Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Take a Network Break! We sound the alarm about a critical vulnerability in an on-prem Azure stack. On the news side, AI NetOps startup Selector adds public cloud observability to its portfolio, Versa Networks adds zero trust capabilities to its AI assistant, and IBM gets a billion-dollar investment to build a foundry to fabricate quantum computing chips as the US government takes an equity stake in Big Blue and other quantum companies.
AT&T pledges $19 billion in fiber investments as it sues the FCC to abandon copper lines, Zayo adds a PoP in Genoa to connect subsea cables to its terrestrial backbone, and workers at Samsung Electronics vote on a pay package that would give huge bonuses to some workers as Samsung sees profits soar on high memory prices.
Iran hints it could disrupt subsea cables in the Strait of Hormuz unless tech giants pay usage fees, Nvidia posts astonishing Q1 revenue, and a Lithuanian aerospace company tests laser communications with orbiting satellites as an alternative to radio signals.
AdSpot Sponsor: Curvium
Curvium is an industry-leading system integrator that offers strategic IT consulting, professional engagements, automation, and AI. Curvium takes the time to understand your infrastructure needs and how to best support your business objectives. Curvium's skilled professionals put your needs first, from rapid designs to full-scale architectural planning, and from short-term project completion to multi-year support. Curvium provides the know-how and vendor connections you need to succeed. Find out more at curvium.com and While you're there, check out their secure campus network architectural blueprint.
Links:
Azure Local Disconnected Operations (ALDO) Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability - msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-42822
Selector Launches AI-Powered Multi-Cloud Observability Solution, Closing the Network-to-Cloud Visibility Gap - selector.ai/newsroom/selector-launches-ai-powered-multi-cloud-observability-solution-closing-the-network-to-cloud-visibility-gap
Versa Brings Zero Trust Controls to AI Agent Actions - versa-networks.com/news/2026/versa-brings-zero-trust-controls-to-ai-agent-actions
US government takes $2 billion equity stake in nine quantum computing firms - arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/us-government-takes-2-billion-equity-stake-in-nine-quantum-computing-firms
US to award quantum-computing firms $2 billion and take equity stakes - msn.com/en-us/money/companies/us-to-award-quantum-computing-firms-2-billion-and-take-equity-stakes/ar-AA23J8BK?ocid=BingNewsSerp
IBM and U.S. Department of Commerce Announce America’s First Purpose-Built Quantum Foundry, Supported by Proposed $1 Billion CHIPS Award - newsroom.ibm.com/ibm-and-u-s-department-of-commerce-announce-americas-first-purpose-built-quantum-foundry
AT&T Makes $19 Billion Commitment to Bring High-Speed Connectivity to California - about.att.com/story/2026/att-makes-ca-commitment.html
AT&T sues California in bid to stop offering traditional phone service - reuters.com/world/att-sues-california-bid-stop-offering-traditional-phone-service-2026-05-20
Pacific Bell Telephone Company v. John Reynolds - storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.casd.856308/gov.uscourts.casd.856308.1.0.pdf
Zayo Europe opens Genoa fibre network landing, interconnection hub - computerweekly.com/news/366642948/Zayo-Europe-opens-Genoa-fibre-network-landing-interconnection-hub
Samsung workers begin voting on pay deal, some non-chip employees to oppose it - msn.com/en-us/news/other/samsung-workers-begin-voting-on-pay-deal-some-non-chip-employees-to-oppose-it/ar-AA23O1vm?ocid=BingNewsSerp
Iran demands Big Tech pay fees for undersea Internet cables in Strait of Hormuz - arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/iran-demands-big-tech-pay-fees-for-undersea-internet-cables-in-strait-of-hormuz
Iran hints it could interfere with submarine cables in the Strait of Hormuz - theregister.com/networks/2026/05/19/iran-hints-it-could-interfere-with-submarine-cables-in-the-strait-of-hormuz/5242319
How realistic is threat of Iran charging to use internet cables under strait of Hormuz? - theguardian.com/world/2026/may/18/iran-threat-internet-cables-strait-hormuz
NVIDIA Announces Financial Results for First Quarter Fiscal 2027 - nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/nvidia-announces-financial-results-for-first-quarter-fiscal-2027
Europe tests laser links as satellite comms outgrow radio - theregister.com/networks/2026/05/18/europe-tests-laser-links-as-satellite-comms-outgrow-radio/5242012
Network Break is part of the Packet Pushers network. Visit our website to find more great networking and technology podcasts, along with tutorial videos, the Human Infrastructure newsletter, and loads more resources for building your IT career. packetpushers.net
Take a Network Break! We sound the alarm about a critical vulnerability in an on-prem Azure stack. On the news side, AI NetOps startup Selector adds public cloud observability to its portfolio, Versa Networks adds zero trust capabilities to its AI assistant, and IBM gets a billion-dollar investment to build a foundry to fabricate quantum computing chips as the US government takes an equity stake in Big Blue and other quantum companies.
