InkBridge Networks

Most network troubleshooting guides are excellent checklists.

But they miss the cognitive layer: what is happening in your head when you diagnose a fault, and why that matters as much as any command you run.

Alan breaks down the methodology he presented at NZNOG 2026, including why most engineers have the RADIUS mental model completely backwards.

https://www.inkbridgenetworks.com/blog/blog-10/network-troubleshooting-methodology-nznog-2026-182

Scott Shambaugh, the open-source maintainer targeted by a rogue AI agent in February, proposed something compelling: AI agents need something like a licence plate.

A traceable link between agent behaviour and a responsible human, accessible when harm occurs.

Right now, that framework does not exist. Our latest post looks at why it should, and what open-source projects can do in the meantime.

https://www.inkbridgenetworks.com/blog/blog-10/ai-agent-governance-open-source-183

If your IT processes take two weeks to provision a development VM, your developers will spin one up on a personal device instead. A decision of convenience becomes an internal data breach.

AAA security architecture should make the secure option as easy as the insecure workaround. Terry Burton explains what that looks like in practice: https://www.inkbridgenetworks.com/blog/blog-10/aaa-information-security-184

Network scaling isn't just about adding more servers. It's a complex interplay of understanding traffic patterns, anticipating future needs, considering the human factor, and implementing intelligent design. In our experience, a well-designed network with 100 servers can outperform a poorly designed one with 1000. The art of scaling lies in balancing technical know-how with strategic foresight.
What's your approach to scaling challenges?

A medical device company deploys hundreds of thousands of health monitors with cellular connectivity. Blood pressure cuffs. Glucose meters. Each device gets an IP address via DHCP and transmits patient data through carrier networks.

When the mobile carrier needs to identify which customer account is associated with a specific device for billing or support, they need that information immediately.

The traditional approach: Build a custom REST API with authentication, documentation, client libraries, and ongoing maintenance. Integration takes weeks or months.

What this ISP did instead: Export DHCP lease data via standard DNS queries.
The mobile carrier queries the DNS server: "Who has 203.0.113.42?" The response comes back instantly: Customer identifier, device information.

There’s no need for custom API development or authentication infrastructure. Just standard DNS queries that every system already understands. Integration took minutes.

This is how ISPs are solving real operational challenges today.

Our new technical paper explains how DNS queries simplify DHCP lease data export for compliance, carrier integration, and network monitoring, without the complexity of custom APIs.

Download: https://www.inkbridgenetworks.com/dns-for-internet-service-providers-inkbridgedns

The xz utils backdoor took years of patient social engineering to execute.

The RubyGems takeover took a few clicks by someone with the right organisational access.

Different attacks, same root cause: processes that were opaque, undocumented, and untested.

Alan DeKok on what open-source supply chain security looks like in practice.

https://www.inkbridgenetworks.com/blog/blog-10/open-source-supply-chain-security-186

As a side event to TNC 2026 last week, we hosted a technical workshop bringing together some of the people who are actively shaping RADIUS standards - discussing what's changing, what's improving, and how those changes land for operators in the real world.

This is the kind of work that doesn't make headlines, but it's where the next generation of RADIUS standards actually gets made.

Left to right: Karri Huhtanen (Radiator Software), Fabian Mauchle (Switch), Alan DeKok (InkBridge Networks), and Paul Dekkers (SURFnet).

Good conversations with people who know what they're talking about.

Several of our largest global operator customers have signed on to the Open Telco AI Initiative announced at MWC 2026 - an effort to build AI models specifically trained on telecom data rather than relying on general-purpose hyperscaler platforms.

Jana Sedivy explains why this matters and what ISPs should be watching.

Read her take: https://www.inkbridgenetworks.com/blog/blog-10/mobile-world-congress-2026-181