Heavy Networking
Packet Pushers
Heavy Networking is an unabashedly nerdy dive into all things networking. Described by one listener as "verbal white papers," the weekly episodes feature network engineers, industry experts, and vendors sharing useful information to keep your professional knowledge sharp and your career growing. Hosts Ethan Banks & Drew Conry-Murray cut through the marketing spin to explore what works—and what doesn't—in networking today, while keeping an eye on what's ahead for the industry. On air since 2010, Heavy Networking is the flagship show of the Packet Pushers podcast network.
Episodes
Mentioned books
6 snips
Mar 1, 2024 • 44min
HN723: ‘It’s like Legos’: Developing a Network Automation Framework
Exploring the need for a universal network automation framework, developing it like Legos, streamlining complex processes, evolving network automation frameworks with templates and version control, and involving business stakeholders in design decisions for creating a collaborative automation approach.
13 snips
Feb 23, 2024 • 60min
HN722: Ivan Pepelnjak’s Netlab Eliminates the Tedious Bits of Labbing
Ivan Pepelnjak created NetLab to streamline networking lab setup, automating tasks like IP assignments, routing protocols, VLANs. The podcast discusses challenges faced, flexibility of creating custom data models, and creating plugins for BGP and RIP behaviors. It also covers setting up lab environments with storytelling through code comments, repurposing old equipment, and leveraging NetLab for streamlined configurations. Platforms supported by NetLab include VPTX and Nokia SR Linux, emphasizing community involvement in contributions.
Feb 16, 2024 • 54min
HN721: Goodbye Network Cowboys, Hello Total Network Operations
The podcast discusses the need for standardization in network engineering, the importance of networking and community, adopting DevOps for network operations, the impact of being seen as a rock star in the workplace, capturing information and routinizing processes in network management, and adopting Total Network Operations in network operations.
Feb 9, 2024 • 45min
HN720: What Yale Learned about RADIUS Load Balancing
Yale’s efforts to load-balance RADIUS servers is a case study in system design for resiliency. First, there was a lone, redundant PSN. Next, F5s load balancers entered the picture. Then the network team realized a feature in IOS-XE was the answer… and brought Cisco along the learning journey with them. Hear it all from the... Read more »
Feb 2, 2024 • 57min
HN719: Meet SuzieQ, The Network Observability Application
Guest Dinesh Dutt introduces his newest creation, SuzieQ. It’s a network observability platform application that has both a free, open source version and an enterprise version. Lightweight, fast, and platform-agnostic, SuzieQ’s use cases include network documentation, troubleshooting, fabric-wide visibility, network refresh and redesign, low/no code validation, audits and compliance, and proactive health checks. Hosts Ethan... Read more »
Jan 26, 2024 • 49min
HN718: Prisma SASE Gets Clever With TCP For Better App And User Experiences (Sponsored)
Remote and hybrid work means network engineers have to grapple with lossy residential networks such as home wireless that your work-from-home folks are using to access company resources. Their Wi-Fi sucks, and so their use of corporate resources sucks. Sure, you’ve got them plumbed into a SASE fabric, but that doesn’t fix their user experience... Read more »
Jan 19, 2024 • 1h 14min
HN717: Network Source(s) Of Truth – A Roundtable Discussion
On today’s episode, we discuss networking sources of truth. That’s right, sources of truth, because you’re likely to have more than one depending on your environment and your point of view. On LinkedIn, Ethan Banks quoted someone at the AutoCon0 conference who essentially said that the network itself shouldn’t be used as a source of... Read more »
Jan 12, 2024 • 48min
HN716: Design-Driven Network Automation And Assurance
Jeremy Schulman discusses the concept of Design Driven Network Assurance and the importance of starting with the design for network automation. They explore the difference between intent-based networking and network design. The chapter also discusses the process of designing and implementing network automation, including analyzing existing configurations, and using ginger templates for configuration generation. The speaker explains their proprietary code for MLB and their commitment to evangelizing techniques instead of open sourcing the code.
5 snips
Jan 5, 2024 • 46min
HN715: Prescribing The Right Dose Of Automation For A Hospital Network
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital discusses their automation journey in managing their campus network, data center, wireless network, and SD-WAN. They cover challenges in integrating new wireless devices, automating data centers, and the benefits of automation in troubleshooting network issues. The potential of AI in automating data analysis and problem-solving is also explored. Additionally, the chapter focuses on building trust in network monitoring tools and proving that the network is not the cause of application issues or performance problems.
Dec 15, 2023 • 43min
HN714: Building The Branch Of The Future With SASE Powered By AI (Sponsored)
SD-WAN is evolving to encompass more features and capabilities around security, application performance, network visibility, and more. On today’s Heavy Networking, sponsored by Palo Alto Networks, we look at how SD-WAN has transformed from a simple network connectivity solution to a comprehensive networking and security system. We discuss the limitations of legacy branch routers and... Read more »
