The Critical Lowdown

Hosted by EPS Global

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Oct 2025

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The Critical Lowdown is a technology podcast from the team at EPS Global. Each episode will give you access to industry experts, and step beyond the anecdotes to see how new technologies, chip shortages, and an ever-changing security landscape affects you and the projects you're rolling out. Over the course of this series, we are going to bring you interviews, explainers, and valuable insights on topics ranging from traditional and open networking, to electronics manufacturing and IoT security.

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October 16, 2025Episode 1810 min

Optics in the AI Era: Coherent's CTO on the Future of CPO and Pluggables

Learn More: https://www.epsglobal.com/about-eps-global/podcasts/episode-58Are Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) set to replace the pluggable transceivers we've used for decades? As AI pushes data centers to their limits, this is the billion-dollar question facing the entire networking industry.We went straight to the source for answers, sitting down with Julie Eng, CTO of optical technology giant Coherent, live from the floor of ECOC 2024 in Copenhagen. In this in-depth conversation, Julie breaks down the complex world of next-generation optics and provides a clear, data-backed vision for the future.🔹 What Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) actually is and how it differs from traditional pluggables.🔹 Why CPO is critical for solving the power and density challenges of AI & ML workloads.🔹 The surprising market forecast: A deep dive into why the pluggable market is projected to reach $25 BILLION by 2030, coexisting with the emerging CPO market.🔹 The engineering challenges of keeping up with an exponentially increasing pace of innovation.🔹 Other exciting trends on the horizon, including optical circuit switches and the path to 400G lanes.Chapters:(0:00) Intro(0:48) Interview with Julie Ang, CTO of Coherent(1:50) What is Co-Packaged Optics (CPO)?(3:20) Future of pluggables in the CPO era(5:25) CPO in AI & machine learning(6:30) Engineering challenges & innovation speed(8:05) Emerging optical trends beyond CPO(9:28) Closing remarksSubscribe for more content from EPS Global. Give a like, share with others, and comment your thoughts below! 🎯📌💻LinkedIn🎬YouTube📞For more information, please visit our website https:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠//www.epsglobal.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠#ECOC2024 #CPO #PluggableOptics #DataCenter #OpticalNetworking #Coherent #AI #Photonics #TechTalk #Engineering

October 8, 2025Episode 1716 min

Build Better AI Networks for Half the Cost | In Conversation with Hedgehog CEO, Marc Austin

Learn More: www.epsglobal.com/about-eps-global/podcasts/episode-57What if you could build a high-performance AI network with better performance than proprietary solutions... for half the cost? The secret lies in "networking like a hyperscaler," and it's more accessible than you think.In this insightful conversation, Alan Fagan of EPS Global sits down with Marc Austin, CEO & Co-Founder of Hedgehog, to demystify the world of open AI networking. They dive deep into how companies are leveraging open-source software and disaggregated hardware (from partners like Celestica) to build powerful, cost-effective GPU clusters that challenge the dominance of traditional, closed-ecosystem vendors.Discover the proven strategies that hyperscalers use and learn how you can apply them to your own AI infrastructure, whether you're training massive models or deploying inference at the edge.Chapters:(00:00) Introduction: The Power of Open Networking(00:54) What is Hedgehog & Its Role in the AI Ecosystem?(01:27) Meeting the Massive Demands of AI on Networks(02:35) How to Operate Your AI Infrastructure Like the Cloud(03:02) Open vs. Proprietary: The Price & Performance Comparison(04:07) Why Open Networking is Proven, Not Experimental(04:50) How EPS Global, Hedgehog & Celestica Make Adoption Easy(06:33) Case Study: FarmGPU's 800-Gig Back-End Fabric(08:17) The Future is Fast: The New 1.6 Terabit Switch(10:10) The Partnership Experience with EPS Global(11:26) Case Study: Zipline's AI-Powered Drone Delivery Network(13:32) The Next Big Disruption in AI Networking: Inference at the EdgeSubscribe for more content from EPS Global. Give a like, share with others, and comment your thoughts below! 🎯📌💻LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/epsglobal1/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTxgeDg0p4c📞For more information, please visit our website https:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠//www.epsglobal.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠#AINetworking #OpenNetworking #DataCenter #ArtificialIntelligence #CloudComputing #Hedgehog #EPSGlobal #Celestica #Hyperscaler #GPU #Disaggregation #NVIDIA #TechTalk

