2023 Conference Program

World-class speakers converge at GNE for two-plus days of conference sessions, to accelerate the evolution of secure Network-as-a-Service offerings, platforms and ecosystems.

I left GNE 2023 very encouraged by the leadership and direction of the industry.

April Taylor

Senior Vice President Blockchain, Sage Management

GNE’s business-oriented Conference Agenda includes the launch of MEF’s new NaaS Industry Blueprint and focuses on these key areas:

NaaS & Digital Transformation

  • Diverse Perspectives on the Definition of NaaS
  • NaaS Blueprint: Major Components and Capabilities
  • NaaS Providers and NaaS Enablers
  • Enterprise Digital Transformation and Migration to NaaS
  • Communication Service Provider (CSP) Digital Transformation and Migration to NaaS
  • Business, Operations, Network, and Workforce Transformation
  • Role of Industry Organizations in Evolving NaaS
  • What are the Differences Among NaaS, CaaS, IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS?

NaaS Challenges & Opportunities

  • What is Driving the Shift Toward NaaS?
  • Enterprise and SMB Challenges and NaaS Demands
  • NaaS Business Benefits for Enterprises and SMBs
  • Global NaaS Service Provider Requirements and Capabilities
  • How Big is the NaaS Market for Service and Technology Players?
  • NaaS Implications for Wholesale Service Providers
  • Maximizing Growth Opportunities Through Delayering and Federating Resources
  • NaaS: New Cloud-Centric Business and Operational Models

NaaS Service Features & Bundles

  • User Control, Real-Time Changes, and Cloud-like Experience
  • NaaS Subscription- and Consumption-based Billing Options
  • Evolution of CSP NaaS Solutions: Early Experience, Lessons Learned, and New Service Bundling Options
  • NaaS Soutions Spanning Multiple Providers and Built with Federated Resources
  • Securing NaaS with SASE
  • NaaS for Unified Multi-Cloud and Private Cloud
  • Orchestrated Service Assurance and Unified SLAs with End-to-End Visibility

NaaS Ecosystem

  • Who are the Players and What are Their Roles in the Automated NaaS Ecosystem?
  • Why NaaS Requires Standards-Based Automation Throughout the Entire Supply Chain
  • End-User Benefits of Seamless Ecosystem Automation
  • MEF State of the Industry Report: Automating Business Functions Between Service Providers
  • LSO APIs: Automating Business Functions Between Ecosystem Partners and Customers
  • LSO Blockchain and Smart Contracts: Reducing Friction with Automated Billing and Settlement
  • LSO APIs: Automating Operational Functions Between Ecosystem Partners and Customers
  • Accelerating LSO API Partner Implementations with LSO Solution Providers

Automated Networks

  • NaaS Automation Building Blocks and Success Factors
  • Industry API Standards Explained: MEF LSO, TM Forum, CAMARA
  • Enterprise NaaS Portals and APIs
  • NaaS Platforms, Automated Interconnection, and Cloud Connectivity
  • AI Opportunities to Enhance NaaS Performance
  • Evolving NaaS with Intent-Based Networking APIs
  • Opening NaaS Platforms to Developer Partners: Challenges, Opportunities, and Implications

My sincere gratitude and kudos for the exceptional GNE 2023 event MEF organized. The entire event and organization was impeccable, and your hosting skills were, like always, super!

I genuinely enjoyed every moment and am enthusiastic about moving forward with the next steps in helping drive the MEF message in the MEA region.

Marisa Trisolino

CEO, CMC Networks

Day 2

Tuesday
3 October, 2023

09:00–16:00

Day 2 focuses on 3 major NaaS topics:

1. NaaS & Digital Transformation

Speakers will examine migration to NaaS in the context of digital transformation of enterprise customers, communications service providers, and other ecosystem players. We will explore diverse perspectives on the definition of NaaS, the major components and capabilities of NaaS solutions, the role of NaaS providers and NaaS enablers, and differences among NaaS, IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS. Speakers will explain why NaaS transformation requires a holistic approach to business, operations, network, and workforce transformation and collaboration with ecosystem partners. We also will highlight the special role that industry organizations play in defining and evolving NaaS.

