Thought Leader | Technology Consultant

ZKast

ZKast, is a thought leadership series where Zeus Kerravala interviews thought leaders from the technology community. To be a guest on ZKast, please contact Zeus Kerravala at zeus@zkresearch.com

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On my recent #ZKast I was joined by John Maddison, Chief Product and Corporate Marketing Officer for @F5_inc We dive into the highlights of F5 AI Week, a showcase of innovation where F5 demonstrated how they're using AI to improve products but also help customers deploy AI. We break down four major announcements from F5 AI Week:The 10th Annual State of Application Strategy Report: John shares insights from this report, tracing the evolution of application strategies over a decade – from private cloud virtualization to the rise of multi-cloud, hybrid environments, APIs, and the central theme of AI Ops. We discuss the increasing complexity of modern app environments and the imperative for consistent, high-performance delivery and security across diverse footprints.Key takeaway: 77% of companies feel moderately AI-ready, but only 2% are highly ready, indicating a significant gap in infrastructure readiness.F5 AI Assistant for Application Delivery & Security Platform (ADSP) and iRules: This is a game-changer! John explains how the ADSP is a new category for converged application delivery and security, covering high-performance delivery, comprehensive security (including a new AI Gateway), and flexible deployment models. We then dive into the exciting AI Assistant capability, particularly its "generate" functionality for F5 iRules. For the first time, users can generate iRules code from plain English, making this powerful tool even more accessible for F5's vast customer base.Data Leakage Detection & Prevention (DLP): Following a recent acquisition, F5 is making significant strides in DLP. John discusses how F5 is integrating data leakage capabilities into their SSL Orchestrator and, crucially, into the new AI Gateway. This directly addresses the growing concern among customers about securing sensitive data as it flows into and out of AI models, a critical aspect of AI security often overlooked.Joint Release with MinIO: John highlights the strategic partnership with MinIO, emphasizing the critical role of high-performance, object storage in the AI factory. As AI generates and consumes massive amounts of data, the need for robust ingress points and optimized data movement becomes paramount. This partnership underscores F5's commitment to delivering performance and security even for the most data-intensive AI workloads, and reinforces that hardware is far from dead in the age of AI.John concludes by reiterating that AI is moving fast, and F5 is committed to being a partner for customers on their AI journey – providing both "AI for security" and "security for AI."#F5 #AI #ZeroTrust #Cybersecurity #ApplicationSecurity #AppDelivery #iRules #DataLeakagePrevention #DLP #MinIO #HybridCloud #MultiCloud #AIOps #ZCast #ZKResearch #TechTalk #EnterpriseIT #FutureOfApps #F5AIWeek #CloudSecurity #DigitalTransformation #Innovation

Zeus Kerravala 21.2K

2025 ZKast #117 with John Maddison of F5 on AI innovation

Zeus Kerravala July 18, 2025 5:24 pm

2025 ZKast #117 with John Maddison of F5 on AI innovation

YouTube Video VVVYem05MHJBZjhUN3hIUDF6TEwtWkpnLnFTajdsM3dHYVlr

2025 ZKast #117 with John Maddison of F5 on AI innovation

Zeus Kerravala 3K views July 18, 2025 5:24 pm

2025 ZKast #116 with Recep Ozdag from Keysight and Rik Ferguson from Forescout on their partnership

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2025 ZKast #116 with Recep Ozdag from Keysight and Rik Ferguson from Forescout on their partnership

Zeus Kerravala 12.5K views July 17, 2025 9:35 am

In this episode of #ZKast, we're diving deep into the world of data management and security, from the expo hall at AWS #reInforce I'm joined by Kam Amir from Cribl, a leading data observability company that's helping businesses take control of their data in the age of AI.Kam shares insights into how Cribl's solutions—including Cribl Stream, Cribl Edge, Cribl Lake, and Cribl Search—empower organizations to collect, route, and analyze their data wherever they want to send it. We discuss the critical role of data management in the #AI era, especially concerning security data like logs, and how Cribl helps customers accelerate their adoption of AWS services while significantly lowering costs.We also touch on the unique challenges of managing the ever-exploding volume of security log data and how Cribl's approach to data routing helps customers send high-quality data to high-quality destinations (like SIEMs) and less critical data to lower-cost storage, saving money and improving efficiency.Plus, you won't want to miss Kam's fun take on data observability through the lens of Seinfeld, covering concepts like "yada yada," "daily shrinkage," and the infamous "no data for you!"Learn how Cribl is bridging the gap between security and observability, and how their recent innovations, like the Cribl Editor with AI assistance, are shaping the future of data pipelines.If your company is struggling to get a handle on its data, especially with AWS, this conversation is a must-watch! Find out how Cribl can help you automate data movement from AWS sources and achieve better data visibility and control.Want to learn more?➡️ Visit Cribl.io for free documentation, certifications, and education. You can even get a 1 terabyte free license to try it out!@amazonwebservices @Cribl #DataManagement #Security #AI #AWSRenvent #Cribl #Observability #DataSecurity #CloudComputing #SIEM #DataLakes #LogManagement #AWS #Cybersecurity #DataControl #ZeuSCOVIDOffice

