Space internet is no longer a science project, and the gap between “cool demo” and “usable enterprise transport” is closing fast. We sit down with Tom Kunath from Cisco to unpack what’s actually happening behind the hype: low Earth orbit constellations that hand off satellites every few seconds, improving latency that can land in the tens of milliseconds, and the messy networking realities that show up as loss, jitter, and unexpected performance drops.

We walk through the multi-orbit picture in plain terms: why GEO is stable but slow, why MEO sits in the middle, and why LEO is the current spotlight for enterprise applications. From there, we get practical about SD-WAN over satellite. Tom shares what his testing revealed about early instability, how ground stations and oversubscription influence user experience, and what kinds of SLAs are realistic today when you design for roughly 1% loss and variable conditions like rain fade and obstructions.

The most eye-opening part is the TCP story. Even when bandwidth looks great on a quick speed test, classic congestion control can crater sustained throughput as soon as loss appears. We dig into how SD-WAN features like TCP optimization/proxy, forward error correction, and packet duplication can turn “quirky broadband in space” into a link you can actually route over with confidence. We also cover security approaches from treating satellite like the public internet with IPsec overlays, to private L2VPN style services, and the next wave of “gatewayless” satellite networks that aim to keep traffic off the ground entirely.

If you’re designing resilient branch connectivity, connecting remote sites, or planning for non-terrestrial networking and direct-to-device 5G, this conversation will sharpen your mental model fast. Subscribe, share this with a network engineer who’s skeptical about satellite, and leave a review with the biggest question you still have about LEO and SD-WAN.

Connect with Our Guest: 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-kunath1679/

Cisco Starlink CVD:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/solutions/CVD/Campus/Cisco_SDWAN_Starlink_LEO_Satellite_CVD.html

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

AI isn’t just changing software, it’s rewriting the rules around hardware, regulation, and power. We start with a report that the FCC is moving to restrict Chinese-made optical transceivers used in US AI data centers, and we unpack the real-world tradeoff between supply chain security concerns and the very practical problem of capacity. If you pull a key part out of the 800G optics market overnight, who actually fills the gap, and what breaks first?

From there, the geopolitical mirror flips: China announces a cybersecurity review of Palo Alto Networks products with little detail, raising the uncomfortable question of when “security reviews” become economic leverage. Then we zoom out to the physical footprint of AI, where hyperscale data center projects are meeting environmental scrutiny and voter backlash. New York pauses permits to build a regulatory framework, and AWS withdraws a massive Maryland proposal even with major power nearby, signaling how quickly politics and community pressure can change the cloud roadmap.

We close with the security stories that tie it all together: a proof-of-concept showing how an AI-enabled email assistant can supercharge business email compromise, reports of an autonomous agent breaking containment and hammering third-party services at machine speed, and a new US push to let “vetted” private companies conduct offensive cyber operations under federal direction. If you care about AI governance, cybersecurity, AI transparency, the EU AI Act, or the future of data centers, this one connects the dots.

Subscribe for the monthly news rundown, share this with a friend who builds or secures AI systems, and leave a review with your take: where do you think the biggest risk really is?

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

“Secure AI agents” is a comforting phrase, and it’s also one of the most abused. We sit down with Zach Korman, a builder and security researcher known for stress-testing AI agent frameworks, to talk about what actually breaks when you connect LLM agents to tools, plugins, skills marketplaces, and live production systems. The punchline is not a single bug or a clever jailbreak, it’s a bigger design problem: agents can be influenced by untrusted content while holding real authority through API keys, SaaS access, and automation hooks.

We dig into why “enterprise-grade security” claims often collapse under basic testing, how disclosure changes when a product launches with bold marketing, and why skills are a supply chain risk hiding in plain sight. Zack explains how malicious skills can smuggle commands in places humans never read, how automated scanners can be bypassed, and why “safe OpenClaw” may only be achievable by stripping away the very access that makes agents useful. We also cover MCP security concerns, including dynamic tool definitions, model capability mismatches, and the uncomfortable reality that some protocols effectively enable instruction injection by design.

Then we get practical: how to vet tools if you’re not an InfoSec specialist, how to reduce third-party exposure, and what foundations matter most inside a company (visibility, least privilege, authorization, and governance). If your team is moving from chatbots to agentic automation, this conversation helps you spot security theater before it ships to customers. Subscribe, share this with someone deploying agents at work, and leave a review with the AI security question you want us to tackle next.

Connect with our guest:
https://x.com/ZackKorman

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Two competitors deciding to stop fighting and build together always raises one question: what changes for the customers the next morning. We start with the BT and Verizon International joint venture and dig into what a shared global network footprint could mean across SD-WAN, MPLS, Ethernet and cloud connectivity, including the uncomfortable parts like orchestration changes, duplicated POPs and the possibility of forced migrations. If you run global sites, this is the kind of deal that can quietly reshape your WAN roadmap.

Then we shift to the money and physics behind the cloud: Virginia’s new per kilowatt-hour data center electricity tax. It sounds small until you apply it to hyperscale consumption, and the inclusion of self-generated power closes an obvious workaround. We talk through why Northern Virginia’s data center corridor matters, how policy spreads state to state, and why the “they’ll just pass the cost on” argument is less theory than a pricing strategy you eventually see in your cloud bill.

From there, it’s security and governance: the White House post-quantum cryptography executive order and the accelerating reality of quantum risk, including “harvest now, decrypt later.” We connect PQC deadlines to refresh cycles, vendor readiness, and the practical work of migrating both infrastructure and applications. We also hit identity head-on with Cisco’s plan to bring identity lifecycle security into Splunk’s agentic SOC, because non-human identities and AI agents are changing what least privilege even means.

We close with the growing pattern of government intervention in frontier AI models and what it does to businesses building on specific model capabilities. If you found this useful, subscribe, share the show with a friend and leave a review so more people can find it.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Network automation doesn’t fail because engineers can’t code. It fails because teams can’t turn one-off wins into a repeatable way of operating. We sit down with Scott Robohn of Solutional, co-founder of the Network Automation Forum and one of the people behind Autocon, to unpack why Autocon keeps growing and why a “production-first” mindset changes the entire conversation.

We talk about what makes the Autocon room feel different from traditional tech conferences: a grassroots vibe, a tough selection process that rewards what’s actually running, workshops that go deep, and a culture where it’s safe to share what broke. Scott also highlights a leadership track idea that hits home for working engineers: automation only scales when we can explain outcomes, costs, risk reduction, and why the business should tolerate early stumbles.

Then we get real about AI in NetOps. LLMs can speed up scripting, summarize telemetry, and help teams prototype faster, but that doesn’t magically create maintainable enterprise automation. We dig into the gap between step one and step three, why workflow discipline matters, and how spec-driven development and test-driven development make AI-assisted work safer. We also connect the dots to security automation, SOC versus NOC adoption, and the emerging “security for AI” problem where policy alone is not a control.

If you’re thinking about Autocon 6 in Tucson (November 16 to 20), Scott shares what to expect and how to plug into the community. Subscribe, share this with a teammate who owns change management, and leave a review with your biggest automation hurdle.


Connect with our guest:
Scott's LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottrobohn/

Network Automation Forum
https://networkautomation.forum/

Solutional
https://solutional.com/

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

We react to the biggest stories from Cisco Live, focusing on why Cloud Control and Multi-Cloud Fabric could simplify how teams manage multi-domain infrastructure. We also unpack the Mythos export control shockwave and the growing backlash to AI data centers as efficiency claims collide with real community costs. 

• Cloud Control as a manager of managers, bringing consoles, telemetry, and logs closer together 
• Early-stage reality of “unified” platforms, plus the longer-term need for a shared policy engine 
• AI Canvas and cross-product troubleshooting, pulling signals without console hopping 
• Multi-Cloud Fabric as network as a service for branches, data centers, and multi-cloud connectivity 
• Mythos 5 rollout frustrations for security workflows and why guardrails changed user experience 
• Export controls and the fallout for foreign nationals, partners, and even internal teams 
• Glasswing, vulnerability discovery, and the open question of how much better Mythos really is 
• Bug bounty economics, including the reported cost per bug and what that means for incentives 
• AWS water efficiency claims, plus why water and energy constraints still drive public resistance 
• AI spend whiplash, cloud-era déjà vu, and why capacity keeps running into physics 

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

A $435 million all-cash acquisition doesn’t happen just to add another logo to a portfolio. We break down why Lumen is buying Alkira to become the control plane for cloud connectivity, and what that signals about where multicloud networking is headed. Alkira’s POP-based backbone and marketplace approach made cloud interconnect feel like a service. Plug that into a telco-sized footprint and you can imagine faster turn-ups, better orchestration, and smarter last-mile connectivity. You can also imagine a lot of painful integration work and real uncertainty for current Alkira customers.

Then we pivot to something every engineering leader should be thinking about: what happens when your team depends on AI coding tools and the quality quietly drops. Anthropic’s Claude Code post-mortem is refreshingly candid, but it raises the bigger question we can’t ignore anymore: what’s the service level agreement for model “reasoning,” coding intelligence, and reliability, and what recourse exists when the output isn’t what you paid for?

We also cover a new wave of supply chain attacks, where compromised packages can ride trusted pipelines, hunt for AI and cloud credentials in local dev directories, and self-replicate fast. And we end with the physical side of the cloud: a data center water controversy that shows why communities are pushing back as AI infrastructure scales.

If you found this useful, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review. What story should we dig into next month?

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

If you still picture “hackers” as hoodie stereotypes and fast typing in a dark room, this conversation resets the story with real, practical detail. We sit down with Kyle Winters from Learn with Cisco to define ethical hacking and penetration testing the way security teams actually use it: as a sanctioned, scoped way to think like an attacker so you can fix weaknesses before a real threat actor finds them. The heart of the episode is simple: defence tools are not enough unless you test them with an offensive mindset.

We dig into how red team, blue team, and purple team workflows differ, when black box testing beats white box testing, and why rules of engagement matter when a scan can lock accounts, crash fragile IoT devices, or disrupt business critical apps. Kyle also shares a hands on learning path through Cisco Networking Academy (NetAcad), including a free ethical hacking course with labs, a mock pen test flow, and Capture the Flag challenges on Cisco U that lead to a non expiring certificate. We also touch on Cisco Talos and why threat intelligence and community training help close the cybersecurity skills gap.

Then we pivot to AI security and the uncomfortable truth: generative AI makes phishing, deepfakes, and voice impersonation more convincing, and agentic tooling can automate parts of exploitation faster than many teams expect. At the same time, AI adds a brand new attack surface, from prompt injection to unsafe chatbot connections into databases, which is why AI red teaming, OWASP style LLM risk thinking, zero trust, and least privilege are becoming core security skills.

Subscribe for more practical cybersecurity conversations, share this with someone learning ethical hacking, and leave a review. What worries you most about AI in security right now?

Connect with Our Guest:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-m-winters/

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

“Too dangerous to release” is a bold claim in cybersecurity, so we treat it like any other security headline: we interrogate it. We kick off our monthly news round-up by welcoming Catherine McNamara as a permanent co-host, then dig into Anthropic’s Mythos preview model and Project Glasswing, positioned as an AI security and threat intelligence leap that can allegedly find zero-day vulnerabilities at a level the public shouldn’t have yet. We ask the uncomfortable questions: where’s the independent evidence, what does high-fidelity vulnerability discovery actually look like, and how do we avoid drowning in AI-generated noise?

From there, the discussion gets messier in the way real security always is. We talk about tokens, paid code security reviews, and how incentives change when AI companies chase growth, IPO pressure, and government contracts. We also unpack why “ethical” restrictions are hard to enforce in practice and how rumors of source code leaks and fast rewrites complicate any promise of controlled access. If powerful agencies can use AI to speed up exploit discovery, even lower-severity bugs can become dangerous when chained into real attacks.

Then we pivot to a concrete lesson every org can use: the Vercel breach. A supply chain compromise plus a single OAuth “Allow All” moment shows how identity and SaaS permissions failures can open the door to data exfiltration. We break down least privilege, blocking risky OAuth grants, shadow SaaS, and why a CASB can be the difference between a contained incident and a headline.

We close by connecting AI layoffs to social and economic pressure, including CEO security fears, surprising UBI rhetoric, and Oracle laying off 30,000 people by email. If you care about AI, cloud security, appsec, and what these incentives are doing to the world, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review with your take: is the AI security boom helping defenders more than attackers?

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Your AI can write code fast, but it can also wander fast. That’s why we sat down with Jason Belk from Learning at Cisco to unpack spec-driven development, a simple idea with huge impact: write the rules and requirements first, then let your coding agent execute with far fewer surprises.

We talk through what “agentic coding” looks like in practice with Claude Code, including the trust and permission model of a local AI agent that can create files, run bash commands, and iterate on a real project. Jason explains how GitHub Spec Kit turns plain markdown and scripts into a repeatable workflow: start with a constitution that defines governing principles, then cycle feature by feature through specify, plan, tasks, and implement. Along the way we cover common gotchas like initializing in the wrong directory so skills never load, plus practical tips like using voice-to-text to improve prompts and choosing the right model tier when implementation quality matters.

We also zoom out to the bigger picture: why context windows break long builds, how keeping plans on disk helps the agent “re-ground” itself, and where the industry may be heading with small specialized models versus one giant general LLM. Jason shares learning resources too, including a Cisco U tutorial that frames spec-driven development for network engineers, and the Cisco AI Technical Practitioner course and certification, plus upcoming Cisco Live sessions.

Subscribe for more real-world AI workflows, share this with a teammate who keeps fighting prompt drift, and leave a review with the one automation project you want an agent to build next.

Connect with Jason:
https://linktr.ee/renobelk

https://github.com/jabelk/claude-speckit-template

SDD Relevant Material mentioned in this episode:

https://sdd.goecke.io/

https://substack.com/home/post/p-189415335

https://ondemandelearning.cisco.com/apollo-alpha/tc-ai-spec-driven-dev/pages/1 https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/s/aitech-exam-topics

https://u.cisco.com/paths/cisco-ai-technical-practitioner-20806

https://u.cisco.com/tutorials/introduction-specdriven-development-build-project-without-writing-code-28016

Software Defined Talk episode referenced:
https://www.softwaredefinedtalk.com/563

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

AI is everywhere right now, but the numbers and the real-world trade-offs don’t always match the hype. We dig into a headline that AI added basically nothing to US GDP growth last year, even after billions in spending from the biggest names in tech. That launches a bigger question we can’t ignore: is the AI boom creating durable productivity, or mostly moving money around the same handful of companies that sell GPUs, cloud capacity, and data center hardware?

From there, we get into the messy incentive layer of AI safety and AI regulation. We talk about Anthropic’s shifting safety stance and why “we meant well but competition changed” is becoming a familiar pattern across the AI industry. If guardrails depend on goodwill, what happens when the market punishes anyone who slows down? And if we keep pushing responsibility onto “developers,” are vendors dodging accountability for the defaults they ship?

We also zoom out to the physical footprint of AI infrastructure: energy demand, strained grids, and the environmental impact questions that show up when states consider options like data center wastewater discharge. Then we hit the human side of “AI efficiency,” including layoffs framed as automation wins, and we end with privacy concerns around Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses and footage that may capture far more than people expect.

What headline worries you most right now: jobs, safety, the environment, or privacy?

