In this executive interview, filmed on location at Oracle CloudWorld 2023, I’m joined by Mahesh Thiagarajan, EVP, Software Development, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). We discuss Oracle’s network security solutions, the concept of Zero Trust Packet Routing, and Oracle’s focus on security and generative AI at the infrastructure layer.
Highlights
01:05 — Mahesh defines some of the network security solutions in place for OCI. While Oracle has many layers of security, the company evaluated the problems it encountered from a fundamental level, such as how important protocols were initially designed and understanding how network-based security has to be enforced.
02:42 — There are three fundamental concepts when evaluating Zero Trust Packet Routing that must be challenged to close the gap in cloud network security:
- What if we can bring identity down to the network level?
- What if the network enforces security and interoperates with everything you do?
- What if people could describe their intent on what they want to do with the data, define how to protect it, and be able to classify that on the platform?
04:50 — Customers can expect the release of the Zero Trust Packet Routing platform next year.
05:00 — There are two reasons that Mahesh highlights as to why cloud security can be difficult:
- Things have evolved over time, especially technology which requires new understandings and new skills.
- There are too many knobs.
Oracle considers how to actually fix the skillset gap and reduce the number of knobs that can actually be given.
06:06 — In 2020, Oracle announced its early attempt at the concept of security zones. Now, it’s able to continue creating and managing security resources for the network level because it has foundational pieces in its cloud that enable it to build this technology.
07:02 — CloudWorld is about collaboration with customers, Mahesh says. It enables Oracle to understand customer challenges as well as how they apply products to their own projects and portfolios.
07:54 — Mahesh was excited about more customers attending CloudWorld this year compared to last year, which was the first time back after the pandemic. From a technology perspective, he was excited to hear about use cases for the next generation of technologies, including for healthcare and agriculture.
08:50 — The onset of generative AI has led companies to be dealing with unprecedented amounts of data. Oracle evaluates how to bring data closer to foundational models while being more safe and secure.
09:47 — Oracle innovates at the infrastructure layer. Its approach to AI and security is helpful for both customers wanting to scale with AI as well as enterprise customers who are very particular about the data being used to train custom models.
10:22 — OCI’s security is focused on the zero-trust platform. It drives security principles and primitives at the network level and at the data level. Even in a world with generative AI, it’s still about continuing to nail the basics and leveraging your strengths and infrastructure to offer generative AI in a safe way.
