The Push for an Open Platform

AT&T’s substantial investment in its network infrastructure is driven by the need to manage the ever-increasing demand for data and connectivity. By embracing an open platform that separates hardware and software, AT&T aims to achieve greater cost efficiency and flexibility. This strategic shift is about keeping pace with current demand and preparing for future technological advancements and the inevitable surge in data traffic.

“Open separating hardware and software in our infrastructure starts to give us that cost curve and that flexibility,” Stankey explained. “It’s crucial for us to scale efficiently and meet the growing demands of our customers. This approach allows us to integrate new technologies more seamlessly and maintain our competitive edge.”

Investing heavily in an open platform also responds to the evolving telecommunications landscape. As data usage continues to soar, driven by the proliferation of smart devices and the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT), the need for robust and adaptable network infrastructure becomes increasingly critical. AT&T’s move to an open platform ensures that the company can handle these demands without compromising performance or customer satisfaction.

Stankey highlighted the importance of this investment, particularly in the context of the broader industry trends. “We are at a point where the integration of advanced technologies like 5G and AI into our network infrastructure is essential,” he said. “An open platform enables us to adopt these technologies more rapidly and efficiently, ensuring that we can continue to provide high-quality services to our customers.”

Moreover, the open platform strategy aligns with AT&T’s commitment to fostering innovation within the telecom sector. By creating a more flexible and modular network infrastructure, AT&T can collaborate more effectively with technology partners and developers, driving the development of new applications and services that can enhance the user experience. This collaborative approach not only benefits AT&T but also contributes to the overall growth and advancement of the telecommunications industry.

“We believe that an open platform will serve as a foundation for future innovations,” Stankey noted. “It allows us to stay ahead of the curve and be more responsive to the needs of our customers and the market. This is about building a network that is not just ready for today’s demands but is also prepared for the technological advancements of tomorrow.”

Meeting the Demand for Always-On Connectivity

In today’s hyper-connected world, the demand for always-on connectivity has never been higher. AT&T is at the forefront of meeting this demand, leveraging its robust network infrastructure to ensure that customers remain connected wherever they are. As digital lifestyles become increasingly prevalent, the expectation for seamless, uninterrupted connectivity has become a non-negotiable aspect of daily life.

“Our customers wake up every morning expecting to be connected, whether at home, on a road trip, or even at the bottom of the Grand Canyon,” said John Stankey. “It’s our job to ensure that their connectivity needs are met, no matter where they are.” This focus on ubiquitous connectivity is a core aspect of AT&T’s strategy, and the company is continuously innovating to meet these expectations.

AT&T’s recent partnership with AST SpaceMobile exemplifies its commitment to providing always-on connectivity. This collaboration aims to extend coverage to even the most remote areas, ensuring that users can stay connected in places where traditional networks might falter. “We know there’s a segment of the population that truly needs always-on connectivity,” Stankey explained. “Whether it’s for business or personal reasons, being able to stay connected is crucial, and our partnership with AST is a significant step towards achieving that.”

The initiative is particularly relevant as the world becomes more mobile and users demand reliable internet access in diverse and often challenging environments. From business professionals needing to stay connected during travel to adventurers documenting their journeys in remote locations, the ability to maintain a connection is increasingly seen as essential.

Moreover, the increasing integration of IoT devices in everyday life means that constant connectivity is not just a luxury but a necessity. Devices ranging from smart home systems to wearable health monitors rely on continuous data transmission. AT&T’s investment in expanding its network capabilities ensures that these devices can operate seamlessly, providing users with the benefits of modern technology without interruptions.

Stankey also emphasized the importance of simplicity in achieving always-on connectivity. “Customers don’t want to manage multiple relationships to stay connected,” he said. “They want a straightforward solution that just works, whether they’re at home or on the go.” This customer-centric approach drives AT&T’s efforts to integrate its fiber and wireless networks, offering a unified service that simplifies user connectivity.

In conclusion, AT&T’s commitment to meeting the demand for always-on connectivity reflects its understanding of its customers’ evolving needs. By investing in innovative partnerships and advanced network infrastructure, AT&T ensures that it can provide reliable, high-quality connectivity that meets the demands of today’s digital lifestyle.

Differentiating in a Competitive Market

Despite challenges in the telecom sector, including data security concerns, AT&T continues to focus on providing superior service to its customers. Stankey emphasized that while the growth in customer net additions may be slowing, the utility and usage of their services are increasing.

“We had a very good year in terms of service revenue growth, leading the industry,” he noted. “Our focus is on making sure we take our great fiber assets, we take our wireless business, bring it together, and start to do things like add value to ensure that their privacy is protected, their traffic is secure.”

AT&T’s strategy revolves around simplifying the customer connectivity process. “Customers want to be connected everywhere without managing multiple relationships for their connectivity needs,” Stankey explained. “Our position at AT&T is about doing that better than anybody else.”

Ensuring Future Connectivity Needs

The conversation also touched on the importance of spectrum policy in handling the rising workloads that come with increased connectivity demands. Stankey stressed the need for proper policy to ensure enough spectrum is available to support the growing demand for wireless data.

“If you’re going to continue to see usage go up 30-35% a year, you’ve got to build bigger highways to take that,” he said. “That all comes on the foundation of spectrum, and we need to make sure we’ve got policy right in this country to get more spectrum out there to deal with the rising workloads.”

The Road Ahead

Looking forward, AT&T is poised to remain a leader in the telecom industry by focusing on customer needs and technological advancements. Stankey is optimistic about the future, believing the company’s strategic investments and partnerships will pay off in maintaining its competitive edge.