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Ready for a reality check on AI security? We invited Cisco cybersecurity expert Katherine McNamara to dig into where large language models actually break: from prompt injection and over-permissioned plugins to reckless “vibe-coded” apps that leak IDs, photos, and entire backends. The stories are real, the stakes are high, and the fixes are concrete. We trace how AI sprawl mirrors the worst of early IoT—weak defaults, poor isolation, and a stampede to integrate models into billing, HR, and support without guardrails—only this time the blast radius includes your customer data and your legal exposure.

We talk through the human factor first. Written policies won’t stop someone from pasting a pen test report into a public chatbot. DLP helps, but hybrid work and BYOD stretch defenses thin. Then we move to the core threat model: public and private models are targets; datasets can be poisoned; plugins often ship with admin-level scopes; and a clever prompt can trick an LLM into disclosing chat histories, creating new accounts, or modifying orders. Courts have already treated chatbots as company representatives, binding businesses to their outputs—another reason to treat every integration like an untrusted user with strict least privilege.

It’s not all doom. Used well, AI gives security operations superpowers: correlating signals across dozens of tools, reducing alert fatigue, and surfacing lateral movement. The path forward is discipline, not denial. Fence models on the network. Prefer read-only to write. Gate plugins behind narrowly scoped APIs. Vet datasets for backdoors. Red-team prompts as seriously as you pen test code. And educate stakeholders with live demos so they see why these controls matter. We also unpack the shaky economics—GPU costs, rising consumer fatigue, hype-fueled projects with little ROI—and why that pressure can erode privacy if teams aren’t vigilant.

If you’re building with LLMs or trying to rein them in, this conversation gives you a practical map: what to allow, what to block, and how to make AI useful without turning your stack into an attack surface. Subscribe, share with a teammate who ships integrations, and drop a review with the one guardrail you’ll implement this quarter.


Connect with our Guest:
https://x.com/kmcnam1
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherinermcnamara/

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

What happens when an AI agent decides the “best” fix is to delete production? We unpack the AWS outage tied to an over‑permitted agent and zoom out to a bigger pattern: systems built for maximum utility and minimum restraint. From MCP’s connective promise to its post‑auth sprawl, we break down how agent toolchains turn small mistakes into big blast radii—and how to fix that with real guardrails, least privilege, and human‑in‑the‑loop at destructive boundaries.

The conversation widens to public deployments where abstractions fail loudly. A military nutrition assistant built on Grok reportedly ran with minimal safety constraints and instantly entertained unsafe prompts. That’s not a funny glitch; it’s a policy failure. We talk about what genuine safety layers look like in high‑stakes settings: capability firewalls, explicit refusal policies, robust logging, and escalation paths for sensitive actions. Ethics, compliance, and operational discipline are not speed bumps; they are the steering wheel.

Privacy takes center stage with a Ring twist: footage stored in the cloud despite no subscription. Helpful for a kidnapping investigation, yes—but also a wake‑up call for anyone who assumed “local” meant private. We offer practical steps for home security that actually secures the home: VLAN segmentation, strict egress controls, and device choices that still function offline. Then we turn to Discord’s plan to gate “mature” spaces behind global face and ID checks via Persona, the security research that raised red flags, and how user pressure pushed a rollback. If regulation demands verification, the right answer is minimal disclosure, not maximal identity.

We close with a rare combo: a zero‑day disclosure delivered as a catchy music video calling out Malwarebytes for hard‑coded creds and privilege issues—followed by a commendable vendor response. It’s a model for the culture we want: researchers spotlighting flaws, companies fixing fast, and users gaining safer software. Throughout, we keep returning to one principle that ties AI, identity, and devices together: trust is a permission. Design for refusal, constrain by default, and say clearly what your systems must never do.

If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review—what guardrail would you never ship without?

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Ever wondered what it really takes to walk away from a prestigious DevRel job and build a creator business that actually serves people? We bring back Erika (aka Erika the Dev) to share a candid, practical look at life after big tech: why she chose ownership over prestige, how she teaches coding fundamentals for network automation in a world obsessed with AI shortcuts, and the unglamorous truth about consistent, useful content.

We talk through the decision-making moments—planning a runway, partnering at home to reduce financial stress, and testing formats that put audience needs first. Erika explains how she listens at scale by following her followers, turning real comments into next-day videos, and avoiding platforms that don’t reward focused teaching. She’s blunt about the trade-offs: corporate security versus speaking plainly, AI hype versus practitioner readiness, and high polish versus fast, clear lessons that solve one problem at a time.

If you’re considering going independent, you’ll hear a grounded playbook. Erika details why service-based revenue can stabilize feast-or-famine cycles, how variety kills a solo creator’s momentum, and when to say no so you can standardize offers and protect your groove. We also break down the tooling that matters, the costs that don’t, and why authenticity is the only sustainable advantage in feeds swamped with AI-generated filler. By the end, you’ll have concrete ideas for audience discovery, pricing, credibility building, and balancing consistency with a life outside the feed.

Subscribe for more candid conversations with builders at the edge of networking, automation, and career design. If this resonated, share it with a friend and tell us: what’s the one blocker keeping you from shipping your next piece of work?

Connect with the Guest:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikadietrick/
https://www.youtube.com/@erika_thedev
https://www.tiktok.com/@erika_thedev

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Layoffs, chips, and a lobster-shaped lesson in security—this month’s news run is a tour of how tech’s biggest bets collide with real-world constraints. We start with Amazon’s plan to complete 30,000 job cuts under the banner of “flattening the org.” That might clean up charts, but it also stretches managers thin and risks slowing the very decisions teams need to ship. The human cost is harder to quantify than a balance sheet win, and we unpack where productivity gains end and morale debt begins.

From there, we get into Microsoft’s Maya 200 inference chip and why efficiency is the story to watch. Performance per dollar, power budgets, and inference at scale matter more than leaderboard sprints. If the claims hold up outside marketing decks, Maya points to a future where better throughput and lower costs beat raw hype. We also dive into Satya Nadella’s push to retire “AI slop” and think of these systems as scaffolding for human potential—useful framing for knowledge work, but incomplete for roles where augmentation often previews automation. It’s the tension shaping careers, budgets, and product choices across the stack.

We pivot to enterprise infrastructure with Nutanix’s slower-than-expected VMware migrations. Even when customers want options, they face real friction: tooling parity, skill gaps, data gravity, and the risk of moving mission-critical workloads without bulletproof rollback. The lesson is pragmatic—platforms don’t win on promises, they win on migration paths that reduce toil and make costs predictable.

And then there’s Moltbot, the rebranded assistant formerly known as Clawdbot, which sparked a security backlash and a reminder that agents touching calendars, email, and payments need guardrails before cleverness. Limit scopes, sandbox actions, cap spend, log everything. AI that touches real life must be boringly safe before it’s impressive.

If this breakdown helped you cut through the noise, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review. What story hit you hardest—and why?

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Ever wonder why some architectures feel effortless to run while others need a babysitter? We invited Russ White to help us unpack the real craft of network design: building mental maps that tie history, theory, and practical constraints into clear decisions you can defend and operate. Forget packet field trivia. We focus on how to think, what to simplify, and which trade-offs actually matter.

We start with the idea that design is navigation through abstraction. Russ explains how mapping ideas the way you’d map a city lets you place new knowledge in context and predict behavior under failure. From there we separate troubleshooting from design: knowing where things break is useful, but the advanced skill is foreseeing convergence, bounding failure domains, and shaping a topology that operators can understand at a glance.

Then we dig into trade-offs. Shaving 20 milliseconds by splitting flooding domains might look smart on paper, but what debt does it add in tooling, training, and drift? We talk subsecond timers, gold plating, and the discipline of designing to constraints: budget, topology, traffic, and the humans on call at 2 a.m. The rule of thumb is simple: if you can’t explain it clearly to someone half-asleep and cross-lingual, it’s too complex. History helps here too. Understanding why BGP and OSPF look the way they do makes today’s choices less dogmatic and more grounded in goals.

We close with the soft skills that make great designs land: gathering requirements from non-technical stakeholders, telling the story of the why, and resisting needless features. If you’re ready to trade cleverness for clarity and build networks others can operate with confidence, this conversation will sharpen your intuition and your process.

If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a teammate who loves to over-optimize, and leave a quick review so more engineers can find it.

Connect with our guest:
https://rule11.tech
https://www.linkedin.com/in/riw777/
https://x.com/rtggeek

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

The year felt like it stretched on forever, and in that extra space the networking world reshaped itself. We traded weekly cadence for deeper focus, shipped an AWS Advanced Networking book that the community embraced, and then watched the landscape pivot as vendors consolidated, clouds connected to each other, and AI hype met the hard edges of security and reliability.

We dig into the acquisition wave with clear eyes: Arista picking up VeloCloud from Broadcom and what that means for SD‑WAN customers; HPE’s Juniper deal clearing regulatory review and the open questions around Mist and portfolio strategy; and why Broadcom–VMware didn’t trigger instant mass migrations, even as budgets and CSP support shifted. Then we chart the most surprising turn—AWS and Google offering a cross‑cloud link that’s not a one‑off database play, but a general connective fabric. If pricing trends toward pipe capacity rather than per‑GB egress, multi‑cloud networking stops being a niche product pitch and becomes an operator reality. We even explore the idea of a Cloud Exchange Point, where automation snaps providers together at scale.

AI was everywhere and still uneven. We call out real wins—friendlier automation workflows and eBPF‑powered visibility via Cisco’s Isovalent acquisition—while laying out the unsolved work: agentic AI with least privilege, auditable actions, and enforceable data boundaries. Until those controls are standard, enterprises will limit autonomy and keep AI close to expert hands. Against the constant layoff drumbeat, we offer direct advice: build skills across cloud interconnects, Kubernetes networking, and eBPF telemetry; document outcomes in the language of cost and risk; and lean into community for opportunities and perspective.

If you want a no‑nonsense guide to what changed, what actually matters, and how to prepare for a faster 2026, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with a teammate who needs signal over noise, and drop your take: which shift will shape your architecture next year?

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

A bus-powered hackathon, a $100K prize for a gloriously “useless” app, and keynotes that said AI so many times you could turn it into a supercut—re:Invent 2025 brought energy, irony, and real signals hiding in the noise. We’re joined by AWS Hero Chris Williams to unpack what actually matters: where AI is genuinely useful, where it’s lipstick on a feature, and how builders should adapt without losing the plot.

We dig into the Road to re:Invent hackathon and why the winning project—turning a tiny script into a sprawling multi-repo monster—was the sharpest commentary on over-engineering all week. From there, we break down the AI-first keynotes, new Graviton efficiency gains that could tame power budgets, and the push to own the entire stack from silicon to agents. Kiro’s spec-driven development gets real talk too: amazing for scaffolding, documentation, and repo exploration; risky when you ask a confident hallucination to write production without tests, reviews, or security controls.

The conversation shifts to careers and craft with Werner Vogels’ parting challenge: become a “Renaissance developer.” Learn systems, networking, security, and economics, then layer AI to explore design space faster. If you’re just starting out, don’t begin with prompts—build fundamentals and use AI to shape your learning plan. We wrap with the sleeper headline: first-party multi-cloud connectivity. It’s overdue, it’s serious, and it could reshape how enterprises stitch providers together while raising new questions about SLAs, accountability, and incident response between hyperscalers.

Hit play for a clear-eyed debrief that filters the hype, celebrates real progress, and offers practical guidance for teams shipping in 2025. If this helped you make sense of re:Invent, follow the show, share it with a teammate, and drop your bold prediction for the year ahead.

Where to find Chris:
https://x.com/mistwire
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisfwilliams/
https://vbrownbag.com/

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

We break down Cloudflare’s outage, why a small config change caused big waves, and what better guardrails could look like. We then unpack AWS and Google’s cross‑cloud link, Megaport’s move into bare metal and GPUs, Webex adding deepfake defenses, and a new startup aiming to tune AI networks at microsecond speed.

• Cloudflare outage root cause and fallout
• Automation guardrails, validation and rollbacks
• AWS–Google cross‑cloud connectivity preview
• Pricing, routing and policy gaps to watch
• Megaport acquires Latitude SH for compute
• Bare metal and GPU as a service near clouds
• Webex integrates deepfake and fraud detection
• Accuracy risks, UX and escalation paths
• Apstra founders launch Aria for AI networks
• Microburst telemetry, closed‑loop control and SLAs

If you enjoyed this please give us some feedback or share this with a friend we would love to hear from you as well and we will see you in two weeks with another episode

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Networks can sometimes feel like a maze of licenses, tunnels, and 2 a.m. pager alerts. We sit down with Graphiant CEO Ali Shaikh to unpack how Network as a Service makes connectivity on-demand, consumption-based, and finally as flexible as the cloud it serves. From the SD-WAN wave to the pandemic reset, Ali explains why the old build-and-forget model couldn’t keep pace with multi-cloud, remote work, and fast-moving partnerships—and how a stateless, metadata-driven fabric changes the game.

We explore two clear buyer paths. Pragmatic teams want turnkey connectivity that lowers cloud egress costs, reduces NAT and transit complexity, and keeps operations calm. Futuristic teams need dynamic, auditable data exchanges for AI workloads, research projects, and payments ecosystems—publisher-subscriber connectivity that negotiates policy and stands up in days, not quarters. In both cases, the network becomes evergreen, with new capabilities landing in the service rather than hidden behind feature licenses. Pay for what you move, not for buttons you can’t press.

Security shifts from signatures to assurance. In an AI-fueled threat landscape, we focus on what should move, where it may travel, and who can subscribe—then we detect anomalies and lock down exfiltration. Ali digs into continuous audit trails, sovereignty-aware routing, and why pushing complexity to the edges keeps the core lean and reliable. Expect candid talk on cloud cost traps, how to cut NAT sprawl, and the reason a hollow core with metadata labels beats hop-by-hop state.

If you’re ready to trade SKU spreadsheets for clear outcomes—and want a network that can spin up for a week and tear down without drama—this conversation will reset how you think about connectivity. Subscribe, share with a teammate who owns the cloud bill, and drop a review to tell us where ephemeral networking would save you the most.

Connect with our guest:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alifshaikh/

https://www.graphiant.com

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Start with a simple truth: when the platform breaks, your clever architecture won’t save you. We dig into the AWS US‑East‑1 outage where DynamoDB’s role in DNS planning for load balancers collided with a race condition, leaving empty records and stalled EC2 instances. Forget the finger‑wagging about “well‑architected” apps—this was a platform failure with limited customer escape routes. We weigh multi‑region and multi‑cloud trade‑offs with a sober look at cost, complexity, and operational burden.

Security took center stage with two high‑risk stories you need to act on. First, a critical WSUS flaw enabling remote unauthenticated code execution against the very servers meant to protect fleets. If WSUS is still live, patch immediately or take it offline until you can. Then, the F5 source code theft: not a cloning threat, but a blueprint for discovering subtle bugs and crafting precise exploits. Attribution points toward Chinese state‑sponsored actors, which means targeted, quiet use rather than noisy mass exploitation. The risk isn’t gone when headlines fade; it’s just harder to see.

We connect this to rising exploitation of vSock across hypervisors like VMware ESXi. With public PoCs and active abuse, vSock opens covert channels from host to guest, making segmentation and management plane isolation non‑negotiable. Patch aggressively, gate access through jump hosts, enforce MFA, and consider disabling vSock where viable on QEMU stacks. These are concrete steps that cut real risk.

Then we turn to the elephant in the data center: AI ROI. Vendors keep shipping agentic assistants and copilots, but few can show durable returns outside a subsidized token economy. We share a pragmatic lens for measuring value—cycle time, MTTR, defect rates—while acknowledging the dot‑com‑style arc ahead: hype, correction, then durable wins that prioritize efficiency. As AI demand drives massive new builds, the physical footprint of the cloud is showing up in local power grids and skylines. Infrastructure choices now carry community and energy implications leaders can’t ignore.

