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How Cisco Networking Academy is Enhancing Accessibility Training

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How Cisco Networking Academy is Enhancing Accessibility Training


This publish was authored by Lynn Bloomer, Director, Enterprise Operations, Cisco Networking Academy.

Cisco Networking Academy is among the world’s largest and longest-standing purpose-driven IT skills-to-jobs packages, impacting the lives of greater than 4.7 million learners yearly (24.2 million since inception) in 191 international locations.

Because the world celebrates the 2025 World Accessibility Consciousness Day (GAAD), Cisco took a big step in the direction of championing incapacity inclusion by partnering with Train Entry, a nonprofit group devoted to enhancing accessibility training. Train Entry envisions a completely accessible future through which college students enter the workforce with information of the wants of individuals with disabilities and abilities to create know-how that’s born accessible. Collectively, we have now launched a set of finest practices for Cisco Networking Academy educators, designed to empower instructors in educating all learners. Our collaboration underscores Cisco’s dedication to fostering an inclusive digital future by integrating accessibility rules into know-how training.

This new instructing useful resource, the Accessibility Playlist, helps educators in instructing digital accessibility. The playlist is tailor-made for Cisco Networking Academy instructors and makes use of Train Entry’s free sources, together with accessibility self-paced programs and curricular objects within the Train Entry Curriculum Repository. These supplies cowl a spread of subjects, together with incapacity consciousness, accessible design, and inclusive instructing practices throughout numerous disciplines comparable to laptop science, UX design, and net improvement. By utilizing these sources, instructors will acquire precious insights into finest practices in as we speak’s technological panorama and can construct their confidence in instructing for a extra inclusive viewers.

On the coronary heart of the Cisco Networking Academy program is a constant dedication to equip and empower communities and college students of all backgrounds via training. Since we started gathering this knowledge in 2019, over 232,000 college students with declared disabilities have participated.1 And we proceed to assist incapacity and neurodivergent communities by placing accessibility on the entrance of what we do. For instance, we not too long ago expanded our Advisory Board to incorporate organizations that champion accessibility worldwide, such because the Open College (United Kingdom), the Cisco Academy for the Imaginative and prescient Impaired (CAVI) (Australia), NSITE (United States), and Bridge to Alternative (United States). We additionally actively interact with college students and instructors to establish new accessibility options to reinforce our studying platform expertise for better inclusivity.

“Whereas instructing Cybersecurity Necessities, we found that the cybersecurity Digital Machines (VMs) software program used within the lab actions now not had the display screen reader. This meant our visually impaired learners had been unable to launch and full the lab actions. I reached out to the Cisco Networking Academy staff, who had been in a position to shortly resolve this and add an lodging to permit use with display screen readers. Palms-on studying is so vital for all learners no matter their expertise and bodily capabilities.” – Karen Woodard, Cisco Networking Academy teacher

Cisco’s ongoing dedication to this work, led by our Workplace of Accessibility, and holding ourselves accountable for our progress is necessary for learners with disabilities; furthermore, it’s necessary to all of us. We’re higher collectively. Consistent with our Objective to Energy an Inclusive Future for All, we wish to make the know-how and companies we offer to our clients, companions, suppliers, and staff accessible to all. We’re making progress, and there’s nonetheless extra work to do.

Study extra at netacad.com/accessibility.

Sources:

  1. Optionally available self-reporting by learners from July 2019, once we began gathering this data, to the top of FY2024.

 

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Scrum Grasp Errors: 4 Pitfalls to Watch Out For and Appropriate

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Scrum Grasp Errors: 4 Pitfalls to Watch Out For and Appropriate


Being a Scrum Grasp isn’t simple.

Give a crew an excessive amount of recommendation, they usually’ll begin counting on the Scrum Grasp to make each choice. However don’t give sufficient, and the crew’s progress will stall.

Clear up too many issues your self, and the crew could begin anticipating you to repair each difficulty. Ignore some issues, and they won’t even inform you about impediments.

Scrum Masters should stroll a nice line, and it’s simple to slide up. On this submit, I’ll cowl 4 frequent errors Scrum Masters make and provide sensible tricks to overcome each.

Mistake #1: Letting Work Spill Over into the Subsequent Dash

One of many worst habits a Scrum crew can develop is permitting work to spillover from one dash to the following. This occurs when a crew fails to finish all of the deliberate backlog objects and easily rolls them into the following dash.

“A Scrum crew shouldn’t take a cavalier perspective towards failing to complete.”

