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Peter Milchov 19th August

In this article I am going to briefly cover a microsegmentation approach, using NSX-T and vRealize Log Insight. Be aware that is just a basic microsegmentation and it is meant to demonstrate the usability of Log Insight in helping you to build up an Infrastructure related rule base. Designing environmental or application related rules is a whole different topic and will not be covered here.

Bill of Materials (BOM) consists of NSX-T and vRealize Log Insight  

vRealize Log Insight (vRLI)

vRealize Log Insight is a log collector and analytics tool, that helps you preserve your logs and gain better visibility of what is going on in your environment. In this case we are going to use it to monitor specific firewall rules, that are meant to capture all the packets that do not match any other firewall rule. 

By the way, the Log Insight comes together with NSX-T under the same licence, so you have no excuses for not using it :)

NSX-T Distributed Firewall (DFW)

On the other hand, is NSX-T with its distributed firewall.

DFW works in a way where a specific function on the IOChain intercepts the VM traffic and sends it to a module in the esxi's kernel, which module in turn enforces the distributed firewall rules. As a result, from that implementation, you get a firewall rule set applied on every single vNIC that is connected to a NSX prepared virtual switch.

Being a stateful firewall, the DFW collects related packets until the connection state can be determined, and then it first evaluate the connection tracker table for a matching session. If such session is found, the traffic is allowed to proceed. However, if there is no matching session the flow is evaluated against the rule set on a first match basis. This means that reading the rule set for a virtual interface from top to bottom, the first rule that matches will be the one used by the firewall. If the matching rule allows the traffic, it will put the session flow in the conntrack table where it will remain until the session timer expires or the session is terminated.

Blacklisting vs Whitelisting 

There are two different approaches to firewalling your environment - Blacklisting model and Whitelisting model. 

The blacklisting model is when you create DENY rules to block specific type of traffic and everything that does not match these DENY rules will be allowed (Default Rule - ALLOW). The main advantage of the blacklisting model is its simplicity.

The whitelisting model is based on the zero trust principle, which essentially denies everything that is not explicitly allowed (Default Rule - DENY).

Microsegmentation 

According to VMware, microsegmentation is a network security technique that enables security architects to logically divide the data center into distinct security segments down to the individual workload level, and then define security controls and deliver services for each unique segment.

Here we are focusing on the defining the security controls rather than the network segmentation.

Enough theory, let's get now to the actual work.

Using my home NSX-T lab I have configured an Infrastructure section with very few rules, that I am going to use as a starting point:

On the above screenshot, you might have noticed, there are 2 unusual rules at the bottom of the Infra section. Their role is to catch all traffic that does not match any of the rules above, and thus help me to build the necessary rule base, before I can switch my Default rule to DENY and achieve zero trust.

The "Catchall-Outbound" rule has as a source "Infra-All" aggregation group, that contains all Infra related groups, ie. all IP addresses of my infrastructure servers, and the destination is set to ANY. It is meant to capture the traffic that egresses from the Infra servers. That rule has a log label set to "Infra-Outbound":

The Catchall-Inbound" rule has a similar configuration, where the only difference is the direction of the traffic - ANY to INFRA, so all the ingress traffic. It also has an "Infra-Inbound" log label:

The catchall rules, in my example, are focusing on the Infrastructure section, but you can reuse the same approach for any firewall section.

Setting up a Dashboard in Log Insight

Assuming there is a preinstalled Log Insight instance, that is already integrated with your vCenter and ESXi hosts, and also has the NSX-T content pack installed, the next step would be to setup NSX bits to forward their logs to it. 

That can be done manually, by configuring syslog server in the cli of each component (set logging-server), or globally by going to System / Fabric / Profiles / All NSX Nodes.

Create Log Insight Dashboard

Now, as we have vSphere and NSX-T forwarding logs to the Log Insight instance, it is time to create dashboards to monitor the Catch All rules.

Open the vRLI web interface and navigate to Interactive Analytics. Once there, search for one of the previously created log labels:

I am getting some results, which means there is some traffic that did not match any of the defined Infra rules, therefore it has been captured by my special rules. 

To create a dashboard, from that search, filter by Non-time series and group by vmx_nsxt_firewall_dst_ip_port (VMware - NSX-T):

After hitting Apply I see some results, on the graphic above, so the next step is to save that search to a dashboard.

Click to the 3rd icon from the right, Add current query to dashboard:

And then Add to create your new dashboard:

Repeat the same procedure for all the log labels that you are monitoring for. That is the result in my case:

Take a look at the above dashboards. What you will see there is the majority of the traffic, that does not match any pre-created Infra rule, is an egress traffic. The ingress one is neglectable.

