Name: From Network to Cloud Engineer: How to Develop Your Cloud Networking Skills
Start: 2023-05-18T18:00:00Z
End: 2023-05-18T18:00:30.000Z
Location: BrightTALK
Rating: 5

Forward Networks is a leader in network analytics and intent-based networking solutions. Our BrightTALK channel focuses on the technology, marketing and solutions in this rapidly evolving space.

Managing a complex network demands precise and up-to-date information, yet achieving a single source of truth (SSOT) for your network is a significant challenge. Many enterprises rely on multiple sources of truth (SOTs), but conflicting SOTs introduce risk—how can engineers be certain which one is accurate? How can IT teams ensure there are no unidentified devices hidden in the network? Without accurate data, critical tasks like managing CVEs become nearly impossible—you can't secure or remediate devices you don’t even know exist.

By integrating and cross-populating SOTs, administrators gain unprecedented levels of detail about the network and its devices. This session will demonstrate how the Forward Networks Digital Twin collects, augments, and consolidates network information across multiple SOTs to create a comprehensive and accurate SSOT. Using tools like device decorators, Forward Networks ensures seamless troubleshooting, efficient remediation, and a more secure network environment.

Key highlights include:
Why a single source of truth matters: Gain insights into how an accurate SSOT improves troubleshooting, enhances compliance, and streamlines operations.
Challenges of tools like Netbox: Learn why manual updates and integration issues often lead to inaccuracies and inefficiencies in managing network inventory.

How a Network Digital Twin transforms your approach: See how Forward Networks automatically reconciles and updates your network data, eliminating the need for manual intervention and ensuring your inventory is always 100% accurate.

Join Technical Solutions Architect and cloud expert Craig Johnson, along with Technical Product Marketing Leader Mike Lossmann, for an interactive demonstration of how Forward Enterprise simplifies the creation and maintenance of a single source of truth (SSOT), empowering you to focus on achieving your objectives with confidence and ease.

Save Time and Reduce Risk: How a Digital Twin Makes Maintaining a Single Source of Truth Effortless

SEO-Optimized Video Description for Digital Twin Platform:

Explore the power of Forward Enterprise's network digital twin platform in this comprehensive session led by Mike Lossmann, our resident demo expert. This in-depth overview highlights 13 critical use cases that demonstrate how digital twin technology revolutionizes network operations and management.  

Key Use Cases Covered:
1. Change Control  
2. Network Compliance and Audits  
3. Inventory Management
4. Workflow Automation  
5. Incident Response  
6. Vulnerability Management  
7. Zero Trust Verification  
8. Continuous Cloud Security Audit  
9. Cloud Service Assurance
10. End-to-End Hybrid Multi-Cloud Visibility  
11. Path Verification Analysis  
12. Outage Prevention  
13. Troubleshooting  

Learn how Forward Enterprise enables organizations to optimize network performance, ensure security compliance, and achieve unmatched visibility across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Discover how a digital twin can drive proactive incident resolution, zero-trust strategies, and automated workflows to reduce risks and streamline operations.

Forward Enterprise Full Demo

Zero Trust .... But Verify
Zero trust security is a necessity in modern cybersecurity frameworks, endorsed by comprehensive directives from the United States Department of Defense (DoD) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). The DoD Zero Trust Strategy alongside the DoD Zero Trust Capability Execution Roadmap offers in-depth guidance designed to facilitate any organization's transition to a robust Zero Trust model. 

Join Federal Security Expert Scot Wilson and Federal Technology Solutions Architect Sean Deveci to learn how organizations are using Forward Enterprise to simplify their Zero Trust journey. They will demonstrate how leveraging a network digital twin can empower both government and private sector organizations to seamlessly implement and verify a Zero Trust architecture. 

During the session, Scot and Sean will demonstrate how Forward Enterprise supports several of the Zero Trust foundational pillars identified by the DoD: 

*Device: Rigorous device security and control mechanisms (CVE, STIGs, config hardening). 

*Application & Workload: Protection strategies for applications and their workloads. 