Whereas it’s okay, and even fascinating, to not end the whole lot, each time—it means the crew is planning ambitiously—it shouldn’t turn out to be routine.

A Scrum crew mustn’t take a cavalier perspective towards failing to complete. If it does, sprints lose which means, changing into arbitrary boundaries somewhat than clear cycles of labor.

Groups ought to really feel a slight sense of urgency because the dash nears its finish.

Repair Spillover

If spillover is a recurring downside in your crew, attempt these two issues.

First, break the behavior by planning hyper-conservatively for the following dash or two. Encourage the crew to plan its subsequent dash such that they’ll undoubtedly end the whole lot. Then, in the event that they end the whole lot, they’ll add extra to the dash.

Subsequent, spotlight the incidence and remind groups that habitually not ending is an issue. A method to do that is to deliver it up in retrospectives and ask them to debate why it occurred.

I’m not suggesting that you just make them really feel unhealthy or demoralized. I solely need them to really feel as involved as I do proper now. I’m making an attempt to chop down on soda. I’m making progress and haven’t had any for every week. However in the present day I simply felt like having a soda whereas penning this. So I did. 

I don’t really feel responsible, however I’ll simply be certain that I undoubtedly don’t have one other tomorrow as I don’t need to get again in that behavior.

Be taught extra in Spillover in Agile: 3 Methods to Break the Unfinished Work Behavior.

Mistake #2: Working the Each day Scrum

A second mistake I see Scrum Masters make steadily is working the each day scrum assembly. Whereas it is essential for the Scrum Grasp to take part and provides an replace, they need to not tackle the function of conducting the assembly (for instance, calling on folks to talk).

Each day scrums don’t want a visitors cop calling on folks. When a Scrum Grasp runs the assembly that method, the dialogue turns into too directed on the Scrum Grasp. A each day scrum is just not a standing assembly solely for the advantage of the Scrum Grasp!

“Ideally, an outsider observing shouldn’t be capable of instantly inform who the Scrum Grasp is.”

It’s regular when a crew is first getting began for the Scrum Grasp to take a extra energetic function within the each day scrum. Nonetheless, the purpose is for the crew to completely personal the assembly. Ideally, an outsider observing shouldn’t be capable of instantly inform who the Scrum Grasp is. Whereas there could also be occasional steerage, the Scrum Grasp shouldn’t dominate the assembly.

The Repair for Working the Each day Scrum

I like to start out a brand new crew by main the primary two or three conferences. Then, I transition to easily saying, ‘OK, everybody, it’s time to start out,’ perhaps prompting with ‘Who desires to go first?’ Quickly after, I cease saying even that.

Finally, I transfer to simply checking my watch when it’s time to start out and, if needed, giving a mild immediate—like clearing my throat. The concept is to steadily scale back my involvement till the crew naturally initiates the assembly.

In fact, I don’t stay silent all through the each day scrum. I’ll immediate somebody to share extra particulars or politely interrupt when discussions veer off monitor, saying one thing like, “Perhaps we should always dive deeper after the each day scrum.”

To dive deeper, learn “Suggestions for Efficient and Environment friendly Each day Scrums.”

Mistake #3: Permitting the Crew to Burn Out

The third mistake I see Scrum Masters make is that they permit groups to transcend a sustainable tempo and burn out.

I’m not a fan of a lot of the Scrum vocabulary however the time period dash appears particularly troublesome. Once I dash whereas working, I tire rapidly and infrequently stroll to get better.

That’s a horrible metaphor for a way we’d just like the crew to work. Ideally, one dash ends and the following begins. Groups shouldn’t start their subsequent dash nonetheless making an attempt to get better from their final.

“Groups shouldn’t start their subsequent dash nonetheless making an attempt to get better from their final.”

Burnout occurs when groups persistently overcommit throughout dash planning, normally out of an abundance of optimism about how a lot work they’ll end throughout a dash.

Stop Burn Out

The very first thing Scrum Masters can do to forestall crew burnout is to be looking out for groups (and crew members) who appear to be committing to extra work throughout dash planning than they’ve traditionally accomplished inside a dash.

One other smart way for a Scrum Grasp to protect in opposition to burnout is by speaking to the product proprietor about giving a crew time to work on issues of their very own selecting.

I like to do that by introducing a cycle I name 6 x 2 + 1 (“six occasions two plus one”).

The 6 x 2 + 1 Dash Cycle

6 x 2 + 1 refers to 6 two-week sprints adopted by a one-week dash. What the crew works on within the one-week dash is totally as much as them.

“What the crew works on within the one-week dash is totally as much as them.”