“Our race right now is ensuring customers can use our services seamlessly at home or on the go,” Stankey concluded. “We’re focused on making sure we deliver great value and secure, reliable connectivity that meets the demands of our customers, no matter where they are.”

In summary, AT&T’s strategic focus on innovation, customer-centric technology, and efficient resource use positions it well to navigate the evolving landscape of connectivity and maintain its status as a telecom leader.

The Complexity Conundrum

For decades, the evolution of communication networks has been characterized by increasing complexity, with each new technology layer adding more challenges. The advent of cloud adoption and the rollout of 5G technologies have accelerated these complexities rather than simplifying them. Bhandari explained that as networks grow more intricate, the data generated is vast and underutilized.

Nokia’s Sense-Think-Act Paradigm

To address these challenges, Nokia is adopting a revolutionary “sense, think, act” paradigm powered by Generative AI. This approach is about making networks more innovative and more responsive. “Sensing” involves enhancing network observability to capture detailed data across various subsystems. “Thinking” applies AI and Generative AI models to this data, enabling intelligent decision-making. Finally, “acting” focuses on autonomous operations, allowing the network to implement decisions in a feedback loop, essentially helping the network to self-regulate and adapt continuously.

Integrating Generative AI

Nokia’s strategy involves integrating Generative AI into its AI and analytics solutions, which Bhandari notes will “power autonomous networks that can truly sense, think, and act.” This integration is backed by Nokia’s substantial expertise in telecommunications AI and the innovative prowess of Bell Labs. The goal is to simplify the network operations by making them more intuitive and aligned with business objectives, allowing the network to manage itself in many respects.

Generative AI at Work

Generative AI will allow Nokia to create more conversational network interfaces, transforming complex technical processes into more straightforward, manageable tasks. This involves utilizing large language models and AI frameworks to translate intricate business intents into straightforward network operations. This capability will enhance operational efficiency and open new avenues for customer interaction and service customization.

Challenges and Innovations

Adopting Generative AI is not without its challenges. Bhandari highlighted several key areas where Nokia is focusing its efforts, including data vectorization, prompt engineering, and hallucination management—the latter referring to mitigating errors where AI systems might generate confident but incorrect outputs.

The Human Element

An essential component of Nokia’s strategy is the focus on people and skills. As networks evolve, so must the capabilities of those who build and manage them. Bhandari emphasized the importance of reskilling telecommunications professionals to effectively handle advanced data science and AI tools.

Security and Ethical AI

Great power comes with great responsibility, particularly regarding security and ethical AI usage. Nokia is committed to maintaining rigorous security and privacy standards as it integrates more AI into its systems. This includes ensuring data anonymization and implementing ethical AI practices to prevent biases and ensure fairness in AI applications.

Looking Ahead

As the telecommunications industry stands on the brink of this AI revolution, Nokia’s strategy represents a bold reimagining of what networks might look like shortly. By making networks more autonomous, Nokia is addressing the immediate challenges of complexity and data overload and setting the stage for a more flexible, responsive telecommunications infrastructure.

In summary, Nokia’s integration of Generative AI into network operations is poised to transform the telecommunications landscape, making it more innovative, more efficient, and ready to meet the challenges of the digital age.

A Vision for Intelligent Networks

Bhandari’s discourse centered on networks that intelligently sense, process, and react to data. Unlike traditional models where networks passively handle data traffic, Nokia envisions a proactive system where networks anticipate needs and manage resources autonomously. This vision hinges significantly on integrating GenAI, which can generate new data and insights, pushing the boundaries of what networks can achieve regarding efficiency and service delivery.

Foundational Principles for Next-Generation Networks

To support this vision, Bhandari outlined five foundational principles that Nokia believes are critical for the development of future telecom networks:

1. Robust AI Governance: Establishing strict guidelines and ethical standards for AI usage to ensure reliability and trustworthiness.
Sophisticated Machine Learning Technologies: Emphasizing the role of large language models, which can dramatically improve the way networks understand and interact with data.
2. Innovative Data Management: Utilizing advanced data architectures that allow for efficient data integration and accessibility without the redundancy of data movement.
3. Empowered Developer Ecosystems: Creating tools and platforms that enable developers to build applications that leverage network capabilities for customized solutions.
2. Intent-based and Autonomous Operations: Implementing AI-driven systems that align network operations with business objectives, maximizing efficiency and responsiveness.

The Role of Generative AI in Telecommunications

Central to Nokia’s strategy is the application of generative AI. This technology goes beyond traditional AI by not just interpreting but generating textual and data-driven content that can predict and solve complex network scenarios before they arise. Bhandari highlighted key areas such as telco-specific data vectorization, model fine-tuning, and prompt engineering as critical components of Nokia’s approach. These elements are essential for adapting broad AI models to the specific needs of telecommunications, where precision and reliability are paramount.

Telco Gen Platform: A Case Study in Innovation

One of the standout features of Bhandari’s presentation was the introduction of the Telco Gen Platform. This platform represents a leap in how telecommunications networks operate, integrating large language models and AI-driven analytics to improve network management and customer service. The platform is designed to be adaptive, using AI to handle everything from traffic management to predictive maintenance and security threats.

Implications for the Industry

Nokia’s GenAI-driven strategy has profound implications. For communication service providers (CSPs), this means the ability to offer more reliable, efficient, and customer-centric services. For the industry, it sets a new standard in how networks are built and managed, moving from a hardware-centric view to one that sees networks as dynamic, intelligent systems.

