoff
