

Network Break
Packet Pushers
Network Break keeps you informed with fast, focused analysis of IT news, products, tech trends, and business outcomes. Blending sharp commentary with a touch of humor, hosts Drew Conry-Murray & Johna Till Johnson sift through the weekly landslide of press announcements, product launches, financial reports, and marketing decks to find the stories worth talking about. You come away with the information and context to make smart decisions in your organization and career … all in the span of a (longish) coffee break.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 15, 2023 • 37min
Network Break 430: Cisco Viptela Customers Have A Certifiably Bad Day; IT Crimes And Punishments
Take a Network Break! This week we cover some follow-up on Lumen. Then we dive into a massive Cisco blunder that let a digital certificate expire on some models of the Viptela SD-WAN appliance, causing device failures. Extreme Networks release a new Wi-Fi 6e AP and core and aggregation switches, a Ubiquiti employee who stole... Read more »

May 8, 2023 • 50min
Network Break 429: Palo Alto Previews Azure Firewall; White House Chases AI Horse After It Escapes Barn
Take a Network Break! This week we discuss a new Azure-native cloud firewall from Palo Alto Networks, why pharma giant Merck might be owed a big settlement from its cyber-insurers, and why HPE wants to simplify its branding. Lumen offers 400G IP transit ports, the US White House announces actions to promote safe, responsible AI; Versa Networks rolls out zero trust for remote and campus users, and Rogers teams up with SpaceX to allow SMS messaging via satellite.

May 1, 2023 • 57min
Network Break 428: Arista Announces Cloud-Based NAC; Is Google Cloud Finally Making Money?
Take a Network Break! This week we discuss a new NAC solution from Arista Networks, a new version of Central from HPE Aruba, and the latest version of NetBrain. We also cover a new XDR offering from Cisco, Google Cloud's quarterly financial results, Microsoft entanglements with EU and UK regulators, and more tech news.

Apr 24, 2023 • 40min
Network Break 427: Prosimo Launches Cloud-Native Networking Suite; Broadcom Stitches New Jericho ASIC For AI-Friendly Network Fabrics
Take a Network Break! This week we cover new cloud networking capabilities from Prosimo, discuss Broadcom's latest version of the Jericho ASIC which is being positioned for network fabrics for AI workloads, and explore the latest version of the open-source Dent network OS. We also cover financial results from F5, Starlink price cuts, and more tech news.

Apr 17, 2023 • 39min
Network Break 426: NetBox Labs Raises $20 Million; Intel Foundry, Arm Team Up To Make SoCs
This week's Network Break discusses NetBox Labs's $20 million funding round and why it spun itself out of NS1's IBM acquisition, Intel Foundry and Arm teaming up on SoC manufacturing, why Amazon sees headwinds for public cloud spending (and why the opportunity is still huge), how the juice-jacking threat got hyped, and more tech news.

Apr 10, 2023 • 40min
Network Break 425: Microsoft Adds Security Copilot To AI Squadron; Samsung Stung By ChatGPT Leaks
This week's Network Break examines Security Copilot, the latest AI-infused assistant in Microsoft's growing arsenal; discusses optical advancements from Arelion and Infinera that sent 400Gb wavelengths over 1,800 kilometers; examine a news report that claims Tesla workers shared "highly invasive" images recorded by vehicle cameras; plus even more tech news.

Apr 3, 2023 • 28min
Network Break 424: Amazon Invites Devs To Its Sidewalk Wireless Network; OneWeb Readies Global Satellite Internet Service
On today's Network Break podcast we cover Amazon opening its Sidewalk low-power IoT wireless network to developers, Cisco putting the expiration date on Prime Infrastructure, HAProxy adding QUIC support in its enterprise load balancer, Huawei touting revenue stability, and more IT news.

Mar 27, 2023 • 55min
Network Break 423: Arista Woos Large Enterprises With New SD-WAN Router; Google Breaks Glass Enterprise
This week's Network Break covers Arista's new WAN routers that get the company into the SD-WAN market, debates whether Aryaka targeting SMEs is a sign of problems or opportunity, and discusses an update on the size of the SASE market. We also look at an HPE acquisition, the use of exploding USBs to target journalists, space networking, and more.

Mar 20, 2023 • 47min
Network Break 422: Microsoft Tasks Copilot To Do Your Drudge Work; Cisco Debuts A New Learning Platform
On this week's Network Break podcast we examine Palo Alto Networks adding AI Ops to its SASE offering, and Microsoft Copilot bringing AI into its suite of Office tools. The Ethernet Adapter market grew 22% in 2022, but not because more NICs were sold; we discuss the real reasons and cover more tech news.

Mar 13, 2023 • 42min
Network Break 421: Huawei Is Both In And Out Of German Networks; Hot-Desking Rubs Hybrid Workers Wrong
Take a Network Break! On today's episode we discuss a record quarter for switch sales, examine Germany's mixed signals about allowing Huawei gear in its networks, and debate whether employees' frustration over Google's desk-sharing plan is just entitled whining or a legitimate complaint. Plus more IT news.