Some folks will use the bonus dash for private growth (studying, video coaching, and so forth.). Others would possibly use it to refactor some ugly code that the product proprietor hasn’t prioritized. (Right here’s some recommendation on tips on how to persuade a product proprietor to prioritize refactoring.and tips on how to match refactoring into your sprints.) 

Nonetheless others would possibly attempt an experiment that they consider may result in an ideal new characteristic. Nevertheless it’s totally as much as the crew.

Introducing a cycle like this really advantages extra than simply the crew. The 6 x 2 + 1 dash cycle offers the product proprietor every week with none “distractions” from the crew, too. (That is typically the promoting level that will get a product proprietor on board.)

This cycle also can profit the group whether it is one that should make commitments like, “We’ll ship this set of options in 3 months.” The thirteenth week of the 6 x 2 + 1 cycle can be utilized for a standard dash if the crew will get behind on a deadline. The crew can then be given every week for their very own work a dash or two later after the deadline has been met.

Mistake #4: Avoiding Tough Conversations

Scrum Masters typically discover themselves navigating robust conversations, from addressing recurring points to difficult misconceptions about agile practices. Avoiding these discussions can result in unresolved issues and low morale.

Gear Up for a Robust Dialog

  • Embrace Discomfort: Settle for that uncomfortable conversations are a part of fostering a clear, high-performing crew.
  • Apply: Think about to what questions you’ll ask and the way you’ll strategy the dialog. Position play with a fellow Scrum Grasp or even an AI agent.
  • Put together Thoughtfully: Take into account a number of viewpoints and set clear targets earlier than initiating a dialog.
  • See It as Progress: Body robust conversations as alternatives to construct belief and crew cohesion.

Remaining Ideas

Nice Scrum Masters stability steerage and autonomy, provide help with out being controlling, facilitate with out dominating, and face robust conversations head on. Mountain Goat is right here to assist, whether or not it’s AI prompts that will help you follow or coaching that will help you (and your crew) enhance, we’ve acquired you coated.

Final replace: Might fifteenth, 2025

AMD, Nvidia associate with Saudi startup to construct multi-billion greenback AI service facilities

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AMD, Nvidia associate with Saudi startup to construct multi-billion greenback AI service facilities



Humain will deploy the Nvidia Omniverse platform as a multi-tenant system to drive acceleration of the brand new period of bodily AI and robotics by means of simulation, optimization and operation of bodily environments by new human-AI-led options.

The AMD deal didn’t focus on the variety of chips concerned within the deal, however it’s valued at $10 billion. AMD and Humain plan to develop a complete AI infrastructure by means of a community of AMD-based AI information facilities that can prolong from Saudi Arabia to the US and help a variety of AI workloads throughout company, start-up, and authorities markets. Consider it as AWS however solely providing AI as a service.

AMD will present its AI compute portfolio – Epyc, Intuition, and FPGA networking — and the AMD ROCm open software program ecosystem, whereas Humain will handle the supply of the hyperscale information heart, sustainable energy techniques, and world fiber interconnects.

The companions anticipate to activate a multi-exaflop community by early 2026, supported by next-generation AI silicon, modular information heart zones, and a software program platform stack targeted on developer enablement, open requirements, and interoperability.

Amazon Internet Providers additionally received a bit of the motion, asserting a greater than $5 billion funding to construct an “AI zone” within the Kingdom. The zone is the primary of its type and can deliver collectively a number of capabilities, together with devoted AWS AI infrastructure and servers, UltraCluster networks for quicker AI coaching and inference, AWS companies like SageMaker and Bedrock, and AI software companies comparable to Amazon Q. Just like the AMD venture, the zone shall be accessible in 2026.

Humain solely emerged this month, so little is thought about it. However provided that it’s backed by Crown Prince Salman and has the total weight of the Kingdom’s Public Funding Fund (PIF), which ranks among the many world’s largest and most influential sovereign wealth funds, one analyst expects large issues from it.

Linux community tunneling through VXLAN or Geneve

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Linux community tunneling through VXLAN or Geneve


I’m attempting to tunnel from a "digital interface" on Machine A to a bodily interface on Machine B. All concerned programs are Linux-based and have bridge instruments, iproute2 and related kernel choices put in. All networks depicted beneath are /24. I can not change any community settings on C and D, nor can I set up software program on them.

Linux community tunneling through VXLAN or Geneve

Machine A is behind a masquerading NAT however can attain Machine B. Machine B can not attain Machine A. Machine B has a second NIC on a subnet along with Machines C, D (and a few others).

