Heavy Networking HN805: The Past, Present, and Future of NANOG
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Nov 14, 2025 Steve Feldman, a veteran member of NANOG's Board of Directors, shares insights on the evolution of this crucial organization. He discusses NANOG's origins and key milestones, the symbiotic relationship with IETF, and how the internet landscape has shifted operator-vendor communications. Feldman emphasizes NANOG's role in tackling current hype cycles and maintaining relevance in a blurring service-provider landscape. He also highlights upcoming focuses, including AI and site reliability engineering, while reinforcing NANOG’s mission to educate the global networking community.
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Scale Changed Operator-Standards Roles
- The internet's scale and vendor diversity changed who bridges standards and operations; fewer individuals now span both worlds.
- Steve Feldman noted that growth made communication between standards bodies and operators harder but still essential.
NSFnet End And Incorporation
- A major milestone was the winding down of NSFnet in the late 1990s while NANOG continued as the commercial Internet grew.
- In 2010 NANOG separated from the University of Michigan and incorporated as its own nonprofit with member voting and sponsors.
Join To Help Govern NANOG
- Become a NANOG member to get a voice in governance because individuals vote for the board of directors.
- Membership is inexpensive and meant to keep governance community-driven, not corporate-controlled.