*Network & Environment: Segmentation and Security posture verification across diverse environments. 

*Automation & Orchestration: Enhancing response capabilities through automation. 

*Visibility & Analytics: Advanced analytics for proactive security management.

How to follow DoD Zero Trust Guidelines

Palo Alto Networks recently disclosed critical vulnerabilities in PAN-OS—CVE-2024-0012 and CVE-2024-9474—allowing attackers to gain administrator access and plant malicious code. Coupled with CISA's BOD 23-02 directive to reduce exposure from internet-facing management interfaces, organizations face the challenge of identifying and prioritizing vulnerable devices quickly.

Forward Networks simplifies this process with its Digital Twin technology. By analyzing device configurations and states and integrating with NIST and vendor vulnerability sites, it pinpoints vulnerabilities and highlights internet-exposed devices, turning “we think we’re vulnerable” into “we know exactly what to fix.” Watch our resident expert, Mike Lossmann, demonstrate how Forward Networks transforms CVE management into a fast, actionable process.

How to Find and Remediate PAN-OS Vulnerabilities in Seconds with Forward Enterprise

Ensuring audit readiness is paramount for maintaining security, compliance, and operational efficiency across the Department of Defense (DoD), civilian federal agencies, and the private sector. This webinar is designed to provide organizations with the strategies necessary to achieve and maintain audit preparedness, using the Cyber Command Readiness Inspection (CCRI) audits as a robust framework.

Join Federal Technology Expert Scot Wilson and Networking Audit Veteran Mike Lossmann to learn how Forward Enterprise assists organizations in determining audit readiness, developing actionable remediation plans, and ensuring long-term compliance. They will demonstrate practical approaches to meeting stringent audit requirements, addressing vulnerabilities, and implementing security controls that align with the high standards set by CCRI audits.

Key Takeaways:
- Assessing CCRI Audit Readiness: Learn how to evaluate your organization’s preparedness by identifying and addressing critical vulnerabilities, such as CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures), and ensuring compliance with directives from higher headquarters.
- Vulnerability Management: Discover strategies to eliminate vulnerabilities, secure external access exclusively via HTTPS, and identify devices from insecure supply chains.
- Device Hardening and Security Compliance: Explore methods to apply necessary security controls, comply with all high-priority Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs), and mitigate medium-risk STIGs wherever possible.
- Operational Readiness Planning: Understand how to develop a comprehensive plan of action for managing technical debt, including addressing end-of-life hardware and software.
- Long-Term Compliance Assurance: Gain insights into maintaining ongoing compliance through continuous monitoring and action planning to prevent and resolve compliance issues over time.

Use a Digital Twin for Painless Audit Readiness and Response

Join to learn how global enterprises are using data to extract business value from their network. Dr. Andreas Voellmy, our principal engineer, developed NQE to help customers get the most value from their network through insights, agility, the ability to proactively detect issues before an outage, automate best practices, and bolster network security. 

During the session Andreas and our director of customer success, Yadhu Govindarajan will demonstrate how NQE is being used to:
-- Automate Design Validation
-- Inform Decision-making with Accurate Inventory
-- Proactively Check for Misconfigurations to Prevent Incidents

Use Network Query Engine to turn network data into significant savings

In enterprise networks, the reliance on multiple clouds has become a common thread. While this approach offers enticing benefits like reliability and cost efficiency, it also presents a formidable challenge: the complexity of managing, visualizing, and securing multi-cloud environments.

Join us for an interactive session where we delve into the strategies employed by global enterprises to overcome these hurdles. Discover how the fusion of network digital twin technology and Empowered Networks' Network Intelligence offering ushers in a new era of cloud visibility, security compliance, and guaranteed service delivery.

Our esteemed panel of industry leaders includes Michael Ell, SVP of Technical Services, and Steve Allie, the VP of Technical Services at Forward Networks. 

In this webinar, you will learn how enterprises:

Unlock Unparalleled Cloud Visibility: Utilize the power of network digital twins in providing hop-by-hop visibility within multi-cloud environments, enabling comprehensive insights and optimizing network operations.

