Rowell Dionicio

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Rowell Dionicio

San Diego, CA

Founder of Packet6. CWNE #210. Host of Clear To Send. I write about enterprise IT from the operator's perspective and the gap between what vendors promise and what your team actually has to build and run.

From Zero to Network Automation: My First Step into Python

From Zero to Network Automation: My First Step into Python

This is the first real step in my Zero to Network Automation journey — learning Python from the ground up. In this post, I cover the absolute basics: the data types, variables, and functions that form the foundation for everything in Python. These are my notes — concise, practical, and focused on wh

5+ Years Avoiding Python… Here’s Why I’m Finally Learning Network Automation

5+ Years Avoiding Python… Here’s Why I’m Finally Learning Network Automation

For the past 5+ years, I’ve avoided Python and network automation. I told myself I could get by without it—after all, I’ve designed and troubleshot Wi-Fi networks, deployed switches, and solved client issues without ever writing a single line of code. But here’s the truth:

Rethinking Campus Networking

Should we be thinking about doing networking differently? We've been planning and deploying the same way for many years. But Nile is executing on a bold vision that challenges our long-held beliefs. Resetting Legacy Networking We’ve grown accustomed to managing complex networks with protocols like Spanning

Ubiquiti's Shift into Enterprise

Ubiquiti's Shift into Enterprise

Remember when Ubiquiti's UniFi was the scrappy underdog of networking—beloved by small businesses for its affordability but largely ignored by enterprise IT? Well, those days might be behind us. Ubiquiti is making some serious moves in 2025, and frankly, it's about time. They're

The LCD Access Point: Wi-Fi Meets Digital Signage

Fortinet's new concept, the FortiAP 231KD access point, caught my attention at Mobility Field Day 13—not for its Wi-Fi 7 capabilities, but for something far more unusual: a built-in LCD screen. Yes, that's right. An access point with a display. This makes me

Scaling Wi-Fi with EVPN

Large campus networks are facing challenges supporting massive Layer 2 domains while ensuring seamless client mobility across campuses. It comes with significant hurdles. For years, IT teams have struggled with issues like ARP flooding, excessive hardware costs, and outdated proprietary solutions. But do we still have to live through "

Edgeless Private 5G: Smart Architecture, But Will Enterprises Actually Deploy It?

Edgeless Private 5G: Smart Architecture, But Will Enterprises Actually Deploy It?

Private 5G continues to evolve, and Celona’s latest move is the right step: eliminating the need for on-premises edge appliances through what they call Edgeless Private 5G. It’s an architectural shift that simplifies how enterprise cellular networks are deployed and managed, especially with Neutral Host. Towards the