Building the Network of the Future: Getting Smarter, Faster, and More Flexible with a Software Centric Approach

From the Foreword:

"This book lays out much of what we’ve learned at AT&T about SDN and NFV. Some of the smartest network experts in the industry have drawn a map to help you navigate this journey. Their goal isn’t to predict the future but to help you design and build a network that will be ready for whatever that future holds. Because if there’s one thing the last decade has taught us, it’s that network demand will always exceed expectations. This book will help you get ready."
―Randall Stephenson, Chairman, CEO, and President of AT&T

"Software is changing the world, and networks too. In this in-depth book, AT&T's top networking experts discuss how they're moving software-defined networking from concept to practice, and why it's a business imperative to do this rapidly."
―Urs Hölzle, SVP Cloud Infrastructure, Google

"Telecom operators face a continuous challenge for more agility to serve their customers with a better customer experience and a lower cost. This book is a very inspiring and vivid testimony of the huge transformation this means, not only for the networks but for the entire companies, and how AT&T is leading it. It provides a lot of very deep insights about the technical challenges telecom engineers are facing today. Beyond AT&T, I’m sure this book will be extremely helpful to the whole industry."
―Alain Maloberti, Group Chief Network Officer, Orange Labs Networks

"This new book should be read by any organization faced with a future driven by a "shift to software." It is a holistic view of how AT&T has transformed its core infrastructure from hardware based to largely software based to lower costs and speed innovation. To do so, AT&T had to redefine their technology supply chain, retrain their workforce, and move toward open source user-driven innovation; all while managing one of the biggest networks in the world. It is an amazing feat that will put AT&T in a leading position for years to come."
―Jim Zemlin, Executive Director, The Linux Foundation

This book is based on the lessons learned from AT&T’s software transformation journey starting in 2012 when rampant traffic growth necessitated a change in network architecture and design. Using new technologies such as NFV, SDN, Cloud, and Big Data, AT&T’s engineers outlined and implemented a radical network transformation program that dramatically reduced capital and operating expenditures. This book describes the transformation in substantial detail. The subject matter is of great interest to telecom professionals worldwide, as well as academic researchers looking to apply the latest techniques in computer science to solving telecom’s big problems around scalability, resilience, and survivability.

John Donovan, Chief Strategy Officer and Group President ―AT&T Technology and Operations (ATO), is responsible for the corporate strategy function, technology development, network deployment and operations, and AT&T’s transition to a software-defined network. Donovan previously was executive vice president of product, sales, marketing and operations at VeriSign Inc., a technology company that provides Internet infrastructure services. At VeriSign, Donovan was responsible for leading its global sales organization, driving the expansion of broad solutions offerings, and integrating a global professional services capability. Before that, he was Chairman and CEO of inCode Telecom Group Inc., where he helped shape strategic direction and positioning for wireless network operators around the globe. Previously, Mr. Donovan was a partner with Deloitte Consulting, where he was the Americas Industry Practice director for telecom.

As President of AT&T Labs and Chief Technology Officer for AT&T, Krish Prabhu oversees the company’s global technology direction which includes network architecture and evolution as well as network, service and product design. He is also responsible for the intellectual property organization and Global Supply Chain. Krish has extensive background in technology innovation from his time at AT&T Bell Laboratories, Rockwell, Alcatel and Tellabs. He has previously served as COO of Alcatel, CEO of Tellabs, and CEO of Tekelec. He also previously served as a partner at Morgenthaler Ventures, where he assisted in developing information technology and communications start-ups. Krish earned a B.S. in physics from Bangalore University, an M.S. in physics from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay and an M.S. and Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.