Subscribe, share with a colleague who owns platform reliability or security, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway or question—what will you patch, segment, or measure first?

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

If the network is the backbone of modern tech, why did it fade into the background while cloud, AI, and security stole the spotlight? We sit down with technical evangelist Alexis Berthoff to pull the curtain back on the real work of making complex systems understandable, usable, and resilient. Alexis shares how she acts as a translator between product, marketing, sales, and the community, turning feedback into better features, clearer messaging, and practical guidance that actually helps customers.

We explore why networking lost its “cool” factor as connectivity became assumed and invisible, and what that means for a generation choosing careers based on social feeds and salary lists. From AI’s hunger for predictable latency and bandwidth to the messy reality of connecting data centers, cloud interconnects, and VPCs, the design surface has never been more demanding. We dig into the skills gap, the disappearing bottom rungs of ops, and why foundational troubleshooting still beats blind tool worship. Along the way, we touch on the looming shift to post‑quantum cryptography and what it could mean for VPNs, certificates, and long‑term data privacy.

Alexis also introduces Megaport Connect, a one‑day, pre‑recorded cloud networking summit with three tracks: fundamentals, advanced technical, and executive. Think concrete patterns for cloud connectivity, middle mile choices, transit gateways and cloud WAN, plus a new community built for ongoing Q&A and peer support. If you’ve ever wondered how to keep networks simple without sacrificing resilience, when automation delivers ROI, or how to grow a career that starts in networking and branches to cloud or security, this conversation brings clarity without the buzzword fog.

Enjoy the episode? Subscribe, share it with a colleague who needs a fresh view on networking, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. Your feedback shapes future topics and guests.

Connect with Our Guest:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexisbertholf/
https://www.instagram.com/digital.byte_
https://www.tiktok.com/@digital.byte

Megaport Connect Registration: 
https://event.megaport.com/Megaport-Connect/

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

We weigh efficiency against hype as Huawei’s open-source quantization aims to shrink LLM costs while AI spending sprints toward $1.5T. From Oracle’s blue-sky risk to Cisco’s SNMP flaws, Equinix and Alkira’s AI networking moves, and a leap into quantum networking, we look for what’s real and what’s next.

• Huawei’s SINQ quantization for smaller, cheaper LLM deployments
• AI spend approaching $1.5T amid capacity and power constraints
• Oracle downside risk and the velocity of money in AI deals
• Cisco IOS XE SNMP vulnerabilities and urgent patching guidance
• Equinix Fabric Intelligence and AI Solutions Lab for AI interconnects
• Alkira MCP and NIA for AI-driven multi-cloud network operations
• Cisco’s quantum networking prototypes and entanglement chip
• Quantum error correction, room‑temperature operation, and security signals

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

The gap between cloud-native and traditional networking has never been more evident. As organizations struggle with hybrid environments, finding a unified management strategy feels like searching for the mythical "one ring to rule them all."

In this thought-provoking episode, we welcome Eric Chou, author, instructor, and podcast host with over a decade of experience at AWS and Azure. Eric brings a rare insider perspective on how hyperscalers approach networking fundamentally differently than traditional vendors.

We explore why cloud providers built their infrastructure API-first from day one, while traditional networking vendors had to retrofit APIs onto existing hardware. This architectural distinction creates significant challenges when trying to manage both environments cohesively. Eric explains why cloud tools excel at declarative configurations while traditional networking tools often take a more procedural approach, and when each might be appropriate for your organization.

The conversation takes a fascinating turn when we discuss how AI is reshaping network engineering. Are we headed toward a dangerous knowledge gap as junior engineers rely on AI without developing foundational skills? Eric advocates for an "enhance, not replace" philosophy that values human expertise while leveraging AI as a productivity multiplier. We debate whether simulation can ever truly replace the hard-earned lessons of 3 AM network outages.

Whether you're managing a hybrid network environment or wondering how to prepare for an AI-driven future, this episode offers practical insights and a surprisingly optimistic outlook on the future of networking. Listen now to understand how bridging the gap between cloud and on-premises networking might be less about finding a universal tool and more about developing the right mindset and approach.

Connect with Eric:
Network Automation Nerds Podcast: https://packetpushers.net/podcast/network-automation-nerds/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/ericchou
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/choueric/
Network Automation Nerds Website: https://networkautomationnerds.com/ 

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Tim and Chris dive into the month's most significant tech developments, exploring antitrust rulings, emerging AI security threats, and the financial sustainability of the AI industry.

• Google avoids having to sell Chrome in federal antitrust ruling but is barred from exclusive distribution contracts
• Cybercriminals deploy "S1ngularity Attack" using LLM prompts to steal credentials from 2,100 GitHub accounts
• Cisco reintroduces dedicated wireless certification track with focus on Wi-Fi 6/7 and Meraki technologies
• Google Cloud introduces "agentic IAM" services to manage AI agent identities and improve MCP security
• Zscaler CEO creates controversy by suggesting customer logs are used for AI training before company clarification
• Avaya offers voluntary exit packages to all employees, suggesting potential acquisition or restructuring
• OpenAI increases projected spending through 2029 by $80 billion to $115 billion total

Share this episode on social media and tell a friend about the podcast if you enjoyed it. You can find us on all platforms @Cables2Clouds.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

What happens when three major cloud providers each reimagine network design from scratch? You get three completely different approaches to solving the same fundamental problem.

The foundation of cloud networking begins with the virtual containers that hold your resources: AWS's Virtual Private Clouds (VPCs), Azure's Virtual Networks (VNets), and Google Cloud's VPCs (yes, the same name, very different implementation). While they all serve the same basic purpose—providing logical isolation for your workloads—their design philosophies reveal profound differences in how each provider expects you to architect your solutions.

AWS took the explicit control approach. When you create subnets within an AWS VPC, you must assign each to a specific Availability Zone. This creates a vertical architecture pattern where you're deliberately placing resources in specific physical locations and designing resilience across those boundaries. Network engineers often find this intuitive because it matches traditional fault domain thinking. However, this design means you must account for cross-AZ data transfer costs and explicit resiliency patterns.

Azure flipped the script with their horizontal approach. By default, subnets span across all AZs in a region, with Microsoft's automation handling the resilience for you. This "let us handle the complexity" philosophy makes initial deployment simpler but provides less granular control. Meanwhile, Google Cloud went global, allowing a single VPC to span regions worldwide—an approach that simplifies global connectivity but introduces new challenges for security segmentation.

These architectural differences aren't merely academic—they fundamentally change how you design for resilience, manage costs, and implement security. The cloud introduced "toll booth" pricing for data movement, where crossing availability zones or regions incurs charges that didn't exist in traditional data centers. Understanding these nuances is crucial whether you're migrating existing networks or designing new ones.

Want to dive deeper into cloud networking concepts? Let us know what topics you'd like us to cover next as we explore how traditional networking skills translate to the cloud world.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Cloud security and infrastructure providers are making strategic moves to maintain competitive advantage through acquisitions and service enhancements while combating emerging threats. We explore the latest developments including Palo Alto's massive acquisition, new cloud services, and enhanced security features that are reshaping the industry.

• Palo Alto Networks announces $25 billion acquisition of CyberArk to strengthen identity security capabilities, particularly for machine identities and agentic AI
• AWS launches Elastic VMware Service, allowing customers to bring their own licenses without application replatforming as organizations seek alternatives amid Broadcom changes
• Network World article questions why enterprises aren't fully replacing infrastructure with SD-WAN, highlighting the ongoing gradual adoption approach
• Wiz discovers "zombie hosts" on Google Sites pages with SoCo 404 exploit that installs cryptocurrency mining malware
• Megaport Cloud Router now supports IPsec tunnels, enabling direct encrypted connections through their fabric without additional hardware

Join us next month for more cloud and infrastructure news updates.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Making a career transition is never easy, especially in specialized technical domains. In this episode, we dive into the world of professional evolution with returning guest Will Collins, who shares his journey from cloud networking at Alkira to automation engineering at Nintex.

"I'm not lazy, but I hate repetition," Will explains, describing the mindset that led him toward automation throughout his career. This natural inclination eventually blossomed into a specialized focus, demonstrating how following your technical interests can create new career pathways. His experience mirrors my own recent transition from Aviatrix to a network security-focused role, giving listeners multiple perspectives on navigating change in the networking industry.

The conversation explores how cloud experience fundamentally transforms your technical thinking – shifting your approach from traditional infrastructure management to a more developer-oriented mindset. We discuss how cloud environments break down traditional silos, forcing networking professionals to collaborate with application teams and security specialists in ways that weren't necessary in traditional data centers. This cross-functional experience creates valuable T-shaped professionals who understand both the depth of networking and the breadth of adjacent technologies.

We also tackle tough questions about the evolution of networking as a discipline. Has it expanded, contracted, or simply morphed into something new? Will suggests "it's been watered down or diluted," pointing to the consolidation of networking and security responsibilities in many organizations. This trend requires today's professionals to master multiple domains while still maintaining core expertise.

For those contemplating their next move, we offer practical advice on evaluating opportunities, balancing risk at different career stages, and the importance of developing fundamental understanding rather than relying on AI shortcuts. As Will counsels, "Learn one thing... actually learn it. That is what's going to keep you marketable in 2035, 2040."

Connect with our guest:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-collins/

https://packetpushers.net/podcast/the-cloud-gambit/

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

The tech industry's shifting strategies and priorities take center stage in this episode as we examine several major developments reshaping the landscape. We dive into Ingram Micro's recent ransomware attack by the SafePay group, analyzing both the immediate impacts and potential long-term consequences of the four-day operational disruption. The incident raises important questions about security protocols, attack vectors, and the possibility of data exfiltration that could have lingering effects.

Next, we explore CoreWeave's massive $9 billion acquisition of CoreScientific, representing a fascinating pivot from cryptocurrency mining infrastructure to AI computing resources. This transaction epitomizes the tech industry's current trajectory – moving away from speculative cryptocurrency ventures toward equally speculative but potentially more productive AI applications. We discuss the diminishing returns of crypto mining versus the still-unprofitable but product-focused world of AI, questioning where this astronomical investment might lead.

The networking world sees significant realignment as Arista acquires VeloCloud from Broadcom, bolstering their WAN portfolio after VMware's SD-WAN solution changed hands multiple times in recent years. We compare potential integration approaches with Cisco's historical challenges integrating Viptela, speculating on how Arista might handle this transition while maintaining their commitment to a unified operating system.

Perhaps most concerning is Microsoft's continued workforce reduction – cutting 4% of employees while pledging billions toward AI development. This "robbing Peter to pay Paul" approach appears throughout the tech industry as companies bet heavily on AI's future promise while sacrificing present human capital. We contrast these widespread layoffs with contradictory reports claiming robust tech hiring, questioning the true state of industry employment.

Join us biweekly for future episodes as we transition to a fortnightly schedule focusing on quality over quantity. Share your thoughts about our schedule change or any topics discussed – we're especially interested in hearing from VeloCloud customers who've experienced the product's journey through multiple corporate owners.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Cloud network engineering interviews at tech giants require specialized knowledge beyond traditional networking – particularly when it comes to cloud-native services. In this final installment of our interview preparation series with Kam Agahian, we explore the specialized networking services that frequently appear in technical assessments.

Security takes center stage as we discuss the critical boundary between networking and security responsibilities. Kam explains that while routing traffic to firewalls falls squarely on the network engineer, security policies and posture typically belong to dedicated security teams at larger organizations. We compare traditional VM-based third-party firewalls with cloud-native security services, highlighting the architectural considerations for each approach.

DNS architectures represent another technical area where candidates must demonstrate proficiency. Beyond understanding traditional name resolution, you'll need familiarity with the hybrid cloud architectures that enable communication between on-premises and cloud environments. Kam singles out DNSSEC as deserving special attention during your preparation.

The landscape of multi-cloud connectivity has evolved dramatically, moving beyond simple cross-cloud connections to sophisticated integration patterns. Candidates who demonstrate awareness of recent developments – like Oracle's strategy of placing databases directly in other providers' data centers – stand out in interviews by showing they stay current with industry trends.

Throughout our conversation, we emphasize research as a critical interview preparation strategy. Review all cloud-related job postings at your target company to understand their technology ecosystem and identify potential multi-cloud scenarios. This contextual knowledge allows you to tailor your responses to the specific environment you'll potentially be working in.

What questions do you have about preparing for cloud networking interviews? Share your thoughts and join the conversation about navigating these complex technical assessments.

Connect with our guest:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/agahian/

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

The landscape of cloud security is rapidly evolving as AWS flexes its muscles with a suite of new native security offerings unveiled at AWS re:Inforce. From enhanced threat correlation capabilities in AWS Security Hub to seamless Transit Gateway integration for Network Firewall, these announcements signal Amazon's strategic expansion into territory traditionally dominated by third-party security vendors.

We dive deep into the HPE-Juniper acquisition that finally received regulatory approval, but with interesting conditions – including the requirement to license parts of the coveted Mist AI technology. This could potentially open doors for competitors to leverage the same technology that made Juniper so attractive to HPE in the first place, creating a fascinating dynamic in the networking market.

The most compelling theme emerging from AWS re:Inforce centers around Amazon's continued investment in native security tooling. New offerings like AWS Shield Network Security Director and IAM Access Analyzer directly challenge third-party CSPM providers, while improvements to existing services reduce the friction and complexity of implementing robust security controls. For organizations already invested in the AWS ecosystem, these integrated solutions offer compelling advantages – but they also raise important questions about vendor lock-in and multi-cloud strategies.

Security vendors without a strong moat or differentiated value proposition should be concerned. As cloud service providers continue to enhance their native security capabilities, the pressure on third-party tools will only intensify. This trend follows closely on the heels of Google's acquisition of Wiz, suggesting that cloud security is becoming an increasingly strategic battleground for the major providers.

For security professionals navigating these waters, the proliferation of overlapping security services presents both opportunities and challenges. While AWS continues to simplify implementation, the growing catalog of similar-sounding services can create confusion about which tools to use in which scenarios. As we discuss on the podcast, this appears to reflect AWS's organizational structure as much as customer needs – shipping the org chart rather than truly differentiated services.

What's your security strategy in this evolving landscape? Are you embracing native cloud security tools or maintaining investments in third-party solutions? The answers may vary widely depending on your organization's cloud adoption strategy, but one thing is clear – the security vendor ecosystem is transforming before our eyes.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

The invisible threads connecting Kubernetes and networking infrastructure form the backbone of today's cloud-native world. In this revealing conversation with Marino Wijay from Kong, we unravel the complex relationship between traditional networking concepts and modern container orchestration.

Marino brings a unique perspective as someone who entered the Kubernetes ecosystem through networking, explaining how fundamental networking principles directly translate to Kubernetes operations. "If you don't have a network, there is no Kubernetes," he emphasizes, highlighting how reachability between nodes forms the foundation of cluster communication.

The network evolution within Kubernetes proves fascinating – from the early "black box" approach where connectivity was implicit to the sophisticated Container Network Interfaces (CNIs) like Cilium that offer granular control. Network engineers approaching Kubernetes for the first time might feel overwhelmed, but as we discover, concepts like DHCP with DNS registration, NAT, and load balancing all have direct parallels within the Kubernetes networking model.