In concluding remarks, Bhandari emphasized that the journey to fully autonomous and intelligent networks is just beginning. With Nokia’s continued investment in GenAI and its integration into core network processes, the future of telecommunications is set to be as dynamic as it is promising. As these technologies mature and their applications become more widespread, the industry can expect significant shifts in capabilities, business models, and consumer interactions. Nokia aims to lead the charge in this evolving landscape, transforming potential into reality.

Understanding the Distinctive Challenges
Generative AI applications stand apart from traditional web applications in several key aspects, especially concerning networking requirements. While both share the overarching goal of reliably delivering traffic to healthy backends with available capacity, the nature of generative AI requests introduces unparalleled variability in response times. Unlike web applications, which typically process small requests in milliseconds, generative AI requests exhibit highly variable processing times, spanning from milliseconds to minutes. This variability necessitates specialized traffic routing mechanisms for optimal performance and user experience.

Introducing Tailored Networking Solutions
In response to the unique challenges of generative AI inference applications, Google Cloud has introduced innovative networking solutions to optimize performance and efficiency.

Model as a Service Endpoint Solution
Central to Google Cloud’s arsenal of networking solutions is the Model as a Service Endpoint Solution. This groundbreaking offering defines an access mechanism using private service connect, allowing individual development teams to integrate generative AI models into their applications seamlessly. This solution streamlines the integration process and enhances overall operational efficiency by facilitating direct access to models as services.

Service Extensions
Complementing the Model as a Service Endpoint Solution, Google Cloud has developed Service Extensions, which enable seamless integration of Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions or custom code directly into the networking data processing path. This capability empowers developers to implement customized routing strategies based on individual requests, optimizing network performance and security.

Utilization-Based Cloud Load Balancers
Furthermore, Google Cloud’s utilization-based Cloud Load Balancers have evolved significantly, supporting custom metrics influencing traffic routing and backend scaling. By leveraging the open Request Cost Aggregation (Orca) standard, developers can report application-level custom metrics to Cloud Load Balancers, enabling dynamic adjustments to traffic distribution based on real-time insights. This granular control over traffic routing enhances the scalability and responsiveness of generative AI applications, ensuring a seamless user experience even under varying workload conditions.

Demonstrating the Impact Through Simulation
To illustrate the transformative impact of Google Cloud’s networking solutions on generative AI applications, let’s consider a simulated scenario involving prompt requests routed to multiple backend instances running AI models. Using traditional rate-based load balancing algorithms, we observe the uneven distribution of request queues and spikes in response times, resulting in a suboptimal user experience.

However, we achieve a more equitable distribution of traffic among backend instances by harnessing utilization-based load balancing with custom metrics, specifically leveraging queue depth as a key performance indicator reported by the generative AI application. This optimization leads to stabilized response times and a vastly improved user experience, demonstrating the tangible benefits of Google Cloud’s innovative networking capabilities for generative AI inference applications.

Empowering the Future of AI Innovation
Google Cloud’s pioneering networking solutions for generative AI inference applications represent a paradigm shift in AI-driven workflows. By addressing the unique networking challenges inherent to generative AI applications, these innovative solutions empower developers to unleash the full potential of AI in their applications. As the demand for AI continues to soar, Google Cloud remains at the forefront of innovation, driving the evolution of AI-driven technologies and shaping the future of digital transformation.

In the fast-paced realm of technology, where change is the only constant, staying ahead of the curve is not just advantageous—it’s essential for survival. Enter GitOps, a transformative approach that promises to revolutionize how we manage, secure, and ensure compliance in network infrastructure. In this comprehensive exploration, we delve into the core principles of GitOps, unveiling its potential to redefine the very fabric of modern IT operations.

Embracing the GitOps Revolution
At its core, GitOps represents a radical departure from traditional approaches to managing network infrastructure. Stemming from the principles of DevOps, GitOps advocates for the convergence of development and operations through the centralization of infrastructure configurations in version-controlled repositories, typically utilizing Git. By treating infrastructure as code (IaC), organizations can achieve unprecedented levels of agility, scalability, and resilience.

Understanding the Fundamentals
Before delving into GitOps’s practical applications, it’s crucial to grasp its foundational concepts. At its essence, GitOps is built upon the principles of declarative infrastructure, immutable infrastructure, and self-healing systems. Declarative infrastructure enables organizations to define their desired state using configuration files, while immutable infrastructure ensures that changes are made through code and applied consistently across environments. Self-healing systems leverage automation to detect and remediate deviations from the desired state, ensuring continuous compliance and operational efficiency.

The Five Pillars of GitOps Implementation
To harness the full potential of GitOps in network security and compliance, organizations must adhere to five fundamental pillars:

1. Breaking Down Monoliths
Traditional network infrastructures often resemble monolithic architectures—rigid, complex, and resistant to change. GitOps advocates for a microservices approach, wherein large, monolithic deployments are decomposed into smaller, modular components. By embracing this paradigm shift, organizations can achieve greater flexibility, agility, and fault tolerance, enabling them to adapt to evolving business requirements easily.

2. Leveraging Git for Version Control
Central to the GitOps methodology is using Git as the single source of truth for infrastructure configurations. Organizations can facilitate collaboration, track changes, and enforce governance and compliance policies by storing infrastructure code in version-controlled repositories. Furthermore, by leveraging Git’s branching and merging capabilities, teams can implement robust workflows for code review, testing, and deployment, ensuring the integrity and reliability of their infrastructure.

