Best Packet Pushers Team Podcasts (2025)

1
HS115: Cyber-Risk Assessment and Cybersecurity Budgeting: You’re (Probably) Doing It Wrong 36:15

Play Pause

2h ago36:15

36:15

To understand how much to spend on cybersecurity, you have to accurately assess or quantify your risks. Too many people still peg their cybersecurity spend to their IT budget; that is, they’ll look at what they’re spending on IT, and then allocate a percentage of that to cybersecurity. That may have made some sense when... Read more »…

1
NB549: Startups Take on Switch, ASIC Incumbents; Google Claims Quantum Advantage 49:32

3h ago49:32

49:32

Take a Network Break! Companies spying on…I mean, monitoring…their employees via software called WorkExaminer should be aware of a login bypass that needs to be locked down. On the news front, we opine on whether it’s worth trying to design your way around AWS outages, and speculate on the prospects of a new Ethernet switch... Read more »…

1
Tech Bytes: Why Equinix Should Be Part of Your AI Network Strategy (Sponsored) 18:40

4h ago18:40

18:40

AI infrastructure conversations tend to be dominated by GPUs, data center buildouts, and power and water consumption. But networks also play a crucial role, whether to support huge file transfers to a compute cluster, stream telemetry from edge locations to feed AI pipelines, or provide high-speed, low latency connectivity for AI agents. On today’s…

1
HN802: Unifying Networking and Security with Fortinet SASE: Architecture, Reality, and Lessons Learned (Sponsored) 58:39

3d ago58:39

58:39

The architecture and tech stack of a Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solution will influence how the service performs, the robustness of its security controls, and the complexity of its operations. Sponsor Fortinet joins Heavy Networking to make the case that a unified offering, which integrates SD-WAN and SSE from a single vendor, provides a... …

1
TNO047: Advice From Both Sides of the Network Aisle 49:35

3d ago49:35

49:35

Senad Palislamovic has held many roles in his time, from engineer to network operator to sales engineer and back again. He’s been around long enough to see trends come and go. Senad visits Total Network Operations to share some of his observations on network automation, AI for NetOps, and the quality of network data. Senad... Read more »…

1
IPB186: An Inside Look at RFC 9872 for Discovering v6 Prefixes 20:10

4d ago20:10

20:10

RFC 9872 makes recommendations for NAT64 prefix discovery for hosts supporting v4-to-v6 translation. Co-host Nick Buralgio is a co-author of this RFC, so we’re taking the opportunity to talk about it in detail. We discuss the problems RFC 9872 is addressing and why a new RFC was needed for operational guidance, not necessarily defining a... Read mo…

1
N4N041: Switched Virtual Interface (SVI) and Integrated Routing and Bridging (IRB) 49:58

4d ago49:58

49:58

If you’ve ever wondered what the difference is between a Switched Virtual Interface (SVI) and Integrated Routing and Bridging (IRB), today’s show is for you! Ethan Banks and Holly Metlitzky start with some history and the basics of communication between layer 2 and layer 3 and then explain how the concepts of SVI and IRB... Read more »…

1
D2DO285: The Death of IaC Has Been Greatly Exaggerated 39:52

5d ago39:52

39:52

While declaring the death of Infrastructure as Code (IaC) or Terraform may get you clicks on LinkedIn, IaC is alive and kicking. On today’s Day Two DevOps we talk about why IaC still matters. Guest Malcolm Matalka argues that IaC provides the tools and a model for managing infrastructure across its lifecycle in a structured... Read more »…

1
PP083: A CISO’s Perspective on Model Context Protocol (MCP) 44:03

6d ago44:03

44:03

Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open-source protocol that enables AI agents to connect to data, tools, workflows, and other agents both within and outside of enterprise borders. As organizations dive head-first into AI projects, MCP and other agentic protocols are being quickly adopted. And that means security and network teams need to understan…

1
HW063: Designing a Wireless-First Office 23:28

6d ago23:28

23:28

A wireless-first office is a sensible goal these days when most laptops don’t have an Ethernet port and lots of devices use Wi-Fi. Wireless and network architect Phil Sosaya led the transition to wireless-first offices at sites across the globe. He details his design approach, including why he doesn’t bother with site survey software. He... Read mo…

1
NB548: Broadcom Brings Chips to Wi-Fi 8 Party; Attorneys General Scrutinize HPE/Juniper Settlement 29:16

7d ago29:16

29:16

Take a Network Break! On today’s coverage, F5 releases an emergency security update after state-backed threat actors breach internal systems, and North Korean attackers use the blockchain to host and hide malware. Broadcom is shipping an 800G NIC aimed at AI workloads, and Broadcom joins the Wi-Fi 8 party early with a sampling of pre-standard... Re…

