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Networks can sometimes feel like a maze of licenses, tunnels, and 2 a.m. pager alerts. We sit down with Graphiant CEO Ali Shaikh to unpack how Network as a Service makes connectivity on-demand, consumption-based, and finally as flexible as the cloud it serves. From the SD-WAN wave to the pandemic reset, Ali explains why the old build-and-forget model couldn’t keep pace with multi-cloud, remote work, and fast-moving partnerships—and how a stateless, metadata-driven fabric changes the game.

We explore two clear buyer paths. Pragmatic teams want turnkey connectivity that lowers cloud egress costs, reduces NAT and transit complexity, and keeps operations calm. Futuristic teams need dynamic, auditable data exchanges for AI workloads, research projects, and payments ecosystems—publisher-subscriber connectivity that negotiates policy and stands up in days, not quarters. In both cases, the network becomes evergreen, with new capabilities landing in the service rather than hidden behind feature licenses. Pay for what you move, not for buttons you can’t press.

Security shifts from signatures to assurance. In an AI-fueled threat landscape, we focus on what should move, where it may travel, and who can subscribe—then we detect anomalies and lock down exfiltration. Ali digs into continuous audit trails, sovereignty-aware routing, and why pushing complexity to the edges keeps the core lean and reliable. Expect candid talk on cloud cost traps, how to cut NAT sprawl, and the reason a hollow core with metadata labels beats hop-by-hop state.

If you’re ready to trade SKU spreadsheets for clear outcomes—and want a network that can spin up for a week and tear down without drama—this conversation will reset how you think about connectivity. Subscribe, share with a teammate who owns the cloud bill, and drop a review to tell us where ephemeral networking would save you the most.

Connect with our guest:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alifshaikh/

https://www.graphiant.com

Purchase Chris and Tim's book on AWS Cloud Networking: https://www.amazon.com/Certified-Advanced-Networking-Certification-certification/dp/1835080839/

Check out the Monthly Cloud Networking News
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fkBWCGwXDUX9OfZ9_MvSVup8tJJzJeqrauaE6VPT2b0/

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