Send us a text The landscape of cloud security is rapidly evolving as AWS flexes its muscles with a suite of new native security offerings unveiled at AWS re:Inforce. From enhanced threat correlation capabilities in AWS Security Hub to seamless Transit Gateway integration for Network Firewall, these announcements signal Amazon's strategic expansion into territory traditionally dominated by third-party security vendors. We dive deep into the HPE-Juniper acquisition that finally received regulator...
Jul 02, 2025•35 min•Ep. 39
Send us a text The invisible threads connecting Kubernetes and networking infrastructure form the backbone of today's cloud-native world. In this revealing conversation with Marino Wijay from Kong, we unravel the complex relationship between traditional networking concepts and modern container orchestration. Marino brings a unique perspective as someone who entered the Kubernetes ecosystem through networking, explaining how fundamental networking principles directly translate to Kubernetes opera...
Jun 25, 2025•38 min•Ep. 62
Send us a text When automation fails, it fails spectacularly—and at scale. The recent Google Cloud outage that took down over 54 global services for more than seven hours demonstrates this perfectly. A simple error—blank fields in automated policy updates—cascaded into widespread failures affecting millions of users worldwide. This episode dives deep into what went wrong, how it happened, and what it means for cloud resilience in the AI era. We also explore Cisco's dramatic pivot at Cisco Live 2...
Jun 18, 2025•33 min•Ep. 38
Send us a text Entrepreneurship is often glorified as the ultimate career goal, but what happens when running your own business loses its luster? Jason Gintert takes us behind the scenes of his journey from corporate life to co-founding WAN Dynamics, and then back to the corporate world as CTO of Laketec. The entrepreneurial path wasn't always smooth. "The first two years were kind of rough," Jason reveals, describing how his income dropped to half of his previous corporate salary and required s...
Jun 13, 2025•51 min•Ep. 61
Send us a text Tim and Chris discuss major cybersecurity acquisitions and innovations, examining how these changes will impact enterprise security and cloud architecture. • Zscaler acquires Red Canary MDR (Managed Detection and Response) to fill gaps in their platform despite potential integration challenges • AWS Network Firewall now supports multiple VPC endpoints without requiring Transit Gateway deployment • AWS exits the private 5G market, pivoting to partnerships with established telecommu...
Jun 04, 2025•25 min•Ep. 37
Send us a text What does it take to write the books that build the backbone of the networking industry? In this energetic conversation with Jason Gooley, Technical Evangelist at Cisco and author of numerous certification guides, we dive into the fascinating world of technical education and the art of making complex networking concepts accessible to learners. Jason shares his remarkable journey from networking novice who once believed the myth that "CCIEs make more than the president" to becoming...
May 28, 2025•44 min•Ep. 60
Send us a text Major tech companies are making significant moves with mergers, acquisitions, and layoffs as the industry continues to evolve rapidly and face new challenges in the market. • Rumors suggest Arista Networks is acquiring VeloCloud from Broadcom for nearly $1 billion, potentially strengthening Arista's SD-WAN offerings • Charter and Cox Communications are merging to combat declining cable relevance, continuing the trend of telecom mega-consolidation • Microsoft laid off 6,000 employe...
May 21, 2025•22 min•Ep. 36
Send us a text When most people think about cybersecurity careers, they envision ethical hackers or security analysts huddled behind screens of scrolling code. But as our guest Brian Eidelman, VP of Cloud Engineering at Oracle, reveals, the reality is far more diverse and fascinating. Security careers exist in what Brian describes as a three-dimensional landscape. Across one axis, you have different job functions ranging from compliance specialization and policy development to threat research, f...
May 14, 2025•47 min•Ep. 59
Send us a text The relentless race for cloud dominance continues as AWS reports 16.9% growth year-over-year—a number that would thrill most companies but falls short of expectations for the cloud giant. Tim and Chris dig into what's behind these numbers and why Microsoft and Google continue gaining ground with stronger-than-anticipated growth rates. Microsoft's massive 53% increase in capital spending signals their aggressive push into AI infrastructure, raising questions about whether AWS can m...
May 07, 2025•26 min•Ep. 35
Send us a text Scott Robohn's journey from corporate network engineer to successful independent consultant offers a roadmap for anyone considering the entrepreneurial path in tech. After 35 years in the networking industry, Scott found himself ready to build something of his own—not necessarily a product, but an enterprise he could be fully responsible for. The transition wasn't without careful consideration. Scott spent a full year planning his exit, having extensive conversations with his wife...
