N

etworking basics are essential for DevOps engineers because they

provide a foundational understanding of how different components

of a system communicate. This knowledge is crucial for

troubleshooting issues, securing the infrastructure, implementing

automation, and optimizing performance. DevOps involves

collaboration between development and operations, and a grasp of

networking principles enables effective communication and

coordination across distributed applications.

Networking concepts should know:

1.​ OSI Model

2.​ Protocols : TCP/UDP/IP

3.​ Ports

4.​ Subnetting

5.​ Routing

6.​ DNS

7.​ VPN (Virtual Private Network)

8.​Networking tools
1.OSI Model
The OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) model is a conceptual

framework that standardizes the functions of a telecommunication

or computing system into seven abstraction layers. Each layer has a

specific role in managing aspects like hardware, addressing,

routing, and application-level interactions. The OSI model is used

to understand and design network architectures, and it helps in

troubleshooting network communication issues.

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Learning Resource:

https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/open-systems-interconnectionmo

del-osi/

Osi model is great understanding of network but it is very

challenging to use in practice. this is why we using TCP/IP model.

Top three layers are combined into one layer and bottommost two

layers are combined into one layer. so instead of having seven layer
we have four layers model and it is quiet easy to practice. Because

we are using this.

2. Protocols : TCP/UDP/IP
A protocol is a set of rules that defines how data is transmitted and

received between devices in a network. It ensures standardized

communication, allowing different systems to understand and

interact with each other. Examples include TCP/IP, HTTP, and

SMTP

i. TCP (Transmission Control Protocol):

Description: TCP operates at the transport layer of the OSI model.

It establishes a connection between two devices before data

exchange, ensuring reliable and ordered delivery of information.

Functionality: It breaks data into packets, assigns sequence

numbers, and uses acknowledgment messages to guarantee

delivery. It’s connection-oriented, meaning it sets up, maintains,

and terminates a connection for data exchange.

ii. UDP (User Datagram Protocol):

Description: Also operating at the transport layer, UDP is a

connectionless protocol that offers minimal services. It’s like a ‘fire

and forget’ approach for data transmission.

Functionality: It sends data without establishing a connection,

providing low latency communication. However, it doesn’t

guarantee delivery or order, making it suitable for real-time

applications like video streaming or online gaming.

iii. IP (Internet Protocol):

Description: IP functions at the network layer and is a

fundamental part of the TCP/IP protocol suite. It handles

addressing and routing to ensure data packets reach their intended

destinations.

Functionality: IP assigns unique IP addresses to devices and uses

routing tables to direct data across networks. It’s responsible for the

logical connection between different devices on the Internet.

In short, TCP ensures reliable and ordered communication with a

connection-oriented approach, UDP prioritizes speed and is

connectionless, and IP manages the addressing and routing for data

packets across networks. Together, they form the backbone of

internet communication.
3. Ports
Ports are essential for directing network traffic to specific

applications or services on devices.

DevOps engineers need a solid understanding of ports to manage

the networking aspects of application deployment, configuration,

and maintenance. This knowledge is crucial for building robust,

scalable, and secure infrastructures in a DevOps environment.

4. Subnetting
For a DevOps engineer, understanding subnetting is important for

several reasons related to networking and infrastructure

management. This knowledge is essential for effective IP address

management, secure network configurations, cloud networking, and

troubleshooting in a DevOps environment.

CIDR Notation: Understanding Classless Inter-Domain Routing

(CIDR) notation is essential for expressing IP address ranges and

subnet masks in a concise and standardized format. DevOps

engineers commonly encounter CIDR notation in network

configurations.
5.Routing
Routing is the process of directing data packets from a source to a

destination across a network. Routers use routing tables and

protocols to decide the path for data transmission, ensuring

efficient and reliable communication between devices.

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6. DNS
DNS, or Domain Name System, translates easy-to-remember

domain names to computer-friendly IP addresses, helps find mail

servers, balances web traffic among servers, redirects requests,

performs reverse lookups, and speeds up responses through

caching. It’s a vital system that ensures efficient and reliable

communication on the internet.

DNS Record Types:

●​ A Record (Address Record): Maps a domain to an IPv4

address.

●​ AAAA Record: Maps a domain to an IPv6 address.

●​ CNAME Record (Canonical Name): Alias of one domain to

another.

●​ MX Record (Mail Exchange): Specifies mail servers for the

domain.

●​ NS Record (Name Server): Identifies authoritative DNS

servers for the domain.

Google IP address: 74.125.68.102

Learning Resource: What is DNS? — Introduction to DNS —

AWS (amazon.com)

7. VPN
A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is like a secure tunnel for your

internet connection. It encrypts your data and routes it through a

server, making your online activities more private and secure

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VPNs allow professionals to securely connect to remote servers,

access cloud resources, and perform maintenance tasks without

compromising data security. It ensures a private and encrypted

 connection, crucial when dealing with sensitive configurations,

deployments, or infrastructure management tasks.

8. Networking tools:

Important networking tools for DevOps Engineer:

i. Ping:

Purpose: To check the reachability of a host on an Internet Protocol

(IP) network.

Usage Example: ping google.com

ii. Traceroute (or traceroute6):

Purpose: To display the route and measure transit delays of packets

across an Internet Protocol network.

Usage Example: traceroute google.com

iii. Netstat :

Purpose: To display active network connections, routing tables,

interface statistics, masquerade connections, and multicast

memberships.

Usage Example: netstat -a

iv. Nmap :

Purpose: To discover hosts and services on a computer network,

creating a “map” of the network.

Usage Example: nmap -p 1–1000 target

v. Tcpdump :
 Purpose: To capture and analyze network traffic.

Usage Example: tcpdump -i eth0

vi. Ipconfig (Windows) / ifconfig (Linux):

Purpose: To display the configuration of network interfaces.

Usage Example (Linux): ifconfig

vii. Dig (Domain Information Groper):

Purpose: To query DNS name servers for information about host

addresses, mail exchanges, name servers, and related information.

Usage Example: dig google.com

viii. Nslookup (Windows) / host (Linux):

Purpose: To query DNS servers for domain information.

Networking for DevOps Engineers! 11

Usage Example (Linux): host google.com

ix. Wireshark :

Purpose: A network protocol analyzer for troubleshooting and

analysis of the interactions between network components.

Usage Example: Capture and analyze packets on a specific

network interface.

x. Iperf :

Purpose: To measure the TCP and UDP performance of a network.

Usage Example: iperf -s (server) and iperf -c (client).

These tools are invaluable for diagnosing network issues,

understanding network performance, and ensuring the proper

functioning of network connections. They remain essential for both

network administrators and DevOps engineers in their day-to-day

tasks