2019 Showcase
2019 Next-Generation Network Automation Report
The Network Automation microsite focuses on the programming of the network including intent-based systems, DevOps and automation tools, orchestration and the role of network telemetry.
Sponsor Spotlight AT&T
Orchestration, Automation and ONAP
Network Automation is what enables AT&T to scale their network. Chris Rice, Senior Vice President at AT&T, takes a look at the progress their automation and orchestration platform has made in the last two years — from where it was to where it is now — and discusses how AT&T uses ONAP.
Sponsor Spotlight FRINX
Provisioning Workflows and Enabling Service Automation
The future of network automation involves acquiring key operational data within the network and tying that to automation workflows in an intelligent manner. FRINX has combined a system of multiple components (controller and agent), a workflow engine, and open-source databases into one solution that is ready to work out of the box. Gerhard Wieser, CEO of FRINX, talks about how FRINX allows customers to provision services, configure devices, and understand the state of their whole network at scale.
Sponsor Spotlight Gluware
Accelerating Enterprises on the Network Automation Journey
Automating a global enterprise to scale can be a herculean task. Choosing the best approach, such as using an intent-based, model-driven based network automation engine can simplify the process of automating an existing multi-vendor network, freeing precious IT engineering time to deliver strategic innovation. Gluware CEO and Co-founder, Jeff Gray, talks about how Gluware helps enterprises like Mastercard, Merck and more deploy network automation at scale and the business benefits of doing so.
Sponsor Spotlight IBM
Carrier Challenges and Network Automation
Marisa Viveros, VP of Strategy and Solutions, Global Telecom at IBM, discusses the challenges telecommunication providers are facing today. She discusses the key role that automation and orchestration will play and how IBM aims to bring that to customers.
Sponsor Spotlight Itential
Advancing Network Automation through Software Principles
To advance network automation, organizations need to move from manual, human-centric command line interfaces (CLIs) to machine-driven automation. Chris Wade, Co-founder and CTO of Itential, talks about the critical issues associated with network automation and why it’s time to treat the network as code. By taking a software-centric approach, organizations can integrate across multiple domains for end-to-end network automation.
Sponsor Spotlight NTT Research
Intro to NTT's Innovation Optical & Wireless Network
Networking infrastructure is sure to evolve quickly during the 2020s. Kazuhiro Gomi, CEO of NTT Research, introduces the Innovative Optical & Wireless Network (IOWN), a new vision for an all-photonic core network enhanced by quantum technology and breakthroughs in privacy and security.
Sponsor Spotlight Pluribus
Next-Gen Network Automation - Edge Data Centers
Data centers are becoming more distributed and smaller, says Mike Capuano, Chief Marketing Officer at Pluribus, moving into central offices or even radio base station aggregation locations. This makes network automation absolutely critical. These smaller data centers have to become software-defined.
Sponsor Spotlight The Linux Foundation
Leading Automation Project, ONAP, Hits its 4th Release
Arpit Joshipura, GM Networking & Orchestration + Edge/IOT for The Linux Foundation, discusses ONAP’s recent release, Dublin, and how the LF’s new blueprints help operators deploy network automation at scale in production.
Courtesy of our sponsors!
Complimentary Report Download
2019 Network Automation
UNLOCKED REPORT — no personal info needed to download
Analysis by AvidThink
What the 2019 Network Automation report finds
These interviews converge on treating the network as code: operators and vendors move from manual CLIs toward intent-based, model-driven, and open-source automation to scale multi-vendor networks, while carriers and edge data centers make software-defined automation a prerequisite for growth.
Automation scales the carrier network
AT&T credits automation and its ONAP-based orchestration platform with enabling scale, while IBM and The Linux Foundation position orchestration and ONAP's Dublin release for production deployment at scale.
Treat the network as code
Itential urges moving from human-centric CLIs to machine-driven, software-centric automation, integrating across domains for end-to-end automation of the network.
Intent-based, model-driven engines
Gluware uses an intent-based, model-driven engine to automate existing multi-vendor networks at scale for enterprises like Mastercard and Merck, freeing IT engineering time for innovation.
Open-source, ready-to-run stacks
FRINX combines controller and agent components, a workflow engine, and open-source databases into a ready-to-run solution for provisioning services and understanding network state at scale.
Edge and photonics reshape the future
Pluribus says smaller, distributed edge data centers make software-defined automation critical, while NTT Research's IOWN envisions an all-photonic core enhanced by quantum technology.
Highlights from industry thought leaders
Video interviews
Orchestration, Automation and ONAP
- AT&T credits network automation with enabling it to scale its network.
- AT&T reviews two years of progress on its automation and orchestration platform and its use of ONAP.
