Google Takes a 7-Hour Coffee Break (And Takes Half the Internet With Them)

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When automation fails, it fails spectacularly—and at scale. The recent Google Cloud outage that took down over 54 global services for more than seven hours demonstrates this perfectly. A simple error—blank fields in automated policy updates—cascaded into widespread failures affecting millions of users worldwide. This episode dives deep into what went wrong, how it happened, and what it means for cloud resilience in the AI era.
We also explore Cisco's dramatic pivot at Cisco Live 2025, where they've committed to refreshing their entire hardware stack and integrating AI throughout their ecosystem. Their new LLM called Deep Network suggests a future where networking infrastructure makes intelligent decisions autonomously. We discuss whether Cisco can deliver on these promises and what the unification of their Meraki and Catalyst lines might mean for customers.
The Ultra Ethernet Consortium has finally released their 1.0 specification, establishing a comprehensive standard for high-performance computing environments. This 600+ page document marks a significant milestone in creating viable alternatives to InfiniBand for AI workloads. Meanwhile, Network-as-a-Service pioneer Meter secured $170 million in Series C funding, raising questions about the actual size and sustainability of the NaaS market.
On the cybersecurity front, we examine two concerning developments: the mass exodus of leadership from CISA during heightened threat conditions, and a novel zero-click vulnerability in Microsoft 365 Copilot that can expose sensitive data without any user interaction. This "Echo Leak" vulnerability demonstrates how AI systems that automatically scan content create entirely new attack vectors that organizations must defend against.
Join us for a fast-paced discussion about these pivotal developments in cloud computing, networking technology, and cybersecurity. What does all this mean for your infrastructure strategy? Listen and find out.

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Chapters

1. Introduction and Format Overview (00:00:00)

2. Google Cloud's Massive Outage (00:01:05)

3. Cisco Live 2025: The Year of AI (00:07:25)

4. Ultra Ethernet Consortium Specification (00:13:10)

5. Meter's Network-as-a-Service Funding (00:16:40)

6. CISA Leadership Exodus (00:21:35)

7. Microsoft Copilot Security Vulnerability (00:25:25)