When it comes to service provider virtualization strategies, network design and automation are two of the biggest challenges, especially as many service providers are preparing to move out of the NFV R&D phase -- and fast.

In fact, last week on Upskill U, Josh Goodell, VP of Network on Demand and Service Integration, AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T), told students on his lecture that the industry is moving faster into virtualization than he'd expected. (Listen to Virtualization: Webifying the Network.)

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To match that speed, this week Upskill U is moving quickly into two of the most relevant topics in virtualization today. We're tapping into the best and the brightest by bringing the ivy leagues to Upskill U this afternoon with "Virtualization: Network Design & Infrastructure" taught by Princeton Professor Nick Feamster.

Figure 1: Nick Feamster, Princeton University

Tune in at 1:00 p.m. ET today to hear Feamster provide a practical approach to identifying and answering the critical questions on how to build an NFV infrastructure. Feamster, Acting Director of the Center for Information Technology Policy at Princeton University, will draw from his extensive background in SDN, network operations and network security to explain how service providers can strategically build virtualized networks to achieve capex and opex benefits as well as ensure customer experience. (Register for Virtualization: Network Design & Infrastructure.)

Upskill U kicked off on last Wednesday with a back-to-basics lecture on virtualization starting with "Virtualization 101" taught by Heavy Reading Senior Analyst Roz Roseboro. This preliminary course laid the groundwork for AT&T's Goodell who explained why virtualization is a game-changer that's driving a culture of innovation in the industry, and how virtualization aligns with AT&T's goals in the Network on Demand space.

This Friday, Stefan Vallin, PhD, Product Strategy, Tail-f Systems, a Cisco company, rounds out Upskill U's four-part learning module on virtualization with his course on "Virtualization: Automation." Vallin will deep dive into the details of automation, explain how service providers can benefit from automation and what a good strategy looks like.

May marks the start of a new learning module focused on the Internet of Things (IoT). Listeners can tune in on May 4 at 1:00 p.m. ET to gain a fundamental understanding of IoT from lecturer Martin Zander, Vice President, Ericsson AB (Nasdaq: ERIC) Group Function Strategy. Next, Jason Porter, VP of Security Solutions, AT&T, identifies solutions to the critical challenge of cyber security in IoT on May 6 at 1:00 p.m. ET. (See Upskill U Curriculum Calendar.)

As technology shifts in newfound ways, network engineers and service providers are finding themselves at an educational crossroads. One option is take the well-traveled, familiar road but risk obsolescence. Or, network architects and enterprise decision makers can reskill and retool for this tidal wave of change with Upskill U, the free, online learning environment by Light Reading and Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO)

So surf that tidal wave and join me at Upskill U this week. See you on the message boards.

— Kelsey Kusterer Ziser, editor, Upskill U