Kat and Ian are FRESH off of an AI training, but first we obviously have a couple detours: Kat's dad's fear of the government (he's okay); Oura ring might be selling our data (they still haven't); and the ocean (Ian's not about it.) After we cover the hard hitting news, Kat and Ian recap their AI training and (surprisingly) drop a little knowledge. Check out 11:06 for tips on how to structure prompts into your GPT and 13:51 for notes on creating parameters for responses. And finally, Ian educates Kat on the actual name of Cisco's AI Tool (yikes) 16:08. Learn more about Cisco's AI solutions for SMBs: www.cisco.com/c/en_uk/solutions/…mall-business.html

Tune in for a deep dive into the November 18 Cloudflare outage that impacted multiple services including X, OpenAI, and Anthropic—and explore key takeaways for ITOps teams.    For insights on the other recent outage that Cloudflare experienced on December 5, see this blog post: https://www.thousandeyes.com/blog/cloudflare-outage-analysis-december-5-2025    ———    CHAPTERS  00:00 Intro  00:55 The Nov. 18 Cloudflare Outage  02:34 Configuration Changes & Outages  03:45 Diagnosing the Fault Domain  05:47 Why Outage Recovery Can Take Time  10:43 Are Cloud Outages Increasing?  12:09 ITOps Best Practices  14:01 Outage Trends: By the Numbers  15:35 Get in Touch  ———    Explore the Cloudflare outage further in the ThousandEyes platform (no login required): https://ahhplivtvmhdmbduwcuonefullpkkohp.share.thousandeyes.com/ 
  For additional insights, check out The Internet Outage Survival Kit: https://www.thousandeyes.com/resources/the-internet-outage-survival-kit?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fy26q2_internetreport_q2fy26ep4_podcast    ———    Want to get in touch?    If you have questions, feedback, or guests you would like to see featured on the show, send us a note at InternetReport@thousandeyes.com. Or follow us on LinkedIn or X.   ———    ABOUT THE INTERNET REPORT  This is The Internet Report, a podcast uncovering what’s working and what’s breaking on the Internet—and why.     Tune in to hear ThousandEyes’ Internet experts dig into some of the most interesting outage events from the past couple weeks, discussing what went awry—was it the Internet, or an application issue?    Plus, learn about the latest trends in ISP outages, cloud network outages, collaboration network outages, and more.    Catch all the episodes on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform:    - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-report/id1506984526    - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ADFvqAtgsbYwk4JiZFqHQ?si=00e9c4b53aff4d08&nd=1&dlsi=eab65c9ea39d4773    - SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ciscopodcastnetwork/sets/the-internet-report 

We’re talking cookies today – both kinds. Kat harkens back to her digital marketing days to share her knowledge on first- and third-party cookies, and more importantly why you keep getting asked to accept them when you visit a landing page. We also clear up if your phone is listening to you, and if the internet will get even better at predicting your buying decisions. We then spend the last 5 minutes going in-depth on cookies (the kind you eat). From our favorites, wildcards and how wild Oreos have gotten, we give a comprehensive breakdown of them all... Weigh in with your takes! If you haven’t already, and want to help us keep making sure this podcast gets funded, please check out Cisco’s solutions for small and medium businesses: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/solutions/small-business/index.html

In this episode, Venkat Kirishnamurthy, a principal Architect at Cisco, explains what are the ins and outs of designin an AI datacenter. How is it different from another datacenter ? What kind of scale are we talking about ? What is the throughput required to connect 1000 GPUs together ? Learn more about CX Services and how we can help you design your datacenter: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/services/index.html

Get an inside perspective on how autonomous AI agents are reshaping the Internet, and what that means for the future of data, resilience, and digital innovation.    We’ll chat about the new requirements for agentic AI success that call for a significant shift in priorities for NetOps teams.    CHAPTERS  00:00 Intro  00:56 About Agentic AI  02:41 Data Quality Matters  10:17 Service Resilience  10:06 End-to-end Capacity Planning  14:22 NetOps Best Practices  15:13 Get in Touch    ———    For more insights, check out the links below:    [PODCAST] Beyond "Break-Fix": Assuring Performance in the AI Era: https://www.thousandeyes.com/blog/internet-report-assuring-performance-ai-era?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fy26q2_internetreport_q2fy26ep3_podcast  [EBOOK] Delivering Assurance at the Speed of AI: https://www.thousandeyes.com/resources/delivering-assurance-at-the-speed-of-ai-ebook?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fy26q2_internetreport_q2fy26ep3_podcast  ———    Want to get in touch?    If you have questions, feedback, or guests you would like to see featured on the show, send us a note at InternetReport@thousandeyes.com. Or follow us on LinkedIn or X.   ———    ABOUT THE INTERNET REPORT  This is The Internet Report, a podcast uncovering what’s working and what’s breaking on the Internet—and why.     Tune in to hear ThousandEyes’ Internet experts dig into some of the most interesting outage events from the past couple weeks, discussing what went awry—was it the Internet, or an application issue?    Plus, learn about the latest trends in ISP outages, cloud network outages, collaboration network outages, and more.    Catch all the episodes on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform:    - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-report/id1506984526    - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ADFvqAtgsbYwk4JiZFqHQ?si=00e9c4b53aff4d08&nd=1&dlsi=eab65c9ea39d4773    - SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ciscopodcastnetwork/sets/the-internet-report