August 27, 2025Episode 1628 min

The Great Disaggregation: How SONiC is Reshaping the Network

Learn More: www.epsglobal.com/about-eps-global/podcasts/episode-56The networking industry is undergoing a monumental shift away from traditional, vendor-locked models. At the heart of this revolution is SONiC—Software for Open Networking in the Cloud. Originally developed by Microsoft and now thriving under the Linux Foundation, SONiC is unbundling hardware and software to create a more flexible, powerful,and cost-effective future for networking.In this episode, Barry McGinley of EPS Global welcomes Paul Lysander, a Product Manager at Celestica, to break down the rise of open networking. Paul explains why SONiC is earningits title as the "Linux of networking," fueled by a vibrant open-source community and the intense performance demands of new AI/ML workloads.The conversation also explores SONiC's next frontier: the enterprise. Learn about the new features being developed to bring open networking to campus and branch offices, and how companies like Celestica are creating a clear migration path for businesses ready to make the switch.Chapters: (00:40) Welcome to The Critical Lowdown (Barry & Paul intro)(02:30) Celestica’s role in open networking(05:00) Moving away from vendor-locked models(07:30) SONiC as the “Linux of networking”(10:00) Open-source ecosystem & Linux Foundation(13:00) AI/ML workloads and networking demands(16:00) SONiC’s journey into the enterprise(23:00) Enterprise networking features (PoE, AAA, VLANs)(26:00) Future of SONiC & closing thoughtsSubscribe for more content from EPS Global. Give a like, share with others, and comment your thoughts below! 🎯📌💻LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/epsglobal1/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG23i34kEAI📞For more information, please visit our website https:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠//www.epsglobal.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.epsglobal.com/manufacturers/celestica⁠⁠#opennetworking #sonic #linuxfoundation #cloudnetworking #machinelearning #networkautomation #futureofnetworking #epsglobal #enterprisenetworking #opensourcecommunity #networkengineering #cloudinfrastructure

July 29, 2025Episode 1524 min

Network like a Hyperscaler | In Conversation with Matt Roman from Celestica

Learn More: www.epsglobal.com/about-eps-global/podcasts/episode-55Is your enterprise ready to move beyond traditional,proprietary networking? The same open, disaggregated technologies that power the world's largest hyperscalers are now more accessible than ever, offering unparalleled flexibility, cost savings, and performance.In this in-depth conversation, Alan Fagan of EPS Globalsits down with Matt Roman, Senior Director of Product Line Management at Celestica, to explore the strategy and technology behind Celestica's Portfolio Systems Group. They break down the real-world advantages and challenges of adopting an open networking model and discuss how a strong partnership ecosystem is key to navigating this new landscape.Chapters:(00:07) Networking like a hyperscaler(00:33) Guest intro: Matt Roman, Celestica(02:01) Celestica’s Portfolio Systems Group & strategy(03:20) Supply chain & manufacturing advantage(05:20) Open networking: hardware & software choice(12:00) Automation & DevOps tools in scaling networks(14:00) Partnerships with EPS Global(17:00) Data center trends: power & liquid cooling(20:00) Software integration & SONiC contributions(22:00) Sustainability, ESG & end-of-life managementSubscribe for more content from EPS Global. Give a like, share with others, and comment your thoughts below! 🎯📌💻LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/epsglobal1/⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jof-W2q2fyg⁠⁠📞For more information, please visit our website https:⁠⁠⁠⁠//www.epsglobal.com⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.epsglobal.com/manufacturers/celestica⁠#Celestica #NetworkingSolutions #OpenNetworking #DataCenter #TechPodcast #FutureProof #ITInfrastructure #DigitalTransformation #EnterpriseNetworking #OpenStandards #NetworkDeployment #EPSGlobal #TechTalks #NetworkingInnovation

June 5, 2025Episode 1416 min

Unlocking Network Agility | In Conversation with Don Evans from Celestica

Learn More: www.epsglobal.com/about-eps-global/podcasts/episode-54In this insightful conversation, Don Evans of Celestica sits down with Alan Fagan to discuss how Celestica is empowering customers with flexible and powerful networking solutions. From robust storage to open-standard switching, learn about their commitment to quality, customer choice, and the importance of integrating hardware and software. Get insights into simplifying complex deployments and future-proofing network infrastructure.Chapters:(00:00) Introduction & Product Philosophy(01:00) Open Networking & Market Shift(02:00) Celestica’s Portfolio Systems Group(03:30) Benefits of Open Networking(05:00) Customer Empowerment & Simplification(06:30) Avoiding Vendor Lock-in(08:00) Disaggregated Networking & Flexibility(10:00) Storage Products & Customization(12:00) Migration Path for Enterprises(14:00) Partnership with EPS Global(15:30) Future Trends in NetworkingSubscribe for more content from EPS Global. Give a like, share with others, and comment your thoughts below! 🎯📌💻LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/epsglobal1/⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jof-W2q2fyg⁠📞For more information, please visit our website https:⁠⁠⁠//www.epsglobal.com⁠⁠https://www.epsglobal.com/manufacturers/celestica#Celestica #NetworkingSolutions #OpenNetworking #DataCenter #TechPodcast #FutureProof #ITInfrastructure #DigitalTransformation #EnterpriseNetworking #OpenStandards #NetworkDeployment #EPSGlobal #TechTalks #NetworkingInnovation