Apr 30, 2025•49 min•Ep. 58
Send us a text The tech world gives and takes away as Google introduces CloudWAN while MITRE nearly loses CVE funding, showcasing both innovation and vulnerability in our digital infrastructure landscape. Politics increasingly intersects with technology as we examine controversial security clearance revocations alongside much-needed technical improvements in cloud networking. • Google Cloud Next introduces CloudWAN service with two use cases: high-performance data center connectivity and premium...
Apr 23, 2025•24 min•Ep. 34
Send us a text Preparing for a cloud network engineering interview at a tech giant? This episode delivers essential insights from someone who conducts these interviews. Kam Agahian, Senior Director of Cloud Engineering at Oracle, returns to continue our deep dive into what really matters when interviewing for these coveted positions. We begin by addressing listener questions about TCP/IP preparation, with Kam suggesting Wireshark packet analysis as a practical approach to master these foundation...
Apr 16, 2025•38 min•Ep. 57
Send us a text Geopolitics and cloud infrastructure collide in this eye-opening episode where we explore how escalating tariff wars are throwing data center construction plans into complete disarray. Tech giants planning massive cloud and AI expansions now face skyrocketing costs and unprecedented uncertainty as raw materials fall under new tariffs – creating a situation reminiscent of the COVID building materials crisis but on a vastly larger scale. Meanwhile, European cloud providers aren't si...
Apr 09, 2025•23 min•Ep. 33
Send us a text What exactly is cloud networking? This seemingly simple question quickly descends into a fascinating philosophical debate as we welcome back Nico Vibert, Senior Staff Technical Marketing Engineer at Isovalent/Cisco, to tackle this identity crisis head-on. The conversation begins with a startling observation from Nico about analyst reports that group wildly different vendors together under the "cloud networking" umbrella. From there, we explore how defining cloud networking has bec...
Apr 02, 2025•46 min•Ep. 56
Send us a text When tech giants make moves, the entire industry feels the tremors. Google's staggering $32 billion acquisition of cloud security company Wiz signals just how valuable security platforms have become in today's digital landscape—especially those with visibility across multiple cloud providers. With a $3.2 billion breakup fee attached, Google clearly believes regulators will ultimately approve the deal despite potential competitive concerns about accessing data from rival cloud plat...
Mar 26, 2025•25 min•Ep. 32
Send us a text The story of cloud networking rarely gets told from the perspective of those building it inside unicorn startups, but that's exactly what this episode delivers. Richard Olson, cloud networking expert at Canva, takes us behind the scenes of building network infrastructure for one of the world's fastest-growing SaaS platforms. Richard's fascinating career journey began with literally throwing rocks with phone lines into trees during his military service, progressing through network ...
Mar 19, 2025•54 min•Ep. 55
Send us a text Cloud security threats continue to evolve at an alarming pace, with state-sponsored actors developing increasingly sophisticated attack strategies. We dive into the emergence of China's Silk Typhoon group, which represents the concerning evolution of previous Salt Typhoon attacks. While initially targeting service provider infrastructure, these attackers are now leveraging stolen credentials to compromise enterprise cloud accounts through password spraying and API key theft. This ...
Mar 12, 2025•19 min•Ep. 31
Send us a text Get ready for a deep dive into the future of network engineering as we explore the interplay between automation, AI, and engineering roles. In this episode of the Cables to Cloud podcast, we're joined by Du'An Lightfoot, a seasoned expert and developer advocate at AWS. Du'An shares his journey in the tech industry, from network engineering to embracing the power of AI. As he recounts his recent experience at the Autocon conference, listen as we discuss the evolving nature of netwo...
Mar 05, 2025•49 min•Ep. 54
Send us a text In a world that continues to evolve at breakneck speed, staying ahead in cloud networking and technology is imperative. This episode jumps into a whirlwind of recent developments that could reshape the landscape of IT. We begin with CompTIA's unveiling of the new CloudNetX certification, designed specifically for IT professionals focusing on cloud architecture and security, positioning itself as pivotal in validating advanced networking skills. We also explore the launch of Aviatr...
Feb 26, 2025•27 min•Ep. 30
Send us a text Sam Zamanian, a principal advisory director at Infotech Research Group with over 20 years of IT and architecture expertise, joins us to dissect the critical decisions surrounding AI infrastructure selection. This episode promises to equip you with the insights needed to navigate the complexities of AI workloads, from data preparation to model training and deployment. With Sam's guidance, you'll uncover the intricacies of optimizing each stage, leveraging high-performance computing...
