Fast Lane / Directions Training White Papers

ITIL, Agile + DevOps

Take a look at how IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL), with all of its good and bad, paved the way for successful Agile and DevOps, and we will learn several pitfalls to avoid as well as a few pointers to help you come out looking like an IT hero. To do this a short history of ITIL and its contributions will help us fully appreciate the opportunities before us.

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Enabling Digital Business with Blockchain

This whitepaper provides a bird’s eye view of blockchain (mainly based on the Bitcoin approach) that can serve as a starting point for further investigation. First, we examine distributed ledgers and digital trust, then we look at blockchain data and how the network fits together. Next a basic reference model is suggested as a framework and, finally, current challenges are surveyed using Bitcoin as the basis.

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Migrating to the Cloud

Cloud computing, like many other modern technologies, holds out the promise of changing the world and making our lives better, but the hype cycle still applies and the risks inherent in any transformative migration must be mitigated.This whitepaper describes the promises and challenges of cloud computing, identifies some common migration patterns and reviews the key phases of a cloud migration methodology. The impact of cloud computing on IT roles, responsibilities and skills is also is examined.

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Network Security and Design

Over 80 million records were compromised in the Anthem data breach in early 2015. In 2014, Home Depot had a staggering 109 million records compromised. According to the 2015 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), there were 2,122 incidents involving loss of data. In 2014, over $70 billion had been spent on information security worldwide. These numbers undermine public confidence in an organization’s efforts to protect sensitive information. Securing sensitive data requires organizational cooperation, policy enforcement, management support, and most importantly training and education.

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Enterprise Edge Security with Cisco ISE

Threats have never been more relevant than they are today. Nation states, adversaries, corporate and government espionage, hackers, etc. are all on the hunt for valuable information. The information they seek includes enterprise and individual details. Networks are only as secure as their weakest components. With the hyper-growth in connected devices including smart phones, tablets, wearables and Internet of Things (IoT) devices, networks are very vulnerable.

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Enabling Digital Business (EDB)

EDB White PaperDigitalization is the new buzzword, and digital solutions have become the platform for a new generation of Information Technology use cases, architectures and systems. Digital strategies and emerging digital technologies are the basis for disruptive IT innovations that will influence and guide enterprise planners and designers for many years to come. This white paper identifies and introduces the key framework technologies that will push us into the new digital era.

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Intro to Enterprise Wi-Fi Troubleshooting

To limit the scope of this white paper, we will assume readers are currently or will soon be using a Cisco Unified Wireless Network with Cisco Light Weight APs, and Wireless LAN Controller in what is also referred to as a Split MAC design. This white paper is focused around the basics of troubleshooting Enterprise Wireless Networks (Wi-Fi), some of the most common issues seen in these environments, and common tools used to troubleshoot Wi-Fi.

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802.11ac: What It Is and Why You Need It

With the continual improvements of speed and performance in wireless, comes the need to be knowledgeable in the latest wireless standards. This white paper addresses both technical and business aspects that have led to the ratification of 802.11ac. A number of considerations need to be made when making the decision to deploy this technology. Topics covered include compatibility, speed, range, modulation, channelization, beamforming and how it works, null data packet beamforming, Multi User MIMO, spatial streams, migration, compatibility, and deployment.

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Design & Implementation of a Secure Cisco Nexus Powered Data Center Network

Today, a network infrastructure must adhere to robust and demanding requirements. Applications and “big data” are driving network requirements more so now than ever before, and additional requirements such as security or compliance must be a design consideration. Ubiquitous network access has set a precedent that networks must be robust, scalable, and secure. Furthermore, networks, in particular mission critical networks, must be transparent to the end-user and maintainable for the enterprise network engineer.

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