May 29, 2025Episode 1332 min

The 100G ZR Advantage: Power, Performance, and Simplicity | Kevin Affolter from Coherent

Learn More: www.epsglobal.com/about-eps-global/podcasts/episode-53Dive into the world of optical networking with Ciara McCarthy (CMO, EPS Global), John Lynch (VP of Sales, EMEA, EPS Global), and Kevin Affolter (Product Line Manager, Coherent).In this episode, we explore Coherent's groundbreaking 100G ZR DCO optical transceiver, a product designed to revolutionize IP over DWDM applications.Discover the technical intricacies, cost benefits, and real-world use cases of this unique technology. Learn how it enables smaller footprints, lower power dissipation, and enhanced network reliability. We also discuss the manufacturing process, global availability, and how network operators can evaluate these optics for their specific environments.Chapters:(0:00) Introduction (1:30) Meet EPS Global & Coherent (3:50) What is 100G ZR? (6:45) Why 100G ZR is a Game-Changer (9:20) Use Cases Across the Industry (13:00) Customer Success Stories (17:30) Technical Deep Dive: Optics & Power Efficiency (21:10) Deployment Strategies (25:00) Future of Optical Networking (29:30) Key Takeaways & Final Thoughts 🔗 Learn More & Apply for a Proof of Concept: https://www.epsglobal.com/lp/100g-zrThe 100G ZR QSFP28 DCO Transceiver is a standout innovation, exclusively developed by Coherent. We’re currently testing these transceivers across Europe, and they’re in stock now!https://www.epsglobal.com/products/transceivers/qsfp28/ftlc3353s3pl1Subscribe for more content from EPS Global. Give a like, share with others, and comment your thoughts below! 🎯📌💻LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/epsglobal1/⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jof-W2q2fyg📞For more information, please visit our website https:⁠⁠//www.epsglobal.com⁠#100GZR #QSFP28 #DCOTransceiver #NetworkUpgrade #OpticalNetworking #telecomsolutions #dwdm #fiberoptics #datacenter #HighSpeedNetworking #coherent #epsglobal #futureofnetworking #Connectivity #techinnovation

April 24, 2025Episode 1220 min

Locking Down IoT at the Source | Part 3: How HSMs and Automation Are Revolutionizing Secure Manufacturing

Read More: https://www.epsprogramming.com/podcasts/locking-down-iot-at-source-part-3-how-hsms-and-automation-are-revolutionizing-secure-manufacturing/In this episode our panel explores secure IoT manufacturing at scale with our experts Malcolm and Shawn Prestridge from IAR. They break down zero-touch provisioning, Hardware Security Modules (HSMs), and why 2025 will force embedded security into every device. Learn how to protect your products—before hackers or regulations catch you off guard.Chapters:(00:00) Introduction (01:45) Key Challenges in Secure Component Programming (03:30) In-Circuit Test vs. Offline Programming (06:00) Real-World Case Study: GSM Base Station in Romania (08:15) Security Layers: HSMs and Connectivity Issues (10:30) Benefits of Outsourcing Programming (13:00) Cost, Quality, and Efficiency Gains (15:30) Regional Limitations and Workarounds (17:45) EPS Global’s Global Support and Infrastructure (19:30) Final Thoughts and Takeaways Subscribe for more EPS Global videos. Give a like, share with others, and comment your thoughts below! 🎯📌💻LinkedIn🎵Spotify📽️YouTubeNeed help securing your embedded devices? Contact EPS Global today! https://www.epsprogramming.com/#EmbeddedSecurity #CyberSecurity #IoTSecurity #SecureByDesign #SupplyChainSecurity #iot #iar #manufacturing

April 17, 2025Episode 1117 min

Locking Down IoT at the Source | Part 2: Design, Secure Manufacturing & Provisioning

