EP 537 | AUGUST 4, 2025

Palo Alto Networks IDs New Market With $25 Billion CyberArk Buy; Intel to Shed Networking Biz

Network Break opines on why Palo Alto Networks paid $25 billion for CyberArk, how Allianz Life failed to ensure the protection of customer data, and why US intelligence agencies reportedly pressured the DoJ to approve the HPE-Juniper deal. Other tech news coverage includes the ramifications of Microsoft cutting off cloud services to an Indian energy company by request from the EU, Viasat launching a satellite-based IoT service, and more. | LISTEN NOW

EP 109 | AUGUST 5, 2025

Is AI a Purchase or a Hire?

Is adding AI to your environment a software purchase? Or is it more like hiring an employee? Heavy Strategy's John Burke and Johna Johnson debate whether AI should be treated as just another application you buy and use, or be handled like an employee you're bringing on staff (complete with background and reference checks, training requirements, and performance reviews). | LISTEN NOW

EP 073| AUGUST 5, 2025

Identify Yourself: Authentication From SAML to FIDO2

From SAML to OAuth to FIDO2 to passwordless promises, we unpack what’s working—and what’s broken—in the world of identity and authentication. Today on the Packet Protector podcast, we’re joined by the always thoughtful and occasionally provocative Wolf Goerlich, former Duo advisor, and now a practicing CISO in the public sector. We also talk about authorization vs. authentication, how passkeys work, and one security practice that Wolf would like to see go away. | LISTEN NOW

EP 097 | AUGUST 6, 2025

Automating Optical Networks

Optical networks are an essential component of networking, but don't get much attention. Today we shine a spotlight on the intersection of optical networks and the software that automates them. Our guest is Michal Pecek, consultant and teacher in optical communication, whose work has transformed organizations including Google and Alcatel-Lucent (now Nokia). We talk about projects he's worked on, challenges he's faced, and his vision for the future of optical networking. | LISTEN NOW

EP 055 | AUGUST 6, 2025

Building Developer-First Identity Solutions with Brian Pontarelli 

Today we explore how to build sustainable tech companies with Brian Pontarelli, Founder of FusionAuth. Brian shares his path from early programming on an Apple IIe to creating innovative solutions in the complex world of customer identity and access management (CIAM). Brian argues that single-tenancy and local development capabilities are crucial for developers. He also challenges the conventional wisdom of multi-tenant SaaS models and explains how FusionAuth's hybrid approach serves developers from local testing to space-bound satellites. | LISTEN NOW

EP 781 | AUGUST 8, 2025

Should You Build or Buy Your Automation Platform?

Perhaps the biggest question around adopting network automation is whether you should build a solution using open source tools and a lot of coding glue, or buy a network automation platform from a vendor and construct your automation solution on top of that. Either way has tradeoffs. Network engineer Lee Harper joins Heavy Networking to discuss the build vs. buy conundrum and share what Lee and team are doing at Terracon, a global engineering consultancy. | LISTEN NOW