Prove Security and Compliance: Verification checks ensure security compliance in multi-cloud environments, safeguarding valuable data and intellectual property.

Don't miss the opportunity to join the conversation and stay ahead of the curve. Reserve your spot now and embark on a transformative journey toward conquering the challenges of multi-cloud environments with network digital twins and network intelligence.

How Global Companies Master Multi-Cloud Management & Prove Security Compliance

Are you frequently encountering the dreaded "network is down" panic in your multi-cloud environment? Join us for an in-depth technical session where we'll tackle the complexities of troubleshooting connectivity and proving network innocence in seconds. Technical Solutions Architect and cloud expert Craig Johnson and Technical Product Marketing Leader Mike Lossmann will show you how to use a network digital twin to diagnose and resolve connectivity issues in seconds specifically focusing on scenarios where your application cannot connect over the cloud.

In this session, we will explore the intricacies of routing, firewalls, and transit gateways within a hybrid network setup. You will learn how to pinpoint and resolve connectivity problems efficiently. Craig will show you how a network digital twin can:

- Navigate and troubleshoot routing issues in a hybrid multi-cloud environment.
- Identify access and routing problems.
- Immediately verify and troubleshoot network paths.
- Monitor and diagnose network traffic issues.
- Help you resolve issues without getting lost in complex configurations.

How to Troubleshoot Complex Multi-Cloud Environments in Seconds

Mark Leary, IDC's Research Director, recently interviewed Forward Networks clients to compile the
IDC Report, "The Business Value of Forward Networks."

The findings are compelling: The average Forward Networks customer experiences an impressive
$14.2 million in annual benefits. These benefits encompass reduced downtime, heightened
productivity, and additional operational efficiencies.

To put the power Forward Networks can provide your organization into perspective, consider this:
The productivity protected through its utilization is equivalent to over 90 additional full-time
employees.

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How a Digital Twin Delivers $14.2M in Annual Value Featuring IDC's Mark Leary

It is crucial in today's fast-paced digital world to keep an accurate and current inventory of network assets, but it is nearly impossible to do manually.  A digital twin offers an always accurate, detailed representation of your network, ensuring you never have to guess about the state of your network infrastructure again. 

Join Federal Technical Solutions Architects Sean Deveci and Jason Pope to learn how using a digital twin for asset management has improved operations for many federal agencies. They’ll show you how to use a network digital twin for:

Accurate Asset Management -  Understand how a digital twin provides an always up-to-date inventory, end-of-life, and end-of-service information.
Cost Savings: Learn how accurate inventory management can save your agency money by ensuring service contracts are based on actual usage rather than vendor estimates and enabling precise purchase planning to buy only what is needed.
Zero Trust and Compliance Initiatives: Understand how an accurate inventory is the foundation of zero trust security.
CCRI Audits: Gain insights into how a digital twin helps you prepare for Cyber Operational Readiness Assessments (CORA) with accurate and comprehensive asset data.

How to Achieve Effortless and Accurate Asset Management Using a Digital Twin

In today's fast-paced business environment, networks have become the lifeblood of global enterprises. However, the ever-increasing complexity and fragility of these networks present unprecedented challenges. NetOps teams are under immense pressure to ensure reliability and security in an uncertain landscape. It's time to break free from outdated network diagrams and embrace a new era of understanding.

Join industry experts Michael Ell, SVP of Technical Services, at Empowered and Steve Allie, VP of Technical Services at Forward Networks for a live discussion. Together, they will unveil the powerful combination of network intelligence and digital twin technology.

During this event, you will learn to

Decode the Complexity: Gain deep insights into how network intelligence and a network digital twin deliver unparalleled visibility and understanding.

Elevate Network Reliability: Discover how digital twin technology creates virtual replicas of your network for informed decision making.

Unleash Collaboration: Explore how accessible data brings NetOps, SecOps, and CloudOps teams together, fostering seamless collaboration, streamlining workflows, and driving productivity.

