Aaron has worked in a range of IT roles, from server and network support, to workstation administration, consulting and service management. He currently works as a network architect and consultant with the Education sector. When not madly pounding on keyboards, he can usually be found racing sailboats, or riding his motorcycle on the back roads of Vancouver Island.
By Aaron Leskiw, CCDA, CCNA, MCSE, ITILv3, MCSA, A+ on September 13, 2018
Syslog is a way for network devices to send event messages to a logging server – usually known as a Syslog server. The Syslog protocol is supported by a wide range of devices and can be used to log different types of events. For example, a router might send messages about users logging on to […]
By Aaron Leskiw, CCDA, CCNA, MCSE, ITILv3, MCSA, A+ on June 16, 2014
SevOne, the provider of a highly scalable performance monitoring platform, announced it has leveraged the technology from its recent acquisition of RapidEngines to deliver the first solution that integrates real-time log analytics with an enterprise-class performance monitoring platform (view press release). This is welcome news, as we’ve been waiting to see log analytics take center […]
By Aaron Leskiw, CCDA, CCNA, MCSE, ITILv3, MCSA, A+ on October 1, 2013
SevOne, the world’s most scalable performance monitoring platform, today announced the release of its Application Performance Appliance (APA) (Download Here) to supports its goal of improving network troubleshooting for the world’s most connected companies. The APA converts packets into NetFlow records that SevOne uses to gain insight into network traffic and application content. By linking […]
By Aaron Leskiw, CCDA, CCNA, MCSE, ITILv3, MCSA, A+ on August 30, 2013
Network bandwidth usage is one of the biggest contributors to your network performance. By taking advantage of the flow technology that is built into most routers and switches, you can quickly identify bottlenecks and troubleshoot bandwidth related problems. Read this whitepaper for an introduction to NetFlow & other flow technologies, as well as configuring your network to […]
By Aaron Leskiw, CCDA, CCNA, MCSE, ITILv3, MCSA, A+ on August 30, 2013
Network management systems range from free, open‐source tools, to complex and pricey applications. Balancing the trade‐offs between price, features, and user preference can be challenging. To help with this challenge, Networkmanagementsoftware.com conducted a comparative study. Six different solutions were reviewed: Open NMS®, SolarWinds, WhatsUpGold, Dartware, ManageEngine®, and Apparent Networks Pathview Cloud. Download the Network Management Buyer’s […]
By Aaron Leskiw, CCDA, CCNA, MCSE, ITILv3, MCSA, A+ on August 30, 2013
This free white paper discusses challenges encountered as organizations search for the most cost-effective network performance management solution for their network. Some of the challenges discussed include: How do I achieve balanced objectives of feature/function capabilities matched with cost effectiveness? How do I find a solution that keeps pace with changes in the managed environment […]
By Aaron Leskiw, CCDA, CCNA, MCSE, ITILv3, MCSA, A+ on November 5, 2012
If you’re like most admins, sometimes you need a specialized tool to troubleshoot a tough problem. But what if you don’t have full NMS systems and application management suites at your business? Some companies, like SolarWinds for example, offer mini-versions of their network management systems for free. Free apps let you test-drive the technology behind […]
By Aaron Leskiw, CCDA, CCNA, MCSE, ITILv3, MCSA, A+ on November 5, 2012
IT departments deploying Voice-over-IP (VOIP) are faced with a problem: How do they deliver traditional telephone quality and reliability, over a mixed, IP-based network with many applications competing for bandwidth? Quality of Service (QOS) can help manage bandwidth, and traditional network management tools can provide performance metrics. But, wouldn’t it be nice to have the […]
By Aaron Leskiw, CCDA, CCNA, MCSE, ITILv3, MCSA, A+ on November 5, 2012
As networks get busier, they also tend to get slower. Trends like increased use of cloud services, bring-your-own-device (BYOD), video and VOIP all create incremental stress and pressure on the network. BYOD can also introduce challenges like increased use of photo and video sharing, and peer-to-peer traffic. Upgrading networks can be very costly, and usually […]
By Aaron Leskiw, CCDA, CCNA, MCSE, ITILv3, MCSA, A+ on November 5, 2012
There are a small number of tools out there that, once used, become so indispensable that you can’t live without them. DameWare makes such a tool. Yes, it’s that good – read on and you’ll see why. What is DameWare? DameWare (part of the SolarWinds family of products) built their reputation on two products: NT Utilities, […]
By Aaron Leskiw, CCDA, CCNA, MCSE, ITILv3, MCSA, A+ on November 5, 2012
Most network admins still manage IP addresses the old way – using spreadsheets that are stored on shared drives, and updated if everyone remembers when they should. The Excel spreadsheet method is rife with hassles: small mistakes compound over time, duplicate IP addresses get assigned, machines are retired and IP space is wasted. It’s such […]
By Aaron Leskiw, CCDA, CCNA, MCSE, ITILv3, MCSA, A+ on May 17, 2012
Your network is filled with firewalls, servers, and routers capable of detecting and log security threats. But when a threat comes up, too many admins rely on a slow process of manually wading through tens of thousands of log entries to find and correlate a small number of log entries. The result? Slow detection and […]
By Aaron Leskiw, CCDA, CCNA, MCSE, ITILv3, MCSA, A+ on May 8, 2012
As an end-to-end SIEM solution SolarWinds Log & Event Manager (LEM) aggregates, correlates and normalizes log and event data, and stores them in one single repository for centralized management. LEM extends it functionality to allow quick and easy search of the stored event data. Let’s understand the power of this advanced, intuitive IT search that […]
By Aaron Leskiw, CCDA, CCNA, MCSE, ITILv3, MCSA, A+ on May 2, 2012
Once you have a good network monitoring system in place, what’s next? Many organizations have a gap around configuration, compliance, and inventory management. They know which routers and switches are up or down, but don’t necessarily know useful information like which admins made recent changes (and why!), which devices are mis-configured or running old code, […]