What I plan to realize is to have a brand new community interface on Machine A that’s in the identical subnet as Machines C and D so I can ping them. Ideally a layer 2 tunnel.

Most guides I discovered assume some software program outlined switching, VMs or Kubernetes. Nothing is concerned in my case.

First thought was to create a Wireguard tunnel between Machines A and B and to bridge it to eth1 on Machine B. I have not tried that but since I learn that wireguard is layer 3 solely and thus does not help bridging.

Subsequent I learn on layer 2 tunneling potentialities: GRE, VXLAN and Geneve.

Since all appear to require that Machines A and B can speak to one another (= in each instructions), I created a Wireguard community between them. That is working and Machine A and B can ping one another on their wireguard IPs (192.168.66.0/24)

Then (on Machine B), I arrange a bridge interface br0, eliminated the IP from eth1, added eth1 to br0 and configured the IP from eth1 on br0. Pinging from B to C and D nonetheless works.

Then I attempted organising a Geneve tunnel between Machines A and B (utilizing the wireguard interfaces for "distant"), including interface geneve0 on Machine B to br0 and giving geneve0 on Machine A an IPv4 in the identical subnet as br0 on B. I don´t bear in mind the precise instructions however I feel Machine A was in a position to ping B (within the 192.168.0.0/24 subnet) however not Machines C and D and B was not in a position to ping A (unusually).

So I attempted to do the identical with VXLAN as an alternative. Instructions used:

Machine A:

ip hyperlink add vxlan0 sort vxlan id 6666 dstport 4789
ip addr add 192.168.0.210/24 dev vxlan0
ip hyperlink arrange vxlan0
bridge fdb add 00:00:00:00:00:00 dev vxlan0 dst 192.168.66.1

Machine B:

ip hyperlink add vxlan0 sort vxlan id 6666 dstport 4789
ip hyperlink arrange vxlan0
bridge fdb add 00:00:00:00:00:00 dev vxlan0 dst 192.168.66.2
brctl addif br0 vxlan0

At this level, Machine B can nonetheless ping C and D. Machine B also can ping Machine A on 192.168.0.210 (which tells me that the VXLAN appears to be working).
Machine A can ping Machine B on 192.168.0.200. Nonetheless, Machine A CAN NOT ping Machines C and D. Machine B has proxy_arp and ipv4.ip_forward enabled.
Utilizing "tcpdump -i vxlan0" on B I can see the ping requests from A to C however no replies. Nonetheless, the ARP requests are forwarded and the ARP desk on A comprises the entries with the right IPs and MACs. Utilizing "tcpdump -i eth1", I can see that the ping requests from C don’t make it out to C and D.

By some means bridging the vxlan0 to br0 works however packets are usually not forwarded to eth1 although it’s on the identical bridge as properly however I can not see what I’m lacking. Why does ARP work however ICMP not?
How would Machine A know that the MAC addresses of C and D are behind B and never another machine that might be a part of the identical VXLAN? Do I want to inform or ought to it auto-learn (like a swap that remembers which MAC addresses are on every port)?

Any concept what I might attempt subsequent? Or would there be a better strategy to realize what I would like? Thanks!

Enhancing Knowledge Middle Sustainability with Cisco MDS 9000 Transceiver Energy-Management Functionality

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Enhancing Knowledge Middle Sustainability with Cisco MDS 9000 Transceiver Energy-Management Functionality


Within the fast-paced evolution of knowledge facilities, the highlight on sustainability has by no means been brighter. As vitality calls for surge, discovering modern methods to scale back vitality consumption turns into essential. The transceiver power-control function inside Cisco MDS 9000 switches helps architecting sustainability in storage space networks and contributes to the broader purpose of making extra environmentally accountable and cost-effective knowledge middle operations.

The Energy Problem in Knowledge Facilities

Fashionable knowledge facilities face a formidable problem in managing escalating energy calls for. The sheer quantity of servers, networking gear, and storage arrays requires a considerable vitality provide, resulting in elevated operational prices and a bigger carbon footprint. The increase of Synthetic Intelligence (AI) workloads and their power-hungry underlying infrastructure has modified trajectory and additional exacerbated the state of affairs. Addressing this problem has turn out to be crucial for organizations striving for sustainability.

