NEW YORK -- Upskill U, a free online forum that focuses on delivering must-have education on the overall business transformation occurring in the telecommunications industry, is focusing its next round of lectures on new challenges to cybersecurity. These challenges include the move toward network virtualization, evolving data centers, the rise in DDoS attacks and the growth of open source software. During these courses, lecturers from AT&T, Arbor Networks, Princeton University and Tata Communications examine how service providers can transform their security strategies and stay ahead of new threats to the network.

Upskill U is a unique online community -- now with over 6,000 registered students -- hosted by Light Reading in association with Cisco Systems. Upskill U enables service provider and enterprise decision-makers to crowdsource the mission-critical intelligence they need to formulate business technology strategies, and gain the know-how required to architect and monetize next-generation, all-IP networks.

In late September the 2016 Folio: Eddie & Ozzie Awards named Upskill U as a finalist in the B-to-B: Online Community category. Other finalists in the Online Community category include AACC, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Real Simple Magazine and Time Inc.

"Upskill U's 6,000-plus student body is reflective of the industry-wide need to reskill and keep ahead of the learning curve during this sea change," said Stephen Saunders, Founder and CEO of Light Reading. "As the communications industry shifts to virtualized, software-defined networks, Upskill U listeners are gaining the business acumen and technical knowledge required to succeed today and in the future."

Upskill U's curriculum is always built around the hottest topics in the industry. Our new four-part series on cybersecurity includes the following lectures:

Securing a Virtual World (Wednesday, Oct. 19, 1:00 p.m. ET): Rita Marty, Executive Director, Mobility & Cloud Security, Chief Security Office, AT&T will take a look at how securing a virtual network differs from securing a traditional network, and examine the fundamental technical and mindset changes service providers need to make as they prepare for virtualized networks.

Security: Evolving the Data Center (Friday, Oct. 21, 1:00 p.m. ET): Rasool Kareem Irfan, Head, Telecom & Infrastructure Security Practice, Tata Communications Transformation Services Ltd., addresses how data center security can evolve alongside network transformation and meet stringent security compliances and audits.

Security: Tackling DDoS (Wednesday, Oct. 26, 1:00 p.m. ET): Gary Sockrider, Principal Security Technologist, Arbor Networks, examines how businesses can adopt DDoS countermeasures and redesign their network topology to protect their assets.

Security: The Plusses & Minuses of Open Source Software (Friday, Oct. 28, 1:00 p.m. ET): Nick Feamster, Acting Director, Center for Information Technology Policy, Princeton University, explains both the risks and benefits open source software presents to security measures.

Each Upskill U course is a 45-minute session where students can ask questions, interact with other students with similar business and technological challenges and expertise and download a wealth of additional learning materials. Courses are archived, and online educational discussions take place 24 hours a day. Weekly Upskill U courses will continue to highlight some of the biggest names in the industry. Register for our current courses and upskill yourself today.

For the complete Upskill U schedule, visit our website at www.lightreading.com/upskillu.

Light Reading