3. Securing the Pipeline
As organizations transition to GitOps-based workflows, they must prioritize the security of their CI/CD pipelines. This involves implementing robust access controls, encryption mechanisms, and audit trails to safeguard sensitive information and prevent unauthorized access. Additionally, organizations must adopt a proactive approach to threat detection and incident response, leveraging automated tools and techniques to identify and mitigate security vulnerabilities in real time.

4. Ensuring Security through the Pipeline
In addition to securing the pipeline itself, organizations must focus on ensuring the security of the code that traverses through it. This entails implementing stringent code quality and security checks, such as linting, static code analysis, and policy enforcement, to detect and remediate vulnerabilities early in the development lifecycle. By integrating security into every stage of the pipeline—from code commit to deployment—organizations can minimize the risk of introducing security flaws into their infrastructure.

5. Orchestrating CI/CD with GitOps
The final pillar of GitOps implementation involves orchestrating CI/CD pipelines to automate the deployment of infrastructure changes. By leveraging tools like AWS CodePipeline, organizations can streamline the process of building, testing, and deploying infrastructure code, enabling rapid, reliable, and repeatable deployments. Furthermore, by integrating with infrastructure-as-code tools like Terraform and CloudFormation, organizations can achieve greater consistency and reproducibility in their deployments, ensuring compliance with industry regulations and best practices.

Embracing the Future of Network Operations
As organizations navigate the complexities of modern IT environments, GitOps emerges as a beacon of innovation and resilience. By embracing its principles and adhering to best practices, organizations can unlock new efficiency, agility, and security levels in their network operations. As we embark on this journey towards a GitOps-driven future, let us seize the opportunity to transform how we manage and secure our networks, ensuring a brighter and more secure tomorrow for future generations.

Capobianco and Bull emphasized AI’s democratizing force, particularly its ability to simplify complex processes and make them accessible to a broader range of professionals. From network configuration to troubleshooting, AI-powered solutions are revolutionizing traditional workflows, empowering engineers to tackle challenges with unprecedented efficiency and ease.

“The advent of AI has ushered in a new era of accessibility,” remarked Capobianco. “Gone are the days when AI was confined to the realm of data scientists. Now, engineers of all backgrounds can leverage AI to streamline operations and drive innovation.”

Bull echoed Capobianco’s sentiments, highlighting AI’s transformative power in network automation. “AI is not just about automating tasks; it’s about enhancing human capabilities,” he explained. By augmenting engineers with AI-powered tools, we’re accelerating the pace of innovation and redefining the possibilities of networking.”

The discussion delved into specific examples of AI applications in networking, including generative AI and conversational code. Capobianco and Bull shared insights into how these technologies revolutionize network management, from automating routine tasks to providing real-time insights and recommendations.

“Generative AI, in particular, has emerged as a game-changer,” noted Capobianco. “With tools like Network Buddies, engineers can interact with AI in natural language, simplifying complex concepts and accelerating learning.”

Bull emphasized the importance of ethical considerations in AI development, underscoring the need for responsible AI practices. “As we harness the power of AI, it’s crucial to prioritize integrity and accountability,” he stressed. “From mitigating bias to ensuring inclusivity, ethical AI development is paramount to building trust and driving positive outcomes.”

As the conversation concluded, Capobianco and Bull expressed optimism about the future of AI in networking. “The possibilities are endless,” remarked Capobianco. “With AI as our ally, we can unlock new levels of innovation and transform how we build and manage networks.”

Bull echoed this sentiment, highlighting the collaborative nature of AI-human partnerships. “AI is not a replacement for human expertise; it’s a complement,” he concluded. “By working hand in hand with AI, we can unlock new opportunities and drive exponential growth in the digital age.”

In summary, Capobianco and Bull’s discussion underscored AI’s transformative power in networking and automation. From simplifying complex processes to driving innovation, AI technologies are reshaping the future of networking, paving the way for a more accessible and efficient digital landscape.

Kicking off the presentation was the Alarm Storm Detector, a sophisticated AI-powered application engineered to streamline network performance monitoring. Leveraging Fujitsu’s extensive expertise in network operations and cutting-edge AI technology, the Alarm Storm Detector stands out for its ability to accurately identify the root cause of network issues, sparing operations teams the arduous task of sifting through a deluge of alarms.

But Fujitsu’s innovation doesn’t end there. With a keen focus on sustainability and energy efficiency, the company introduced the Energy R app—a revolutionary solution designed to optimize network capacity while minimizing power consumption. Demonstrating a remarkable 20% improvement over its competitors, the Energy R app represents a significant leap forward in pursuing greener, more efficient network operations.

Both applications are integral components of Fujitsu’s VUR Intelligent Application Suite, a comprehensive platform aimed at empowering operators with AI-driven insights and operational efficiencies. As the company continues to roll out these pioneering solutions, its near-term strategy pivots towards predictive maintenance—an AI-driven approach to detect network degradation before adversely impacting operations preemptively.

Greg Manganello emphasizes Fujitsu’s pragmatic approach. It delivers tangible benefits to operators in the here and now while laying the foundation for transformative advancements in the future as the industry braces for the era of AI-driven innovation. Fujitsu remains at the forefront, pioneering initiatives like the Large Language Model and Automatic Knowledge Extraction to unlock unparalleled efficiencies and capabilities for network operators.

As the curtains draw on the Mobile World Congress, Greg Manganello and Fujitsu stand poised to lead the charge in this new frontier of network operations. With each new innovation, they reaffirm their commitment to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the realm of AI-driven network management, solidifying their position as industry trailblazers.

