

Total Network Operations
Packet Pushers
The pod dedicated to the hardworking network operators who keep the bitpipes running smoothly. We focus on sharing best practices, the operations tool stack, and engage with vendors and solution providers to get insights into new technologies and tools so you can make informed decisions for your ops environment. Hosted by your friendly neighborhood internet plumber, Scott Robohn.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 10, 2025 • 1h 2min
TNO045: IP and Optical Integration: Automation Across Layers
LightRiver has software and service products focused on the automation, optimization, and simplification of multi-layer, multi-vendor, and multi-generation networking. Today we have a team from LightRiver lead by Jim Brinksma to help explain how LightRiver is advancing automation in optical and bridging the gap between the IP and optical layers. They discuss the challenges, obstacles... Read more »

Oct 3, 2025 • 44min
TNO044: Inside a Global Enterprise Data Center Network Migration (Sponsored)
Today we get an inside look at a major data center migration that Nokia is undertaking. Nokia is our sponsor for today’s episode. The company is moving legacy sets of data center networking equipment to its own Event Driven Automation (EDA) solution. We go behind the scenes of Nokia’s own IT department, which is supporting... Read more »

Sep 26, 2025 • 1h 11min
TNO043: Under the Manhole Cover: The Architecture of an Internet Exchange
In an IT world full of abstraction, overlays, and virtualization, it’s important to remember the physical infrastructure that supports all those things. So let’s get inside Mass IX, the Massachusetts Internet Exchange, to get a holistic view of the logical architecture and protocol mechanics of peering and Internet exchanges, as well as the iron, steel,... Read more »

Sep 19, 2025 • 1h 1min
TNO042: Building a Network Digital Twin for Automation and AI (Sponsored)
The digital twin is an evolving technology in the networking space. On today’s sponsored episode of Total Network Operations, we dig into details and definitions of the digital twin, how it ties into network automation and autonomy, and the power of abstraction layers. We’ll also talk about how the concepts in today’s show might influence... Read more »

Sep 12, 2025 • 1h 13min
TNO041: From Ansible to AI: Jeremy Schulman on the Evolution of Network Automation
Jeremy Schulman has been working at network automation for much of his professional life. On today’s Total Network Operations, host Scott Robohn talks with Jeremy about his ongoing quest to get the network engineering bottleneck out of production. They discuss the early days of network automation when engineers tried to adopt tools from the compute... Read more »

Aug 29, 2025 • 1h 14min
TNO040: From ARPANET to the Stars: Vint Cerf on the Past and Future of the Internet
Vint Cerf, widely recognized as one of the fathers of the Internet, is today’s special guest on Total Network Operations. He currently serves as Vice President and Chief Internet Evangelist at Google. His pioneering work began back in the 1960’s when he was involved in the ARPANET project. Alongside Bob Kahn, Vint co-invented the TCP/IP... Read more »

Aug 22, 2025 • 59min
TNO039: Demystifying AI Adoption for Networkers (Sponsored)
On today’s Total Network Operations we talk through the adoption of AI in network operations with John Capobianco, Head of DevRel at Selector. Selector is the sponsor of today’s episode. John walks us through his career journey as a network engineer, and describes the moment where he realized that AI was going to change how... Read more »

Aug 15, 2025 • 1h 18min
TNO038: Building Things That People Will Use – ARPANET History with Jack Haverty
Building things for people to use has been our guest’s goal since entering university in the 1960s. Total Network Operations is delighted to welcome Jack Haverty, who’s been instrumental in ARPANET operations and innovation, the development of TCP, and more. He takes us through the history of the internet from the early days of ARPANET,... Read more »

Aug 1, 2025 • 47min
TNO037: The Next Era of Network Management and Operations
What’s the next era of network management and operations? Total Network Operations talks to Mahesh Jethanandani, Area Director(AD) for all of Operations and Management (OPS) at IETF and Distinguished Engineer at Arrcus. Mahesh describes a workshop from December of 2024 that sought to investigate the past, present, and future of network management and operations. He... Read more »

Jul 25, 2025 • 57min
TNO036: Bridging Networking and Security with Auvik (Sponsored)
Auvik is network management software that lets users monitor, manage, and troubleshoot their networks. On today’s sponsored episode we talk with Doug Murray, CEO; and John Harden, Director of Strategy & Technology Evangelism, both from Auvik, about the challenges facing today’s network operators. We look at the rise of the IT generalist, workloads and burnout,... Read more »