N Is For Networking N4N045: Audience Follow Up & 2026 Preview
Dec 18, 2025
Get ready for a sneak peek into the future! The hosts dive into upcoming trends for 2026, with a focus on AI and foundational networking topics like BGP and QoS. They plan series that clarify complex subjects such as network management, firewalls, and load balancers. The discussion even touches on the peculiarities of multicast and the importance of MPLS. Listener questions spark insights on career transitions and the relevance of DMVPN in today's tech world, all while normalizing feelings of imposter syndrome among engineers.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Middle Boxes Matter
- Load balancers and other 'middle boxes' form a common part of real networks and deserve dedicated study.
- Understanding what a load balancer does demystifies many application delivery issues.
Separate VXLAN Basics From EVPN Signaling
- Learn VXLAN tunneling basics separately from EVPN control-plane concepts.
- Study VXLAN packet format and then EVPN signaling to see why EVPN became the dominant control plane.
Start Wi‑Fi With RF Fundamentals
- Cover Wi‑Fi fundamentals (RF, channels, interference) before vendor specifics.
- Bring wireless specialists when diving deeper into design and large-scale deployments.