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N4N054: Network Access Control (NAC) Basics
Today’s episode is part one of a three part series to break down Network Access Control (NAC). Ethan and Holly start simple by explaining what NAC is at a high level and all of the jargon and acronyms that come with it. They also cover where and when network access control is applied, whether NAC... Read more »HW076: Linux for the WLAN Professional
What separates good Wi-Fi engineers from ones who really can troubleshoot anything? Linux. Understanding Linux—from packet capture workflows to using tcpdump to how USB NIC drivers work—will set you apart from other engineers. Guest Bryan Ward joins the show to break down why you need to know Linux as a WLAN professional and how you... Read more »PP107: Why Now’s the Time to Prepare for a Post-Quantum World (Sponsored)
A cryptographically relevant quantum computer is, at some point, going to emerge that can crack modern encryption. But we don’t know when, so it’s tempting to set this problem aside. On today’s sponsored episode, we talk about why ignoring Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) isn’t an effective strategy. Sponsor Cisco is here to make the case for... Read more »TNO061: Networking Theory and Practice; Networking in the Classroom Today
Scott Robohn sits down with Andy Smith, a distinguished engineer with Arrcus Networks, where he and his team work to advance networking with modern software and new architectures. He’s also a lecturer at the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Pennsylvania. Andy shares his networking journey, talks about how networks and... Read more »TCG074: From SOAR to Agents: Why Practical Automation Has to Survive Contact with Real Infrastructure
Eyvonne Sharp and William Collins speak with Sif Baksh, Principal Solutions Architect at Tines, to discuss the power of automation. Sif shares some personal stories of how he has been able to use automation to innovate and modernize networking operations. They also discuss the importance of learning AI and using it as a tool, how... Read more »NAN120: How Network Engineers Can Thrive in an AI-Driven World
Eric Chou is joined by Ashwin Joshi, a Senior Solutions Engineer at Keysight Technologies, to discuss the rapidly increasing demands that AI places on modern networks. They break down the differences between networking for AI and AI for networking. They also talk about how network engineers can adopt AI to help them do their jobs,... Read more »PP106: Architecting for Wi-Fi 7, Zero Trust, PQC, and More
For decades, network and security professionals have adapted to technology change in a piecemeal fashion: a new rule here, an upgrade there, a new product deployment over yonder. On today’s Packet Protector, co-host Jennifer ‘JJ’ Jabbusch makes the case for why several emerging technologies require IT pros to think about security at an architectural level.... Read more »HS130: Wait, AI Doesn’t Secure Itself? Developing an AI Security Strategy
Your enterprise better have a cybersecurity strategy for AI. But where to start? Everywhere! Securing AI means securing all the AI layers and throughout the lifecycle: data, model, and applications, in training and in inference. Johna and John discuss what your strategy must address and how to get support for it because, of course, it’s... Read more »
N4N053: Well Actually 03 – Multicast, Routing Protocols, RFC 1918
We asked for follow ups and you did not disappoint! On today’s show we respond to listener comments and corrections on multicast, routing protocols, security, and more. We also have a technical correction for the RFC 1918 Class B private address range. A big thank you to everyone who sent in responses. If you’d like... Read more »PP105: Cybercrime Has Gone Industrial: Insights from HPE Threat Labs (Sponsored)
Threat actors are behaving more like professional organizations in an effort to launch more effective and profitable attacks. We explore this and other themes from the latest Threat Labs report from HPE, our sponsor for today’s Packet Protector episode. We also look at how older vulnerabilities are still contributing to today’s exploits, why security organizations... Read more »HW075: Speedtest Certified
Speedtest Certified is a network connectivity verification program for properties and venues, allowing them to prove the performance of their Wi-Fi. Alan Blake of Ookla joins the show to break down what the certification actually measures, how assessments are performed, and what it means for network owners as well as Wi Fi professionals. This is... Read more »HS128: Planning for an AI Bubble Burst
How should you shape your IT strategy around the possibility–or is it probability–that the AI economy is a true bubble and will burst soon? John Burke and Johna Johnson revisit the signs indicating that an AI bubble is in full swing and pointing to the potential for collapse in the near term. Doomsaying having been... Read more »
TNO060: Think Like an Architect
Today we welcome Damien Garros, Co-Founder and CEO of OpsMill, to discuss how network automation is creating the need to redefine roles beyond traditional engineers, including network automation architects, software developers, and operations specialists. We hone in on the concept of mechanics, who focus on implementation, and architects who see the bigger picture. We also... Read more »TCG073: From Vibes to Governed: What Building a Real Network Agent Reveals About Spec-Driven Development
Vibe coding: give AI a description of what you want, the model writes the code, you ship it, and then you hope for the best. It works great for side projects, but it can fall apart the moment you point an AI agent at production infrastructure. Today, William and Eyvonne sit down with John Capobianco,... Read more »NAN119: Adapting Core Automation Practices to Challenging Environments with Matt Campbell
Eric Chou is joined by Matt Campbell, a seasoned network engineer whose career has taken him into some of the most demanding and high-stakes environments around. Together they’ll explore how Matt’s automation philosophy, lessons learned, and best practices adapt when the margin of error is razor thin. Whether you’re automating basic configs or tackling brownfield... Read more »HS129: Achieving Operational Excellence
The best strategy in the world won’t succeed if a team falters operationally. But what is operational excellence, and what does it take to acquire it? Cal Poly faculty member (and former Intel strategist) John Miranda shares his thinking with our Heavy Strategy listeners. He discusses concepts like the theory of constraints, root-cause analysis, and... Read more »