2025 ZKast #115 with Kamilo Amir of Cribl and AWS reInforce

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2025 ZKast #115 with Kamilo Amir of Cribl and AWS reInforce

Zeus Kerravala 12.8K views July 16, 2025 6:33 am

At #CiscoLive 2025, I was excited to be joined by Evan Mintzer from Customers Bank, a long time @Cisco #NetVet In this episode, we dive into the major product news from the Cisco Live keynote, especially the pervasive role of #AI. Evan shares his initial thoughts on how AI is transforming the IT landscape and its practical applications in his role at Customers Bank, from simplifying documentation to accelerating network changes.We discuss:AI's Role in IT: Addressing the "will AI take my job?" fear, Evan highlights how AI is the natural progression of network evolution, akin to automation, and will empower IT professionals rather than replace them.Low-Hanging Fruit for AI Adoption: Discover practical entry points for leveraging AI in your network operations, such as automating mundane tasks like alert analysis and documentation.Networking & Security Convergence: Evan shares how Customers Bank is fostering greater collaboration between networking and security teams, a crucial step for holistic threat response.The "Smart Switch": Initial thoughts on Cisco's innovative Smart Switch with deep view capabilities and its potential benefits for future network architectures.Future of Networking: Evan's excitement about innovations like the unified Meraki and Catalyst management (AI Canvas!) and the continuous need for vigilance against evolving cyber threats.Fighting Fire with Fire: The necessity of using AI for defense as malicious actors increasingly leverage it for attacks.Advice for IT Pros: Evan's practical tips for those hesitant about AI – start slow, identify use cases, and remember: "AI is not going to take your job, but the guy who uses AI will!"Join us for an insightful conversation on the future of enterprise networking, security, and the transformative power of AI!Thanks for joining me Evan! #CiscoLive #AIinIT #Networking #Cybersecurity #CustomersBank #ITIL #Automation #SmartSwitch #Meraki #Catalyst #AIOps #DigitalTransformation #TechTalk #ZKResearch #ZeusKerravala

2025 ZKast #114 with Evan Mintzer for Customers Bank at Cisco Live 2025

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2025 ZKast #114 with Evan Mintzer for Customers Bank at Cisco Live 2025

Zeus Kerravala 12.4K views July 15, 2025 7:08 am

Following up on my discussion with Zuora CIO, Karthik Chakkarapani, at #ZenithLive, I met with Mark Gill, Senior Director of Infrastructure and Operations. In this episode, Mark dives into the technical details of Zuora's transition from traditional "castle and moat" security to a zero-trust everywhere model with Zscaler. He reveals how they achieved significant cost savings of about half a million dollars a year by eliminating multiple VPN solutions and retiring dedicated infrastructure in Asia, thanks to Zscaler's China connectors.We discuss:The simplicity and operational benefits of managing infrastructure through the Zscaler console.How Zuora is using Zscaler to implement guardrails for their aggressive AI innovation strategy, allowing teams to experiment with solutions like OpenAI and Gemini while maintaining strict security.The importance of application-level access control and data inspection to prevent data leakage.Insights from Mark's session on the risks and rewards of agentic AI, including the often-underappreciated challenge of lateral movement between AI models and unencrypted data paths.Zuora's next big security focus: robust Data Loss Prevention (DLP) to secure endpoints and prevent sensitive data from leaving their perimeter.Mark also shares valuable advice for IT colleagues still operating with older security models, highlighting Zuora's successful deployment of Zscaler to 1600 people in less than four months with no significant issues. It's a story of a simpler, lower-cost, and more secure future for enterprise IT.#ZKast #Zscaler #ZeroTrust #Cybersecurity #AITransformation #CloudSecurity #DataLossPrevention #DLP #Infrastructure #ITOperations #ZenithLive2025 #ZKResearch @ZscalerInc @Zuora