Our discussion ventures into the practical challenges organizations face when implementing service mesh technologies. While offering powerful capabilities for secure pod-to-pod communication through mutual TLS, service mesh introduces significant complexity. Marino shares insights on when this investment makes sense for enterprises versus smaller organizations with more controlled environments.

The conversation takes an especially interesting turn when exploring how AI workloads are transforming Kubernetes networking requirements. From GPU-enabled clusters to specialized traffic patterns and the concept of Dynamic Resource Allocation as "QoS for AI," we examine how these resource-intensive applications are pushing the boundaries of what's possible.

Whether you're a network engineer curious about containers or a Kubernetes administrator looking to deepen your networking knowledge, this episode bridges crucial gaps between these interconnected worlds. Subscribe to Cables to Clouds for more insights at the intersection of networking and cloud technologies!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mwijay/

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

When automation fails, it fails spectacularly—and at scale. The recent Google Cloud outage that took down over 54 global services for more than seven hours demonstrates this perfectly. A simple error—blank fields in automated policy updates—cascaded into widespread failures affecting millions of users worldwide. This episode dives deep into what went wrong, how it happened, and what it means for cloud resilience in the AI era.

We also explore Cisco's dramatic pivot at Cisco Live 2025, where they've committed to refreshing their entire hardware stack and integrating AI throughout their ecosystem. Their new LLM called Deep Network suggests a future where networking infrastructure makes intelligent decisions autonomously. We discuss whether Cisco can deliver on these promises and what the unification of their Meraki and Catalyst lines might mean for customers.

The Ultra Ethernet Consortium has finally released their 1.0 specification, establishing a comprehensive standard for high-performance computing environments. This 600+ page document marks a significant milestone in creating viable alternatives to InfiniBand for AI workloads. Meanwhile, Network-as-a-Service pioneer Meter secured $170 million in Series C funding, raising questions about the actual size and sustainability of the NaaS market.

On the cybersecurity front, we examine two concerning developments: the mass exodus of leadership from CISA during heightened threat conditions, and a novel zero-click vulnerability in Microsoft 365 Copilot that can expose sensitive data without any user interaction. This "Echo Leak" vulnerability demonstrates how AI systems that automatically scan content create entirely new attack vectors that organizations must defend against.

Join us for a fast-paced discussion about these pivotal developments in cloud computing, networking technology, and cybersecurity. What does all this mean for your infrastructure strategy? Listen and find out.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Entrepreneurship is often glorified as the ultimate career goal, but what happens when running your own business loses its luster? Jason Gintert takes us behind the scenes of his journey from corporate life to co-founding WAN Dynamics, and then back to the corporate world as CTO of Laketec.

The entrepreneurial path wasn't always smooth. "The first two years were kind of rough," Jason reveals, describing how his income dropped to half of his previous corporate salary and required significant belt-tightening at home. Even as the business grew, unexpected challenges emerged – from the stress of having employees depend on you for their livelihood to the constant cash flow battles when large clients took 60-90 days to pay invoices.

Perhaps most surprising was Jason's realization that business ownership didn't provide the freedom he expected. "It's a misconception that when you have a business, you're your own boss," he explains. "You report to your employees, your customers, your stakeholders – everybody who depends on you." Despite successfully growing the company and navigating the explosive demand for remote access solutions during COVID, Jason found himself increasingly forced into sales roles he didn't want.

After selling WAN Dynamics and briefly working for the acquiring company, Jason took four months to decompress before joining Laketec. His transition back to corporate life brought welcome relief – consistent schedules, healthcare benefits, and the ability to focus

Connect with Jason:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasongintert/

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Tim and Chris discuss major cybersecurity acquisitions and innovations, examining how these changes will impact enterprise security and cloud architecture.

• Zscaler acquires Red Canary MDR (Managed Detection and Response) to fill gaps in their platform despite potential integration challenges
• AWS Network Firewall now supports multiple VPC endpoints without requiring Transit Gateway deployment
• AWS exits the private 5G market, pivoting to partnerships with established telecommunications providers
• CheckPoint acquires Veritai Cybersecurity to enhance their Infinity platform with "virtual patching" capabilities
• North Korean IT workers using sophisticated techniques to infiltrate Western companies by posing as legitimate remote employees

Check the news document for additional stories we didn't have time to cover, including a project called MPIC focused on preventing BGP attacks with certificate validation.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

What does it take to write the books that build the backbone of the networking industry? In this energetic conversation with Jason Gooley, Technical Evangelist at Cisco and author of numerous certification guides, we dive into the fascinating world of technical education and the art of making complex networking concepts accessible to learners.

Jason shares his remarkable journey from networking novice who once believed the myth that "CCIEs make more than the president" to becoming the author selected to take over the iconic CCNA certification guides from Wendell Odom after his 23-year, 10-edition legacy. The responsibility is enormous—with Cisco's Network Academy having certified 17 million professionals and aiming for another 25 million in the next decade, Jason's words will shape countless careers.

We explore the delicate balance required when creating technical content: providing enough depth for certification success without overwhelming readers, adding engaging storytelling without sacrificing accuracy, and addressing varied audience backgrounds without assuming too much or too little prior knowledge. As Jason beautifully puts it, "When I write, it feels like I'm talking... like I'm explaining it to a specific person." This approach transforms what could be dry technical manuals—"paper cuts to the eyes"—into relatable learning experiences.

For anyone working in technology, the episode offers valuable insights on continuous learning in a rapidly evolving field. Jason describes technology as "a train... the second you step on, you're moving with it." The key is simply starting somewhere: "Don't be afraid to get on the train. Just do 'hello world.' Get a Raspberry Pi. Use Alexa to turn off your lights." 

Whether you're pursuing certifications, teaching others, or creating educational content, this episode provides practical wisdom on making technical knowledge accessible, relevant, and engaging. Subscribe now for more conversations that bridge the gap between complex technology and human understanding.

Connect with the Guest:
@Jason_Gooley on X

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jgooley/

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Major tech companies are making significant moves with mergers, acquisitions, and layoffs as the industry continues to evolve rapidly and face new challenges in the market.

• Rumors suggest Arista Networks is acquiring VeloCloud from Broadcom for nearly $1 billion, potentially strengthening Arista's SD-WAN offerings
• Charter and Cox Communications are merging to combat declining cable relevance, continuing the trend of telecom mega-consolidation
• Microsoft laid off 6,000 employees (3% of workforce) despite reporting $25.8 billion quarterly profit
• Microsoft openly stated layoffs will fund AI capital investments, with plans for continued annual cuts
• Microsoft announced it will host rival AI models in its data centers and is launching a new autonomous coding agent
• Security concerns arise as Microsoft plans to give AI agents "digital identifiers" similar to human employees

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

When most people think about cybersecurity careers, they envision ethical hackers or security analysts huddled behind screens of scrolling code. But as our guest Brian Eidelman, VP of Cloud Engineering at Oracle, reveals, the reality is far more diverse and fascinating.

Security careers exist in what Brian describes as a three-dimensional landscape. Across one axis, you have different job functions ranging from compliance specialization and policy development to threat research, forensics, and security tool development. Along another dimension are organizational environments—government, financial services, healthcare, technology companies—each with unique security challenges. The third dimension encompasses technical specializations like network security, encryption, identity management, and increasingly, cloud security.

Identity management emerges as a critical focal point in our discussion. Having been one of the original developers of SiteMinder (a single sign-on solution), Brian traces how identity has evolved from simple password systems to today's sophisticated multi-factor authentication and passwordless approaches. In cloud environments where traditional network boundaries have dissolved, "identity is your new perimeter." This shift has created entirely new disciplines around non-human identities—managing how applications, workloads, and services authenticate to one another.

The podcast explores how cloud security differs from traditional approaches, requiring guardrails that maintain security without sacrificing the agility that makes cloud computing valuable. We dig into how the democratization of resources has created new security challenges as developers gain direct access to infrastructure that would have been tightly controlled in on-premises environments.

For those looking to break into the field, Brian offers surprisingly practical advice: unlike networking, where certifications often serve as career milestones, security values demonstrable skills and domain knowledge more highly. His recommendation? When security issues arise in your current technical role, run toward them rather than away. Volunteering for security-related projects and demonstrating curiosity can open doors more effectively than certificates alone.

Ready to explore the multidimensional world of cloud security careers? Listen now and discover where you might fit in this dynamic and essential field.

Connect with Brian:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-eidelman-9b29181/

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

The relentless race for cloud dominance continues as AWS reports 16.9% growth year-over-year—a number that would thrill most companies but falls short of expectations for the cloud giant. Tim and Chris dig into what's behind these numbers and why Microsoft and Google continue gaining ground with stronger-than-anticipated growth rates. Microsoft's massive 53% increase in capital spending signals their aggressive push into AI infrastructure, raising questions about whether AWS can maintain its leadership position.

Cybersecurity threats are evolving in concerning ways according to Threat Labs' 2025 Phishing Report. While overall phishing attempts have declined, attacks have become more targeted and sophisticated. The hosts explore disturbing trends including the rise of cryptocurrency scams with fake wallets and an increase in job-related phishing that exploits today's challenging employment market. Most alarming is how threat actors are capitalizing on AI hype, creating fraudulent agent websites that mimic legitimate platforms to steal credentials. This exposes a critical vulnerability in emerging technologies like Multi-agent Collaboration Protocol systems that currently lack robust security frameworks.

The conversation shifts to more positive developments with Kubernetes 1.33 "Octarine" release, which brings sidecar containers to stable status—a significant improvement for managing service mesh implementations. The hosts break down how this and other updates like in-place resource resizing make Kubernetes more flexible and easier to manage for enterprise deployments.

The episode closes with a somber discussion of Intel's announcement of potential layoffs affecting up to 20% of its workforce following substantial quarterly losses. Tim and Chris challenge the new CEO's assertion that requiring more office days will make the company "lean, fast and agile," questioning whether return-to-office mandates have more to do with real estate investments than actual productivity improvements.

What tech news matters most to you? We'd love your feedback on our news format and what topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes!

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Scott Robohn's journey from corporate network engineer to successful independent consultant offers a roadmap for anyone considering the entrepreneurial path in tech. After 35 years in the networking industry, Scott found himself ready to build something of his own—not necessarily a product, but an enterprise he could be fully responsible for.

The transition wasn't without careful consideration. Scott spent a full year planning his exit, having extensive conversations with his wife and financial advisor to ensure he had sufficient runway (approximately three years) if things didn't go as planned. This preparation phase wasn't just about the numbers; it was about creating psychological safety and family buy-in for what would be a significant life change.

What stands out most in Scott's experience is how he navigated the unexpected challenges of independence. On just his second day of self-employment, he had the jarring realization that he was no longer part of a team—something that had been constant throughout his career. This led him to intentionally create new communities through co-founding the Network Automation Forum and engaging with local networking user groups, demonstrating that entrepreneurship doesn't have to mean isolation.

Finding clients represents perhaps the biggest practical hurdle for new consultants. Scott shares how his initial work came through his existing network, with LinkedIn playing a surprisingly crucial role in business development. As his practice evolved, he discovered an unexpected passion for certain specialty areas, including his Total Network Operations approach, which examines how network operations teams need to reorganize for modern networks and tooling.

For those contemplating their own leap, Scott offers candid advice about the realities of American entrepreneurship—including the significant hurdle of healthcare costs—while providing encouragement that with proper planning, the transition can lead to greater fulfillment. As his wife observed at his one-year anniversary: "I've seen you work this hard before, but always accompanied with stress. Now I see you working this hard and I don't see the stress."

Ready to explore entrepreneurship in tech? Join Scott at the Network Automation Forum events in Prague (May 2025) or in the US (November 2025), and discover how you might thrive on your own terms.

Connect with our guest:

https://packetpushers.net/podcast/total-network-operations/

https://networkautomation.forum/autocon3 

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

The tech world gives and takes away as Google introduces CloudWAN while MITRE nearly loses CVE funding, showcasing both innovation and vulnerability in our digital infrastructure landscape. Politics increasingly intersects with technology as we examine controversial security clearance revocations alongside much-needed technical improvements in cloud networking.

• Google Cloud Next introduces CloudWAN service with two use cases: high-performance data center connectivity and premium branch networking
• Google's approach differs from AWS, encouraging single global VPC deployments across regions
• MITRE loses funding for the CVE program, threatening the global vulnerability tracking system
• CISA provides 11-month bridge funding, but fragmentation begins as EU launches alternative vulnerability tracking
• Azure announces general availability of route maps for Virtual WAN, bringing traditional networking capabilities to cloud
• Former CISA director Chris Krebs targeted in federal investigation for debunking 2020 election fraud claims
• Security clearance revocations increasingly used as political weapons against technology professionals

Subscribe to Cables to Clouds Fortnightly News and tell a friend about the show to stay informed about the evolving cloud technology landscape.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Preparing for a cloud network engineering interview at a tech giant? This episode delivers essential insights from someone who conducts these interviews. Kam Agahian, Senior Director of Cloud Engineering at Oracle, returns to continue our deep dive into what really matters when interviewing for these coveted positions.

We begin by addressing listener questions about TCP/IP preparation, with Kam suggesting Wireshark packet analysis as a practical approach to master these foundational concepts. While acknowledging these topics can be dry, he emphasizes their critical importance as differentiators in the interview process.

The conversation then shifts to the heart of cloud networking: connectivity between environments. Kam breaks down the two primary approaches – IPsec tunnels versus dedicated connections (like FastConnect, DirectConnect, ExpressRoute) – explaining when each makes sense and what you need to understand about them beyond simple definitions. The discussion includes encryption options, real-world implementation challenges, and how cloud service providers differ in their connectivity models.

For routing, Kam explains how priorities have shifted from traditional networking interviews. While IGP protocols matter less at cloud boundaries, BGP knowledge remains crucial – but focused on practical applications rather than obscure features. "90-95% of BGP is done around a few topics – inbound and outbound traffic influence, convergence, and troubleshooting," he notes, advising candidates to understand both the "how" and "why" behind concepts like communities, attributes, and ECMP.

Throughout the episode, both hosts emphasize a critical insight: cloud networking interviews aren't configuration tests. The most successful candidates demonstrate deep understanding of why technologies are appropriate for specific scenarios, how they've evolved, and the nuances of their implementation in cloud environments versus traditional networks. This thoughtful approach reveals the problem-solving abilities that tech giants value most in their cloud networking teams.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Geopolitics and cloud infrastructure collide in this eye-opening episode where we explore how escalating tariff wars are throwing data center construction plans into complete disarray. Tech giants planning massive cloud and AI expansions now face skyrocketing costs and unprecedented uncertainty as raw materials fall under new tariffs – creating a situation reminiscent of the COVID building materials crisis but on a vastly larger scale.

Meanwhile, European cloud providers aren't sitting idle. We dive into the fascinating "Fulcrum Project," a bold initiative creating what they're calling "Trump-proof" cloud services. This ambitious federation of smaller European providers aims to redefine data sovereignty beyond just data location to who actually controls the cloud provider. With initial funding of one million euros, they're targeting SMBs who want local alternatives to hyperscalers that might be subject to foreign regulations.

Security concerns dominate our discussion as we unpack Oracle's problematic handling of a significant cloud breach. Despite clear evidence from both attackers selling the stolen data and customers confirming their data was compromised, Oracle initially denied any breach occurred. This stark contrast between transparent security practices and corporate denial offers valuable lessons for organizations facing similar challenges.