Legacy systems like the ASA and iOS devices often struggle with cloud connectivity or integration with Cisco Defense Orchestrator (CDO). Traditionally, users would download a VMware image to install SDCs and SECs. However, recognizing the need for flexibility, Cisco has introduced Docker-based solutions that can be deployed on Ubuntu systems, whether bare-metal or virtual.

Hackney emphasized that the SDC and SEC are essentially Docker containers, making the VMware image merely a vehicle to bring Docker to the table. The provided scripts simplify the deployment process, particularly for Ubuntu 20.04 and 22.04 distributions, catering to both virtual and physical systems.

The installation process involves cloning the CDO deploy SDC repository from GitHub and executing the provided scripts. The “install Docker” script ensures the installation of the recommended Docker Community Edition, seamlessly handling the necessary dependencies and user permissions.

Once Docker is installed, deploying an SDC is a matter of executing the “deploy SDC” script with the bootstrap data provided during SDC creation in CDO. The script automates the retrieval and setup of Docker images tailored to the user’s CDO tenant, ensuring a smooth onboarding process.

Similarly, deploying an SEC is a breeze with the provided Docker container. Users can simply copy the SEC bootstrap data from CDO, execute the “SEC Dosh” script, and follow the prompts to initiate the onboarding process. The SEC container is up and running within minutes, ready to handle syslog and NetFlow data from ASA devices.

Hackney concluded the demonstration by highlighting the process’s simplicity and efficiency, empowering users to connect legacy systems easily. By leveraging Docker containers and streamlined deployment scripts, Cisco is ushering in a new era of connectivity for Ubuntu users, virtual or physical.

With these user-friendly solutions, Cisco is poised to enhance the accessibility and effectiveness of its defense orchestrator platform, paving the way for seamless integration and management of diverse network environments.

Patent trolls are an unfortunate fact of life in the tech industry, with companies filing or purchasing broad patents they have no intention of developing, and then suing companies that produce products even remotely similar. Sable is one such company that had sued Cloudflare.

According to a blog post, Cloudflare won a major verdict against the troll, with a Texas jury ruling the company did not infringe Sable’s patents. What’s more, the jury invalidated Sable’s patent.

Last Thursday, on a clear, sunny morning in Waco, Texas, a jury returned a verdict after less than two hours of deliberation. The jury found that Cloudflare did not infringe the patent asserted against Cloudflare by patent trolls Sable IP and Sable Networks.

And while that would have been enough to decide the case by itself, the jury went further and found that Sable’s old and broadly-written patent claim was invalid and never should have been granted in the first place–meaning they can no longer assert the claim against anyone else. Since Sable first sued us, we’ve invalidated significant parts of three Sable patents, hamstringing their ability to bring lawsuits against other companies.

Cloudflare goes on to point out that many companies choose to settle with patent trolls to make the issue go away and minimize losses. Cloudflare, on the other hand, refused to back down and chose to fight.

The company utilized an ingenious way of fighting patent trolls, essentially crowdsourcing part of its defense. Establishing prior art is an important part of defending against a patent troll. If a company can prove that a technology was already known, established, or in use prior to a patent being filed, it can be used to invalidate that patent.

Cloudflare established Project Jengo in 2017 as a way to incentivize individuals to search for prior art, providing a bounty for those that that found examples.

Cloudflare’s victory against Sable is a win for the industry at large, and its use of Project Jengo could well serve as a template for other companies.

The Essence of SASE

Secure Access Service Edge, affectionately dubbed “SASE,” was introduced by Gartner in 2019 as a forward-thinking concept. This visionary approach heralds a new era in cybersecurity by elegantly harmonizing network security and Wide-Area Networking (WAN) capabilities within a unified cloud-based service. 

The fundamental idea underpinning SASE is the seamless and fortified accessibility of applications and data, transcending device and geographical constraints, all while empowering organizations to navigate the ever-expanding digital frontier with unparalleled confidence.

Key Components of SASE

1. Cloud-Native Elegance: SASE is ingeniously constructed on a cloud-native architecture, which leverages cloud-based services and infrastructure, thereby facilitating scalability and flexibility. This fluidity empowers organizations to swiftly adapt to changing operational demands.
2. Software-Defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN): SD-WAN is the backbone of SASE, orchestrating network performance optimization by intelligently routing traffic and prioritizing mission-critical applications. This ensures an uninterrupted user experience.
3. The Zero Trust Citadel: SASE is an ardent adherent of the Zero Trust security model, a radical departure from traditional perimeter security. It mandates continuous user and device identity verification, meticulously assessing their trustworthiness prior to granting access. This model is nothing short of a fortress against unauthorized access.
4. Holistic Security Synergy: SASE integrates an assortment of security services, including firewalls, secure web gateways, data loss prevention and threat detection into a unified platform. This amalgamation simplifies management and does away with security silos, resulting in a more robust defense posture.

SASE’s Assured Advantages

• Fortified Security Bastion: SASE heralds a new era of security by ingraining the Zero Trust model, assuring that network access is consistently scrutinized and regulated. As the landscape tilts towards remote work, this approach becomes exceedingly pertinent.
• Supernal Performance Elevation: The SD-WAN technology within SASE elevates network performance, eradicating latency and ensuring the unhindered operation of critical applications. This is of paramount importance to businesses reliant on real-time data and seamless communication.
• Infinite Scalability and Unrivaled Flexibility: The cloud-native architecture empowers organizations, irrespective of their size, to dynamically scale network and security resources. SASE is inherently designed to be an adaptable security vanguard.
• Austerity and Operational Efficacy: SASE shatters the shackles of on-premises hardware costs, streamlining the convoluted task of managing multiple security solutions. The frugality that SASE brings is a great benefit.
• Streamlined Management: SASE’s integrated security services and cloud-based orientation simplify the complex chore of network and security management. This liberation grants IT teams the freedom to allocate their energies toward strategic, forward-thinking objectives.
• Anticipatory Security Fortifications: The adaptability of SASE to response appropriately to evolving threats is of profound significance. The incorporation of new security services and updates is nimbly executed, thereby assuring an enduring shield against emerging threats.

