**Show Notes:**

In this episode, Bryan sits down with experts Austin Hawthorne and Michael Kowal from Nile to unpack the intriguing topic of networking as a service. Dive into the discussions that span from defining the technology to its market implications and challenges.

**Topics Covered:**

- Introduction to Networking as a Service:
- Defined as tech always ready for business needs without complexities and costs.
- Other definitions including broadband, outsourcing IT, and managed services.

- Market Expectations:
- Influence of cloud adoption disrupting the market.
- Need for alignment of spend based on business performance.

- Challenges:
- For incumbent vendors to adjust due to tech debt, customer, and market demands.
- Complexity of delivering network as-a-service compared to other as-a-service offerings.

- Speed Benefits:
- Frequent software upgrades, faster fixes, and reduced failure radius.

- Network Deployment:
- Standardizing approaches for predictive outcomes.
- Secure networking involving zero trust and RADIUS.

- Automation & Configuration:
- Addressing underlying complexities before introducing automation.
- Reducing bugs through streamlined testing and the concept of a digital twin.

- Vendor Challenges:
- Existing codebase sizes, feature support, and delay in fixes and new features.
- Documenting profiles for new QS features and identifying bug dependencies.

- Security Aspects:
- Approaches to network edge security.
- Challenges between security and network teams.
- The trade-off between risk, complexity, and cybersecurity insurance.

- Zero-Trust Principles:
- Challenges with implementing dynamic ACLs, roles, and more.
- Importance of encryption, authorization, and enforcement.
- Limitations of traditional networking setups using VLANs.

- Firewalls:
- Machine-to-machine traffic and security benefits.
- Local switching and RADIUS and DHCP server roles.

- Network Access Control (NAC):
- Definition and implementations.
- SSO as a form of NAC and Zero Trust constructs for the network layer.

- Nile Network:
- Payment models and Proof of Value (POV) offerings.

- Network Implementation & Automation:
- Benefits of automation over manual approaches.
- Introduction of soft bots and Nile service block.

- Closing Notes:
- Visit the show's website, rate, and review the episodes, and reach out with questions, comments, or suggestions.

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**Links:**

- Nile Secure - www.nilesecure.com
- Join the Discord - discord.conft.show
- Driven - www.driven.tech

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