What is Computer Networking | Networking

Computer Networking:

THIS is the heart and soul of it all, what I like to call the cyberspatial “laws of physics”. It’s understanding how devices interact with each other and how data gets from point A to point B. A strong foundation in networking will make you a rockstar troubleshooter, whether

you’re red teaming, defending, or running day-to-day IT ops.

There’s two conceptual models that govern computer networking:

1. TCP/IP
2. OSI

They group all your different networking and telecommunication protocols into “layers”. TCP/IP is older and uses four layers: network access, internet, transport, and application layers.

OSI stands for the Open System Interconnection, which is developed by the International Organization for Standardization, or ISO.

These guys define everything from country codes to time and date formats. OSI is newer and uses seven layers: physical, datalink, network, transport, session, presentation, application layers. All these layers are just a way to describe “what’s happening where”. So if you’re receiving a package from someone in a different country, it’s gonna get passed between envelopes, boxes, vehicles and planes, each with their own addressing method and operating procedures.

When the post office tells you there’s an airline issue, you know where it is in the transportation system that’s delaying your delivery. Likewise, the networking layers all have different functions, but as a whole work together to let you stream videos from a server in a rack to a device in your hands.

Knowing what’s happening at each layer lets you “see the matrix” and be much more skilled at your craft.

Personal digital security.

This is an area I’ve been particularly passionate about because it affects our families, friends, and organizations. The cybercrime industry is booming. You don’t have to scroll far to see what the online black market place looks like.

As technology becomes more intertwined with our lives, from Internet-connected cars to refrigerators, the vulnerabilities and attack vectors are gonna increase more and more. If you want to go deep into cybersecurity, there’s no better place to start than with yourself. From passwords, encryption, to secure commas, stay up-to-date with the latest security news and best practices.

You might just be the subject-matter expert in your office that others go to for advice. And that advice might just protect your company from becoming front page news. But most importantly is living it out yourself as well! You wouldn’t believe the number of times I’ve seen cyber intrusions originate from the security operations or IT department simply because people didn’t understand or practice basic digital hygiene. So that’s it for this article Thanks so much for tuning in.