To building up my Infra section rule base, I will start with the top polluter from the graphic above. There are packets that have been sent to IP on port That's a public IP and I am not quite sure what is behind it, therefore I do not know yet if I need to create a matching Allow rule or not.

 Click on the top polluter bar and select Interactive Analytics, which brings us to the analytics page filtered by the destination ip/port combination only:

On the analytics page, I can see two different sources - and , which are actually test linux vms. Quick lookup of the destination IP () shows it is a repository for my linux distro. That actually makes sense to me, as I did run an upgrade on my test vms just to generate some traffic for the demo.

I definitely would like to keep updating my linux machines, so I am going to create Any to Linux Upgrade rule, where the destination will be the full list of official repositories. However, if there is a traffic, that you do not want to be allowed, there is no need to explicitly create a Deny rule. It will be dropped anyway, once you get to the point where you feel comfortable with your rule base and actually do switch the Default rule to Deny.

Keep monitoring the dashboards, examine the logged traffic and create allow rules where required. Once happy with the results (ie. the dashboards are displaying only traffic that has to be blocked), you simply set these catch all rules to Deny. On a later point, when the rest of the environment is firewalled, switch the default rule to Deny and remove these catchall rules.

Thanks for reading!

Refferences

NSX-T Distributed Firewall

Zero trust architecture design principles

Understanding the ESXi Network IOChain

Ivy Place is a mixed-used development that will include 10 new affordable workforce housing units located on Ivy Street and Taunton Avenue (a part of the EP Waterfront Commission’s Taunton Avenue sub-district) in East Providence. Affordable housing units are eligible to buyers who earn up to 80% of the area median income (AMI), adjusted for family size.

This project will also include three market-rate units along with ground level retail space on Taunton Avenue. All of these housing units will be owner occupied which will also include live work space options.

Ivy Place will be located in the City’s central metro area which is within walking distance of City Hall and the Weaver Library. The location is also well served by Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA).

This development comes at a critical time.

Despite the economic disruption caused by COVID, housing prices in Rhode Island continue to reach record levels. In May , the median sales price for an existing single-family home in Rhode Island was $,, an all-time high for the state. Home prices in East Providence have experienced a steady increase as well with the price of a single-family home rising from $, in to $, in — a 44 percent increase. New home and apartment construction will help control surging home prices.

These rising prices have made it increasingly difficult for many residents to afford adequate housing. Affordable housing directly addresses the challenges facing many Rhode Islanders in their search for a permanent home. Housing provides much needed security, a better sense of well-being and promotes upward social mobility for many people. East Providence has a long history of being an affordable community that provides realistic opportunities for home ownership.

In addition, affordable housing has many favorable economic benefits. Research from Housing Works RI indicate that for every $1 invested in housing it will produce $16 in economic benefits.

While demand for housing remains strong, the supply of new homes has not kept pace. Experts indicate that Rhode Island has an annual shortfall of new home construction of approximately housing units over the past 10 years. This chronic shortage of available housing can stymie a community’s long-term economic growth. A housing deficit will deprive younger generations of an opportunity to establish a prosperous future for themselves.

Ivy Place will be constructed at the corner of Ivy Street and Taunton Avenue in a lot that has been vacant since This new construction will contribute to the ongoing revitalization of one of East Providence’s main commercial corridors. Just one block from this project, a vacant building was renovated into new apartment units, featured retail space and the attractive Café Zara, which opened in Spring

Ivy Place is being developed by NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley in partnership with Providence, RI-based Demeter LLC, with architectural design by Union Studio Architecture & Community Design, also of Providence. Funding for Ivy Place comes from a variety of sources including BankRI with the Federal Home Loan Bank Boston Affordable Housing Program (AHP), the RI Office of Housing and Community Development using Building Homes RI (State Bond) funds and support from the East Providence Waterfront Commission’s Affordable Housing In-Lieu Trust fund.

To see the plans that were presented at the design workshop during the Waterfront Commission’s June meeting, clickhere.

SEO, or search engine optimization, is always changing. New search algorithms developed every year or so create new rules and practices surrounding SEO. To SEO strategists, like those at the Charleston, SC, SEO company of DigitalCoast Marketing, this means more analytics and finding effective ways to implement SEO. To business owners, this means constantly updating and re-visiting marketing strategies.