Within the journey towards web zero, Scope 2 greenhouse gasoline (GHG) emissions current a significant hurdle for knowledge middle operators. With IT gear and community gadgets working 24×7, their utilization part is the primary contributor to GHG emissions. For community gadgets, the ability demand of optical transceivers continues to rise. An SFP+ transceiver can attain 1.5 Watts, whereas a QSFP-DD transceiver can exceed 16 Watts. In consequence, optical transceivers account for a good portion of the vitality consumption in fashionable switches and routers. In a typical 1RU swap, optical transceivers might symbolize 16% or extra of its vitality consumption beneath commonplace working situations.

Understanding Transceiver Energy-Management Characteristic

Cisco MDS switches harness some great benefits of the transceiver power-control function to realize a harmonious steadiness between efficiency and vitality effectivity. This new functionality represents an innovation for the whole trade. Organizations can expertise a notable discount in vitality prices, contributing to operational financial savings whereas concurrently lessening their environmental influence.

Sometimes, when optical transceivers are inserted into swap ports and a person administratively shuts down a particular port, the swap solely disables the laser with out chopping off energy to the optical transceiver. Which means that when the port is shut down, the optical transceiver nonetheless attracts vital energy regardless of a slight discount.

Beginning with Cisco MDS 64G platforms (DS-X9748-3072K9, MDS 9124V, MDS 9148V, and MDS 9396V), there may be an SFP FPGA {hardware} help for controlling energy to the transceiver on the per-port stage. The transceiver power-control function makes use of this {hardware} functionality to show off the ability to the transceiver when a port is administratively shutdown. Upon an administrator performing a ‘no shutdown’ on a port, the ability is restored to that transceiver. Older Cisco MDS platforms, in addition to aggressive options, shouldn’t have this {hardware} functionality and can’t flip off the ability when a port is administratively down.

With Cisco MDS NX-OS Launch 9.4(2) onwards, the transceiver power-control function is accessible and enabled by default on all MDS 64G platforms. With this function, ports are always-ready, not always-on. In different phrases, a port is all the time able to be powered up, however when administratively down, the port would keep powered off and devour no vitality.

The Impact of Transceiver Power ControlThe Impact of Transceiver Power Control

 

Circulation of Operation and Take a look at Outcomes

The flowchart  under explains the logic utilized to transceiver power-off, power-on and swap bootup use circumstances:

Flowchart of TPC LogicFlowchart of TPC Logic

 

Lab checks present that 34 Watts of energy are saved for twenty-four ports within the admin down state with their short-wave transceiver being powered off. Greater financial savings are achieved with long-wave transceivers.

One sensible state of affairs sees a buyer with 6000 ports having 20% of spare ports. The transceiver power-control function results in about 1680W saved, equal to 14717 kWh/yr. For a knowledge middle with PUE = 1.5 and assuming 0,27 euro/kWh, this interprets into 5960 euro of financial savings within the vitality invoice annually.

One function, many advantages

The transceiver power-control function is an instance of static energy management, well-suited for networking gadgets, the place planning for extra connectivity is feasible.  Buyer proof reveals that spare ports account for 10% to 50% of all put in switching ports, indicating that transceiver power-control might drive substantial vitality financial savings.

The transceiver power-control function has many advantages, together with:

  • As much as 32% vitality financial savings for a swap
  • straightforward operations with distant settings for energy management
  • full real-time stock even for interfaces which can be administratively shut (energy off), leveraging a extremely engineered circulate of operations inside NX-OS software program
  • excessive reliability beneath energy cycles and with out an influence on failure charges, achieved by optimized design and tight qualification of Cisco SFPs
  • SFP agnostic operation, relevant to any sort of SFP certified on 64G gadgets
  • ubiquitous operation on each 64G switches and director line playing cards
  • quicker restart to keep away from any delay for reaching mission mode on hyperlinks
  • included within the base providing at no extra value

Enabling/Disabling Transceiver Energy-Management Characteristic

The transceiver power-control function is enabled by default on Cisco MDS 64G fibre channel switches. The function may be turned on utilizing the next CLI command:

 

Black text in a white box with a yellow borderBlack text in a white box with a yellow border

 

 

Allow/disable standing of the function may be considered utilizing the under CLI command.

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Transceiver energy standing for every port is displayed within the “present interface” CLI command output. Within the instance under, interface fc1/3 reveals that transceiver power-control function is enabled, and the port is administratively shut. In consequence, its energy can be zero.

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Conclusion

The deployment of Cisco MDS switches supporting the transceiver power-control function represents a proactive step in direction of creating extra sustainable and cost-effective knowledge middle operations. The potential advantages embody vitality financial savings, lowered vitality payments, improved compliance with environmental requirements, and a constructive contribution to a extra sustainable future.

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