David Ezell is the Director of Network Automation at Cox Communications, while Joshua Watkins and Eric Hansen are both talented engineers within the same company, contributing significantly to network topology discovery. They discuss Cox's successful journey in network automation, particularly during DEF CON, highlighting challenges in transitioning systems and the critical role of automation in network upgrades. Team dynamics and the build vs. buy dilemma in software tools are also explored, along with their unique experiences in managing high-pressure tech environments.