​ ​ My goal was to create a seamless and intuitive system with interconnected lighting, climate, entertainment, and security that could be managed through voice commands or a central app. I wanted the room to respond to our presence, adjust to our preferred settings, as well as predict some of our needs based on the time of day. ​ The core of the system is a central hub that connects all the smart devices. I opted for a Raspberry Pi running home assistant, as it seemed like a good combination of flexibility and a robust support community. ​ For lighting, I chose smart bulbs and LED strips with changing color/brightness. Climate control was entrusted to a smart thermostat that learned our schedule and preferences. Entertainment-wise, I set up smart speakers and a TV that can cast content from a phone/tablet. ​ For security, I installed smart locks and cameras. I asked the tech guy to make sure these are integrated with the central hub for coordinated actions, e.g., turning on the light when night motion is detected. I ran into some compatibility issues between different brands and protocols, which took some trial and error to plow through. At the moment, I'm working on the smart irrigation system for our garden. It's a bit tricky with all the unpredictable weather we've been having. Trying to wrap my head around soil moisture sensors and weather forecasting APIs.

I wanted to shed some light on a concept that, I feel, is a game-changer for many organizations - network segmentation (NS). At its core, you could look at NS as if compartmentalizing a ship. If one compartment gets flooded, the others remain unaffected, preventing the ship from sinking. Likewise, by dividing the network into segmented zones, we're basically containing the security risks within that specific zone. This means that even if we come across a security incident, its impact remains confined, safeguarding the broader network environment. This line of thinking could beg the question of whether VoIP systems are susceptible to the same threats. Sure, VoIP, like any other networked tech, can have its share of nuances. However, my stance is that integrating it within a segmented network mitigates risks associated with unauthorized access/data breaches, especially if you’re dealing with the top providers in this niche. Getting back to NS. IMO, one of its major perks is the granular control it offers over user access. The way I see it, companies that implement strict access control ensure that only authorized individuals have access to specific network segments. This lessens the risk of insider threats and enhances security around sensitive info. When an organization has multiple departments with varying levels of data sensitivity, they’d probably want to build an infrastructure where department X’s sensitive data is inaccessible to someone from department Y. Now, we’ve all heard or even come across incidents where a (seemingly) harmless device served as a network breach’s entry point. Wouldn’t it be safe to assume that by isolating IoT devices and other endpoints in their respective segments via NS, the risk of them becoming a gateway for malicious actors is substantially reduced? And the implementation stage isn’t even a cumbersome task at this point in time. With the advancements we’ve been enjoying in SDN, creating and managing segments has become smoother. Not saying it’s a be-all-end-all, but it def has a place as part of a layered defense strategy, adding to all the firewalls, intrusion detection systems, etc. Curious to hear how NS has shaped the security posture of any organizations you may be aware of.