March 2020 Summaries

Tailscale is a networking service that uses WireGuard to create secure, encrypted tunnels for devices to communicate directly in a mesh network, bypassing the traditional hub-and-spoke VPN architecture. It provides a hybrid model with a centralized control plane for key exchange and coordination and a distributed data plane for direct, end-to-end encrypted connections between nodes. Tailscale simplifies configuration and management by using a coordination server to exchange public keys and supports authentication through external providers like OAuth2 and SAML, reducing the need for separate user accounts. It addresses network challenges like NAT traversal using advanced techniques and offers features like encrypted TCP relays through DERP servers for networks that block UDP. Additionally, Tailscale enables centralized policy control while distributing enforcement across nodes, making it suitable for incremental deployment and enhancing security with audit logs and zero-trust networking capabilities.

Tailscale, a company focused on creating a mesh overlay network based on the WireGuard® VPN, offers a product that connects devices, servers, and locations into a secure virtual network using existing two-factor authentication systems without the need for specialized hardware. This solution is akin to a VPN but simplifies key management and server requirements while supporting multiple locations, personal devices, and real-time applications. Recently, Tailscale made their command line client open source on GitHub and launched a new blog to share updates and insights from their team. With applications available for various operating systems and an Android app in development, Tailscale aims to simplify networking, authentication, and authorization, and they are actively seeking case studies and use cases from users.

In this candid reflection on remote work and videoconferencing tools, the author shares insights from their experience as a fully remote company. They discuss experimenting with various technologies such as Notion for note-taking, which, despite some limitations, remains the best option tried. Keybase was initially used for team chats but was replaced by Slack due to performance issues, even though Slack has its own shortcomings. Gmail is used primarily for external communication, enhanced by the Streak CRM for email integration. Videoconferencing tools have been a significant area of exploration, with Zoom and Whereby being the primary choices for external and internal meetings, respectively. The author notes that while Zoom is widely used, it has limitations, and Whereby, although promising, needs improvement for broader use. Additionally, they highlight the effectiveness of using iPads and AirPods for videoconferencing, emphasizing the importance of personal microphones for reducing ambient noise.

Tailscale has announced the launch of deb and rpm package repositories, which are accessible at pkgs.tailscale.com. These repositories currently offer unstable-track packages for "tailscaled," a new Linux relay node replacement. Users who are willing to experiment can try out these packages, with a stable release and accompanying documentation promised in the near future.