The Path Forward for Cybersecurity

SASE is destined to fundamentally reshape the cyber defense landscape in many ways:

1. The Ebbing of Perimeter Security: With SASE the traditional security perimeter has become antiquated in a world marked by remote work and the proliferation of cloud services. It underscores identity-based security, a paradigm where users and devices are meticulously authenticated and authorized, regardless of their physical location.
2. Resilience Beyond Measure: The cloud-native architecture within SASE provides a safety net through built-in redundancy. High availability and resilience are assured even in the face of network disruptions or malicious attacks.
3. Emphasizing Data Custodianship: Integrated security services within SASE, including data loss prevention, encrypting sensitive data and ensuring organizations are poised to meet regulatory compliance standards and shield their invaluable data assets.
4. Compliance without Complexity: SASE’s unified platform streamlines the arduous task of adhering to regulatory compliance standards. This is a boon for organizations grappling with an intricate web of regulations.
5. Global Network Reach: With the ability to tap into SASE services from any corner of the world, organizations can expand their operational boundaries without trading security or performance for global reach.

Conclusion

Secure Access Service Edge is a monumental leap forward in network security. Fusing cloud-native elegance, SD-WAN, the Zero Trust model and integrated security services into one unified platform, SASE doesn’t just bolster security, but also revamps performance, scalability and cost-effectiveness. In an era where remote work and cloud adoption are the norm, SASE is primed to play a pivotal role in the future of cybersecurity, arming organizations with the tools to secure their data and networks in a dynamic and evolving digital landscape. 

Embracing SASE is not merely a technological choice, but a strategic leap toward safeguarding an organization’s digital operations in an uncertain future.

Cloudflare is one of the leading content delivery networks (CDN), used by companies of all sizes. The company has been steadily expanding its network, bringing better performance, reduced latency, and improved reliability to users.

The company announced the news in a blog post:

We make no secret about how passionate we are about building a world-class global network to deliver the best possible experience for our customers. This means an unwavering and continual dedication to always improving the breadth (number of cities) and depth (number of interconnects) of our network.

This is why we are pleased to announce that Cloudflare is now connected to over 12,000 Internet networks in over 300 cities around the world!

The Cloudflare global network runs every service in every data center so your users have a consistent experience everywhere—whether you are in Reykjavík, Guam or in the vicinity of any of the 300 cities where Cloudflare lives. This means all customer traffic is processed at the data center closest to its source, with no backhauling or performance tradeoffs.

NTT has released its 2022 Global Network Report (via TechRepublic, and it paints a worrying picture about the state of many companies’ networks. A staggering 70% of CEOs believe their network is actually inhibiting their companies’ growth, while only 50% believe their network tech is aligned with business goals.

The adoption of new technologies, such as cloud deployments, AI, edge computing, and more, has led to a struggle to have staff with the necessary skills. In fact, 71% of organizations say they lack the necessary in-house talent to handle their network needs.

These challenges come at a time when the competitive and security factors driving advanced network adoption is higher than ever.

“Levels of investment in the network have surged, with the results of this research showing many organizations are leaning towards key partners and managed service solutions to fulfill their requirements,” said Amit Dhingra, executive vice president at NTT.

Because many executives are looking to network-as-as-service to help deal with these challenges, NTT emphasized the specific factors companies should consider:

“Businesses should consider security, skills competency, ability to scale, private 5G and software-defined networking when selecting a network service provider,” Dhingra said. “In the long term, blockchain, further AI and automation, AR and VR, quantum networking, 6G and photonic computing will affect how networks are delivered.”

NTT’s report is good news for tech workers, as it shows there are plenty of opportunities for advancement in the industry, and such opportunities show no sign of abating.

AWS is already the leading cloud provider in the world, but Microsoft and Google have been making major headway in recent years. AWS appears to be on the verge of something big, posting a job opening for a “Manager, Software Development, New Initiative.”

The description of the role is what’s of particular note:

AWS is looking for a software development manager to own a green-field network software project. We are launching an effort this year to completely re-imagine how the AWS network is managed. A key part of this project is building a suite of control plane services from the ground-up, which the network fabric teams will use to scale and manage the networks that they are ultimately responsible for. This role will own product definition, development, testing, and ultimately operation of these services, which are going to be critical to the growth of the AWS network, and Amazon as a whole.

As this is a green-field project that is just getting started, many decisions are yet to be made, about not only the software components this role will own, but also around the overall customer experience. By joining this effort early in the definition phase, you have an opportunity to shape how one of the largest networks on the planet is going to be operated for at least the next decade.

There’s little else to indicate what might be involved, but the post alone promises some big changes ahead.

Pick a VoIP Provider

Before you can optimize your network for VoIP, you should first choose a VoIP provider. The provider should have services that are catered to the business, industry, or field you are in. For example, hospitals should lean towards VoIP providers who can ensure reliable and cost-effective services while also allowing healthcare professionals to connect to their colleagues or patients on mobile wherever they may be.