2. NaaS Opportunities & Challenges

Speakers will dive into what is driving the industry shift toward NaaS, explore key service and security needs and challenges of enterprise and SMB customers, and discover real-world benefits that NaaS offers service end-users. We will discuss the NaaS market opportunity for service providers and technology players, emerging cloud-centric business and operational models associated with NaaS, the implications of NaaS for wholesale service providers, and the key end-to-end service capabilities that will require coordination and collaboration among ecosystem partners. Speakers will also example how service providers can maximize growth opportunities through delayering and federating resources.

3. NaaS Service Features & Bundles

Speakers will explore the benefits of next-generation NaaS that offers unprecedented user control, real-time changes, cloud-like experiences, and subscription- and consumption-based billing options.  We will examine the evolution of NaaS solutions, including early experiences, lessons learned, new service bundling options, and more.  We will examine the role of SD-WAN and SASE in secure NaaS as well as the role of NaaS platforms when it comes to multi-cloud connectivity. Speakers will discuss the power and promise of NaaS solutions that span multiple providers, are built with federated resources across automated networks, and that offer end-to-end visibility and service assurance with unified SLAs.

Breakfast

07:30–8:30
Main Foyer, Floor 2

Registration Opens / Badge Pick-up

08:00
Main Foyer, Floor 2

Break

10:50–11:15

Networking Lunch

12:45–14:15

Accelerator Live & Networking
16:00–19:00
17:30 Happy Hour Drinks

  • Attend MEF Accelerator Live.
  • View demonstrations at innovation stations located throughout the main foyer at any time during the conference!
  • Meet with customers at meeting tables and conduct business in private meeting rooms and suites.
MEF Excellence Awards Gala Dinner
19:00–22:00
See MEF Excellence Awards Gala Dinner for an evening not to be missed! The 2023 MEF Excellence Awards continue to set themselves apart, honoring advanced services, ecosystem automation, and influential professionals!

Day 3

Wednesday
4 October, 2023

09:00–16:00

Day 3 focuses on 2 major NaaS topics:

1. NaaS Ecosystem

Next-generation services increasingly will be made of piece parts of many providers, which could include retail service providers, wholesale service providers, hyperscalers, technology solution providers, data center providers, and others. The networks supporting these services will be fully API-driven. Automation must happen throughout the supply chain where all parties adopt a common, standardized set of processes and APIs at both the business process and operational levels. We will discuss the roles of various players in the ecosystem and how they are working toward a common goal of reducing friction in the buying and selling of NaaS and other advanced services across automated networks. We will explore market adoption of MEF LSO business and operational APIs and hear about the benefits achieved by service providers who are using LSO APIs as buyers and/or sellers. We also will learn key insights from LSO solution providers who are helping companies accelerate implementation of LSO APIs.

2. Automated Networks

Speakers will dive into the building blocks and success factors for NaaS automation. We will examine the important role that NaaS platforms play in automating interconnection and cloud connectivity. We will explore NaaS-related APIs for enterprises, the evolution of NaaS with intent-based networking APIs, the potential role of AI to enhance NaaS performance, and the challenges, opportunities, and implications of opening NaaS platforms to developers.  Key NaaS-related API standards (MEF LSO, TM Forum Open APIs, CAMARA) will be explained.

Breakfast

07:30–8:30
Main Foyer, Floor 2

Registration Opens / Badge Pick-up

08:00
Main Foyer, Floor 2

Break

11:15–11:35

Networking Lunch

12:45–14:15

LATAM Executive Perspectives: Accelerating Automation Between Buy & Sell Partners

14:15–14:50

Evolving from Digital Telco to an AI-powered Digital Service Provider

14:50–15:20

Analyst Perspectives: Key Takeaways From GNE

15:20–15:50

GNE Wrap Up & MEF Q4 Members Meeting (5 & 6 October) Preview

15:50–16:00

Kevin Vachon, MEF, Chief Operating Officer

Accelerator Live & Networking
16:00–19:00

  • Attend MEF Accelerator Live.
  • View demonstrations at innovation stations located throughout the main foyer at any time during the conference!
  • Meet with customers at meeting tables and conduct business in private meeting rooms and suites.

GNE Closing Reception
18:00–20:00