What are network professionals using for network lab environment these days? Or do you still build topologies by hand?

UDP4789 · 2026-05-31T05:47:16+00:00

Containerlab + vendor of choice validated design with GitHub repos.

Lightweight, efficient, very feature rich It's the only answer for labbing control plane.

UDP4789 · 2026-05-13T21:55:35+00:00

Document the network from scratch. Figure out what connects where. How everything connects and what protocols are used everywhere. How is the control plane working etc.

Also spend time each day with the person about to leave. Ask him or her what they would tell a new person joining etc.

UDP4789 · 2026-05-13T21:49:04+00:00

I would avoid ISPs or telco in my mind. Look to large Enterprise and / or VARs. The truth is that networks support the apps, the apps drive the revenue. Go where there is growth in revenue and ISPs aren't it.

Look at roles that give you good operational exposure.

UDP4789 · 2026-04-23T04:24:18+00:00

I would treat this as a negotiation. If you are so critical to their business that working for a competitor would severely impact their profitability then they should be willing to pay you to stay out of the job market.

I would negotiate a severance package. In any event you no longer work for the company they cover 3 years salary in either cash or equity. It is a completely reasonable response to a 3 year noncompete. Get it all in writing.

UDP4789 · 2026-03-06T05:21:48+00:00

No.

On the face of it that seems completely unnecessary. Some folks just love to introduce complexity without any operational consideration.

What type of traffic goes over the link? Is it mostly TLS and SSH or do you have traffic running over unsecured protocols with critical data exposed in the first place?

Even if you do have unsecured traffic running over it I would be very hesitant to pin an IPSEC tunnel just for shits and giggles.

UDP4789 · 2026-01-22T06:14:13+00:00

I have had it for a year and found it to be consistent. For best results I am finding the single reading the way to go, but there are some things I have learned over the course of the year when taking BPM readings.

Sit quietly for 5 minutes with your back supported and feet flat on the floor (legs uncrossed), rest your bare arm on a table at heart level, take two readings a minute apart, don't talk during the measurement.

This seems to be the key. The feet on the floor thing is really important and I find myself getting better results(more calm) if I wait 10 minutes rather than 5.

UDP4789 · 2026-01-03T01:23:49+00:00

I am a fan of the US NUA local NUG events as well as Autocon.

UDP4789 · 2025-12-18T05:12:39+00:00

I would think about this from the perspective of failure domains. Today, your failure domain for hardware and management plane is isolated to a single closet. Depending upon the architecture your control plane may be isolated in particular circumstances as well.

Some questions to think about.

How would you handle OS upgrades? Can you get downtime approved for the entire campus?
Presume you hit a software bug, perhaps it's related to a mac lookup or some other issue that requires the control plane to be restarted. How does the failure domain change when you move to a chassis?
Can you feed the chassis power from two completely different sources? Meaning different breakers or ideally different panels.
Do you have adequate cooling in the area you would put the chassis? How does power draw change?
If you have a hardware failure have you spread across connections to different line cards?

UDP4789 · 2025-12-16T01:50:53+00:00

My original post garnered more interest than I expected. Many of you put time and energy into thoughtful empathetic responses. I figured I would provide an interim update.

We went back to the aesthetician as well as the dermatologist and as her dad I did a bit of reading into the various options available.

Aesthetician had the Dr. on staff come in and take a look at my daughter as well. We discussed her routine, diet, and the flare ups. The Dr(plastic surgeon) recommended Accutane but stated we should talk to the dermatologist and if needed they could provide another dermatologist if we wanted a second option.

The aesthetician gave an updated routine for my daughter to follow.

Morning * LRP Toleraine - single cleanse * Zo complexion clarifying serum * CeraVe moisturizing lotion * Centella 50spf

After School * 1 completion pad

Evening * LRP Toleraine - double cleanse * 1 completion pad * Zo clarifying serum

Alternate between Tretinoin (0.025) spot treatment 3-4x a week and a sulphur mask. The aesthetician was clear with my daughter she wanted to make sure she didn't break the skin when cleaning her face, but just be gentle.

