One operator offered an interesting view of hosted-function networking: “In some ways I hope it’s different from devices, and in others I hope it isn’t.” The “I-hope-it-is” position is based on the economic driver for using hosted virtual functions; it would be cheaper than proprietary appliances. The “I-hope-it-isn’t” position relates to the fear that the…
Well, we have another new-IP story emerging, one that includes both some of our old familiar themes and some new-ish ones. The questions are first, whether any of the suggestions make sense, and second, whether they could be implemented if they did. I think there may even be a better way to achieve the same…
Ever see a couple at dinner, each on their phone and ignoring the other? It’s easy to dismiss this behavior, but in fact it’s a sign of the times. Social behavior is an arbitrary set of standards that govern interactions, and if you open a new medium for that interaction, you can enable a new…
We need a new network architecture. That’s a view that Cisco has expressed, relating to the coronavirus impact, but it’s actually been true for over a decade. Not only that, most network operators and many CIOs have agreed with that position, according to my own research. The problem isn’t recognition of the need as much…
Hybrid cloud is the cloud, so it’s good that IBM recognizes that. It’s also true that IBM and Red Hat combine to create a highly credible hybrid cloud solution. What’s still an open question is whether IBM or Red Hat really recognize what’s going on in hybrid cloud, what’s needed to win there, and who…
It may be that the only thing worse than a trite “prescription” for something is a complete lack of definition for that same “something”. We may be in that situation with “cloud-native”. Worse, because we don’t really have a broadly accepted definition of what cloud-native is, we may be facing major challenges in achieving it….
We now have a good reason to ask, in earnest, a question that’s been asked for theoretical reasons before. “Could what we call ‘office work’ be conducted in a purely remote or work-from-home (WFH) context?” We might even be approaching the point where we ask whether many of the jobs that we see as requiring…
Large-scale data center deployment by operators depends on having large-scale drivers. I’ve pointed out in past blogs (one earlier this week) that public cloud providers saw the lack of a sound carrier cloud strategy as an opportunity to address those drivers, and thus induce operators to outsource their carrier-cloud missions. 5G is an obvious target…
Zero-touch automation, in the form of some sort of over-arching service lifecycle management system, was the holy grail for operators just a few years ago. What changed that is the combination of a lack of insight into how to proceed, and the pressing need to reduce opex. The combination resulted in point-of-problem strategies that tapped…
Could a vendor plant back-door code in a network device? That’s a question that’s been asked many times, especially recently. The answer is obviously “Yes!” so the more relevant question might be “Is there anything that could be done, realistically, about that?” That’s a harder question to answer, but we may now need to think…