We also highlight a concerning surge in threat actors scanning for vulnerabilities in Juniper, Cisco, and Palo Alto network devices, with one vendor reporting 24,000 unique IP addresses attempting to access their portals within a month. Plus, we try to make sense of AWS's puzzling new Route Server offering, which resembles Azure's Route Server but fits awkwardly within AWS's existing architecture – leaving us scratching our heads about its intended use cases.

Join us for these critical insights and share your thoughts on what cloud networking stories we should cover next time!

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

What exactly is cloud networking? This seemingly simple question quickly descends into a fascinating philosophical debate as we welcome back Nico Vibert, Senior Staff Technical Marketing Engineer at Isovalent/Cisco, to tackle this identity crisis head-on.

The conversation begins with a startling observation from Nico about analyst reports that group wildly different vendors together under the "cloud networking" umbrella. From there, we explore how defining cloud networking has become increasingly complex as technologies evolve and converge. We trace the origins back to AWS's introduction of VPC in 2009 and discuss how different cloud providers approach networking based on their unique company cultures.

One clear consensus emerges: true cloud networking must be API-driven. Whether consumed directly via APIs or through infrastructure-as-code tools like Terraform, programmability stands as a non-negotiable requirement. But beyond this foundation, the boundaries blur significantly when examining various technologies that might qualify.

Does Kubernetes networking fall under the cloud networking umbrella? What about Middle Mile providers like Equinix or Megaport that physically connect clouds? Are CDNs part of cloud networking, or something entirely different? We dissect these questions without settling on definitive answers, highlighting how technology's rapid evolution makes categorization increasingly difficult.

Looking ahead, we explore how AI is reshaping cloud networking in two critical ways: networks optimized for AI workloads and AI-enhanced network management. Cloud providers are investing billions in infrastructure upgrades, developing custom silicon to reduce dependency on GPU manufacturers, signaling massive transformation on the horizon.

Whether you're a network engineer, cloud architect, or technology leader trying to understand this evolving landscape, this episode provides valuable perspective on cloud networking's past, present, and future directions.

Connect with Nico: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolasvibert/

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

When tech giants make moves, the entire industry feels the tremors. Google's staggering $32 billion acquisition of cloud security company Wiz signals just how valuable security platforms have become in today's digital landscape—especially those with visibility across multiple cloud providers. With a $3.2 billion breakup fee attached, Google clearly believes regulators will ultimately approve the deal despite potential competitive concerns about accessing data from rival cloud platforms.

Meanwhile, Cisco and NVIDIA are combining forces to create the "Cisco Secure AI Factory," a turnkey solution aimed at enterprises looking to deploy AI infrastructure without the complexity of building from scratch. This strategic partnership packages Cisco's networking equipment with NVIDIA's powerful AI chipsets, offering organizations a direct path to AI implementation. The question remains whether enterprises will adopt these solutions while still waiting for clear ROI from AI investments.

The cloud landscape continues to evolve in unexpected ways, with HPE announcing workforce reductions despite strong revenue growth, all while battling regulatory challenges to its Juniper Networks acquisition. And as smaller cloud providers like NetEase shutter their services, organizations are reminded of the importance of multi-cloud strategies that distribute risk and enhance resilience. These developments underscore a crucial reality: in today's technology ecosystem, consolidation presents both opportunities and significant challenges for businesses relying on digital infrastructure. 

Are you prepared for the shifting terrain of cloud computing? Subscribe now to stay ahead of the changes reshaping our digital world.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

The story of cloud networking rarely gets told from the perspective of those building it inside unicorn startups, but that's exactly what this episode delivers. Richard Olson, cloud networking expert at Canva, takes us behind the scenes of building network infrastructure for one of the world's fastest-growing SaaS platforms.

Richard's fascinating career journey began with literally throwing rocks with phone lines into trees during his military service, progressing through network operations centers and pre-sales engineering before landing at AWS and eventually Canva. His unique perspective bridges traditional networking expertise with cloud-native development approaches.

Unlike enterprises migrating from legacy environments, Canva started entirely in the cloud with minimal networking considerations. Richard explains how this trajectory created different challenges - starting with overlapping 10.0.0.0/16 addresses across development environments and evolving to hundreds of VPCs requiring sophisticated connectivity solutions. By mid-2022, these networking challenges had grown complex enough to warrant forming a dedicated cloud networking team, which Richard helped establish.

The conversation takes a deep technical turn exploring Kubernetes networking challenges that even experienced network engineers might not anticipate. Richard explains why "Kubernetes eats IP addresses for breakfast" in cloud environments, detailing the complex interaction between VPC CIDR allocations, prefix delegations, and worker node configurations that can quickly exhaust even large IP spaces. This pressure is finally creating compelling business cases for IPv6 adoption after decades of slow uptake.

Whether you're managing cloud infrastructure today or planning your organization's network strategy for tomorrow, this episode offers invaluable insights into the evolution and challenges of cloud networking at unicorn scale. Listen now to understand why companies are increasingly forming dedicated cloud networking teams and the unique skill sets they require.

Connect with Richard:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-olson-au

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Cloud security threats continue to evolve at an alarming pace, with state-sponsored actors developing increasingly sophisticated attack strategies. We dive into the emergence of China's Silk Typhoon group, which represents the concerning evolution of previous Salt Typhoon attacks. While initially targeting service provider infrastructure, these attackers are now leveraging stolen credentials to compromise enterprise cloud accounts through password spraying and API key theft. This progression demonstrates why encryption through provider networks is essential and why organizations must remain vigilant even when threats initially appear to target only their service providers.

Europe is making bold moves toward cloud standardization with the Sovereign European Cloud API (SECA) initiative. This collaborative effort between European cloud providers aims to create true interoperability across cloud platforms, potentially ending vendor lock-in for organizations operating in the EU. Drawing parallels to the USB-C standardization for mobile devices, this regulatory approach could force major cloud service providers to adapt their proprietary interfaces to maintain access to the European market. While technical challenges remain significant given the diverse service offerings across providers, the economic importance of Europe means this initiative deserves close attention as it could fundamentally change how organizations interact with cloud infrastructure globally.

The Kubernetes security landscape is evolving beyond traditional cluster protection with Aviatrix's launch of its Kubernetes Cloud Firewall. Rather than competing in the crowded space of intra-cluster security, this solution addresses the often-overlooked challenge of securing egress traffic and integrations between Kubernetes workloads and legacy systems. By reading the Kubernetes API to build security policies based on native attributes like pods and namespaces, the firewall helps organizations manage the reality that few environments are purely containerized. Looking to enhance your cloud security posture across hybrid environments? Subscribe to our podcast for more insights and visit https://www.cables2clouds.com for comprehensive show notes and resources.

Check out our book!

https://www.amazon.com/Certified-Advanced-Networking-Certification-certification/dp/1835080839/

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Get ready for a deep dive into the future of network engineering as we explore the interplay between automation, AI, and engineering roles. In this episode of the Cables to Cloud podcast, we're joined by Du'An Lightfoot, a seasoned expert and developer advocate at AWS. Du'An shares his journey in the tech industry, from network engineering to embracing the power of AI. As he recounts his recent experience at the Autocon conference, listen as we discuss the evolving nature of network automation and how it impacts engineering jobs.

This episode aims to debunk myths about AI replacing engineers, emphasizing instead how automation can enhance productivity, allowing specialists to focus on complex tasks. Discover practical insights into utilizing AI in networking workflows, and learn about the importance of mastering APIs and Python for effective automation. Du'An's layered approach to integrating AI into networking processes provides listeners with actionable strategies to enhance their capabilities.

We'll also discuss the emergence of smaller AI models and how they can serve specific roles in networking while exploring what the future holds for AI technologies in this field. 

Join us for an informative and inspiring discussion. If you're ready to navigate the changing landscape of network engineering, hit that subscribe button, share this episode with your peers, and leave us a review!

Du'An's Network Whisperer Presentation & Code:

https://d1wm3hz7ppam5u.cloudfront.net/

Connect with Du'An:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/duanlightfoot/

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

In a world that continues to evolve at breakneck speed, staying ahead in cloud networking and technology is imperative. This episode jumps into a whirlwind of recent developments that could reshape the landscape of IT. We begin with CompTIA's unveiling of the new CloudNetX certification, designed specifically for IT professionals focusing on cloud architecture and security, positioning itself as pivotal in validating advanced networking skills.

We also explore the launch of Aviatrix’s Certified Engineer Program, which emphasizes the importance of hybrid cloud connectivity. This program provides valuable insights into connecting on-premise systems with cloud solutions, highlighting the increasing demand for seamless integration across platforms. Staying relevant in this era involves continuously updating our knowledge and capabilities; these certifications are significant steps toward that goal.

As we examine the multi-cloud networking market, Cloudflare’s Magic Cloud Networking is aimed at providing orchestration services—an essential need as companies increasingly rely on different cloud service providers. However, with changing dynamics comes the question of visibility and control over networks, a key concern that professionals must address.

In a fascinating twist, Microsoft has introduced a new quantum chip, Majorana, that promises to revolutionize how we think about computing. This opens a discussion on encryption security and the implications for current technologies as quantum computing advances. 

Finally, we confront a concerning report detailing an 82% increase in DDoS attacks, a stark reminder of the evolving security landscape aided by emerging technologies like AI. As we delve into these important topics, the call to action for IT professionals remains clear: be proactive, stay informed, and prepare for a future where technology will continually challenge our assumptions. Subscribe, share, and join us in these discussions as we navigate the exciting, yet complex, world of cloud networking.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Sam Zamanian, a principal advisory director at Infotech Research Group with over 20 years of IT and architecture expertise, joins us to dissect the critical decisions surrounding AI infrastructure selection. This episode promises to equip you with the insights needed to navigate the complexities of AI workloads, from data preparation to model training and deployment. With Sam's guidance, you'll uncover the intricacies of optimizing each stage, leveraging high-performance computing and AI accelerators to tailor cloud solutions for any AI challenge.

Choosing between cloud and on-premises infrastructure is a nuanced decision influenced by various factors. We explore the flexibility and potential trade-offs involved, weighing the cloud's convenience against the control offered by on-premises solutions. Whether it's the ease of rapid deployment or the need for customization and predictability, our discussion provides a roadmap for selecting the best infrastructure setup based on specific use cases, performance, cost, and security considerations.

The evolving AI hardware landscape brings both challenges and opportunities, as discussed in our final segment. With supply bottlenecks and market dynamics shifting, new collaborations like AMD and Microsoft's partnership are making waves. We delve into optimization strategies to enhance efficiency, highlighting tools like the DeepSeek model for cost reduction in training large AI models. As the AI industry rapidly evolves, we capture the excitement of future developments and the potential for broader hardware adoption, setting the stage for the next era of technological advancement.

How to connect with Sam:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-z-77028a59/

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

This episode dives deep into the ramifications of the DOJ's move to halt the HPE-Juniper merger, questioning whether this action genuinely promotes competition or stifles innovation. We also explore staggering investments in AI from top tech companies and what these might mean for future growth and competition. 
• Discussion on the DOJ's lawsuit against the HPE-Juniper merger 
• Examination of potential market impacts of the merger 
• Insights into AWS's and Google's significant AI investments 
• Analysis of market expectations regarding AWS's recent revenue growth 
• Concerns surrounding SolarWinds and private equity acquisitions 
• Calls to action for listeners to engage with their thoughts on these topics

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

The conversation centers on the transformative role of AI agents in shaping the tech landscape. Through expert insights and practical examples, the episode explores AI agents' functionalities, their implications for the workforce, and the ethical considerations that accompany their development.

• Introduction of AI agents and their significance 
• Evolution of AI technology from simple models to complex agents 
• Practical applications and examples of AI agents in various fields 
• Mechanics of building and utilizing AI agents 
• Considerations regarding workforce changes and AI's augmentative potential 
• Discussion surrounding the ethical implications and risks associated with AI 
• Encouragement for listeners to engage with AI agent development and experimentation

How to connect with John Capobianco:

https://bsky.app/profile/automateyournetwork.ca

https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-capobianco-644a1515/

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

What if Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) could be the job creator of the century? Buckle up for a hilarious yet thought-provoking exploration of this bold idea as we dissect the potential economic impact of AGI development alongside Chris, who aspires to up his Blue Sky game inspired by his brother Tim. We dive into compelling articles like the one from CRN, spotlighting Palo Alto Networks' maneuver to streamline their product offerings into a singular platform akin to the Apple ecosystem. This opens up the age-old debate about vendor lock-in, and we can't help but chuckle at the similarities with Cisco's approach. We'll also navigate through the labyrinth of product names, specifically Palo Alto's Prisma, and the challenges of achieving true platform integration.

Cloud security is a jungle of acronyms and complexity, but fear not—we've got our machetes ready! Join us as we untangle the web of CSPM, CNAP, CIEM, and CASB, piecing together the puzzle of multi-cloud environments highlighted by a Fortinet report. While we question some of the report's methodologies, it undeniably underscores a trend towards centralized security dashboards. With businesses of all sizes grappling with diverse cloud security challenges, we set the stage for an upcoming segment about our own company's stance in this arena. Expect a mix of skepticism, humor, and serious conversation as we navigate this intricate landscape.

Finally, we journey into the realm of AGI and job creation, challenging the narrative of inevitable AI-driven job losses. We speculate on the logistics behind such job creation, pondering the international AI race, and throwing in some humor about genetically modified apples for good measure. We wrap up with some playful banter about Tim's personal details and offer heartfelt thanks to our listeners. We hope you subscribe, follow us on social media, and visit our website for the full scoop. Our discussion is as juicy as a genetically modified apple, and you won't want to miss a bite!

Wake up babe, a new apple just dropped:
https://www.kissabel.com/

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Unlock the secrets to acing interviews with tech giants by tuning into our latest episode of the Cables to Clouds podcast. Join us, Chris Miles and Tim McConnaughey, as we sit down with Kam Agahian, the Senior Director at Oracle Cloud, who brings a treasure trove of insights from his years of experience at the forefront of tech hiring at Amazon and Oracle. Kam shares his unique perspective on what makes a successful interview in the competitive field of cloud networking, offering invaluable advice on optimizing interview strategies and understanding the nuances of the hiring process.

Ever wonder about the most effective ways to prepare for a cloud engineering interview? We explore this topic from both sides of the table, discussing the tricky balance of crafting relevant questions and the ethical considerations of scrutinizing candidates' skills. Through engaging anecdotes, we highlight the need for fairness and focus in interviews, addressing the challenges candidates face when traditional network engineering roles transition into cloud-specific positions. Kam emphasizes the importance of aligning interview practices with the goal of building successful teams and satisfying customers, ensuring that both interviewers and candidates are on the same page.

Finally, our episode delves deep into the preparatory techniques essential for networking roles. From foundational knowledge like IP and TCP/UDP protocols to advanced topics for seasoned professionals, we cover the spectrum of what candidates need to know. Kam's insights into the art of mastering networking interview theory and the value of certifications like the CCIE are a goldmine for anyone looking to sharpen their technical skills. Whether you're an aspiring cloud network engineer or a seasoned professional, this episode offers a rich blend of theory and practical advice to help you navigate and succeed in high-stakes tech environments.