Kat's out of town, so Ian is joined by Brad Oliver, Director of the US Commercial Collaboration SMB & Midmarket Sales Organization at Cisco to talk hobbies, work/life balance and fighting off burnout. You have to be able to bring your best self everyday, but how do you go about doing that? Just two bros talking life, love and pursuit of happiness. Truly an episode for the people. If you came for Cisco information...sorry, but click here so our boss doesn't fire us! id.cisco.com/app/ciscoid_aemcloudprodsaml_1/exk14lk1xf6SKDANc5d7/sso/saml

We are joined by our producer extraordinaire, Alex Giroux the Associate Director of Brand and Customer Experience at Agital to talk all things marketing from the brain of an ad agency leader. From how direct mail is so cool that Kat keeps hers (but somehow is responsible enough to develop disposable camera pictures) to AI content creation, Alex has us covered on the latest and greatest marketing trends for both B2B and B2C. Whether you are in marketing or in business, this episode should resonate for you! And if it doesn't, you can just watch the YouTube with the sound off like Ian. If you enjoy the pod, and want to keep our bosses happy, please click here: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/solutions/small-business/index.html

Cisco SE Talks: Conversations on AI - Episode 6 is LIVE! We're thrilled to welcome in an expert panel from the AHEAD team—Heather Dimovski (Client Solutions Engineering Manager), Mark Sweeting (Senior Solutions Architect), and Chris Knox (Senior Solutions Architect)—joined by Cisco SE Pradnya Vichare! As part of the episode, we dive deep into game-changing manufacturing AI Use-Cases that are unlocking massive operational gains. We uncover the unique Cisco + AHEAD partnership and how we're solving the biggest customer challenges head-on! Don't miss the conversation that shows how Cisco stands as the key infrastructure leader in the AI revolution! Watch the full episode now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1itKNwstQ4&list=PLFT-9JpKjRTBR60Rlx_nt_u6S6_YDjELi

The demands of AI workloads are reshaping Internet infrastructure, giving rise to a more distributed model and resulting in an increasingly complex service delivery chain for NetOps teams to manage. Tune in to the full episode to learn more or use the chapters below to skip to the sections that you find most interesting. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 00:53 How Internet Infrastructure Is Changing 02:24 Converting Legacy Central Offices & Telephone Exchanges 06:46 Neoclouds 10:06 Hyperscalers & a More Distributed Model 12:11 NetOps Considerations 13:26 Key Takeaways 14:54 Get in Touch ——— For more insights, check out the links below: [PODCAST] Beyond "Break-Fix": Assuring Performance in the AI Era: https://www.thousandeyes.com/blog/internet-report-assuring-performance-ai-era?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fy26q1_internetreport_q2fy26ep2_podcast [EBOOK] Delivering Assurance at the Speed of AI: https://www.thousandeyes.com/resources/delivering-assurance-at-the-speed-of-ai-ebook?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fy26q1_internetreport_q2fy26ep2_podcast ——— Want to get in touch? If you have questions, feedback, or guests you would like to see featured on the show, send us a note at InternetReport@thousandeyes.com. Or follow us on LinkedIn or X. ——— ABOUT THE INTERNET REPORT This is The Internet Report, a podcast uncovering what’s working and what’s breaking on the Internet—and why. Tune in to hear ThousandEyes’ Internet experts dig into some of the most interesting outage events from the past couple weeks, discussing what went awry—was it the Internet, or an application issue? Plus, learn about the latest trends in ISP outages, cloud network outages, collaboration network outages, and more. Catch all the episodes on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform: - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-report/id1506984526 - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ADFvqAtgsbYwk4JiZFqHQ?si=00e9c4b53aff4d08&nd=1&dlsi=eab65c9ea39d4773 - SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ciscopodcastnetwork/sets/the-internet-report

WHERE IS THE MONEY? The million dollar question that Kat and Ian cannot answer. Please leave a comment after minute 6 if you can answer this question for us. From here, your favorite duo hits the highlights on SMB pain points with marketing. From cost to time consumption, Kat and Ian debunk allll the myths for SMBs. AND if you're more interested in exactly what Cisco is selling, check it out here: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/solutions/small-business/index.html#tabs-a107e9a621-item-6caff3e5bb-tab

In this episode, Tim Szigeti, Distinguished Engineer talks to us about Quantum computing, the latest progresses and what are the potential impact and opportunities it creates. We also discuss what is Cisco doing in the Quantum field.