1
HN801: Will a Natural Language Interface (NLI) Replace Your CLI? 59:51

10d ago59:51

59:51

Could an LLM or some kind of an AI-driven language model, such as a natural language interface, someday replace our beloved CLI? That is, instead of needing to understand the syntax of a specific vendor’s CLI, could a language model allow network operators to use plain language to get the information they need or the... Read more »…

1
TNO046: Prisma AIRS: Securing the Multi-Cloud and AI Runtime (Sponsored) 27:22

10d ago27:22

27:22

Multi-cloud, automation, and AI are changing how modern networks operate and how firewalls and security policies are administered. In today’s sponsored episode with Palo Alto Networks, we dig into offerings such as CLARA (Cloud and AI Risk Assessment) that help ops teams gain more visibility into the structure and workflows of their multi-cloud net…

1
LIU002: Do You Need a College Degree to Succeed in IT? 1:02:29

11d ago1:02:29

1:02:29

A college degree can be a useful stepping stone into a tech career, and it certainly doesn’t hurt to have it on your resume. But do you really need that college degree to succeed in IT? Maybe, maybe not. Today’s guest is Wes Noonan, whose non-traditional path into and through a career in IT has... Read more »…

1
TCG060: Rockets, Networks, and Markets With Michael Reid 1:00:45

12d ago1:00:45

1:00:45

Michael Reid went from studying aerospace engineering to becoming CEO at Megaport, a global network-as-a-service platform. How did he get there, and what can we learn from his journey? We walk his career path, including a pivotal role scaling ThousandEyes from 74 million to over 2.4x ARR post-acquisition, and how those experiences shaped his approa…

1
NAN103: The Evolution of Multi-Cloud Networking 47:47

12d ago47:47

47:47

We’re thrilled to welcome Tim McConnaughy back to the podcast. Tim is a hybrid cloud network architect, author, and co-host of the Cables to Cloud podcast. He recently wrote a 5-part blog series titled ‘Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road’ that reflects on his career path, including his decision to leave a startup. We discuss the impetus... Read more »…

1
PP082: Building a Workable Mobile Security Strategy In a World of Risky Apps 1:02:01

13d ago1:02:01

1:02:01

Today we’re bringing back one of our favorite guests — Akili Akridge. He’s a former Baltimore cop who transitioned to building and leading mobile offense and defense teams for federal agencies and Fortune 100s. These days he’s a straight-talking expert on all things mobile security. We’re digging into mobile threats, why they keep CISOs up... Read …

1
HS114: In or Out? Deciding Which IT Functions to Bring In or Push Out 39:41

13d ago39:41

39:41

In times of major change–whether in IT or the economy–organizations should take a fresh look at their sourcing strategy. Companies outsourcing key functions need to re-examine the reasoning and scrutinize the results. The same goes for in-house functions. IT leaders need to ask: is our sourcing strategy in line with our current corporate and IT... …

1
NB547: New Cisco Router Targets AI DCI; Salesforce Launches ServiceNow Competitor 30:55

13d ago30:55

30:55

Take a Network Break! We start with listener follow-up on security browsers, and then dive into a deep pool of Juniper vulnerabilities to pick two critical ones affecting Juniper Space. We also get an update from SonicWall that the breach of its cloud storage service affected all users of the service. Cisco announces a new... Read more »…

1
TNO045: IP and Optical Integration: Automation Across Layers 1:02:17

17d ago1:02:17

1:02:17

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. Th…

1
HN800: Root Cause Analysis for the Entire Stack (Sponsored) 1:11:47

18d ago1:11:47

1:11:47

Today’s show is one of those “We’re living in the future” episodes, where we talk about using AI to perform root cause analysis of a performance issue. But not root cause analysis for just the networking part of the stack. The full stack. Why? Because it’s not good enough to say “it’s not the network”.... Read more »…

1
IPB185: When IPv6 VPN and DNS Don’t Cooperate 17:06

18d ago17:06

17:06

Sometimes weirdness occurs within DNS if you’re on an IPv4 network and you connect to a dual-stack or v6-only VPN. Maybe the browser doesn’t connect, but you can still send pings, or vice versa. Is the OS getting confused about which stack and which order of interfaces to request services? Is the weird behavior being... Read more »…

1
N4N040: Mock Interview for a Network Administration Job 1:03:15

18d ago1:03:15

1:03:15

The job interview is an inescapable part of a career journey. Today on N Is For Networking, we conduct a mock interview with a candidate who’s applying for a junior network administration role. The goal is to give Toni Mrowetz, our candidate, feedback. At the same time, we hope this helps anyone listening who might... Read more »…

