# The Network Behind the Network

- Show: [Oxide and Friends](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends)
- Published: 2023-05-09
- Length: 1h 39m
- Episode: 13
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2023-05-09-the-network-behind-the-network
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/217e1960

## Summary

Oxide colleagues Arjen Roodselaar, Matt Keeter, and John Gallagher join Bryan Cantrill and Adam Leventhal to detail the design and debugging of Oxide's 'Monorail' management network. They explain the decision to abandon NCSI in favor of a separate network using Microchip VSC7448 switches and 100BASE-FX signaling over twinax cables. The team discusses the complex bring-up of the switch firmware, the development of custom debugging tooling in Hubris and Humility, and the critical capability to stream OS images over the slow management link for remote recovery.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2023-05-09-the-network-behind-the-network#t=0) Introduction and the BMC Problem
- [6:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2023-05-09-the-network-behind-the-network#t=407) Abandoning NCSI for a Separate Management Network
- [19:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2023-05-09-the-network-behind-the-network#t=1191) Designing the Monorail Network and Part Selection
- [41:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2023-05-09-the-network-behind-the-network#t=2475) Bringing Up the Microchip VSC7448 Switch
- [50:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2023-05-09-the-network-behind-the-network#t=3016) Remote Debugging and Tuning via Webcam
- [1:00:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2023-05-09-the-network-behind-the-network#t=3639) Building Tooling: Monorail Status and Console Proxy
- [1:22:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2023-05-09-the-network-behind-the-network#t=4957) Holistic Boot and Remote OS Recovery

## Topics

- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Oxide Computer Company (company)
- Microchip VSC7448 (chip)
- Hubris (product)
- Humility (product)
- Tofino (chip)
- 100BASE-FX (other)
- QSGMII (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [342: That Girl's Brain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2020-08-27-342-that-girls-brain) (Embedded.fm)
- [Finding Hardware Flaws with Laura Abbott](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2022-05-23-finding-hardware-flaws-with-laura-abbott) (The Amp Hour)
- [521: Are You The Tiny Domino?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2026-02-20-521-are-you-the-tiny-domino) (Embedded.fm)
- [134: Diet-Friendly Dog Food](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-01-14-134-diet-friendly-dog-food) (Embedded.fm)
- [523: Bad Experience With Donuts](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2026-04-02-523-bad-experience-with-donuts) (Embedded.fm)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2023-05-09-the-network-behind-the-network. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Oxide and Friends.