Abstract
Network Automation is what enables AT&T to scale their network. Chris Rice, Senior Vice President at AT&T, takes a look at the progress their automation and orchestration platform has made in the last two years — from where it was to where it is now — and discusses how AT&T uses ONAP.
Provisioning Workflows and Enabling Service Automation
- FRINX ties key operational network data to automation workflows in an intelligent manner.
- FRINX combines controller and agent components, a workflow engine, and open-source databases into a ready-to-run solution.
- The solution lets customers provision services, configure devices, and understand network state at scale.
Abstract
The future of network automation involves acquiring key operational data within the network and tying that to automation workflows in an intelligent manner. FRINX has combined a system of multiple components (controller and agent), a workflow engine, and open-source databases into one solution that is ready to work out of the box. Gerhard Wieser, CEO of FRINX, talks about how FRINX allows customers to provision services, configure devices, and understand the state of their whole network at scale.
Accelerating Enterprises on the Network Automation Journey
- Gluware uses an intent-based, model-driven engine to simplify automating existing multi-vendor networks.
- Gluware helps enterprises like Mastercard and Merck deploy network automation at scale, freeing IT engineering time.
Abstract
Automating a global enterprise to scale can be a herculean task. Choosing the best approach, such as using an intent-based, model-driven based network automation engine can simplify the process of automating an existing multi-vendor network, freeing precious IT engineering time to deliver strategic innovation. Gluware CEO and Co-founder, Jeff Gray, talks about how Gluware helps enterprises like Mastercard, Merck and more deploy network automation at scale and the business benefits of doing so.
Carrier Challenges and Network Automation
- IBM's Marisa Viveros discusses the challenges telecommunication providers face today.
- IBM highlights the key role automation and orchestration will play in addressing carrier challenges.
Abstract
Marisa Viveros, VP of Strategy and Solutions, Global Telecom at IBM, discusses the challenges telecommunication providers are facing today. She discusses the key role that automation and orchestration will play and how IBM aims to bring that to customers.
Advancing Network Automation through Software Principles
- Itential urges moving from manual, human-centric CLIs to machine-driven automation, treating the network as code.
- A software-centric approach lets organizations integrate across domains for end-to-end network automation.
Abstract
To advance network automation, organizations need to move from manual, human-centric command line interfaces (CLIs) to machine-driven automation. Chris Wade, Co-founder and CTO of Itential, talks about the critical issues associated with network automation and why it’s time to treat the network as code. By taking a software-centric approach, organizations can integrate across multiple domains for end-to-end network automation.
Intro to NTT's Innovation Optical & Wireless Network
- NTT Research introduces IOWN, a vision for an all-photonic core network enhanced by quantum technology.
- IOWN also targets breakthroughs in privacy and security as networking evolves through the 2020s.
Abstract
Networking infrastructure is sure to evolve quickly during the 2020s. Kazuhiro Gomi, CEO of NTT Research, introduces the Innovative Optical & Wireless Network (IOWN), a new vision for an all-photonic core network enhanced by quantum technology and breakthroughs in privacy and security.
Next-Gen Network Automation - Edge Data Centers
- Pluribus says data centers are becoming smaller and more distributed, moving into central offices and base station sites.
- These smaller edge data centers must become software-defined, making network automation absolutely critical.
Abstract
Data centers are becoming more distributed and smaller, says Mike Capuano, Chief Marketing Officer at Pluribus, moving into central offices or even radio base station aggregation locations. This makes network automation absolutely critical. These smaller data centers have to become software-defined.
Leading Automation Project, ONAP, Hits its 4th Release
- The Linux Foundation discusses ONAP's Dublin release for deploying network automation at scale.
- New ONAP blueprints help operators deploy network automation in production.
Abstract
Arpit Joshipura, GM Networking & Orchestration + Edge/IOT for The Linux Foundation, discusses ONAP’s recent release, Dublin, and how the LF’s new blueprints help operators deploy network automation at scale in production.
"Today’s rapid-fire business environment requires organizations, and their suppliers, to move fast without breaking things."
Download the Full Report
By downloading this report, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Continue exploring
More executive showcases across next-gen infrastructure.
2025
2025 AI in Networking
Thought leaders discuss using predictive, generative, and agentic AI to manage, automate, scale, and optimize network infrastructure
2026
2026 MWC Barcelona
Leading executives at MWC 2026 in Barcelona discussing AI, ML, GenAI, agentic AI, AI-RAN, O-RAN, 5G-Advanced, 6G, and plenty more AI.
2025
2025 AI Infra Summit
Thought leaders discuss using AI, ML, deep learning, and generative AI (GenAI) to manage, automate, scale, and optimize network infrastructure