What happens when you get a group of network engineers together? They talk about networking. But you never really get a chance to cover all the topics – Packet Pushers is an attempt to keep the conversation going where three to six engineers will get around a microphone to talk shop.
We also have a virtual whiteboard in our own private cloud.
On the podcast, we talk about routing, switching, security, firewalls, data center, and industry trends. We collect different topics and discuss them in a round table format. Topics can be “deep dived” where we focus on practical technology issues, or we sometimes review the latest announcements from vendors and discuss the technologies. Whatever takes our interest, we’ll dig into it and decide what the focus will be.
And try to have some fun. It’s not all grind and toil.
The show format takes a couple of flavors. The “Virtual Workbench” shows are where a bunch of engineers chat informally about the industry and technology. Because the hosts and guests are not vendor aligned or beholden to any company, we can freely express our opinions, understanding, misunderstanding, and love (or hate) of how we perceive the industry, products or technology.
We also aim for regular sessions with vendors & manufacturers in a “Deep Dive” format where we get very detailed discussing a technology or product of interest. Maybe we want to review a new announcement in data centre switching, a firewall, a new product strategy, or peel back a process on new educational topics. We invite vendors to join us and to “go nerdy”. These session are marketing-lite and technology-heavy. We figure you can read the website on your own – it’s the deep details that will be interesting.
Some shows are sponsored and are clearly disclosed. When a vendor wants to bring a product or a topic to your attention, they can choose to sponsor a show. This gives the Pushers a little bit of money for their work, and helps to cover show expenses and spousal bribery.
How do we pick our topics ?
Several ways:
- We pick topics that interest us. The hosts will gather up topics during the week – we then select from the list.
- People write in to packetpushers@gmail.com and ask questions. If we can answer them, we will. (Be patient, it can take a couple of months to get there.)
- Things just come up while chatting.
To help cover the costs, time taken (and spousal bribery) to produce the shows every week, we have started to take sponsorship and advertising. We still have day jobs.
Recent Comments