At top10.com, you can read reviews of the best VoIP providers for hospitals with the features everyone who uses the option will appreciate. On the provided link you will also find the important features you should consider when choosing a VoIP provider for your hospital or healthcare facility as well as detailed reviews of the top five providers.

Evaluate Your Connection Needs

You should have enough bandwidth for the best VoIP experience. The amount of bandwidth you need will depend on the number of VoIP systems you install as well as the number of other systems that use the same connection. It will also depend on the number of concurrent calls you wish to make. To know your bandwidth, you can use various online tools that help you check your internet bandwidth and other factors that affect connection quality and reliability.

Change Your Connection Type

Beyond the bandwidth, you also need to ensure you are using the right types of connections. DSL is outdated in this age of fast internet speeds, and what you are looking for are coax cable and fiber cable connections. Numerous network service providers deploy fiber connections and deal with business-level internet bandwidth.

Once you have determined your bandwidth and the type of connection you need, get in touch with a network provider who can give you both, plus higher internet speeds at a reasonable cost. Remember to also ask if they can provide more than one connection because having many more lines with higher internet speeds will improve call quality and reliability.

Replace Outdated Equipment

Your hardware is the other puzzle of your VoIP system. You can get by on old equipment, but not only will you risk your network’s security, you will also have a degraded call experience and the reliability of these systems is often very poor. Your network’s backbone is critical, and this is why you need to upgrade your networking hardware and equipment.

The first thing you need to check is your switch. How old is it, and can it handle gigabit connections? The switch’s age will determine its reliability and its ability to handle gigabit speeds will determine the number of VoIP systems and concurrent calls you can have and the quality and reliability of your calls. The quality and reliability will be determined by the latency within the switch which is often higher in older equipment but almost non-existent in newer models.

If you do not have a budget to overhaul your whole infrastructure, concentrate on the switching and routing gear. When you upgrade, do not skimp on cost because cheap equipment will lead to headaches sooner than more expensive equipment will.

Manage Traffic Using a VLAN

Your office will have different services running on the same network as is expected. These services interfere with each other and affect the performance of priority services like VoIP which need lots of bandwidth. Dedicated bandwidth for your VoIP system can solve this issue. But how do you get such dedicated bandwidth? You use a dedicated Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN).

A VLAN allows you to prioritize bandwidth to applications that need more such as VoIP systems. By doing so, you can reduce latency and delays, which improves performance and the quality of service you get.

Network segmentation and prioritization using a VLAN is a feature typically found on business-class routers and this is yet another reason to upgrade and not skimp on your routers. When creating a VLAN, give dedicated bandwidth to the ports used by your VoIP system.

For the best reliability and performance, your VoIP system requires a good connection as well as adequate bandwidth. You can achieve both by using the right networking equipment and setting up your network the right way. Do not forget to check whether your switching and routing equipment can handle the additional bandwidth as well as how many VoIP systems you want to be installed.

The FCC ruled in mid-2022 that it would not give Starlink nearly $900 million in subsidies. Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel acknowledged Stralink’s potential, but questioned whether the company needed as much as it was asking for.

“Starlink’s technology has real promise,” Rosenworcel said at the time. “But the question before us was whether to publicly subsidize its still developing technology for consumer broadband—which requires that users purchase a $600 dish—with nearly $900 million in universal service funds until 2032.”

According to Telecoms, the FCC has upheld its initial decision.

“The FCC is tasked with ensuring consumers everywhere have access to high-speed broadband that is reliable and affordable. The agency also has a responsibility to be a good steward of limited public funds meant to expand access to rural broadband, not fund applicants that fail to meet basic program requirements,” said Rosenworcel.

“The FCC followed a careful legal, technical, and policy review to determine that this applicant had failed to meet its burden to be entitled to nearly $900 million in universal service funds for almost a decade.”

The ruling is a blow to Starlink’s ambitions.

Mark Sunday, CIO of Oracle, discussed the increasing need for enterprises to take a holistic, comprehensive, and automated approach towards information security in an interview with Michael Krigsman of CXOTALK:

Security is Increasingly a Big Part of the Discussion

It’s really been interesting to see the dramatic change in the awareness around security. Quite frankly, the threats have gotten much greater. Security is increasingly a big part of the discussion. If I look at the one area that my organization has increased year on year on year, it’s what we’re investing in security. We’re the norm in that. We’re not the exception. Then also the increased sophistication of the threats, the increased sophistication of the tooling, and so forth required, is putting more and more focus on this. It really becomes job one.

I think that boards have now become aware and that they are accountable to assure that the people, the processes, the technology, that all the steps that one needs to do in order to ensure the integrity, confidentially, privacy, and security, of not only a customer’s data, the company’s data, but in fact the employees data as well.

Security is Not Just the Role of the CIO

Security is getting its place at the table, whether it’s within the IT organizations, at the corporate level, or at the board level. Security has always been something that’s been out there, something that we’ve had to take into account, but more recently there have certainly been more high profile incidents that have highlighted just what the impact of security can have. But also it’s been highlighted that you need to have the focus that security is not just the role of the CIO, not just the role of the CISO, but it’s everyone’s responsibility.

It begins with making people aware of what they need to do, what the threats and the vulnerabilities are, and what their role is in defending against that. Security needs to be built into every line of code we write, every configuration we enable, every computer that we manage the configuration asset the patching level on and the updates on. It affects essentially most roles within the organization.