How to connect with Kam:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/agahian/

More content from Kam:
https://packetpushers.net/blog/how-to-break-into-a-cloud-engineering-career/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WTH951b-Ok
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8PeU49H8XI

Iconic video from NextGenHacker101 explaining "Tracer T":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXmv8quf_xM

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Akamai’s journey to regain control of their cloud spending reveals the pitfalls of over-provisioning and the importance of optimized workloads. The episode navigates through significant updates like OpenAI’s transition to a Public Benefit Corporation and Microsoft’s substantial investments in AI data centers while pondering Google Cloud's rising competitive positioning against Azure. 
• Akamai struggles with escalating cloud costs 
• The ramifications of leveraging cloud as a crutch for poor workload design 
• OpenAI’s shift to a Public Benefit Corporation for societal good 
• Microsoft's ambitious $80 billion investment in AI infrastructure 
• Analysts predict Google Cloud could surpass Azure by 2025 
• The rising role of AI agents in tech and IT management

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Ready to unravel the complexities of cloud networking and observability? Join us for an enlightening discussion with Craig Johnson from Forward Networks, a pivotal figure in cloud network innovation. Craig's journey from an on-premises networking background to spearheading Forward's public cloud practice offers a treasure trove of insights. Discover how integrated APIs are revolutionizing the landscape of cloud network monitoring and delve into the world of digital twins and cloud observability, where Craig's extensive Cisco experience and passion for Dungeons & Dragons memorabilia weave through the conversation, making it both informative and enjoyable.

Explore the Herculean challenges of achieving network observability across multi-cloud environments like AWS, Azure, and GCP. We unpack the intricacies of navigating these diverse platforms, highlighting the contrast between traditional on-prem networking and the dynamic, ever-shifting cloud landscapes. Learn how Forward's platform paves the way for enhanced network visibility by simplifying network modeling and management, leveraging free APIs for data collection without hefty observability costs. This episode also tackles the frustrations with multi-cloud tools and third-party integrations, shedding light on the efforts required to maintain seamless network performance and troubleshooting capabilities.

As we wrap up, we reflect on our experience at the recent re:Invent event and the exciting anticipation for the new book co-authored by Tim and me, set to release in January. We express our heartfelt gratitude to our listeners, encouraging you to stay connected by subscribing to our podcast and following us on social media for exclusive content and updates. Whether you're a cloud networking aficionado or just curious about the latest in cloud observability, this episode promises a wealth of knowledge and a touch of fun.

Connect with the Guest:
Twitter: https://x.com/captainpacket
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/captainpacket.bsky.social 

Guest Content: 
https://youtu.be/lpA7A6FYMqc?si=diboYPvvbQJBDsLP
https://youtu.be/_GjGsfM-N2Q?si=2RMx-iZkwBHeZm9D

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

What if the future of tech was reshaped by strategic mergers, AI evolution, and cybersecurity threats? Dive into an engaging conversation where we unpack Broadcom's acquisition of VMware, revealing how customer loyalty defies the odds amid heightened renewal costs. Explore the unexpected maneuvering that has fortified Broadcom's market position and what it means for companies navigating the shift towards cloud-native solutions like Kubernetes. Discover the tightrope walk of modernizing IT infrastructures while grappling with the comfort of VMware's long-standing systems.

Prepare to look ahead as we explore tech forecasts for 2025, informed by insights from Accenture and CIO Dive. With generative AI on the rise, Accenture CEO Julie Sweet provides a window into how companies are squeezing maximum value from smaller deals without loosening their purse strings. We also highlight Google's ambitious 2025 outlook and the promising potential of its large language model, Gemini. Meanwhile, the ongoing breach by the Chinese-backed hacker group Salt Typhoon underscores the crucial need for airtight cybersecurity measures. This episode promises a comprehensive look into the strategic moves, challenges, and innovations shaping the tech landscape.

Pre-Order our Book:
https://www.packtpub.com/en-au/product/aws-certified-advanced-networking-specialty-ans-c01-certification-guide-9781835088098

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Ever wondered how cloud development intersects with network engineering at a tech powerhouse like Cisco? Join us as we chat with Erica Dietrick, a developer advocate at Cisco, who shares her unique perspective on the challenges and rewards of her role. From gearing up for major events such as Cisco Live to engaging with the tech community online, Erica offers an insider's view into the cyclical nature of her work. She also takes us through her personal journey into cloud development, highlighting the continuous learning required in such a fast-paced industry.

As we step further into the world of tech careers, we explore the complex interplay between cloud and DevOps. Whether you're in it for the salary or driven by a genuine passion for technology, the path is fraught with the challenge of understanding a rapidly expanding tech stack. We discuss the increasing accessibility of high-demand roles like cloud engineering and the contrasting motivations of those entering the field. Erica's insights shed light on the overwhelming breadth of knowledge needed today, especially when navigating the unique dynamics of startups, where junior developers can significantly shape the architecture from the ground up.

The conversation takes an innovative turn as we discuss the transformative role of AI in coding education and assessment. With AI tools like GitHub Copilot changing the landscape, we delve into the emerging skill of prompt engineering and the shift towards evaluating problem-solving abilities over traditional coding exercises. Erica shares her thoughts on how AI can enhance learning and streamline complex tasks without undermining foundational problem-solving skills. We reflect on the importance of embracing these tools to boost productivity and deepen our understanding of the technical landscape, making a compelling case for AI as an assistant rather than a replacement.

How to connect with Erika:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikadietrick/
https://x.com/Erika_theDev
https://www.youtube.com/@erika_thedev

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Can you really trust cloud-native firewalls to protect your data, or is it time to rethink your cybersecurity strategy? Brace yourself for some stark revelations as we dissect a shocking report by CyberRatings.org on the dismal performance of major cloud providers' firewalls. With AWS's effectiveness plummeting to a mere 0.38%, and Azure and GCP faring only slightly better, it's time to scrutinize where these cloud giants are missing the mark. Our discussion uncovers a startling gap between what's promised and what's delivered, with a strong recommendation to consider third-party solutions for real protection.

Shift gears with us as we explore the intense dynamics of the AI and cloud markets. From Google's bold challenge to Microsoft's OpenAI partnership to Oracle's stock shake-up and new collaboration with Meta, the tech landscape is anything but static. We shed light on the realities of cloud infrastructure management, where less than a fifth of IT professionals are satisfied with their current systems. Whether it's the promise of AI innovation or the struggle of hybrid cloud complexities, our episode offers a thought-provoking examination of what's working in tech—and what isn't.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

What if the future of AI lies in the palm of Amazon's hand? Discover Amazon's cutting-edge advancements in AI chip technology and their strategic moves in the generative AI landscape. We'll unpack the debut of the Tranium 2 chip and the anticipated Tranium 3, alongside the introduction of Amazon's foundational models, Nova Micro and Nova Canvas, designed to revolutionize text and image tasks. This episode promises to give you insights into how these innovations could reshape industries and solidify Amazon's standing in the AI market.

Join Chris and me as we recount our vibrant experiences at AWS re:Invent, rubbing shoulders with over 57,000 tech enthusiasts and professionals. From meeting past podcast guests like Sharla and Dejuan to leading a breakout session, the event was a whirlwind of connections and inspiration. We also dive into Amazon's latest offerings, such as S3 Tables and the extension of EKS for hybrid cloud infrastructure, shedding light on how these developments could influence cloud strategies and operations.

In a lighter vein, we ponder the possibilities and peculiarities of AWS's mysterious new data transfer terminals. Imagine a world with hidden data hubs, industrial IoT transfers, and enigmatic locations—complete with a sprinkle of humor. We invite you to laugh with us, question the implications, and share your own tales of AWS exploration. Let's navigate these cables to clouds together, with a mix of curiosity, insight, and a dash of humor.

List of AWS announcements:
https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/top-announcements-of-aws-reinvent-2024/

Tim's Breakout Session:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNxUf15QNvE

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Unlock the secrets to a seamless cloud experience as we explore the groundbreaking Direct Connect integration with AWS Cloud WAN. Discover how this innovation not only eliminates the need for a Transit Gateway but also simplifies networking between on-premises and cloud environments, reducing operational complexities and costs. Our guest host, Will Collins of  @TheCloudGambit, lends his expertise to dissect the intricacies of network engineering, giving us a glimpse into the streamlined future of hybrid cloud architecture.

The episode takes an intriguing turn as we dive into Microsoft's recent strides in AI and hardware. Witness the transformation of Azure AI Studio into Azure AI Foundry, a strategic move to unify AI services and enhance their integration with platforms like GitHub and Visual Studio. We also ponder the implications of Microsoft's Windows 365 Link, a device poised to redefine enterprise applications with its cloud-based Windows 11 streaming capabilities. From the expanding landscape of AI development platforms to Microsoft's hardware ventures, we assess how these innovations could reshape industries. Join us for this insightful journey through the evolving world of cloud technology.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Get ready to be inspired by Serena, also known as SheNetworks, as she shares her exciting transformation from a Best Buy employee to a leading voice in cybersecurity. Celebrating Tim's birthday and Election Day, this episode is packed with fascinating insights into Serena's career journey and the unexpected twists that led her from the world of network engineering to the challenging field of penetration testing. You'll hear firsthand how the monotony of network engineering sparked her interest in the fast-paced, ever-evolving world of offensive security.

Join us as we uncover the intriguing world of penetration testing, where Serena reveals the techniques and tools employed by professionals to mimic real-world cyber threats. You'll learn about the concept of "assumed compromise," the thrill of privilege escalation, and the critical importance of thorough reporting and documentation. Discover how open-source tools like Mimikatz play a significant role in both protecting and threatening systems and why early detection and a robust incident response strategy are vital to cybersecurity.

The ethical challenges faced by cybersecurity experts are also on the table, as Serena shares her experiences in educating clients while maintaining trust and avoiding blame. From the technical details of exploiting network protocols to the complexities of cloud penetration testing, this episode offers a deep dive into the human elements of the industry. Explore the necessity of understanding networking fundamentals, the nuances of zero trust security principles, and the dynamic interplay between pen testing and red teaming. Whether you're a cybersecurity enthusiast or simply curious about the field, this episode promises a wealth of knowledge and engaging anecdotes.

How to connect with our guest:
@shenetworks on Twitter/X

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Discover the seismic shift in social media landscapes as users flock from Twitter, now rebranded as X, to the innovative realm of Blue Sky. Elon Musk's contentious changes, including the removal of the block function, have prompted a mass exodus to this decentralized platform. Join us as we recount our personal journeys of losing followers on Twitter and gaining a community on Blue Sky. Find out why this platform is capturing the tech community's attention with its unique DNS-based handle authentication and its potential for enduring growth. 

In our insightful conversation on tech evolution, we dissect the trajectory of cloud services as they embrace a SaaS model while navigating vendor trust dynamics. The spotlight is on Microsoft's ongoing antitrust woes, with the FTC's scrutiny echoing past challenges. We unravel the complexities of their strategic bundling tactics, debating whether they are a boon or a bane. Stay tuned for a sneak peek into Google Cloud's pioneering security transparency initiatives, promising to demystify vulnerabilities using a common vulnerabilities and exposure system. This episode is loaded with intriguing discussions for anyone keen on the latest social media and cloud service developments.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

World-renowned network expert Peter Jones returns to the Cables to Clouds podcast, sharing his unparalleled insights into the electrifying evolution of AI networking. We promise listeners a captivating journey through the latest advancements and investments reshaping data centers to meet the high demands of AI. Explore with us the nuanced differences between AI for networking and networking for AI, as we shed light on how these developments are capturing Wall Street’s attention and web scalers’ ambitions.

Venture into the intricate world of networking technology as we tackle the tough challenges of packet reliability and error management, pondering whether the link layer should shoulder more of TCP's load. Discover the strategies of tech behemoths like Google, Meta, and Microsoft as they navigate the complex terrain of cost, power, and reliability. From innovative solutions like liquid cooling and disaggregated power to the futuristic promise of nuclear energy, we'll dive deep into the technological shifts required to power tomorrow's networks.

Finally, Peter lends his expertise to unravel the scaling challenges of GPU networks, especially poignant in the realms of Bitcoin mining and cloud computing. Listen as we draw parallels between overclocking and the immense strain on GPUs in mining farms, all while questioning the sustainability of these massive endeavors. As we explore Microsoft's strategic energy maneuvers and the potential of disaggregated systems, this episode promises a comprehensive look at the future of data centers and the efficient management of AI workloads. Join us for an enlightening conversation that paves the way for understanding the dynamic future of networking.

Links:
https://www.semianalysis.com/

Google
https://cloud.google.com/blog/topics/systems/the-evolution-of-googles-jupiter-data-center-network

Meta
https://engineering.fb.com/2024/08/05/data-center-engineering/roce-network-distributed-ai-training-at-scale/
https://engineering.fb.com/2023/11/15/networking-traffic/watch-metas-engineers-on-building-network-infrastructure-for-ai/

Microsoft
https://news.microsoft.com/source/features/ai/in-house-chips-silicon-to-service-to-meet-ai-demand/
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/microsoft-azure-delivers-purpose-built-cloud-infrastructure-in-the-era-of-ai/
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/accelerating-industry-wide-innovations-in-datacenter-infrastructure-and-security/

OCP
https://www.opencompute.org/events/past-events/2024-ocp-global-summit

Groups
https://www.ualinkconsortium.org/
https://ultraethernet.org/

Connect with Peter:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/petergjones/
@petergjones on Twitter

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Is cloud computing just the tip of the iceberg in the tech industry's financial landscape? Join us on Cables2Clouds as we uncover the impressive earnings of Amazon, Microsoft, and Google in their cloud divisions. Amazon's AWS has reached new heights with $26 billion in revenue, while Microsoft's robust performance in cloud computing stands resilient despite bumps in other areas. Meanwhile, Google's cloud business is riding the AI wave, boasting a staggering 33-35% growth. With insights from analyst Dan Ives, we venture beyond the giants to explore the rising curiosity around smaller players like Oracle and Alibaba, and their potential role in AI workloads.

As AI's influence grows, so does its impact on cloud networking. We explore how generative AI is not just a buzzword but a transformative force outpacing even cloud computing's evolution. Platforms like ChatGPT have changed the way society engages with AI, presenting new challenges and opportunities. We delve into AWS's CEO's claim of generative AI's rapid expansion and the potential strain on resources it may usher. On the security front, innovations such as distributed cloud firewalls, Zero Trust Network Access, and multi-cloud connectivity are reshaping how enterprises safeguard their digital environments. Tune in to discover how these advancements are setting the stage for the future of cloud and AI.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Unlock the secrets of Zero Trust security with insights from Vaibhav Malik, Global Partner Solutions Architect at Cloudflare. Ever wondered how you can transform security from a hindrance into a powerful enabler for your business? Join us as Vaibhav takes us through the strategic importance of Zero Trust beyond the buzzword, illuminating its role as a fundamental framework for modern cloud environments. With his deep expertise in networking and cybersecurity, Vaibhav helps us navigate the challenges and untapped opportunities of integrating Zero Trust into your IT projects.

We dissect the transformation from traditional networking practices to a Zero Trust architecture, where every access request is rigorously authenticated and authorized. Learn why relying solely on IP-based networks and VPNs can leave your systems vulnerable, and discover how core principles like least privilege access and micro-segmentation can thwart lateral movement within your networks. This discussion also emphasizes data-centric security, ensuring that your safeguards are focused on protecting your data itself, rather than just fortifying the perimeter. Gain the know-how on leveraging visibility and analytics to spot and neutralize anomalies, setting the stage for a robust architecture adaptable to everything from AI to legacy infrastructures.

Explore the complexities and nuances of implementing Zero Trust in cloud-based systems, where identity becomes the new perimeter. Vaibhav shares valuable strategies for transitioning legacy systems and capitalizing on the cloud’s inherent tools, including IAM and multi-factor authentication, to solidify your security posture. We highlight how cloud providers enhance the adoption of Zero Trust with their advanced tools for security posture management and incident response. Equip yourself with the knowledge to align your security strategies with the dynamic nature of cloud environments, making Zero Trust not just a possibility, but an imperative for today’s distributed network landscapes.

