Altitude: The Unsung Heroes of Cloud Transformation Aviatrix

In this episode of Altitude, Woody is joined by Daniel Gaina, Senior Cloud Engineer at Cloudsoft, to discuss the nuances of transitioning to cloud infrastructure, the complexities introduced by multicloud adoption, and the impact of AI on productivity and job roles.
Daniel's expertise stems from his role at Cloudsoft, a company focused on aiding customers in migrating, modernizing, and optimizing their services on AWS across various sectors from financial institutions to startups.
The discussion kicks off by contrasting the automation and orchestration approaches of large enterprises and startups, shedding light on the challenges each face. Daniel and Woody then touch upon the scarcity of cloud infrastructure talent, multicloud adoption as a necessity, and the emergence of AI as a powerful tool to help customers.
4 Steps to Simplify Cloud Networking: https://resources.aviatrix.com/multicloud/4-steps-to-simplify-your-cloud-networking?utm_medium=in_app&utm_source=altitude&utm_campaign=altitude-podcast-2024&utm_content=4-steps-to-simplify-cloud-networking-solution-brief Daniel’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielgaina/
Timestamped Overview:00:00 Cloudsoft: AWS partner, cloud service and software.06:02 Big enterprises lag behind in agility and automation.07:55 Transitioning from on premise to cloud challenging.11:19 Cloud infrastructure supports general tasks; lacks specialization.14:59 Multicloud adoption increasing due to necessity.18:08 Aviatrix simplifies managing cloud providers with ease.21:22 AI's potential for customer benefit and concern.24:48 Ensuring kids master blockchain and generative AI.29:25 Humans better at interaction and design thinking.30:10 Leverage AI for productivity, but double check.35:12 Consulting relies on trust, crucial in business.

In this insightful episode of Altitude, Woody welcomes Joe Davolos, a distinguished network security expert and global solutions architect at Aviatrix, to discuss the importance of applying zero trust principles inside the cloud network rather than just at the edge.
Joe offers many valuable insights on how enterprises can implement zero trust inside the cloud network and improve security, including leveraging tags as strong forms of identity and using distributed security enforcement to improve mean time to response. Joe and Woody also explore the benefits of merging the Network Operation Center (NOC) and Security Operation Center (SOC), suggesting this convergence could lead to more cohesive and effective security strategies that drive the business forward.
Learn more about the power of a distributed approach to cloud security: https://resources.aviatrix.com/home/aviatrix-distributed-cloud-firewall?utm_medium=in_app&utm_source=altitude&utm_campaign=altitude-podcast-2024&utm_content=distributed-cloud-firewall-whitepaper
Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-davolos-296b8596
Timestamped Overview:00:00 Joe’s background at Palo Alto Networks and why he chose to work at Aviatrix. 03:50 The convergence of networking and security.06:31 Understanding users, applications, data, and security.10:14 Challenge, look inward, think critically, leverage cloud.12:14 Tags can be useful but potentially dangerous.17:03 Tags enrich security platform, strong dynamic identity, build control based on the objective of each tag.18:41 Challenges with cloud workload context and security.23:59 Building effective cloud operations with technology and partnerships.25:04 Challenges in security programs require investment and focus.29:15 Leverage Distributed Cloud Firewall for improved security and mean time to respond.32:43 Questioning past models, advocating for unity and tech analysis.

In this episode of Altitude, Woody is joined by Nick Lippis, Co-Founder and Co-Chair of Open Networking User Group (ONUG), who brings more than 25 years of experience in networking with a current focus on hybridity and multicloud.
Woody and Nick discuss how enterprises are increasingly adopting hybrid and multicloud infrastructure to give more options and flexibility, how AI will impact networking and security, the convergence of NOC (network operations center) and SOC (security operations center), and the importance of maintaining control over convenience in enterprise cloud infrastructure.
Learn more about Altitude and Host Woody: https://aviatrix.com/altitude/?utm_medium=in_app&utm_source=altitude&utm_campaign=altitude-podcast-2024&utm_content=altitude-landing-page
Learn how to master cloud networking control: https://resources.aviatrix.com/home/master-cloud-networking-control?utm_medium=in_app&utm_source=altitude&utm_campaign=altitude-podcast-2024&utm_content=master-cloud-networking-control-solution-brief
Connect with Nick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicklippis/
Timestamped Overview:00:00 Intro04:31 Cloud services need structures for control.07:19 Transfer service management to on-prem team.10:34 Specialization and hybrid/multicloud approach for infrastructure.13:18 AI deployment in various industries, especially healthcare.16:59 Rapid growth of AI infrastructure products explained.20:14 AI will change networking, raising concerns.25:32 Exponential growth leads to phenomenal computational advancements.29:43 Convergence of networking and security for AI.31:22 Lack of AI standards poses infrastructure challenge.34:22 AI combining NOC and SOC to reduce costs.

