In this episode of Altitude, Woody sits down with the brilliant Rob DeWeese for an in-depth exploration of cloud networking, architecture, and cost optimization.

As a dedicated problem solver and cloud networking expert, Rob joined IBM six years ago as the lead multicloud architect. Following the separation of IBM's consulting wing, he embraced the consultancy realm, now known as Kyndryl – the world’s largest provider of IT infrastructure services. As the Director of Cloud Networking at Kyndryl, Rob leads 429 network architects across the globe and equips individuals with the skills to understand, simplify, and optimize cloud networking.

This conversation covers the four towers of cloud networking that require careful consideration, cloud networking design principles that pave the way to success, and strategies for simplifying and optimizing cloud networking and related costs, especially in the context of multicloud and complex network architectures. Rob and Woody also discuss the value of centralizing firewall management and the criticality of scalability. Stay tuned for a follow-up discussion in the coming months between the two cloud gurus. There are only so many minutes per podcast episode and so many things to explore.

Learn more about Altitude and Host Woody: https://aviatrix.com/altitude/
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-deweese-a9676916/

[00:00:47] Kyndryl: Consulting wing, largest Grid Security Infrastructure (GSI), cloud networking.
[00:06:43] Multicloud is now a real thing – the state of the industry, vendor lock-in.
[00:10:37] High-performance encryption solution.
[00:13:28] The 4 Towers of Cloud Networking.
[00:15:16] Networking, security, and complexity impact cloud cost.
[00:17:46] IBM/Kyndryl separation, moving data centers, and strategies for cost optimization.
[00:21:55] Design principles for building a flexible network. Avoid unnecessary costs and cloud vendor lock-in. Focus on ease of administration and adaptability to different platforms.
[00:25:24] Load balancing types, logging platforms, and simplifying multicloud networking.
[00:28:10] Teaser for part two with Rob and Woody.