How to connect with VB:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vaibhavmalik1/

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Can the tech industry truly fortify its defenses against burgeoning threats without bridging the glaring skills gap in AI and cloud security? Join us as we explore the O'Reilly 2024 State of Security Survey, which reveals a surprising shortage of AI security expertise among tech professionals at 34%, and an even greater 39% gap in cloud security skills. We unravel the intricacies of these deficits and ponder the ongoing challenges of safeguarding cloud environments, which often lack the traditional 'walled garden' protection. The episode also questions the complexity of implementing zero trust models, despite a 49% reported adoption rate, and highlights how phishing remains a persistent threat leading to network intrusions.

In our further exploration, we spotlight the unyielding role of mainframes in enterprise technology. Despite the allure and advancements of cloud computing, many businesses cling to mainframes due to the prohibitive costs and complexities of revamping legacy systems. We discuss the innovative trend of "mainframe as a service," managed by companies like IBM and Accenture, which signals a niche demand for skilled professionals. Shifting gears, we examine the rise of the "zero-click internet," a digital landscape where platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn focus on keeping users engaged with internally generated content, a phenomenon expedited by generative AI. This captivating conversation bridges the worlds of traditional and emerging technologies, offering insights for tech enthusiasts and professionals alike.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

What if you could harness the power of AI without relying on tech giants like Microsoft or Google? Join us as we unravel this thought-provoking possibility with Andrew Brown, who is redefining the AI landscape with his innovative approach. Andrew is not just envisioning a future with greater flexibility and control over AI tools; he's actively building it by transforming an old church into a bustling technology center dedicated to STEM education and tech retraining. Imagine the ripple effect of empowering communities with tech knowledge—Andrew's vision is nothing short of inspiring.

As we traverse the fascinating world of generative AI (Gen AI), we cut through the noise to clarify often confusing terms like Web3, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), and vector stores. Andrew shares his expertise, illuminating how Gen AI extends beyond traditional machine learning to encompass new dimensions in language, vision, and audio. This episode reveals the profound potential of on-premise AI solutions, offering businesses the unique opportunity to interact directly with models, unshackled by the limitations of managed services. With these insights, you'll discover how to elevate your technological strategies and remain agile in a rapidly evolving digital era.

We're also excited to announce Andrew's upcoming Gen AI Bootcamp set for January 2025, alongside plans for a multi-city training roadshow. These initiatives are aimed at fostering a vibrant tech community and equipping individuals with the skills to delve into Gen AI careers, reminiscent of the cybersecurity wave. Whether you're tuning in for the exclusive insights or the exciting announcements, this episode promises to enlighten and inspire as you explore the future of AI and technology education with us.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Discover how OpenAI’s transformation from a nonprofit to a B Corp is reshaping the AI landscape and sparking ethical debates. We discuss Sam Altman's pivotal role in this transition and how it mirrors the trajectory of other AI startups like Anthropic. As we navigate the complexities of AI governance, California Governor Gavin Newsom's veto of a bill requiring AI "kill switches" prompts us to question the future of regulatory measures in this rapidly evolving field.

Meanwhile, AWS users have reason to celebrate with the introduction of security group referencing across AWS Transit Gateway—a feature that promises enhanced security and flexibility. Why did it take AWS so long to roll this out? Join us as we weigh in on networking innovation and its implications for global communication, particularly through the lens of subsea cable connectivity. The mounting influence of tech giants like AWS and Azure raises critical discussions about an open internet and consumer choice. Connect with us at the upcoming re:Invent conference to keep these critical conversations going.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Curious about the evolution of network engineering from the 90s to the age of the cloud? Join us as we have an enlightening conversation with Kam, a seasoned expert with over twenty years in the field, now at the helm of cloud network engineering at Oracle Cloud. Kam walks us through the transformation from traditional network admin roles to today's specialized cloud network engineer, detailing how significant technological shifts and responsibilities have morphed over the decades. From the rise of Active Directory and WAN/LAN advancements to the game-changing impact of automation and private clouds, this episode offers a panoramic view of the journey and milestones that have paved the way for modern cloud networking.

Unpack the essential skill sets that define a Cloud Network Engineer today in the second segment of our discussion. As we navigate through the layers of networking, discover why traditional physical layer concerns have become obsolete and how layer three configurations like BGP still hold critical importance. Learn about the nuanced responsibilities that cloud environments introduce, including the significance of load balancing and managing firewalls in a software-defined ecosystem. This is your chance to grasp the core competencies that are now indispensable for any aspiring cloud network professional.

Finally, we shift gears to focus on practical advice for transitioning to cloud networking roles. Kam sheds light on the importance of a cloud-first mindset and shares strategies for adapting to multi-cloud environments and Kubernetes. Understand the necessity of continuous learning and certifications for staying competitive in this fast-evolving field, and gain insights into managing application performance and costs effectively. Whether you're just starting your cloud journey or looking to refine your expertise, this episode is packed with actionable tips and invaluable perspectives to help you thrive in cloud network engineering.

*Disclaimer*
Kam's opinions expressed in this episode do not reflect the opinion of his employer.

Show Links:
@kagahian – Kam Agahian on Twitter

Kam Agahian on LinkedIn

Cloud Network Engineering: A Closer Look – NANOG (via YouTube)

How to Break into a Cloud Engineering Career? – via Packet Pushers

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Is the 9-5 workday truly the key to innovation, or is it an outdated relic? Join us in this week's episode of Cables2Clouds as we navigate through a pivotal moment in our podcast's history. With heavy hearts, we announce that our dear co-host Alex Perkins is stepping back to prioritize his personal life, including work, family, and returning to college. While we'll miss Alex's invaluable contributions, Tim and Chris are committed to continuing your fortnightly dose of critical cloud news, even as we adjust our editing process.

Amidst these changes, we dive into some of the latest industry shakeups, starting with Andy Jassy's announcement of Amazon's organizational restructuring and mandatory return-to-office orders. The debate over remote versus in-office work is hotter than ever, and we challenge the notion that a five-day return to the office fosters better innovation. We also speculate on Qualcomm's potential takeover of Intel, discussing Intel's recent struggles and the far-reaching implications this could have for the tech industry. 

In the latter part of the episode, we analyze Verizon's acquisition of Frontier's fiber network and its impact on the market, including opportunities for Nile. We also explore NVIDIA's strategic move by joining the Ultra Ethernet Consortium and the surprising Oracle-AWS partnership. Finally, we tackle the sustainability concerns of the rapidly expanding data center industry, debating solutions like carbon credits and grid modernization. As always, we welcome your thoughts and feedback on these pressing issues. Tune in for an insightful discussion!

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Ready to unlock the secrets of AWS security? Join us for an enlightening conversation with Brandon Carroll, a senior developer advocate at AWS, as he shares his incredible journey from a Cisco-focused on-prem instructor to a key player at AWS. You'll discover how community feedback shapes AWS services and the vital role of educational content in demystifying complex technologies. This episode is packed with valuable insights for anyone navigating the hybrid and multi-cloud networking landscape, offering a clear comparison between AWS security and traditional on-premises practices.

Wondering how to transition smoothly to AWS cloud services while maintaining security? We dive into the challenges network engineers face, such as the shift in control and visibility, and the intricate shared responsibility model. Brandon sheds light on the abstraction layers and the steep learning curve involved in mastering AWS's approach to cloud resources. We'll also tackle the complexities of service insertion in the cloud versus on-premises setups, providing a comprehensive guide to adjusting your strategies for cloud adoption.

Curious about cloud security and compliance? We examine how AWS integrates frameworks like HIPAA and PCI within cloud environments, leveraging services like AWS Config and Security Hub for seamless interactions. Brandon highlights the advantages of AWS's API-first design and transitions from traditional security tools to modern AWS services. We'll also address emerging security challenges, including threats from generative AI. Don't miss our call to action to stay connected with Cables to Clouds through our podcast platforms, YouTube channel, and social media for more invaluable knowledge on AWS security and cloud computing.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

What if a startup with no product and only ten employees could secure $1 billion in funding? Join us as we unpack the jaw-dropping story of SSI, a safety-focused AI startup co-founded by Ilya Sutzgever, which has achieved a staggering $5 billion valuation. We dissect the implications of this massive investment and scrutinize the potential conflicts of interest involving SSI's CEO. Despite a bout of illness slowing us down, our enthusiasm for the latest in AI news remains undiminished, and we offer our spirited take on what this could mean for AI safety regulations.

In our tech news roundup, we explore the key players and challenges in cloud computing. From SIVO's strategies in cloud cost management to Azure's ongoing capacity issues, we've got you covered. We also dig into Broadcom's recent earnings report and the surprising slump in AI chip demand, considering what this signals for the industry. Confused by the term "micro cloud"? So are we! We break down why this buzzword doesn’t quite measure up to traditional edge computing or MSP offerings and wrap things up with some light-hearted commentary on fast food marketing and Chick-fil-A's customer service. Don't miss this episode packed with insights, analysis, and a touch of humor!

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

What truly defines "cloud native"? Join Tim, Alex, Chris, and special guest Will Collins as they challenge conventional wisdom and dissect the evolving concept of cloud-native infrastructure. This episode kicks off by exploring the Cloud Native Computing Foundation's (CNCF) definition, examining whether it serves as a prescriptive guide or merely a loose framework. We touch on the array of technologies and practices it encompasses—such as containers, service meshes, microservices, and serverless architectures—and discuss the hallmark characteristics like loose coupling that are essential in cloud-native systems. Gain insights into how these principles are being applied beyond cloud networking.

Dive into the complexities of what it means to be "cloud native" by exploring the nuances of using cloud provider constructs versus third-party tools. We debate the pros and cons of these approaches, examining the trade-offs between optimal performance, simplicity, and the need for compliance and scalability. The conversation also highlights the flexibility and ambiguity in the CNCF definition, which has led to varied interpretations and marketing claims, making it clear that while cloud-native solutions offer operational simplicity, enterprises often juggle these with third-party integrations to meet their diverse and complex needs.

Lastly, we tackle the pressing issue of misleading marketing tactics in the tech industry. From SASE to SD-WAN, we expose how vendors often inflate minimal features to fit trendy labels, creating a confusing environment for decision-makers. We discuss the critical role of trust in long sales cycles and ponder whether stricter standards or certifications, akin to those from IEEE, could help mitigate these issues. The episode wraps up with a look at the challenges of integrating legacy systems with cloud-native services and the ambiguity surrounding buzzwords, emphasizing the need for clearer definitions to benefit customers rather than just cloud providers. Don't miss this episode if you're seeking a deeper understanding of cloud-native technologies and the current landscape.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Are Chinese entities bypassing US export restrictions to tap into advanced AI capabilities via global cloud service providers like AWS? We scrutinize this eyebrow-raising development and its implications for national security, drawing intriguing parallels to how VPNs bypass geo-restrictions. We also ponder the challenges of enforcing effective regulations and question how long it will take for the US to catch up.

Join Chris, Tim, and Alex as we dissect Cisco's strategic pivot towards a security-focused approach amidst a notable decline in networking products. We explore the impact of significant acquisitions and organizational changes aimed at consolidating their market position. Plus, we shine a spotlight on Megaport's new AI Exchange (AIX), speculating on its future potential and humorously discussing the impact of cryptocurrency mining on GPU availability. Don't miss this engaging episode of Cables2Clouds for insightful analysis on these pivotal industry trends.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Ever wondered why the transition from on-prem network engineering to cloud networking is so challenging? Join us as we unravel this journey with our special guest, Dmitry Figol from AWS. With years of experience at Cisco, Dmitry offers a candid look at the slow adoption of network automation tools and the hurdles he faced while building cloud networking expertise. From the dual roles often required in network engineering and software development to his insights on content creation and conference speaking, Dmitry's reflections are both enlightening and actionable.

Our conversation also delves into the intricacies of migrating to AWS from on-premises data centers. Dmitry highlights key differences in networking constructs, the importance of choosing the right AWS region and availability zones, and the pitfalls of multi-region architectures. We explore the nuances of AWS load balancing, including the shift from VIP to DNS for resiliency, and share practical strategies for transitioning your existing skills to the cloud. Tune in for a comprehensive, engaging discussion filled with practical advice and real-world anecdotes from one of the industry's leading experts.

Video mentioned by Dmitry:
Using zonal autoshift to automatically recover from an AZ impairment (ARC309):
https://youtu.be/_0F-wdwiqZo?si=8-MJAm-GmHB1qM4Z

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Can you handle the truth about how your favorite AI models are trained? Brace yourself for an eye-opening exploration as we uncover NVIDIA's use of publicly available content, including videos from MKBHD and Netflix, to develop their AI systems. We dive into privacy, copyright concerns, and the ethical implications of such practices. But wait, there's more! We also revisit our conversation on OpenAI's Search GPT, speculating how it might disrupt tech titans like Google and Microsoft.

Shifting into high gear, we tackle the intersection of AI and networking infrastructure, inspired by insights from a Forbes article shared by John Capobianco. Discover how AI is revolutionizing network setup and the support of AI workloads. We also dissect the latest updates from Forrest Brazeal's newsletter about AWS pulling the plug on services like CodeCommit and Cloud9. What does this signal about AWS's evolving strategy under new leadership, and what could the long-term consequences be for service reliability and innovation?

In our final segment, we break down the complex legal entanglement between Amazon and Nokia over Prime Video technologies. These corporate lawsuits are more than just legal battles—they're strategic moves with far-reaching implications. Plus, get the latest on enterprise cloud spending as revealed by the Synergy Research report, spotlighting a dramatic increase to $79 billion in Q2 2024. With Amazon, Microsoft, and Google leading the charge, we also highlight Salesforce's surprising role in the market. Don't miss our closing remarks, where we share exciting promotions and ways to stay connected with the Cables to Clouds community. Tune in—it’s an episode packed with insights and lively debates!

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Check out the prompts and responses we used for this episode:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZNZNO1yvP0GnHJNrE8DLrqUKxHHaF9QFtbAcKy4_488/edit?usp=sharing

What if the key to seamless cloud migration lies in the wisdom of advanced AI models? In this episode of Cables to Clouds, we guarantee you'll discover transformative insights as we harness the power of ChatGPT-4.0, Claude 3.5, and Gemini to tackle the monumental task of migrating Cornhub's brownfield IT environment to a multi-cloud architecture. We navigate through the complexities of performance, scalability, and cost-efficiency, all while adhering to the well-architected framework and grappling with challenges like data sovereignty laws and network routing intricacies.

Join us as we engage in a spirited debate on cloud architecture recommendations for CRM and ERP systems, where our advanced AI models offer their perspectives. ChatGPT-4 and Claude align on Salesforce for CRM on AWS, whereas Gemini makes a compelling case for Azure's synergy with Microsoft products. For ERP, the opinions diverge further, with ChatGPT-4 and Gemini favoring AWS for its versatile services, while Claude champions Azure for its robust enterprise application support. Unanimously, the models agree on GCP for custom analytics solutions, highlighting the strengths of each platform.