2025 ZKast #113 with Mark Gill of Zuora on Zscaler relationship

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2025 ZKast #113 with Mark Gill of Zuora on Zscaler relationship

Zeus Kerravala 9.7K views July 14, 2025 5:43 am

At #CiscoLive 2025 in San Diego, I chatted with Cameron Ferdinands, Director of Network and Data Center Engineering for Groq Cameron provides a fascinating look into a company focused on "super fast" AI inferencing using their own custom silicon, the Groq LPU (Language Processing Unit). His role is to deploy Groq's infrastructure globally at "Groq speed" – a metric that involves building numerous data centers incredibly quickly, as evidenced by recent deployments in Texas and Saudi Arabia.The conversation highlights Groq's unique partnership with @Cisco particularly their reliance on Cisco Silicon One. Cameron explains how the 51.2 terabit chip with its 512 radix (512 100-gig interfaces from a single chip) perfectly fits Groq's use case, providing a unique differentiation in the ASIC market. He praises the combination of Cisco's Nexus platform with their optical family, and emphasizes the crucial role of Cisco's supply chain for 800-gig optics in enabling their rapid deployments.Cameron also discusses the broader implications of AI, particularly the shift from training to inferencing, and how this impacts enterprises' data storage and network needs. He touches on Cisco's focus on operational simplicity, citing compelling interfaces in new products like HyperShield (DPU), potentially built with Cisco's own AI tools.Finally, Cameron shares Groq's unique advantage of utilizing air-cooled racks for their LPUs, a significant cost differentiator compared to expensive water-cooling solutions, opening up opportunities for broader facility deployment and a massive ROI/TCO benefit. He also hints at future collaborations with Cisco in Edge networks and with service providers to enable AI closer to customers.#Groq #CiscoLive2025 #Cisco #AIAcceleration #AIInference #LPU #LanguageProcessingUnit #SiliconOne #Networking #DataCenter #HighPerformanceComputing #800Gig #Optics #SupplyChain #HyperShield #DPU #EdgeAI #ServiceProviders #AirCooled #TCO #ROI #Innovation #TechInterview #SanDiego #ZKResearch #ZeusKerravala #FutureOfAI

2025 ZKast #112 with Cameron Ferdinands of Groq at Cisco Live 2025

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2025 ZKast #112 with Cameron Ferdinands of Groq at Cisco Live 2025

Zeus Kerravala 11.6K views July 11, 2025 3:01 pm

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Real-Time, Recorded

The Heard is a weekly talk/chat format where Dave Michels and Zeus Kerravala discuss current topics in enterprise communications.

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Dave and Zeus discuss NICE Interactions and Five9.

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RealTime Recorded: CCaaS June

Real-Time, Recorded June 28, 2024 10:57 pm

RealTime Recorded: CCaaS June

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RealTime Recorded: CCaaS June

Real-Time, Recorded 18 views June 28, 2024 10:57 pm

Dave and Zeus provide updates on 5 recent events: #MWC24, #8x8AnalystSummit, #RingCentralAnalystSummit, #HPAmplify, #Five9AnalystSummit.00:00 Intro00:55 MWC4:55 RingCentral Summit7:40 8x8 Summit13:25 HP Amplify.18:44 Five9 Analyst Summit25:25 EC24 Upcoming27:55 NVidia and AI

Real TIme Recorded Q124 Events

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Real TIme Recorded Q124 Events

Real-Time, Recorded 2.1K views March 19, 2024 7:14 am

Dave and Zeus discuss recent earnings reports in enterprise comms.

Real-Time, Recorded Earnings Reports

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Real-Time, Recorded Earnings Reports

Real-Time, Recorded 41 views February 24, 2024 2:57 am

Real-Time, Recorded - AI

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Real-Time, Recorded - AI

Real-Time, Recorded 131 views January 3, 2024 11:34 pm

Real-Time, Recorded! Zoomtopia 2023

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Real-Time, Recorded! Zoomtopia 2023

Real-Time, Recorded 50 views October 4, 2023 10:42 pm

Dave and Zeus discuss the Zoom Analyst event #ZoomPerspective23.

Real-Time, Recorded Zoom Perspectives 23

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Real-Time, Recorded Zoom Perspectives 23

Real-Time, Recorded 26 views August 8, 2023 6:02 am

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Videos

ZKast

2025 ZKast #117 with John Maddison of F5 on AI innovation

Real-Time, Recorded

RealTime Recorded: CCaaS June