We're back with Sammy Brenner (Cisco's US Public Sector Sales Director, NBD) for part two! Usually sequels are worse than the original, but this one may be better! We dive RIGHT in to how to network at work, how to (and how not to) get referrals into jobs and how to grow your career from three people all in different stages of their career and journey. Grow where you are, even if you're old like Ian. If you want to apply (and hopefully interview) for a role at Cisco, we've got you covered: www.cisco.com/c/en/us/about/careers.html Also, check out Sammy's podcast Meraki Unboxed here (after you listen to ours): https://community.meraki.com/t5/Meraki-Unboxed-Podcast/Episode-138-Converging-Forces-The-Next-Wave-in-Networking/ba-p/283068

During complex infrastructure outages, an initial issue can often have a ripple effect, creating a web of problems to resolve. Explore how this phenomenon appeared to play out during the October 20 AWS outage and also unpack other recent outage events. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 00:58 AWS Outage 05:24 Microsoft Azure Front Door Outage 08:00 Microsoft-AT&T Service Disruption 09:34 YouTube Outage 10:54 Vodafone Outage 13:16 Outage Trends: By the Numbers 14:26 Get in Touch ——— Explore these outages and service disruptions further further in the ThousandEyes platform (no login required): - AWS Outage: https://avzvjfvrejipghihlhmikprnziucvlvt.share.thousandeyes.com - Microsoft Azure Front Door Outage: https://alnwdjfechagkzsgzjwqidqytxhwfitz.share.thousandeyes.com - Microsoft-AT&T Service Disruption: https://aivduheuiilcfabsoendfnbxnwtprjdr.share.thousandeyes.com For additional insights, check out the links below: - The Internet Outage Survival Kit: https://www.thousandeyes.com/resources/the-internet-outage-survival-kit?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fy26q1_internetreport_q2fy26ep1_podcast - The Guide to Next-generation Assurance: https://www.thousandeyes.com/resources/guide-to-next-generation-assurance-ebook?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fy26q1_internetreport_q2fy26ep1_podcast ——— Want to get in touch? If you have questions, feedback, or guests you would like to see featured on the show, send us a note at InternetReport@thousandeyes.com. Or follow us on LinkedIn or X: @thousandeyes ——— ABOUT THE INTERNET REPORT This is The Internet Report, a podcast uncovering what’s working and what’s breaking on the Internet—and why. Tune in to hear ThousandEyes’ Internet experts dig into some of the most interesting outage events from the past couple weeks, discussing what went awry—was it the Internet, or an application issue? Plus, learn about the latest trends in ISP outages, cloud network outages, collaboration network outages, and more. Catch all the episodes on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform: - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-report/id1506984526 - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ADFvqAtgsbYwk4JiZFqHQ?si=00e9c4b53aff4d08&nd=1&dlsi=eab65c9ea39d4773 - SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ciscopodcastnetwork/sets/the-internet-report

Golden minds and golden interview tips this week, as Ian and Kat are joined by Cisco's US Public Sector Sales Director Sammy Brenner for all her best interview tips (after we get through talking supplements and subscriptions...bear with us)! Sammy shares her career journey (starting at 5:10 in) before we segue into into interview icks, tips and best practices (7:17 in). From being dressing for success to not using the interview to rant about animal rights, we've got you covered. Bottom line: you've got to play the game! Sammy WILL be back for a part 2, so stay tuned! If you want to apply (and hopefully interview) for a role at Cisco, we've got you covered: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/about/careers.html Also, check out Sammy's podcast Meraki Unboxed here (after you listen to ours): https://open.spotify.com/show/3ahh6qHnNoYvCBSYBJMZX1?si=22ee47049d664d8a

Kat's on the road, and in a haunted hotel.