AT&T pledges $19 billion in fiber investments as it sues the FCC to abandon copper lines, Zayo adds a PoP in Genoa to connect subsea cables to its terrestrial backbone, and workers at Samsung Electronics vote on a pay package that would give huge bonuses to some workers as Samsung sees profits soar on high memory prices.
Iran hints it could disrupt subsea cables in the Strait of Hormuz unless tech giants pay usage fees, Nvidia posts astonishing Q1 revenue, and a Lithuanian aerospace company tests laser communications with orbiting satellites as an alternative to radio signals.
AdSpot Sponsor: Curvium
Curvium is an industry-leading system integrator that offers strategic IT consulting, professional engagements, automation, and AI. Curvium takes the time to understand your infrastructure needs and how to best support your business objectives. Curvium's skilled professionals put your needs first, from rapid designs to full-scale architectural planning, and from short-term project completion to multi-year support. Curvium provides the know-how and vendor connections you need to succeed. Find out more at curvium.com and While you're there, check out their secure campus network architectural blueprint.
Links:
Azure Local Disconnected Operations (ALDO) Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability - msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-42822
Selector Launches AI-Powered Multi-Cloud Observability Solution, Closing the Network-to-Cloud Visibility Gap - selector.ai/newsroom/selector-launches-ai-powered-multi-cloud-observability-solution-closing-the-network-to-cloud-visibility-gap
Versa Brings Zero Trust Controls to AI Agent Actions - versa-networks.com/news/2026/versa-brings-zero-trust-controls-to-ai-agent-actions
US government takes $2 billion equity stake in nine quantum computing firms - arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/us-government-takes-2-billion-equity-stake-in-nine-quantum-computing-firms
US to award quantum-computing firms $2 billion and take equity stakes - msn.com/en-us/money/companies/us-to-award-quantum-computing-firms-2-billion-and-take-equity-stakes/ar-AA23J8BK?ocid=BingNewsSerp
IBM and U.S. Department of Commerce Announce America’s First Purpose-Built Quantum Foundry, Supported by Proposed $1 Billion CHIPS Award - newsroom.ibm.com/ibm-and-u-s-department-of-commerce-announce-americas-first-purpose-built-quantum-foundry
AT&T Makes $19 Billion Commitment to Bring High-Speed Connectivity to California - about.att.com/story/2026/att-makes-ca-commitment.html
AT&T sues California in bid to stop offering traditional phone service - reuters.com/world/att-sues-california-bid-stop-offering-traditional-phone-service-2026-05-20
Pacific Bell Telephone Company v. John Reynolds - storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.casd.856308/gov.uscourts.casd.856308.1.0.pdf
Zayo Europe opens Genoa fibre network landing, interconnection hub - computerweekly.com/news/366642948/Zayo-Europe-opens-Genoa-fibre-network-landing-interconnection-hub
Samsung workers begin voting on pay deal, some non-chip employees to oppose it - msn.com/en-us/news/other/samsung-workers-begin-voting-on-pay-deal-some-non-chip-employees-to-oppose-it/ar-AA23O1vm?ocid=BingNewsSerp
Iran demands Big Tech pay fees for undersea Internet cables in Strait of Hormuz - arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/iran-demands-big-tech-pay-fees-for-undersea-internet-cables-in-strait-of-hormuz
Iran hints it could interfere with submarine cables in the Strait of Hormuz - theregister.com/networks/2026/05/19/iran-hints-it-could-interfere-with-submarine-cables-in-the-strait-of-hormuz/5242319
How realistic is threat of Iran charging to use internet cables under strait of Hormuz? - theguardian.com/world/2026/may/18/iran-threat-internet-cables-strait-hormuz
NVIDIA Announces Financial Results for First Quarter Fiscal 2027 - nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/nvidia-announces-financial-results-for-first-quarter-fiscal-2027
Europe tests laser links as satellite comms outgrow radio - theregister.com/networks/2026/05/18/europe-tests-laser-links-as-satellite-comms-outgrow-radio/5242012
Network Break is part of the Packet Pushers network. Visit our website to find more great networking and technology podcasts, along with tutorial videos, the Human Infrastructure newsletter, and loads more resources for building your IT career. packetpushers.net