Realize Time Savings: Bid farewell to laborious troubleshooting calls as the digital twin reduces MTTR to seconds

Discover the results enterprise companies are achieving

Unraveling Complexity: Mastering Networks with Digital Twins & Intelligence

In this 30-minute demo filmed at Cisco Live Las Vegas, Mike takes the audience through the top Forward Networks Use Cases.  If you aren't ready for a personalized demo, but you want to see what the product can do, this session is for you.  He'll cover how Forward Enterprise helps NetOps, SecOps and Cloud Ops teams be more effective and efficient using the. platform that generates an average of $14.2 million in annual benefits to its customers.  (Link to the IDC Business Value Spotlight that validates this is in the attachments)

Demo Tuesday | Full Demo at Cisco Live

In this video, Mike demonstrates how to merge segments for an integrated view in highly segmented networks.

Agency IT departments are charged with maintaining mission-ready 
networks to support services, remote work, and support warfighter 
operations. These networks are highly segmented to tightly control 
access and contain risk in the event of a security incident.  
Within agency networks, various segments often fall under 
distinct administrative controls, making it nearly impossible to 
visualize connectivity, ensure security zone segmentation, or 
perform a complete path search. While necessary for security, this 
segmentation can hinder troubleshooting and optimization efforts, 
especially when network issues span multiple domains. Forward 
Enterprise addresses this challenge with its innovative “merged 
snapshots” feature.

Enhancing Network Visibility  with Merged Snapshots

Join special guests Michael Wynston, Director of Network Architecture and Automation, at Fiserv, and Andre Kindness, Principal Analyst at Forrester Research, to learn how the inventory management capabilities of a network digital twin helped Michael to:

- Save 7 figures in support costs
- Improve lifecycle management
- Know with mathematical certainty exactly what is in his network
- Improve security by eliminating blind spots
- Prove compliance over time during audits

By creating a searchable and easy-to-understand single source of truth for network inventory, Michael answers questions about his network with mathematical certainty, has more confidence in automation efforts, and provides a way for him to plan what he wants his network to accomplish. 

Andre Kindness, Principal Analyst at Forrester Research, will augment Michael's expertise with his insight as a leading industry expert to help attendees understand the benefits of accurate inventory management.

Learn how a digital twin can improve inventory management to save time and money

Demo Tuesday Reflects on Cisco Live

Join Mike Lossmann, a digital twin expert with over 18 years of experience in managing complex networks, as he demonstrates AI Assist, a generative AI feature in Forward Enterprise. AI Assist allows engineers to interact with the network as if they were conversing with a colleague. This feature enables querying the network to understand its behavior, troubleshoot issues, and prove compliance using natural language. Attend this session to see AI Assist in action.

AI-Powered Digital Twins: Hands-On Session for Streamlined Network Management

Join Mike Lossmann, a digital twin expert with over 18 years of experience in managing complex networks, as he explains the concept and functionality of a network digital twin. Discover how it can streamline your toolset and simplify your network management tasks.

Reduce Network Tools and Ease Your Job with Digital Twins: Learn How

In today's Demo Tuesday, we will showcase how Forward Networks ensures your zero trust policies are effectively enforced and that traffic correctly passes through designated enforcement points, avoiding any circumvention of set policies. The demo will also highlight our continuously updated security posture.

Learn to Enforce Zero Trust Policies with Forward Networks: Demo Tuesday

After 20 years of working as a networking engineer, Craig transitioned his skills to become Forward Networks' cloud engineering expert. The transition was anything but intuitive because things work differently in the cloud. 

Join us to learn how Craig made the journey, and how you can leverage your traditional networking skills in the three major public cloud environments (AWS, Google Cloud Platform, Azure). Craig will also offer advice on connecting your home lab to the public cloud for a deeper dive into cloud networking.

From Network to Cloud Engineer: How to Develop Your Cloud Networking Skills

Cloud Architecture

Cloud Network

Network Engineers

Multi Cloud

Hybrid Cloud

Public Cloud

Amazon Web Services

Azure

Google Cloud

Google Cloud Platform

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From Network to Cloud Engineer: How to Develop Your Cloud Networking Skills

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