In Part 1, we dove deep into the escalating threats facing IoT devices – from sophisticated supply chain attacks to the challenges posed by new regulations and AI, highlighting why securing the billions of connected devices is critical.Now, in Part 2, we shift from the 'why' to the 'how.' We reveal the practical steps and powerful tools available to implement robust embedded security right from the start. In this episode of The Critical Lowdown, host Ciara leads a compelling discussion with cybersecurity experts Malcolm Kitchen (Global Security Specialist, EPS Global) and Shawn Prestridge (U.S. FAE Team Leader, IAR) on the urgent challenges and solutions in embedded security for connected devices.Chapters:(0:01) Introduction (0:11) About EPS & Podcast Topic (1:20) Meet the Vendor Partners (Edgecore, Coherent, IPI) (2:35) 400G ZR+ Optics: Why They’re a Gamechanger (5:25) How Pluggables Simplify Optical Networks (7:40) The Qualification & Integration Challenge (IPI) (9:55) Switch Design for 400G Optics (Edgecore) (12:50) Coherent’s Advancements in 400G Optics (15:00) Network Management, Tuning & Diagnostics (17:15) Final Thoughts & OutroSubscribe for more EPS Global videos. Give a like, share with others, and comment your thoughts below! 🎯📌💻⁠LinkedIn⁠🎵⁠Spotify⁠📽️⁠YouTube⁠Need help securing your embedded devices? Contact EPS Global today! ⁠https://www.epsprogramming.com/⁠#EmbeddedSecurity #CyberSecurity #IoTSecurity #SecureByDesign #SupplyChainSecurity #iot

April 10, 2025Episode 1019 min

Locking Down IoT at the Source | Part 1: How Vulnerable Is Your Manufacturing?

Read More: https://www.epsprogramming.com/podcasts/locking-down-iot-at-the-source-how-vulnerable-is-your-manufacturing-part-1/In this episode of The Critical Lowdown, host Ciara leads a compelling discussion with cybersecurity experts Malcolm Kitchen (Global Security Specialist, EPS Global) and Shawn Prestridge (U.S. FAE Team Leader, IAR Systems) on the urgent challenges and solutions in embedded security for connected devices.As the number of IoT devices surges—expected to reach 42 billion by 2025—so do risks like supply chain attacks, counterfeit components, ransomware, and device hijacking. Shawn breaks down common attack vectors, from firmware injection to gray-market hardware, while Malcolm explores how new regulations (like the EU Cyber Resilience Act and UK PSTI) aim to enforce stronger security standards.The conversation also tackles the double-edged sword of AI, which empowers both defenders and malicious actors, and addresses the business case for security investments—proving that proactive measures are far cheaper than the fallout from breaches.Chapters:(0:19) Introduction (0:52) Understanding Common Attack Vectors in the Supply Chain (3:34) The High Stakes: Consequences of Security Breaches (6:09) Real-World Examples: Stuxnet, SolarWinds, and the Unseen Threats (8:10) The Regulatory Push: Why New Security Legislation is Essential (11:35) AI: A Double-Edged Sword in the Cybersecurity Landscape (12:59) Justifying the Investment: The Business Case for IoT Security (18:28) Protecting Your Brand and Bottom LineSubscribe for more EPS Global videos. Give a like, share with others, and comment your thoughts below! 🎯📌💻⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠🎵⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠📽️⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠Need help securing your embedded devices? Contact EPS Global today! ⁠⁠https://www.epsprogramming.com/⁠⁠#EmbeddedSecurity #CyberSecurity #IoTSecurity #SecureByDesign #SupplyChainSecurity #iot

March 6, 2025Episode 932 min

OpenWiFi State of Business: Deployment Case Studies and Impact

Read More: www.epsglobal.com/about-eps-global/podcasts/episode-49Last year we welcomed the Open Networking world to ourhometown, Dublin, for the 2024 FYUZ Summit. At FYUZ our Chief Marketing Officer Ciara McCarthy spoke on a panel titled, OpenWiFi State of Business: Deployment Case Studies and Impact. In this panel discussion industry experts from American Bandwidth, Worldvue, AT&T, Nova Labs, and EPS Global shared insights on the benefits and challenges of OpenWiFi - highlighting the cost savings, flexibility, and scalability. Subscribe for more content from EPS Global. Give a like, share with others, and comment your thoughts below! 🎯📌💻LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/epsglobal1/⁠YouTube: ⁠www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7XA63szljw⁠📞For more information, please visit our website https:⁠//www.epsglobal.com⁠#TechPodcast #OpenWiFi #OpenNetworking #WiFiTechnology #NetworkSolutions #DigitalTransformation #TelecomIndustry #FutureOfConnectivity #FYUZSummit #EPSGlobal #NetworkingInnovation #WirelessTech #SpotifyPodcasts #TechTalks