Anycast - Audio Edition Matt Levine

In this episode of The Anycast, Matt talks to Kristopher Beevers, the CEO of NetBox Labs, a solution that helps companies build and manage complex networks. Previously, Kris co-founded and led NS1, which was acquired by IBM in 2023.
They discuss the remarkable rise of open-source projects, why many networking businesses are shifting towards cloud-based solutions, and the opportunities to watch out for in the networking space.
What is NetBox, and what makes it unique? It’s a tool used for network documentation and automation, serving as a source of truth for network configurations.
NetBox's business model differs from other open-source ventures because they focus more on alleviating the burden of software management for network engineers.
Networking is evolving at a fast pace. Kristopher shares what you can do today to keep up and take advantage of future opportunities.
The difference between building a company from zero to one, the startup experience, and one to N. 
Kristopher breaks down the economics of the cloud and the type of companies that could save a lot of money by going to the cloud. 
How open-source companies make money and stay in business. 
According to Kristopher, hiring great people often comes down to impact. For example, engineers want to work on cool tech, but they also want to see that the tech they're working on has an impact on the world.
Kristopher shares how being a parent changed his approach to leadership. 
Matt and Kristopher discuss the resurgence of Nokia and how their decision to go the open-source route could restore their status as a tech and networking giant. 
Matt and Kristopher agree that most network services will shift towards cloud-based solutions.
Kristopher discusses the need to strike a balance between community-driven development and commercial support to ensure the longevity and effectiveness of open-source solutions.
What is the sustainability of open-source projects like NetBox? 
Matt and Kristopher agree that such projects can be widely adopted but often rely on volunteer contributions. This poses challenges in long-term maintenance, development, and profitability. 
The pros and cons of building a company in public and transparently sharing the behind scenes of how you do it.
Matt highlights the benefits of aligning employee development goals with the company's objectives. Companies must design roles that cater to an individual’s career paths and aspirations, while ensuring alignment between personal growth and organizational goals.
Kristopher predicts that open-source solutions will disrupt traditional vendor ecosystems. More open-source solutions will gain traction and challenge established norms in the networking industry.
For Kris, the reason AWS can give you the “cattle not pets” experience is purely scale. Even the biggest cloud providers can't deliver that experience because the scale isn't there.
Mentioned in This Episode:
Kristopher Beevers on LinkedIn
NetBoxlabs.com
ns1.com

Full episode launches on March 21

In this episode of The Anycast, Matt talks to Thomas Daly, an experienced technologist and the CEO of Big Network, a connectivity platform that securely connects networks and services between people, places, clouds and devices.
They discuss where the edge of the internet is located, why DynDNS is still operational, and what Google’s announcement about egress fees means for cloud consumers. 
Tom, a New Hampshire tech guru, shares his journey from the late '90s working as a managed service provider to establishing firms that focus on scaling technology and business growth.  Tom breaks down the difference between a physical network and a logical network.  According to Matt, it’s fiduciarily irresponsible to not build on the cloud if you’re starting a startup from zero. How people feel about you is based on how you made them feel on day one and how you made them feel on the last day.  Matt believes it’s crucial for service providers to give their customers a great experience the day they sign up and the day they part ways.  Why is DynDNS still operational? According to Tom, if DynDNS were to go away tomorrow, the global IP video surveillance business would crumble. Tom talks about the importance of efficient networking and the benefits of delivering resilient connectivity solutions for your customers. Tom and Matt define the edge of the internet. They agree that the edge is an abstract term for the point where a service provider gains or loses control over the routing policy based on user topology. Tom goes through the pros and cons of working in the networking space.  Matt and Tom discuss the internet supply chain, emphasizing how a problem for any provider affects the entire internet user experience.  They explore the common components provided by cloud providers and the potential drawbacks of building solely on the cloud. Tom shares his thoughts on the financial aspects of networking, from cloud credits, egress fees, and Google's decision to waive egress fees for users leaving their platform.  Tom questions the practical impact of egress fee waivers and how the charges discourage companies from transferring data to other cloud providers or on-premise systems. The discussion emphasizes the diverse opportunities in the industry. Some providers will focus on offering unlimited bandwidth, while others focus on services like space, power, compute, and storage. Tom reveals the impressive arsenal in his home lab, which includes three cabinets, dedicated air conditioning, a 16 KVA UPS, a Kohler propane generator, a Ubiquiti Dream Machine Pro, and numerous other networking equipment. Matt and Tom discuss the evolution of internet speeds, reminiscing on the transition from 2400 Baud modems to the modern high-speed connections with 1000+ megabits per second. For Tom, space, power, cooling, and connectivity are all required to have a functional data center environment. Every player in that ecosystem will optimize and maximize different dimensions of that four-legged stool.   Mentioned in This Episode:
Tom Daly on LinkedIn
Bignetwork.com
Oxide Computer Company

Full episode launches on February 8

In this episode of The Anycast, Matt interviews Avi Freedman, the co-founder and CEO of Kentik. Avi has decades of experience as a technologist and networking executive, and he is also a professional poker player.
They talk about the future of cloud networking, how to uncover what your customers really want, and the one skill every leader should have. 
Matt and Avi start the conversation by discussing Avi’s networking career and how he plans to shake things up in the network monitoring space.
What is networking? According to Avi, networking is lots of little simple things that converge in complex ways mixed with vendor bugs.
Avi’s advice for people early in their tech careers: document your learning process. It will not make you look stupid, it will make you look curious.
Avi shares his journey to becoming the CEO of a multi-million dollar company. 
How Matt and Avi approach learning and teaching - as soon as you have to teach something, it helps solidify your ideas.
Avi talks about recognition and praise. He reveals the importance of recognizing and praising employees' efforts as well as the best way to find a balance between acknowledging achievements and avoiding unnecessary praise.
If you listen, the customers will guide you to what they want.
For Avi, you don’t have to be 95th percentile at everything. If you’re 80th percentile at ten different things, you’re pretty super-powered.
Matt talks about the value of diversity in problem-solving and decision-making. 
Leaders today believe telling people what to do is easier than asking questions. However, Avi and Matt believe being skillful at asking great questions can unlock opportunities you didn’t even realize existed. 
Avi shares how Kentik delivers reliable, cost-effective network infrastructure at scale. 
You need to figure out what’s interesting and make that a career versus learning all skills hoping that someone will give you a job.
Avi and Matt break down the art of reading people and negotiating. 
Avi talks about his love for poker and the powerful strategic tools that business leaders can use to build efficient company cultures and strong corporate strategies.
Mentioned in This Episode:
Avi Freedman on LinkedIn
Kentik.com

Full episode launches on January 25