Every Enterprise Has the Security it Deserves

Just given the scale, size, complexity, and the opportunity for human error, you really need to take a holistic, comprehensive, and automated approach towards how you deal with configuration management, change management, and vulnerability management. All of these are key aspects. It’s very difficult if it’s done you know manually. You have to look at a comprehensive program that allows you to simplify, standardize, centralize, and automate all the aspects of how you deal with those things that you know could expose your company to security and privacy concerns.

Every Enterprise has the security it deserves. It begins at the very top. It truly begins with the board, CEO, the Executive Committee, to set the culture and to ensure that the people, process, technology, and the governance processes are in place to ensure the security of customers, companies, and employees information.

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The test will involve every cell phone in the US, as well as radios and TVs:

The national test will consist of two portions, testing WEA and EAS capabilities. Both tests are scheduled to begin at approximately 2:20 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 4.

The WEA portion of the test will be directed to all consumer cell phones. This will be the third nationwide test, but the second test to all cellular devices. The test message will display in either English or in Spanish, depending on the language settings of the wireless handset.

The EAS portion of the test will be sent to radios and televisions. This will be the seventh nationwide EAS test.

FEMA says the test will help ensure the system can handle national emergency warnings:

The purpose of the Oct. 4 test is to ensure that the systems continue to be effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level. In case the Oct. 4 test is postponed due to widespread severe weather or other significant events, the back-up testing date is Oct. 11.

Ampere was founded by Renée James, a long-time Intel executive who served as its president until she left in 2016. Her new company is focused on “Cloud Native Processors,” and has been gaining ground among some of the biggest cloud providers.

Oracle was the first major cloud provider to adopt Ampere’s processors, even investing $40 million in the company in late 2019, but the company is now going all-in on the latest AmpereOne CPUs which offer a whopping 320 cores.

“Oracle was the first cloud services provider to globally deploy compute instances based on Ampere processors,” said Jeff Wittich, chief product officer, Ampere Computing. “This new generation of Ampere A2-based instances from Oracle Cloud Infrastructure will provide up to an industry-leading 320 cores per instance for even better performance, workload density, and scale.”

“The announcement of our next generation of compute instances, powered by AmpereOne processors, marks a key milestone as OCI expands our foundational usage of Ampere processors,” said Clay Magouyrk, EVP of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Development. “This next generation compute instance will provide unmatched core density, which is critical in delivering to the performance and sustainability needs of our customers.”

“Oracle Cloud is growing rapidly, which has pushed us up to the limits of available power. Therefore, we need efficiency in addition to performance to continue to scale our cloud,” Magouyrk added. “That’s why we are using Ampere for everything from the Oracle Database to Fusion Apps, and now, all of our OCI services. With the growth of AI processing, this shift in computing has become even more of an imperative. Ampere is OCI’s solution to a sustainable cloud.”

Red Hat bills OpenShift as “the industry’s leading hybrid cloud application platform powered by Kubernetes for architecting, building, and deploying cloud-native applications.”

The collaboration will see Red Hat OpenShift available on both OCI Compute virtual machines and bare metal. Customers have the assurance that Red Hat OpenShift on OCI is a solution that is “tested, certified, and supported by both Oracle and Red Hat.”

The certification and support for Red Hat OpenShift on OCI will build on the availability of Red Hat Enterprise Linux running on OCI as a supported operating system that was announced in January 2023. Now, Red Hat Enterprise Linux is also certified to support workloads on OCI bare metal servers and Oracle VMware Cloud Solution, in addition to OCI flexible virtual machines, with Red Hat OpenShift certification to follow at general availability. Furthermore, customers can now use Red Hat Enterprise Linux image builder, available as part of their Red Hat Enterprise Linux subscription, to create customized Red Hat Enterprise Linux gold images for OCI to accommodate a wide range of application workloads and security compliance requirements.

“With today’s announcement, Red Hat and Oracle continue to deliver on our efforts to extend customer choice and flexibility on OCI to our large, global customer base,” said Ashesh Badani, senior vice president and chief product officer, Red Hat. “Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Red Hat OpenShift on OCI offer customers the power to build, deploy, and manage enterprise applications on OCI at scale for faster results and with easier manageability, equipping them with the flexibility to choose their level of control and security based on business needs.”

“Enterprises are migrating to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure to take advantage of the platform’s highly performant, secure, and low-cost services,” said Karan Batta, senior vice president, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. “Fully certifying and supporting Red Hat OpenShift on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure will enable Red Hat OpenShift customers to simply and easily run their workloads anywhere in the world on OCI’s distributed cloud.”

The internet has been transitioning to IPv6 addresses, but many companies still rely on IPv4. Unfortunately, because of the limited supply of available addresses, companies are often hard-pressed to continue using them, prompting AWS to begin charging for public IPv4 addresses, effective February 1, 2024.

According to Cisco Umbrella’s Andree Toonk, AWS has been growing its stockpile of IPv4 addresses at a significant rate:

Three years ago, I wrote a blog titled “AWS and their Billions in IPv4 addresses “in which I estimated AWS owned about $2.5 billion worth of IPv4 addresses. AWS has continued to grow incredibly, and so has its IPv4 usage. In fact, it’s grown so much that it will soon start to charge customers for IPv4 addresses! Enough reason to check in again, three years later, to see what AWS’ IPv4 estate looks like today.

Toonk says AWS now owns 127,972,688 IPv4 addresses, with each address valued at approximately $35.

Based on this data from ipv4.global, the average price for an IPv4 address is currently ~$35 dollars. With that estimate, we can determine the value of AWS’s IPv4 estate today to about 4.5 Billion dollars. An increase of 2 Billion compared to three years ago!

AWS clearly has managed to carve out a profitable slice of the IPv4 market.