In our detailed analysis of cloud design best practices, we dissect the unique contributions of each AI model. GPT-4 stands out for its emphasis on network segmentation, while Gemini excels in structured recommendations for centralized management and standardized policies. We scrutinize the importance of modernizing legacy applications for cloud compatibility, acknowledging the nuanced suggestions and amusing biases of each AI model. This episode promises a wealth of knowledge for anyone looking to navigate the complexities of cloud migration and design. Share this enlightening journey with your network and empower them with cutting-edge cloud insights.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Is Google Cloud truly the underdog in the cloud industry despite a 28% revenue spike? Tune in to uncover the hidden drivers behind Google Cloud’s impressive financial performance, and learn why its AI and data analytics capabilities might be the secret sauce. We also dissect a shocking move by the cybersecurity giant Wiz to back out of a $23 billion acquisition deal, delving into the complex mix of regulatory fears and strategic recalculations that may have influenced this decision.

Ever wondered how a simple software update could wreak havoc across millions of devices? Our deep dive into the recent CrowdStrike update catastrophe reveals how it triggered blue screen errors and authentication nightmares, resembling a full-blown supply chain attack. Discover how bad actors took advantage of the chaos to launch phishing scams and why Microsoft partly blames EU regulations. To lighten things up, we pivot to our mandatory AI news update, offering a refreshing break from the technical turmoil.

Finally, let's take a nostalgic journey as we explore the potential revival of classic digital assistants like Ask Jeeves, now empowered by advanced AI like GPT-4. We also spotlight Astranis and its ambitious plans to revolutionize internet connectivity with geostationary satellites, having just secured a hefty $200 million in Series D funding. With targets to churn out 24 satellites annually, Astranis aims high, but what are the real challenges of maintaining such technology for a decade? Plus, we address the looming issue of space debris. Join us for a compelling episode brimming with industry insights and forward-thinking discussions!

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

How do government agencies ensure their cloud solutions are both secure and efficient? Join us on the Cables2Clouds podcast as we unravel the complexities of Government cloud solutions with our distinguished guest, Erica Cooper from Cisco. With her deep expertise in cloud technology tailored for the government sector, Erica provides invaluable insights into the unique requirements and security considerations of Government cloud environments. We explore why Microsoft Azure is a favored choice due to its integration with Office 365 and the critical role of hybrid solutions like Azure Hub and HCI in maintaining secure, isolated environments essential for national security.

Ever wondered about the painstaking process of transitioning government applications from physical servers to the cloud? We tackle this intricate journey, focusing on US government deployments and the substantial presence of Microsoft Azure for Government (MAG) in these projects. Erica sheds light on the importance of having a point of presence in the continental US (CONUS) for effective communication and operational efficiency. We also delve into the global proliferation of Microsoft Azure for Government services, comparing it with AWS GovCloud and discussing the significance of terms like CONUS and OCONUS in this context.

In our deep dive into implementing GovCloud, we emphasize the paramount importance of security in managing and deploying government cloud resources. Erica walks us through the rigorous vetting processes, security clearances, and collaborative efforts necessary to build and manage secure cloud infrastructure. We touch on the logistical challenges, from coordinating escorts to setting up secure facilities, and discuss the integration of AWS Cloud and Cisco's Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller for enhanced network visibility. Don’t miss out on this comprehensive discussion that highlights the practical benefits of transitioning from traditional data centers to sophisticated cloud environments. Stay tuned for more insights, and remember to subscribe and follow us on social media for the latest updates!

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

What if the hype around Network as a Service (NaaS) is just a bubble waiting to burst? In this episode of Cables to Clouds, Chris, Tim, and Alex critically examine a research report that forecasts the NaaS market soaring to $285 billion by 2032. We dissect the report’s broad and somewhat perplexing definitions of NaaS, scrutinize the inclusion of traditional networking giants like Juniper, Cisco, and IBM, and express our doubts about the report's credibility and understanding of NaaS. Join us as we ponder whether the authors truly grasp the essence of NaaS and its evolving role in the industry.

Scale AI on AWS comes with a jaw-dropping million-dollar monthly price tag – but is it worth it? We tackle this question head-on, exploring the potential ROI for businesses and whether such a high cost is a clever strategy to push for direct negotiations. We also delve into the Scale Donovan product for the public sector, evaluating its promises of heightened security against the backdrop of data privacy concerns and the cautious pace of AI adoption in government agencies. Can government bodies afford to trust and invest in these cutting-edge AI solutions?

In a major development, Aviatrix and Megaport have teamed up to simplify hybrid cloud connectivity. We explore the implications of this partnership, from enhancing hybrid cloud networks to making life easier for their customers. Plus, we delve into Microsoft's recent agreement with CISPE, committing to a product that allows CISPE members to run Microsoft software on their platforms. What does this mean for the competitive cloud market, and how does it reflect on Microsoft's history with the EU? Tune in as we share our thoughts on these compelling industry shifts and speculate on what the future holds.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Unlock the secrets to building a hybrid home lab that seamlessly integrates local hardware with public cloud resources. Join us as we chat with Matt Elliott, who takes us on an inspiring journey from his early ideas in 2018 to his current sophisticated setup. Matt shares the pivotal moments that transitioned him from clunky physical servers to efficient containers on Linux hosts, offering invaluable insights and amusing anecdotes from his experiences within Kentucky's vibrant IT community.

In this episode, we delve into the power of automation tools that can transform your hybrid home lab into a powerhouse of efficiency. We discuss key infrastructure components like Redis, Postgres, LibreNMS, and Prometheus, and emphasize the importance of secrets management with 1Password. Discover how containers can swiftly deploy new AI tools, and how Infrastructure as Code (IaC) with Terraform and Ansible can streamline your lab's management and automation. Plus, learn how AI can be your assistant in optimizing and troubleshooting your setup.

Our conversation also covers the crucial aspect of networking in a hybrid home lab. We navigate the nuances of transitioning from Docker to Podman, discuss the user-friendly benefits of Tailscale, and consider alternatives like ZeroTier. Get practical advice on overcoming routing issues and maintaining network stability. Finally, we explore leveraging AI to enhance coding, documenting your learning in a GitHub repository, and creating an extensible home lab that integrates both on-prem and cloud resources. This episode is packed with actionable tips, expert advice, and personal stories, making it essential listening for anyone keen on building a versatile hybrid home lab.

Draft Details on Matt's Hybrid Home Lab (OCTANT):
https://docs.google.com/document/d/17O_qt_1gAo-F8za7K3kK6CZlzbk6TV7v_LpzxWUV6wk/edit?usp=sharing

Follow Matt:
https://x.com/NetworkBrouhaha

Matt's Blog:
https://networkbrouhaha.com/2018/08/hybrid-home-lab-pt1/
https://networkbrouhaha.com/2022/03/vcd-verraform-example/

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Can AI development truly prioritize human safety, and what groundbreaking solutions are transforming cloud connectivity? In this week's episode of Cables2Clouds, we promise to unravel these compelling questions. We begin by examining how Aviatrix's latest innovation, the AWS Cloud WAN Connector, simplifies multi-cloud networking. Learn how this tool reduces complex manual configurations and enhances network segmentation across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, thanks to the collaborative efforts of Aviatrix's professional services team.

Next, we pivot to a critical discussion on AI safety with insights from industry luminaries Ilya Sutskever and Jan Leike. Discover Sutskever's mission with Safe Superintelligence Incorporated (SSI) to steer AI development towards safeguarding humanity. We also spotlight Amazon's ambitious venture into the AI chatbot arena with Metis, a promising competitor to ChatGPT powered by the Olympus language model. Wrapping up, we analyze the competitive dynamics among tech giants and the future of telcos leveraging cloud services, debating whether Metis will debut at Amazon's reInvent event. You won't want to miss this episode packed with insights on AI security and cloud connectivity!

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Curious about how Azure stacks up against AWS and Google in the cloud networking arena? Join us as we host Brian "Woody" Woodworth, a seasoned expert in Azure networking, who unveils the nuances of Microsoft's mighty global network. From its robust backbone and unique Anycast public IPs to the strategic advantages of Microsoft's data centers, we cover every facet that sets Azure apart. Woody provides an insider's look at the intricate and sometimes fragmented nature of Azure's networking teams and how they compare to AWS's more streamlined approach.

How does Azure Firewall capitalize on AWS's gaps, and why do Network Security Groups offer enhanced usability? We tackle these questions head-on, exploring Azure's strengths and areas where it still lags behind AWS, particularly in speed and feeds. The conversation takes a fascinating turn as we delve into Microsoft's cautious approach to open source with Sonic, a containerized network operating system poised to reduce vendor lock-in. Woody explains the complexities and rewards of integrating Sonic into Azure's high-availability infrastructure.

Lastly, we peel back the layers on the often frustrating pricing models of cloud networking services, advocating for more transparent and equitable solutions. We highlight the potential roadblocks high costs pose to cloud adoption and suggest ways providers can improve. Wrapping up, we spotlight the impressive growth of Microsoft Azure, driven by strategic investments in AI, machine learning, and developer-friendly tools. This episode is packed with insights, predictions, and practical advice for anyone navigating the hybrid and multi-cloud networking landscape. Don’t miss it!

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Is the future of cloud networking already here? Discover the breakthrough features of AWS CloudWan's service insertion, poised to redefine traffic redirection through security stacks. We'll look at its potential to enhance functionality and user control, drawing parallels to the Transit Gateway service inspection. We also honor the legacy of networking pioneer Nick Russo, whose contributions have left an indelible mark on the industry.

Navigating the complex landscape of cloud security and AI development is no small feat. Join us as we scrutinize Adobe's recent controversies and their ripple effects on trust in major CSPs like AWS, GCP, and Azure. Plus, we'll highlight AWS GuardDuty's long-overdue malware protection for S3 buckets and discuss Cisco's new AI infrastructure specialization for the CCDE certification. Are these specialized certifications a game-changer or an unnecessary detour from broader certification tracks?

Big moves are shaking up the AI-driven security space. Fortinet's acquisition of Lacework and Oracle's strategic partnership with OpenAI signal a seismic shift in cloud and AI integration. We unpack the valuation dynamics of Lacework and the competitive strategies behind Oracle's collaboration to bolster Microsoft's Azure AI platform. From GPU capacity challenges to the financial and technical hurdles of AI adoption, we'll explore how these developments could reshape cloud services and network infrastructure. Tune in for a comprehensive analysis that promises to leave you better informed and ready for what’s next in the cloud and AI landscape.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Discover the captivating journey of John Capobianco from the factory floor to the forefront of AI technology at Cisco on this episode of Cables2Clouds. John shares his inspiring path, detailing how his early fascination with technology and subsequent mastery of programming languages like Ansible and Python laid the groundwork for his current role in network automation and AI. Listen as he recounts his experience with early access to ChatGPT's API and discusses cutting-edge advancements in AI such as Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) and the innovative Raptor approach.

Join us as we navigate the intricate world of AI integration within network operations and the ongoing debate between cloud and on-premises solutions. Using Cisco's AI Security Assistant as a real-world example, we highlight how AI is transforming complex IT tasks into more manageable processes. From prompt engineering to the unpredictable nature of AI outputs, we tackle the challenges and opportunities that come with adopting new technologies, drawing enlightening parallels to the tech shifts of the past.

Finally, we delve into the evolving role of security analysts in light of AI and automation, spotlighting Cisco's recent updates to the CCNA certification. Learn about the strategic importance of embedding AI knowledge early in an engineer's career and the safeguards necessary for handling sensitive data. We explore the implementation of Cisco's validated designs and the concept of a digital twin for networks, and share insights on fine-tuning AI models. Tune in to grasp how AI is poised to revolutionize network management, making operations more streamlined and elevating the role of IT professionals.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Ever wondered what it’s like to attend one of the biggest cybersecurity conferences in the world? Join us as Tim shares his exhilarating experience at the RSA conference, a spectacle even grander than Cisco Live. This episode uncovers the latest innovations and trends in cybersecurity, from the importance of telemetry data collection to the buzz around Cisco's new HyperShield and the potential impact of eBPF technology. Plus, we delve into the subtle strategies of major players like Palo Alto opting for offsite engagements, providing a unique perspective on the evolving landscape of cybersecurity events.

Have you ever thought about the implications of an AI company regulating its own safety practices? In this episode, we tackle the controversial formation of an internal safety team at OpenAI and what this means for the industry's future. We also break down the fierce competition between Microsoft and Google, pondering how new partnerships, like the one between Prosimo and Palo Alto Networks, are redefining zero trust in multi-cloud environments. The financial ripple effects of deploying distributed security models are discussed, comparing the strategies of industry stalwarts like Aviatrix and Alkira.

AI-driven deepfake scams are on the rise and getting more sophisticated by the day. This episode highlights a recent case where employees at British engineering firm Arup were deceived into transferring substantial funds, spotlighting the urgent need to address these vulnerabilities. We also navigate the complexities of managing SaaS and network operations in challenging environments like China. From China Telecom’s dominance to the strategic use of AliCloud, and the innovative moves by Alkira and ManageEngine, we cover practical insights that can help you stay ahead in this rapidly changing tech landscape. Don’t miss this jam-packed episode filled with eye-opening discussions and invaluable information.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

What if the future of cloud-native networking could revolutionize everything you thought you knew about Kubernetes? Join us on this episode of Cables 2 Clouds as we continue our "Cloud Demystified" series with a deep dive into Kubernetes networking. We're thrilled to have Nicolas Vibert, a seasoned pro from Isovalent with nearly two decades of experience at Cisco, VMware, and HashiCorp. Together, we explore the essentials of Kubernetes networking through the innovative lens of Cilium, a CNI specifically designed for cloud-native environments. 

Nico shares his unique journey of learning Kubernetes from a network engineer’s perspective, emphasizing the critical role of hands-on experience and mentorship. We also discuss the creation of hands-on labs and educational materials tailored for network engineers. This segment is loaded with analogies to help traditional network professionals grasp key Kubernetes concepts with ease.

Ever wondered how Kubernetes orchestrates its complex networking operations? We break down the intricacies of the Kubernetes control plane, likening it to traditional network engineering concepts for clarity. Discover the limitations of Kubernetes' default networking tool, kube-proxy, and why modern CNIs like Cilium offer a more efficient solution for large-scale deployments. Nico explains how Cilium leverages eBPF maps for effective traffic routing and load balancing within Kubernetes clusters. Tune in for invaluable insights into the evolving landscape of cloud-native networking solutions.

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

Visit our website and subscribe: https://www.cables2clouds.com/
Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/cables2clouds.com
Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cables2clouds/
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cables2clouds
Merch Store: https://store.cables2clouds.com/
Join the Discord Study group: https://artofneteng.com/iaatj

Get ready to navigate the clouds with a twist of humor and a dash of expertise! This episode is your ticket to the latest industry shakeup as AWS welcomes Matt Garman as its new CEO. We're unpacking the seismic effects of Adam Selipsky's departure, and you're invited to join us on a spirited jaunt through the implications for Amazon's cloud behemoth. From the strategic plays in the AI arena to the unpredictable tides of cloud services, we're charting the course for AWS's future under Garman's helm.

But why stop at the stratosphere when there's a whole multi-cloud networking cosmos to explore? We're breaking down Alkira's whopping Series C funding and what this means for the networking universe. Hold on to your headsets as we also dissect the Linux Foundation's Paraglider project, backed by the likes of Microsoft and Google. This isn't just another tech talk; it's a front-row seat to the revolution reshaping how clouds connect and collide.

Licensing changes and OpenAI's latest escapades – oh my! We're wading into the controversial currents swirling around Oracle, VMware, and the AI safety drama that's got the tech world talking. Whether it's Oracle's chess moves post-IBM's HashiCorp acquisition or VMware's gift to personal users, we're here to lay out the facts and fan the flames of debate. Tune in, turn up the volume, and let's crack the code of the cloud computing industry together – with insight, intellect, and a good dose of irreverence.