We’re LIVE with the latest episode of "Cisco SE Talks": AI Services delivered by Cisco and Presidio. Joining me on this episode, we’re thrilled to bring in Michael Byrne (VP, Solution Strategy), Aaron Kierpaul (SE and AI Champion, Presidio) and Gilbert Rivera (Solutions Architect Manager, Presidio) as we break down the powerful Cisco + Presidio partnership and share proven strategies for overcoming the early challenges of AI adoption. As part of the episode, we talk through where customers are beginning their AI journey, addressing common pain points, and what it takes to drive real results with AI with security top of mind. Watch the episode on Cisco's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsvlXxdnVZA

We're rewinding to where it all began - the bold conversations that sparked a movement. 💫 This "Best Of…" edition revisits the insights and collaboration that built the foundation for Cisco's partner transformation and the launch of the Cisco 360 Partner Program. Featuring Elisabeth DeDobbeleer, Rhonda Henley, Jason Gallo, Sharon Price, and Ken Seitz, this episode explores: 🌍 How co-design became the heartbeat of Cisco's partner evolution 💪 Why "fear less" is more than a motto - it's a mindset for change 🧭 How clarity and consistency fuel long-term growth ✨ Key Takeaways: 87% of VIP 46 SKUs carry into CPI at equal or higher payout levels Partners achieving Preferred status are locked for 18 months post-launch The Partner Value Index aligns what "good" looks like across security, networking, cloud, and AI Cisco 360 Partner Program empowers a thriving ecosystem where all partners can grow 🌐 Bold beginnings. Clear direction. Shared success. Let's make shift happen. 🔥

Backend-related outages were somewhat of a theme during the first half of 2025 and this trend seems to be continuing. In recent weeks, we’ve seen several service disruptions that appeared connected to backend issues, affecting organizations including a social media platform, an Australian bank, and a major airline. These incidents offer valuable insights into the typical characteristics of backend outages and strategies for spotting them. Tune in now to hear more about these events and the distinct anatomy of a backend outage. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 01:01 About Backend Outages 04:18 Anthropic’s Claude Outage 08:44 Service Disruption 12:54 Alaska Airlines Outage 14:17 Commonwealth Bank Outage 15:42 Gong Service Disruption 17:25 Outage Trends: By the Numbers 19:43 Get in Touch ——— Explore Anthropic’s Claude outage and the Alaska Airlines outage further in the ThousandEyes platform (no login required): - Claude: https://acshghvfamioplwqigifrycvlsqesoxb.share.thousandeyes.com - Alaska Airlines: https://annocixygjjriicwjupcporbjqblgkym.share.thousandeyes.com/ For additional insights, check out the links below: - The Internet Outage Survival Kit: https://www.thousandeyes.com/resources/the-internet-outage-survival-kit??utm_source=soundcloud&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fy26q1_internetreport_q1fy26ep6_podcast - The Guide to Next-generation Assurance: https://www.thousandeyes.com/resources/guide-to-next-generation-assurance-ebook?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fy26q1_internetreport_q1fy26ep6_podcast ——— Want to get in touch? If you have questions, feedback, or guests you would like to see featured on the show, send us a note at InternetReport@thousandeyes.com. Or follow us on LinkedIn or X. ——— ABOUT THE INTERNET REPORT This is The Internet Report, a podcast uncovering what’s working and what’s breaking on the Internet—and why. Tune in to hear ThousandEyes’ Internet experts dig into some of the most interesting outage events from the past couple weeks, discussing what went awry—was it the Internet, or an application issue? Plus, learn about the latest trends in ISP outages, cloud network outages, collaboration network outages, and more. Catch all the episodes on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform: - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-report/id1506984526 - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ADFvqAtgsbYwk4JiZFqHQ?si=00e9c4b53aff4d08&nd=1&dlsi=eab65c9ea39d4773 - SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ciscopodcastnetwork/sets/the-internet-report

Kat and Ian are BACK! To the US, to work, to 404. This episode starts with a quick (?) debrief on both of their travels - our hosts were having a delayed Euro Summer, if you will. Kat asks Ian if he won the Berlin marathon, and Ian inquires about Swiss weddings. If you were hoping for a bit more educational content, head to the very end where the two tease a discussion on events marketing, and as always, you can find all the Cisco knowledge you'd ever want right here: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/solutions/small-business/index.html#tabs-a107e9a621-item-6caff3e5bb-tab

What does it take to build durable growth in a $5.4 trillion tech market? 💡 In this episode, Jeff Edwards sits down with Gwendolyn Brantley, Cisco’s Director of Software & Service Sales for the Americas Partner Organization, to explore how AI, ecosystem partnerships, and premium services are reshaping the way customers buy, consume, and renew technology. 🎙️ Key takeaways: • How AI and complexity are redefining customer expectations • Why “meeting customers where they are” demands an ecosystem mindset • The role of the Cisco 360 Partner Program in driving durable, recurring growth • Why adoption accountability and premium services create happier customers • Gwendolyn’s leadership superpower: The Connector 🕸️ If you lead teams, work with partners, or thrive on turning market shifts into opportunity—this one’s for you. 👉 Listen now and make shift happen.