The Everything Feed - All Packet Pushers Pods

Take a Network Break! We start with listener follow-up on Fortinet’s vulnerability numbering, and sound a red alert about an authentication bypass vulnerability in ASUS’s AiCloud service. AWS and Google announce a joint cross-cloud interconnect offering (other cloud providers are invited to play), Microsoft and Ciena pitch a new design to boost optical network resiliency,... Read more »

Itential has announced FlowAI, a new offering that brings agentic AI to Itential’s network automation platform. On today’s Tech Bytes podcast Ethan Banks talks with Peter Sprygada, Chief Architect at Itential, about how FlowAI works, its components, and how Itential uses the Model Context Protocol (MCP). They also dig into how FlowAI supports AI-driven orchestration... Read more »

Chris Kane, an experienced network engineer with a rich background in Navy communications and AI networking, joins Eric for a thrilling discussion on the impact of AI on the networking landscape. They delve into the urgent need for engineers to evolve alongside innovations in AI clusters, emphasizing the importance of intellectual curiosity and humility. Key topics include the shift towards Ethernet technology, the complexities of managing power and cooling in dense environments, and the critical role of observability in AI network deployments. Get ready for fascinating insights!

Join John Capobianco, a technology practitioner and educator specializing in network automation and AI, as he dives into the vibrant AutoCon4 atmosphere. He shares insights on the hands-on RAG workshop, revealing attendees’ enlightening moments. The discussion contrasts RAG complexity with the streamlined Anthropic MCP. Explore how AI simplifies network automation tasks and the generational shifts in tech mindsets. John also touches on Google File Search's simplicity, the innovative TUN encoding, and the environmental considerations of large-scale AI models.

Ben Zilberman, Director of Product Marketing at Fortinet, dives into the complexities of web application security in the modern age. He discusses how cloud and microservices increase risks and the importance of multi-layer protections. Ben highlights threats to large language models (LLMs) like prompt injection and data leakage, emphasizing the need for robust guardrails. He showcases Fortinet's FortiAppSecCloud, integrating AI for enhanced detection and management, ensuring organizations can keep pace with evolving security challenges.

Discover the looming existential threats facing companies in today's tech landscape. The hosts discuss the difference between normal setbacks and company-ending events. They explore realistic vulnerabilities that can lead to disaster, citing examples like Travelex's ransomware struggle. Learn how to effectively communicate with leadership about risks and necessary preventive measures. The conversation covers the impact of AI on attacks, along with strategies for remediation, ensuring your company is protected.

Brandon Hale, CTO at IBM SEVONE, shares his expertise on network observability and application-aware performance. He explains SEV1's innovative peer-to-peer architecture, highlighting how it scales without a central database. The discussion includes automatic app identification and flow analysis for congestion resolution, plus dynamic alert baselines to enhance automation workflows. Brandon also introduces Kubernetes visibility tools using eBPF, showcasing how tagging can streamline troubleshooting microservices.

Brandon Hale, CTO at IBM SevOne, dives into the intricate world of app-centric network observability. He discusses the SEV1 architecture's unique telemetry capabilities and its focus on device metrics, flows, and synthetic insights. Listeners will learn about dynamic baselining for alerts, cloud visibility to streamline costs, and the role of Kubernetes observability using eBPF. Hale also shares how SEV1 maps application flows to diagnose congestion issues effectively, making network monitoring smarter and more intuitive.

Scott talks with Andy Lapteff, a Senior Product Marketing Manager and passionate podcaster with a rich background in telecom. Andy reflects on his non-linear career journey from blue-collar jobs to tech, revealing how he turned challenges into opportunities. He shares insights on the demanding nature of fieldwork and his pivotal shift to networking through Cisco NetAcad. The conversation touches on resilience, mentorship, and the creation of the Art of Network Engineering podcast, driven by a desire to help others transition into tech.

Urs Bauman, a network automation practitioner and maintainer of the open-source Network Unit Testing System (NUTS), teams up with Marco Martinez, a Swisscom architect focused on network automation. They dive into the essence of unit testing for networks, emphasizing small, verifiable checks and the importance of pre- and post-change testing workflows. The duo introduces NUTS as a versatile testing tool leveraging YAML and pytest, making automation accessible. They also discuss community contributions, digital twins, and the seamless generation of YAML tests from source-of-truth.