Building the Right Network

In this special on-location episode of The Art of Network Engineering, Andy Lapteff sits down in person with Kevin Myers for a conversation that pulls no punches.

Kevin brings decades of service provider and whitebox experience to the table as the two dive deep into one of networking’s most complex decisions: how to choose the right vendor to build your network.

From Cisco to whitebox, from enterprise carpeted IT to hyperscale data centers, this episode is all about designing networks that align with business needs, not just personal bias or legacy choices.

Topics include:
Why vendor selection should come after requirements gathering.
How multi-vendor environments can create both resilience and complexity.
When whitebox networking makes sense—and what kind of teams can support it.
The hidden "operational tax" of expanding your vendor portfolio.
Why understanding the business is the most critical skill for modern engineers.

Whether you're a design engineer, network architect, or just trying to future-proof your ops, this episode is packed with insights that will change how you think about gear, vendors, and the networks we build.

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