This week’s episode of Altitude features Tchimwa Sougang, a seasoned cloud networking engineer for Azure and Aviatrix Certified Engineer (ACE) Professional, who brings a wealth of knowledge from the frontlines of troubleshooting enterprise cloud networks.
Woody and Tchimwa discuss the challenges of troubleshooting cloud networks, diving into the pitfalls of improper implementation and the lack of cloud-specific expertise and collaboration between DevOps and networking teams. They also discuss the emotional hurdles network engineers face as they move to the cloud, adapting to complex services and losing control of the network. Tchimwa shares customer success stories as well, highlighting the importance of investing in cloud networking training and letting go of antiquated practices to embrace services optimized for the cloud.
Learn more about Altitude and Host Woody: https://aviatrix.com/altitude/?utm_medium=in_app&utm_source=altitude&utm_campaign=altitude-podcast-2024&utm_content=altitude-landing-page
Gain the skills that set you apart in today’s multicloud environments through the ACE Program: https://aviatrix.com/ace/?utm_medium=in_app&utm_source=altitude&utm_campaign=altitude-podcast-2024&utm_content=ace-homepage
Enable precise network performance and collaborative incident management with Aviatrix Network Insights API: https://resources.aviatrix.com/cloud-networking/aviatrix-network-insights-api-feature-highlights?utm_medium=in_app&utm_source=altitude&utm_campaign=altitude-podcast-2024&utm_content=network-insights-api-feature-highlights-fact-sheet
Connect with Tchimwa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tchimwasougang/
Timestamped Overview:00:00 Intro06:04 Challenging the false expectations of cloud network.07:21 Private links and endpoints differ by solution.10:02 New cloud engineers struggle with lack of network visibility.15:25 Lack of infrastructure control leading to issues.18:50 DevOps troubleshoot network issues without help.20:01 Businesses need cloud networking experts for success.23:53 Help field with presales by proving concept.26:56 Cloud networking faces skill and training challenges.32:23 Improving by learning and setting up properly.33:31 Reflecting on cases to improve customer experience.

In this episode of Altitude, Woody is joined by Cameron Lim, Director of Partner Development at Microsoft. Cameron shares the power of Microsoft’s partner ecosystem, drawing from his experience leading the US Assisted Growth ISV partner program with over 300 partners.
Cameron delves into what it means to be a Microsoft partner, what makes Microsoft’s partner program unique in the industry, the impact of Satya Nadella on the program, and the impact of partners, such as OpenAI, on Microsoft. They also discuss what’s next for Microsoft’s partnership program, emphasizing the goal of simplifying the partner program to make it easier for partners to engage with customers and accelerate success.
Learn about Aviatrix’s partnership with Microsoft: https://aviatrix.com/aviatrix-and-azure/?utm_medium=in_app&utm_source=altitude&utm_campaign=altitude-podcast-2024&utm_content=azure-partner-page
Learn more about Altitude and Host Woody: https://aviatrix.com/altitude/?utm_medium=in_app&utm_source=altitude&utm_campaign=altitude-podcast-2024&utm_content=altitude-landing-page
Connect with Cameron on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameronlim/
Timestamped Overview:01:17 Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program, selection process, and partner-first approach. 06:07 Praise for Microsoft’s corporate culture transformation shaped by Satya.09:34 Partnership is integral to business – not secondary.10:17 The importance of flexibility and curiosity for a successful partnership.13:39 Cameron’s experience during the announcement of Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI.19:18 The future of Microsoft’s partnership program.21:46 Helping people find meaningful careers and joy.

In this insightful episode of Altitude, Woody welcomes Adam Stipkovits, Multicloud Network Architect, to the show. Adam brings valuable insights with his robust networking background in Azure, Google Cloud, and AWS and his certification as an Aviatrix Certified Engineer (ACE) Design Expert. He unpacks the challenges associated with visibility, cost control, and the skills gap in the cloud, drawing from findings from Aviatrix’s 2024 Secure Cloud Networking Field Report and how we can stay ahead of these challenges. 
Throughout their discussion, Woody and Adam explore the intricate hurdles of managing cloud-based architectures across multinational companies. They dissect the challenges associated with visibility, cost control, and the transitioning of legacy systems to more agile cloud networks. Adam, drawing from the projects he's spearheaded, illustrates strategies for bandwidth optimization and efficient data routing—vital for contemporary cloud operations.
The episode doesn't shy away from the human aspect of the tech as Adam shares personal insights on the shift from traditional to cloud networking, emphasizing the necessity for continual learning and upskilling. Moreover, the conversation touches on the crucial coordination between security, cloud, and network teams to mitigate outages and streamline operations.
Dive deeper into the findings from Aviatrix’s 2024 Secure Cloud Networking Field Report: https://pages.aviatrix.com/2024-secure-cloud-networking-field-report.html?utm_medium=in_app&utm_source=altitude&utm_campaign=altitude-podcast-2024&utm_content=2024-secure-cloud-networking-field-report Learn more about Altitude and Host Woody: https://aviatrix.com/altitude/?utm_medium=in_app&utm_source=altitude&utm_campaign=altitude-podcast-2024&utm_content=altitude-landing-page
Adam’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-stipkovits/?originalSubdomain=hu
Timestamped Overview:00:00 Cloud networking report: cloud costs, visibility, cloud security, cloud skills gap.06:12 Transition from cloud explorers to business supporters.08:52 Diverse architectures create tech debt challenges.13:23 Focus on compute and data cost, network infrastructure.14:36 Network investment critical for stability and efficiency.18:14 Speculation on data center and cloud performance.22:46 63% struggle to hire, 66% lack resources for cloud initiatives26:27 Upskilling essential, resourceful team, facing time challenges.27:50 Transition from network to cloud, steep learning curve and cloud certifications that helped.