Feb 19, 2025•39 min•Ep. 53
Send us a text This episode dives deep into the ramifications of the DOJ's move to halt the HPE-Juniper merger, questioning whether this action genuinely promotes competition or stifles innovation. We also explore staggering investments in AI from top tech companies and what these might mean for future growth and competition. • Discussion on the DOJ's lawsuit against the HPE-Juniper merger • Examination of potential market impacts of the merger • Insights into AWS's and Google's significant AI i...
Feb 12, 2025•26 min•Ep. 29
Send us a text The conversation centers on the transformative role of AI agents in shaping the tech landscape. Through expert insights and practical examples, the episode explores AI agents' functionalities, their implications for the workforce, and the ethical considerations that accompany their development. • Introduction of AI agents and their significance • Evolution of AI technology from simple models to complex agents • Practical applications and examples of AI agents in various fields • M...
Feb 04, 2025•38 min•Ep. 52
Send us a text What if Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) could be the job creator of the century? Buckle up for a hilarious yet thought-provoking exploration of this bold idea as we dissect the potential economic impact of AGI development alongside Chris, who aspires to up his Blue Sky game inspired by his brother Tim. We dive into compelling articles like the one from CRN, spotlighting Palo Alto Networks' maneuver to streamline their product offerings into a singular platform akin to the Ap...
Jan 29, 2025•33 min•Ep. 28
Send us a text Unlock the secrets to acing interviews with tech giants by tuning into our latest episode of the Cables to Clouds podcast. Join us, Chris Miles and Tim McConnaughey, as we sit down with Kam Agahian, the Senior Director at Oracle Cloud, who brings a treasure trove of insights from his years of experience at the forefront of tech hiring at Amazon and Oracle. Kam shares his unique perspective on what makes a successful interview in the competitive field of cloud networking, offering ...
Jan 22, 2025•45 min•Ep. 51
Send us a text Akamai’s journey to regain control of their cloud spending reveals the pitfalls of over-provisioning and the importance of optimized workloads. The episode navigates through significant updates like OpenAI’s transition to a Public Benefit Corporation and Microsoft’s substantial investments in AI data centers while pondering Google Cloud's rising competitive positioning against Azure. • Akamai struggles with escalating cloud costs • The ramifications of leveraging cloud as a crutch...
Jan 15, 2025•24 min
Send us a text Ready to unravel the complexities of cloud networking and observability? Join us for an enlightening discussion with Craig Johnson from Forward Networks, a pivotal figure in cloud network innovation. Craig's journey from an on-premises networking background to spearheading Forward's public cloud practice offers a treasure trove of insights. Discover how integrated APIs are revolutionizing the landscape of cloud network monitoring and delve into the world of digital twins and cloud...
Jan 08, 2025•42 min•Ep. 50
Send us a text What if the future of tech was reshaped by strategic mergers, AI evolution, and cybersecurity threats? Dive into an engaging conversation where we unpack Broadcom's acquisition of VMware, revealing how customer loyalty defies the odds amid heightened renewal costs. Explore the unexpected maneuvering that has fortified Broadcom's market position and what it means for companies navigating the shift towards cloud-native solutions like Kubernetes. Discover the tightrope walk of modern...
Jan 01, 2025•26 min•Ep. 26
Send us a text Ever wondered how cloud development intersects with network engineering at a tech powerhouse like Cisco? Join us as we chat with Erica Dietrick, a developer advocate at Cisco, who shares her unique perspective on the challenges and rewards of her role. From gearing up for major events such as Cisco Live to engaging with the tech community online, Erica offers an insider's view into the cyclical nature of her work. She also takes us through her personal journey into cloud developme...
Dec 26, 2024•49 min•Ep. 49
Send us a text Can you really trust cloud-native firewalls to protect your data, or is it time to rethink your cybersecurity strategy? Brace yourself for some stark revelations as we dissect a shocking report by CyberRatings.org on the dismal performance of major cloud providers' firewalls. With AWS's effectiveness plummeting to a mere 0.38%, and Azure and GCP faring only slightly better, it's time to scrutinize where these cloud giants are missing the mark. Our discussion uncovers a startling g...
Dec 18, 2024•22 min•Ep. 25
Send us a text What if the future of AI lies in the palm of Amazon's hand? Discover Amazon's cutting-edge advancements in AI chip technology and their strategic moves in the generative AI landscape. We'll unpack the debut of the Tranium 2 chip and the anticipated Tranium 3, alongside the introduction of Amazon's foundational models, Nova Micro and Nova Canvas, designed to revolutionize text and image tasks. This episode promises to give you insights into how these innovations could reshape indus...
Dec 11, 2024•41 min•Ep. 48