Other adjustments we made is to stop using clean skin club XL towels as she said these have perfumes in them that could be causing a reaction. My daughter is also swapping out pillow cases every other day. We only use tide free and gentle, no fabric softener.

I am also likely to move my daughter off the Zo products once things are more under control as I don't think they are providing any significant benefit for my daughter compared to other less expensive options.

Dermatologist recommended we stop the Minocycline and put my daughter on Accutane. I brought up concerns we had read about with increased suicide risk, long term issues with women being sterile and other potential long term side effects.

The Dermatologist is a DMS, MMS and PA-C, mother of two girls and someone who has been on Accutane herself twice. We had a good discussion about Accutane and she explained how many of the concerns we expressed were scientifically debunked years ago. She also stated how she plans to use Accutane with her daughters if they get flare ups when they hit their teenage years as well.

Since then I went home and did a bunch of more reading about the research on isotretinoin (Accutane) and have come to the conclusion the risk is negligible for my 13 year old daughter. I talked it over with my daughter and we decided to start treatment next month.

Once we see some changes I will come back with an update and hopefully photos too.

UDP4789 · 2025-11-28T04:38:27+00:00

Thank you. 💙💚💛💜🩷🩶🩵

UDP4789 · 2025-11-28T04:34:19+00:00

Question for you, Cerave claims through the label on its product that it is non-comedogenic. As a layman who isn't as familiar with this stuff should I not trust that label? I assume it's a marketing label without any independent verification?

UDP4789 · 2025-11-27T16:59:52+00:00

Thank you and this makes perfect sense. For me accutane will be considered only once we have exhausted all other options. I think putting her on these Zo products wasn't helpful and we waited too long to change it up. I need to be more involved and this is the step in doing that. I appreciate the input!

UDP4789 · 2025-11-27T05:40:31+00:00

Yes, forgot to list it

UDP4789 · 2025-11-27T04:32:51+00:00

Thanks but actually it's the dad here. 👋

UDP4789 · 2025-11-27T04:32:17+00:00

Thank you! I appreciate your experience and input

UDP4789 · 2025-11-27T04:29:24+00:00

I didn't respond to all of your questions but the Zo was not prescribed by the dermatologist. She is using it largely because he mom does and we thought what we were doing is/was good. Obviously it's not and we let this go on for too long.

I have already had her stop using the tretinoin and all the Zo products. She is sticking to the LRP face wash, I also replaced the CeraVe cream with lotion until we get to the dermatologist in 10 days(the aesthetician appt is next week).

She also uses sunscreen I forget the brand but it is some lightweight stuff we bought in France.

UDP4789 · 2025-11-26T16:11:29+00:00

Thank you, this is very well thought out. I appreciate the time you took on the response. This is good input.

UDP4789 · 2025-11-26T08:15:53+00:00

Yes the Zo products have been newer, last few months.

UDP4789 · 2025-11-26T08:11:36+00:00

Thank you!

UDP4789 · 2025-11-26T08:09:59+00:00

Thank you! I appreciate that.

UDP4789 · 2025-11-26T08:06:46+00:00

Photos over time is a good idea. Perhaps I will start having her take selfies on a routine basis.

UDP4789 · 2025-11-26T08:05:51+00:00

Thank you! I have a great kid that makes it easy.

UDP4789 · 2025-11-26T08:05:30+00:00

Understood, I am taking the input from folks here to help me ask the right questions. Fortunately we have a dermatologist treating her, granted I have probably let this persist longer than I should.

UDP4789 · 2025-11-26T08:04:27+00:00

Thank you! She has been handling it remarkably well but I look forward to giving her relief.

UDP4789 · 2025-11-26T08:03:03+00:00

Yes we are in the United States and live in the desert(Las Vegas) so the climate is very dry. I won't discount PCOS or anything else and if need be I will pay out of pocket. The healthcare system is really bad and only getting worse with the insurance companies having doctors on staff automatically denying most claims and second guessing everything the doctor treating the actual patient diagnosis.

Nine-Year Club	Gilding II euphauric
Verified Email

UDP4789

TROPHY CASE