Blog Archives

Platform Performance Gains with Arista Switches

In late 2012 I wrote about the migration of our [DataSift.com's] Hadoop cluster to Arista switches but what I didn’t mention was that we also moved our real time systems over to Arista too. Within the LAN During our fact

Posted in Big Data, Datacenter, NAMOS, Networks

Using Ubiquiti UniFi Wireless Devices to manage a BYOD Office Wireless Network

After seeing several people requesting information about about Wireless networks on Reddits /r/networking I decided to write up my experiences of deploying a small Wireless Network for our office that fit the following criteria; The ability to segment different SSIDs

Posted in NAMOS, Networks

Big Data – Bigger Networking

One of the really attractive aspects of working at a start-up like DataSift is managing the challenges that come with the rapidity of organic growth. Our experiences with the networking aspects of Hadoop are an excellent example of this. When

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Posted in Big Data, Datacenter, Networks, Systems

I build High Availability Platforms so Cloud is not for me

Ever since someone first tried to represent the idea of packet switched network that was resilient to failure they probably used a picture of a cloud. Cisco’s official iconography for such a network is a cloud. It has been taken

Posted in Big Data, Datacenter, Networks, Systems, Virtualization

Cyllell – Android Client for OpsCode’s Chef

TL;DR; – Download it here. When you have a server estate the size of DataSift you need a configuration management platform to keep track of what does what, how it is configured and to assist you in rolling out 10

Posted in Android, NAMOS, Networks

IPv6 and Virtualisation Revisited

I recently discovered Vagrant and after some experimentation and reading I set about replacing all my ESXi and HyperV hosts with Linux based hypervisors. After installation of the RPM package creating a VM was as simple as issuing; vagrant box

Posted in IPv6, NAMOS, Networks, Systems, Virtualization

ASA 5505 Dual Stack IPv6 & IPv4 with SIXXS Tunnel

I recently secured a bargain on Ebay getting a Cisco 5505 Advanced Security Appliance for only £200 which a fry cry from their prices back in late 2008 (~£600) so instantly set about increasing the security of my IPv6 LAN.

Posted in IPv6, NAMOS

Weird Windows 2008 IPv6 DHCP GUI Artifact

Looking through one of my smaller 2008 dual IPv4 & IPv6 installations I noticed that in the IPv6 section the FQDN in the name column had artefacts. Weirdness.

Posted in IPv6, NAMOS

IPv6 LAN 2 Years On

My first dabble with IPv6 was back in late 2008 when I experimented with Dual Stack DHCP in the RC of Windows Server 2008. Now that IPv6 is enabled by default in all of the OS’s I use in my

Posted in IPv6, NAMOS

Providing Short Term Internet Connectivity to Remote Locations

I recently had the opportunity to provide Internet connectivity to the first Airsoft Arms Fair so the Stall operators could show YouTube videos, Retailers could utilise Paypal and so media outlets could do Live blogging or upload high resolution pictures

Posted in NAMOS, Networks