1
D2DO284: AI, MCP, and the Identities that Tie Them All Together 45:07

19d ago45:07

45:07

AI is developing at an incredible pace. With that development comes questions. For instance, how do you connect your resources to agents? How do agents connect with each other? And how do you keep it all secure? Our guest Christian Posta is here to guide us through AI, MCP, and the concept of workload identities.... Read more »…

1
PP081: News Roundup – BRICKstorm Backdoor Targets Network Appliances, GitHub Unveils Supply Chain Defense Plans 48:26

20d ago48:26

48:26

By Packet Pushers

1
HW062: Designing Access Points For the Enterprise 25:18

20d ago25:18

25:18

By Packet Pushers

1
NB546: Meta Mulls GPU Startup Purchase; Indirect Prompt Injection Exacerbates AI Risks 50:42

21d ago50:42

50:42

By Packet Pushers

1
Tech Bytes: Building a UEC-Supported AI Data Center Fabric With Nokia (Sponsored) 16:34

21d ago16:34

16:34

By Packet Pushers

1
TNO044: Inside a Global Enterprise Data Center Network Migration (Sponsored) 44:16

24d ago44:16

44:16

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 »…

1
HN799: Multi-Homing IPv6 to Your Home Lab 47:28

24d ago47:28

47:28

If you’ve got an Autonomous System Number (ASN) and an IPv6 block, you too can multi-home IPv6 to your home lab! Sounds easy, right? Well, maybe…but today we’re going to discuss why you’d want to and how you can do that with guest Anton Lönnerbro. Anton is a solutions architect at a managed service provider... Read more »…

1
LIU001: Growing Pains 15:44

25d ago15:44

15:44

Starting any new endeavor is hard. That’s particularly true for a career in tech. And that’s the reason Alexis Bertholf and Kevin Nanns are launching the Life In Uptime podcast. In each episode they’ll sit down with engineers, leaders, and builders in tech to uncover the stories behind their careers to help you see how... Read more »…

1
TCG059: From Source of Truth to Knowledge Graph – Rethinking Network Data 46:30

26d ago46:30

46:30

Network automation has a data problem. Traditional tools may hit limitations when managing complex infrastructure relationships. We explore how OpsMill’s InfraHub uses graph databases and temporal versioning to create what our guest calls “the knowledge graph of infrastructure” – enabling true version control at the database level while maintaining…

1
NAN102: Practical Applications for AI in Network Automation 1:00:01

26d ago1:00:01

1:00:01

As AI becomes more integrated into the IT landscape, developers, engineers, and operators are looking for practical ways to use these new tools. Joining us today is Ryan Booth; he’s built a career around network automation, giving him a unique perspective on how network engineering, operations, software development, and AI intersect. We explore the…

1
PP080: The State of OT Risks in 2025 (and What to Do About Them) 44:32

27d ago44:32

44:32

What does the risk environment for Operational Technology (OT) look like in 2025? JJ and Drew review four recent reports on the state of OT security from Dragos, Fortinet, and others. We discuss ransomware impacts, ongoing risks of RDP traffic, directly exposed OT devices, and overall attack trends and the tools and processes that organizations... …

1
HS113: Bad Tech Romance: Five Signs You’re In an Abusive IT Relationship 40:50

27d ago40:50

40:50

Sure, some days you hate your job. But how do you know when an IT position has gone from being run-of-the-mill annoying to truly toxic? And what do you do about it? Johna Johnson and John Burke are joined by Sandy Miller, a pseudonym for a CIO at a major global company who talks about... Read more »By Packet Pushers

1
NB545: CISA Orders Immediate Patch of Cisco Vulnerabilities; Firewall Upgrade Blocks Emergency Calls 22:30

28d ago22:30

22:30

There’s an abundance of vulnerabilities in this week’s Network Break. We start with a red alert on a cluster of Cisco vulnerabilities in its firewall and threat defense products. On the news front, the vulnerability spotlight stays on Cisco as the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issues an emergency directive to all federa…

1
HN798: Fortinet Offers a SOC Every Org Can Grow Into (Sponsored) 44:00

1M ago44:00

44:00

On today’s Heavy Networking: the Security Operations Center, or SOC. When I think of a SOC, I picture a miniature version of NASA’s mission control: lots of computers, lots of people, some big boards with lines and arrows and telemetry scrolling across the screens. I also think of SOCs as requiring a lot of gear,... Read more »…