Online marketing in Charleston, SC is not about trends, but flexibility. Trends are important, but having a strong foundation that can accommodate change is one of the best assets your business can have. When it comes to developing a great long-term SEO strategy, here are the assets that can make your company stand out online and in the minds of your audience:

Responsive Web Design

Web design specialists and industry leaders have been repeating the benefits of a responsive website over and over. Responsive web design allows end-users to transition from device to device seamlessly. Without responsive web design, your SEO foundation is clunky at best. More people than ever are accessing websites on-the-go and need to be able to easily scan or locate information on any device such as their smartphones.

For example, let’s say that a man wants to go check out a new restaurant in the town square. He looks up the menu and location before he gets in the car, but then forgets if it was on 1^st Street or 5^th Avenue. Instead of driving around for 5 minutes, he’ll probably pull over and pull up the website on his phone. If someone in a hurry can’t find the information needed in a few minutes, it could mean lost business.

Responsive web design doesn’t just help people find information on a site, it can also improve the information that Google stores for fast information at the touch of a button. If your business hasn’t converted to a responsive web design, get in touch with a Charleston SEO agency like DigitalCoast Marketing.

Web Site Content

Every SEO tactic is fueled in some way by great content. What you say, where you say it, and when you say it all make a world of difference in how your company is viewed online. If your company is still relying on keyword stuffing, generic blog posts, and intermittent social media posts, it’s time to completely revamp your content strategy. Content should be easy to scan, conversational, and in the right place. Here are some ways to start building a strong foundation of content:

• Try to do some guest blogging only if it makes sense – Instead of posting your content on your own page, which is like putting up a notice on a bulletin board in your home, try reaching out to a 3^rd party site to do guest writing. Having said that, do be careful. According to Matt Cutts of Google, “if you’re doing a lot of guest blogging then you’re hanging out with really bad company.” However, there are still many good reasons, such as exposure and branding, to guest blog. In other words, don’t do it for SEO purposes, do it to gain traffic and authority.
• Post everything you do on social media – If you have or are building a social media presence, use that forum to spread the word about your website content updates, guests posts, sales, funny office stories, and other interesting tidbits.
• Don’t be spammy – SEO best practices today recommend focusing on providing value first and foremost. Google’s algorithms are becoming smart enough to reward authenticity and punish those who are using sensational tactics to earn rankings. If your content reads like this, “DON’T forget our SUPER SPECTACULAR CLEARANCE SALE on pet products!” and you’re sending it once a day or more than once a day, stop. Readers don’t appreciate it, and there are more effective ways to get your message across. Instead of coming across like a sales advertisement, use content that reads, “Take our quiz to find out which pet matches your personality!” It’s engaging and fun and will get more interaction than traditional sales speak.

Clean Data

Big data is driving online activity today, which means that every company has to make their SEO practices a little more technical to stay ahead of the curve. You will likely need a strong SEO partner to make your data efforts worthwhile and to optimize keywords based on the current trends or to catch typos in product listings. Everything from your ad targeting and retargeting to incoming traffic information needs to be clean in order to build a strong presence that will be rewarded by Google and reach your customers rather than fading into the online abyss.

If cleaning data, sharing data, and consuming data sounds confusing, you may want to invest in the services of a Charleston SEO company. Google Analytics and tools like the Google Tag Manager can be used by the average tech-savvy business person, but other techniques and comprehensive strategies tend to be more complex in nature. Getting the right tools in place to continuously clean and mine the usable data coming into your online assets and going out is a major step in optimizing all of your online activity to drive SEO.

Get ready for the Google Knowledge Graph to get bigger and make mobile searches and company information more easily accessible than ever. If you want your company to be included in the box of information that pops up with key details at the side of a search screen, then now is the time to start investing in your SEO strategy. Industry experts are expecting this type of fast-access information to become a mainstay in Google searches and to evolve to include more relevant information for searchers than ever before.

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Make your digital marketing in Charleston, SC stand out from other local businesses by investing in a strong SEO foundation that you can use to build an online presence and grow your brand. The professionals at DigitalCoast Marketing LLC can help you choose the best tactics for your company and get the right content in front of the right people.

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A fun fact people like to share about the Capitol Records building is, &#;Did you know it&#;s designed to look like a stack of records?&#; As the world&#;s first circular office building, it&#;s easy to draw that conclusion but it&#;s incorrect.

The iconic tower was designed by Welton Becket and Associates, with architect Louis Naidorf serving as lead designer. Naidorf himself said that if the building were home to an iHop, people would assume it was designed to look like a stack of pancakes. When Naidorf was drawing up the circular design, he wasn&#;t yet aware it was intended to house a record label. The unique shape came about because it was simply a more cost-efficient design.

