The networking stories enterprise IT leaders actually read.
Volume 341, Issue 3 · 7 articles from 5 issues
IPv6 adoption is essential for AI systems, edge computing, and next-generation networks replacing aging IPv4.
The article argues that IPv6 has moved from optional upgrade to strategic imperative as agentic AI and cloud-native architectures proliferate.
Despite 15 to 20 years of awareness about IPv4 exhaustion, many providers still rely on CGNAT workarounds that create technical debt and performance limits.
IPv6 enables deterministic connectivity with sub-10ms latency, end-to-end visibility for zero-trust security, address scalability for AI agents and IoT devices, and simplified routing without NAT overhead.
Leading hyperscalers and progressive telecom operators are accelerating adoption, driven by regulatory mandates, 5G and 6G alignment, and competitive positioning in AI markets.
A remote worker combines 5G and Starlink with SD-WAN failover for reliable internet in rural Colorado.
After relocating to the Colorado Rockies, a tech journalist found that combining T-Mobile 5G home internet and Starlink through SD-WAN failover solved connectivity problems in an area with limited wired infrastructure.
Using a Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine SE router, the author configured multi-WAN failover and policy-based routing to switch between providers during outages, preventing disrupted video calls.
Both services individually offered faster speeds than legacy DSL but experienced occasional dropped connections lasting up to five minutes.
The SD-WAN setup made those failures unnoticeable, at a cost of roughly $125 monthly plus equipment, which the author frames as meaningful progress for remote workers in underserved regions even if it falls short of fiber.
Makes the case that SD-WAN replaces legacy IP VPN as the foundation for networks that can carry AI workloads.
The article argues that traditional IP VPN infrastructure is poorly suited to the traffic patterns AI applications generate, and that software-defined WAN is the natural successor.
It lays out five advantages SD-WAN holds over legacy VPN architectures for enterprises preparing infrastructure for AI.
The emphasis is on flexibility, application-aware routing, and a modern architecture that can adapt as workloads shift. SD-WAN is positioned as an enabling step rather than a like-for-like connectivity swap, letting organizations build networks ready for AI-driven demand.
Up to 1,200 MHz of clean 6 GHz spectrum roughly triples capacity over the legacy 2.4 and 5 GHz bands.
The 6 GHz band adds up to 1,200 MHz of spectrum in the US, roughly tripling available capacity compared with the congested 2.4 and 5 GHz bands.
That clean spectrum is what makes bandwidth-heavy workloads practical at scale: high-definition video conferencing, AI-driven operations, dense IoT deployments, and new digital services.
The article frames Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 adoption as an infrastructure decision rather than a refresh cycle. Organizations that skip it risk being unable to support future employee productivity, customer experience, and operational efficiency initiatives.
AI's shift to production inference drove datacenter Ethernet switch sales up 61% in Q1 2026, led by NVIDIA.
The expansion of generative AI from training to production inference is driving explosive growth in Ethernet networking infrastructure.
In Q1 2026, datacenter Ethernet switch sales surged 61%, far outpacing overall server market growth of 30.4%. NVIDIA emerged as the leading datacenter Ethernet switch vendor, achieving 2.9X year-over-year revenue growth to $2.1 billion, while 800 Gb/sec port switches saw dramatic 10.3X sales growth.
The broadening of GenAI is fundamentally reshaping networking demands, with enterprises rapidly upgrading to faster, higher-capacity switches to support AI workloads.
Argues that AI at scale demands autonomous, fabric-based networks with context-aware security rather than bigger budgets.
The piece contends that scaling AI into production is now blocked by execution problems, not strategy or funding.
It advocates autonomous networking driven by multi-agent systems that detect disruptions, shift traffic dynamically, and tune performance in real time while preserving human oversight and governance.
Because AI introduces non-human identities and autonomous agents onto the network, security must move to context-aware, tightly scoped access with continuous verification and traceability.
Fabric architecture is presented as the way to get unified visibility and consistent policy enforcement across users and workloads, containing risk through intelligent segmentation.
Free tiers from reputable paid VPN providers are far safer than free-forever VPN services.
The review tests nine free VPNs, finding that free tiers from established paid providers are safe because those companies earn revenue from subscribers rather than from selling user data.
Truly unlimited free options include ProtonVPN, Hide.me, Hotspot Shield and Opera VPN, while Windscribe, PrivadoVPN, ZoogVPN, TunnelBear and Speedify impose data caps. Free-forever VPNs often lack a clear business model or identifiable owner and may log and sell browsing activity, inject ads or carry trackers.
Readers are advised to check privacy policies, third-party audits and requested permissions.