1
TNO043: Under the Manhole Cover: The Architecture of an Internet Exchange 1:11:02

1M ago1:11:02

1:11:02

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, s…

1
IPB184: IPv6 Basics: Dual-Stack 25:30

1M ago25:30

25:30

We’re diving into another IPv6 Basics today with the topic of dual-stack, which means running the IPv4 and IPv6 protocol stacks simultaneously. We get many questions about the implications of running dual-stack, and in this episode we’ll provide answers. We start by getting a little finicky about the definition of dual-stack, and then talk about...…

1
N4N039: Configuring an IPsec Tunnel 1:01:20

1M ago1:01:20

1:01:20

We dive back into the world of IPsec with an episode dedicated to configuring IPsec tunnels. After discussing a listener comment regarding transport mode in IPsec tunnels, Ethan Banks and Holly Metlitzky work through topics such as multi-vendor IPsec configuration, licensing, and the details of configuration and routing. Bonus material: MTU size an…

1
D2DO283: Lessons Learned When a Startup Doesn’t Take Wing 34:10

1M ago34:10

34:10

Today we talk to Elad Ben-Israel about his former startup Wing Cloud, and the language that was built along with it, Winglang. We discuss why Eland started Wing Cloud, lessons learned about founding a start up, and what the future holds for the Winglang language. Ad Spot: Faddom Faddom helps you discover and map your... Read more »…

1
NAN101: Scaling Intel’s Data Centers with Network Automation (Sponsored) 52:21

1M ago52:21

52:21

Transforming over 5,000 network devices across 56 data centers is no small feat. Doing that with a very small team is even more impressive. On today’s episode, sponsored by Network To Code, we talk to Greg Botts from Intel, who with his team accomplished just that. They started with YAML files and DNS records and... Read more »…

1
HW061: Cisco’s Ultra-Reliable Wireless Backhaul 22:36

1M ago22:36

22:36

As automation of machinery in industrial environments grows, there is a need for reliable wireless technologies to connect and control mobile assets. Mobile assets cannot tolerate dropped connections or network latency, which could jeopardize safety among other problems. Cisco’s Ultra-Reliable Wireless Backhaul is one such product that promises to …

1
PP079: Rethinking the Architecture of Microsegmentation 57:41

1M ago57:41

57:41

Microsegmentation is a complex topic. We did an overview episode earlier this year, and we invited listeners to reach out to keep the microsegmentation conversation going. Today’s guest did just that. Philip Griffiths is Head of Strategic Sales at Netfoundry. However, this isn’t a sponsored show about NetFoundry. Philip is also involved in a workin…

1
NB544: NVIDIA Buys $5 Billion of Intel Stock; Netskope Rides SASE IPO to an $8.8 Billion Valuation 26:32

1M ago26:32

26:32

It’s big-money deals and ever-more AI on this week’s Network Break. We start with a red alert from NVIDIA, which has rolled out a software upgrade to patch multiple bugs in its Triton Inference Server, one of which is a dangerous remote code execution vulnerability. On the news front, NVIDIA pledges a $5 billion investment... Read more »…

1
TNO042: Building a Network Digital Twin for Automation and AI (Sponsored) 1:01:17

1M ago1:01:17

1:01:17

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 m…

1
HN797: What To Do When The Business Asks for “AI” 1:07:25

1M ago1:07:25

1:07:25

When someone from the executive suite starts an AI initiative, what does that mean to you, the network engineer? The executive suite probably doesn’t know what their AI idea might mean for infrastructure. They might only have a vague idea of what they’re even trying to accomplish with an AI initiative. Regardless, that initiative puts... Read more …

1
LIU000: Announcing Life In Uptime, a New Podcast to Get You Started on Your IT Journey 19:28

1M ago19:28

19:28

Life In Uptime is a brand-new podcast that explores the real journeys of the people who build and run enterprise IT. Each episode dives into the personal and professional paths that got each guest to where they are today—because the road to a career in technology isn’t one-size-fits-all. This show is for anyone wondering how... Read more »…

1
TCG058: Creating the Internet Layer That Should Have Been With Avery Pennarun 51:49

1M ago51:49

51:49

In this deep dive episode, we explore the evolution of networking with Avery Pennarun, Co-Founder and CEO of Tailscale. Avery shares his extensive journey through VPN technologies, from writing his first mesh VPN protocol in 1997 called “Tunnel Vision” to building Tailscale, a zero-trust networking solution. We discuss how Tailscale reimagines the …

1
NAN100: A Retrospective On 100 Episodes of Network Automation Nerds 1:02:56

1M ago1:02:56

1:02:56

Network Automation Nerds has reached a special milestone: episode 100! Eric Chou looks back on 5 years of conversations with network automation pioneers, practitioners, and visionaries. Drew Conry-Murray from the Packet Pushers joins Eric, along with online guest Ioannis Theodoridis, to find out why Eric started the podcast, his goals for all these…