Located at Vine St., the story tower was completed in and is a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. Music legends like Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, The Beach Boys, and the Wrecking Crew are among artists who recorded some of the most influential music in history inside this beloved landmark. The recording facility, Capitol Studios, includes three main studios as well as a notorious subterranean &#;echo chamber&#; engineered feet underground by famed guitarist Les Paul.

Topping the building is a foot rooftop spire with a blinking red light. Those who can decipher Morse Code may notice that the light continuously blinks H-O-L-L-Y-W-O-O-D, one letter at a time. Ornamental lights are wrapped around the spire at Christmastime to form a glowing red Christmas tree, the lighting of which is Hollywood&#;s annual signal that the holidays have begun.

A vibrant mural featuring legendary jazz musicians Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, and many more can be seen on the south exterior wall of Capitol Records. Commissioned by the Los Angeles Jazz Society, artist Richard Wyatt created the mural in It has since been restored and fired onto 2, hand-glazed ceramic tiles to ensure the mural&#;s longevity.

The building is also largely recognizable because it&#;s frequently featured in film and TV. It can be spotted in Quentin Tarantino&#;s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Independence Day, Mad Men, Lana del Rey&#;s Doin&#; Time music video, and Grand Theft Auto V, to name just a few.

Along with the Pantages Theater, the Walk of Fame, and the Frolic Room, the Capitol Records building is part of what makes the intersection of Hollywood and Vine one of the most Instagram-worthy tourist attractions in L.A.

Discover more of the best of LA with our top 5 destinations. Perfect for a weekend visit to LA. 

26 May Summer Landscape Tips

Well, we certainly have had a nice Spring, haven’t we? The flowers started blooming, and your grass got greener. However, the warmer months are upon us! It is never too soon to start thinking about your yard in terms of it looking its best for the summer season. Here are some tips that can help you get there:

Test Your Soil

More than land-grant schools in the U.S. have an extension service that will perform soil testing for a small fee. You can find the closest office to your house on the United States Department of Agriculture website. The results you receive will tell you about the nutrients in your soil and the soil’s pH balance. Handling it this early will help you make informed decisions about fertilizing and treating pH. If your soil has low pH, meaning it is acidic, you can spread lime now. If you have high alkaline soil, add elemental sulfur. Either way, you will benefit from spring rains, which will help the soil absorb what you’ve laid down. But you will want to tackle this task now &#; sending in samples and waiting for results can take several weeks. 

Clear Leaves and Debris

While it is generally fine to leave the leaves where they are in the fall, large dense swaths of yard debris can block the sun from reaching your lawn, making it difficult for grass to sprout at all. If you did not use a leaf blower last fall, do some cleanup now. Use the collected leaves for compost. Better still, mulch the fallen leaves with the mulching kit or attachment for your mower or tractor. The churned-up clippings will feed your lawn and reduce the amount of fertilizing.

Apply Fertilizer

Bags of fertilizer display three numbers separated by hyphens. The numbers refer to the ratio among nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), in that order. Again, your soil test will let you know what nutrients your soil is lacking. For grasses planted and intended for cooler, northern climates, put down at least one application of fertilizer in spring (if you need fertilizer). Bagged fertilizer is best distributed with a spreader, either a push model or a snap-on version that attaches to your riding mower.

Repair Walkways and Edging

Winter can be brutal on pavers, walkways, and driveways. Aside from damage done by your snow blower or a plow, frost heave &#; the natural freeze-and-thaw cycle &#; can split concrete and knock stones out of whack. To keep out water and help keep a problem from worsening, seal any new gaps in concrete with concrete-crack filler. Secure loose pavers or patio stones temporarily. If the damage is extensive, consider having a landscape contractor dig up and reset the stones, making sure to start 6 inches below the soil line to minimize shifts from future frost heave. Tackling this project now, while pros are less busy, may cost a bit less than booking a repair at the height of the season.

Flower Beds

Now that you have got the practicalities of your garden makeover out of the way, you can start to get creative by planting the flower beds. Before you can plant anything, you will need to prep the beds. You can do this by digging out any weeds that you find. It is important that you dig the full root out or they will be back very quickly. Then put some compost down and start to plant some flowers. Think about planting some low-maintenance perennial plants that will come back next year. Once planted, you should add plenty of mulch around the edges to stop the weeds coming through and ruining the flower bed.