NB556: 2025 Wrap: Insatiable AI, the Worst Top 5, Space Networking Surges, and More
Take a Network Break! We close out 2025 with a look back at some of the stories and trends that captured our attention this year. We start with the top five vendors with the worst track records in 2025 for zero-days in critical enterprise infrastructure. On the news front, we discuss the insanity of the... Read more »TNO052: Internet History with Len Bosack
Len Bosack, co-founder of Cisco Systems and the CEO of XKL, sits down for a discussion with Scott Robohn. Len shares how he went from a mathematician to being responsible for pioneering the widespread commercialization of LAN technology. We also get to hear his firsthand account of building the first multi-protocol routers at Stanford and... Read more »HN808: Is IT a Young Person’s Game?
Is the ideal IT employee just leaving college or a veteran with years of experience? Russ White joins Ethan Banks and Drew Conry-Murray to discuss the complexities of this question. Younger professionals just out of college are more willing to work longer hours or unpopular shifts, learn new tools and skills, and take risks. Older... Read more »LIU005: The Importance of Community In a Networking Career
AJ Murray joins Kevin and Alexis to share his unique journey into tech, pivoting away from aviation maintenance into networking. Together they explore the importance of person-to-person networking and building a community in order to be successful. They also talk about the reality of burnout, which ultimately led AJ to step away from his podcast.... Read more »TCG065: AutoCon 4 Recap, AI Tools, MCP’s First Birthday, and More
In this year-end episode, William and Eyvonne recap their experiences at AutoCon 4 in Austin, Texas. They discuss the conference’s new multi-track format, including Eyvonne’s presentation in the leadership track on why technical projects fail. The conversation dives into how AI tools like Google Gemini can augment – not replace – human creativity, from research... Read more »NAN108: Perspectives, Hopes, and Challenges of Young Network Engineers
Let’s hear from the next generation of network engineers. Eric Chou sits down with Sem Eyob and Damon Hoody, two early-career network engineers, to talk about how they got into the profession and where they hope to go. They share their views on AI and its effect on their generation, their struggles finding entry level... Read more »D2DO289: Instana: Leading the Future of Observability (Sponsored)
As AI tools and agentic AI become part of how applications are developed, delivered, and managed, application performance monitoring and observability have to adapt. Ned Bellavance sits down with Drew Flowers and Jacob Yackenovich from IBM Instana about where these fields sit today, and the potential impacts of AI. They detail the challenges of application... Read more »PP090: Why Native Controls Aren’t Enough to Protect Your Cloud Workspaces (Sponsored)
Cloud-based workspaces such as Google Workspace are often the backbone of an organization. But they also face threats from spam and phishing, account takeovers, and illicit access to sensitive documents and files. On today’s Packet Protector we talk with sponsor Material Security about how it brings additional layers of protection to Google Workspace, including email... Read more »HS120: Eight New Year’s Resolutions for 2026
As you wind down 2025, what should you be planning to do for 2026? The Heavy Strategy team breaks it down for you with eight resolutions for the new year. From setting an AI strategy to cloud optimization, Johna and John can help you enter the new year prepared for what’s next. Other resolutions include... Read more »
NB555: AI and APIs Drive HPE’s Dual-Platform WLAN Strategy; Dell, HPE Dangle VMware Alternatives
Take a Network Break! Our Red Alert calls out a dangerous vulnerability in the popular open-source React library. On the news front, HPE decides on a “both and” strategy for its two wireless portfolios and rolls out an option to let customers pick and choose among cross-platform features in Mist and Aruba Networking Central through... Read more »Tech Bytes: How to Get DPUs from Niche to Transformative (Sponsored)
RG Nets builds gateways and centralized-authentication appliances to help manage and automate revenue-generating networks. On today’s Tech Bytes, we talk with RG Nets founder Simon Lok. But instead of talking about RG Nets, we delve into DPUs. This specialized hardware, which provides additional compute for network devices, has the potential to move from a niche... Read more »HN807: A ‘CLI Lifer’ No More
Andy Lapteff once considered himself a ‘CLI lifer.’ As a network engineer he wasn’t interested in Python. He didn’t want to learn to code. He had no desire to embrace any of the developer-like processes and tools creeping into the profession, particularly around network automation. That’s changed. On today’s Heavy Networking, Andy shares the professional,... Read more »TNO051: Networks That Do: From Automated to Autonomous Networks with Meter (Sponsored)
Will it be possible to have fully autonomous networks in the near future? Anil Varanasi, CEO and Co-Founder of Meter, joins Scott Robohn in this sponsored episode to discuss the ongoing evolution from automated to autonomous networks. Anil breaks down how Meter differentiates from other networking vendors, discusses how Meter’s network products are vertically integrated... Read more »N4N044: Redundancy Vs. High Availability Part 2 – HA Networking Isn’t Free
In Part 1 of Redundancy vs. High Availability, we said that sometimes high availability and redundancy are considered to be the same thing, but we disagree. Holly and Ethan do agree that high availability can be considered a network design goal, and that redundancy is just one technique that can be used to help make... Read more »IPB189: RFC 9898 – Neighbor Discovery Considerations in IPv6 Deployments
The newly published RFC 9898 is the discussion of today’s podcast. The IPv6 Buzz crew explore the complexities of neighbor discovery and review solutions for both operators and architects. They share how this RFC serves as a single, detailed resource to improve your understanding of neighbor discovery and to reduce the potential attack surface in... Read more »D2DO288: Technology, Career, and Finding a Purpose with Deana Solis
Ned and Kyler sit down with Deana Solis, a freelance FinOps engineer and mentor. They discuss the undervalued skills of communication, look at the inherent biases and misplaced confidence of AI models, and offer guidance for those starting their careers. Deana also talks about her journey to discover the intersection of technology, career, and finding... Read more »TCG064: Governing AI Agents for Real-World Infrastructure (Sponsored)
In this sponsored episode recorded live at AutoCon 4 in Austin, we sit down with Peter Sprygada, Chief Architect at Itential, to discuss Itential’s on-stage announcement of FlowAI. Peter shares his journey from network engineering skeptic to AI advocate, explaining how Itential securely connects AI agents to infrastructure with enterprise-grade governance and traceability. We dive... Read more »HW066: An Inside Look at the WLAN-Pi App
Ben Toner once again joins Keith Parsons to explain the new WLAN-Pi App. Originally built to control the WLAN-Pi Go, the app now works with all WLAN-Pi models and consolidates controls previously spread across the web UI and APIs. They then dive deeper into the method of connectivity for the app and the functionalities it... Read more »PP089: Hidden Wi-Fi Misconfigurations and Wi-Fi 7 Issues to Be Aware Of
There may be misconfigurations and other problems lurking in your wireless network. From a lack of peer isolation to poor segmentation to RADIUS problems and vendor fails, these issues can make your WLAN less secure. Jennifer “JJ” Minella goes from Packet Protector co-host to guest as she discusses these issues with Drew Conry-Murray. This episode... Read more »HS119: Securing 2026: How AI, Quantum, and the AI-Powered Browser are Driving Enterprise Defense (Sponsored)
Anand Oswal, Executive Vice President at Palo Alto Networks, joins Johna Johnson and John Burke for a wide-ranging exploration of two emerging focal points of enterprise risk: cryptographically relevant quantum computing, and browser-mediated agentic AI. The looming arrival of quantum computers that can break legacy encryption has already created the threat of “harvest now, decrypt... Read more »