Software-defined networking (SDN) and network functions virtualization (NFV) hold tremendous promise for network operators by reducing capex and opex and giving them greater flexibility in using their network resources more dynamically to meet user demand and introduce new services faster.

All of those promises assume, however, that specific network functions and the move to a virtualized infrastructure, where the control plane and data plane of the network are separated, are implemented as software on standard commercial hardware that can be managed while maintaining the reliability and service quality customers expect. None of that is a slam dunk.

Join the editors of Light Reading and analysts of Heavy Reading on Wednesday September 4 at 1:00 p.m. EST (10:00 a.m. PST) for a live chat about SFN and NFV, the industry's undisputed hottest technology trends.

In honor of our site re-launch and inaugural live chat, the first 250 participants will receive a free T-shirt. Find more details on the freebie here.

Light Reading has been writing and reporting like crazy about all aspects of this crucial technology transformation. On September 4, LR editors and Heavy Reading Senior Analyst Caroline Chappell will dig deeper into these trends and talk about what service providers are actually doing to prepare for SDN/NFV or whether this shift is just the latest in a series of technology trends that struggle to live up to the early promise.

To join, you'll first need to be registered for the site, which you can do right here. Then, sign in and join The Light Reading Chat Room on Wednesday, September 4, at 1:00 PM EST (10:00 a.m. PST).

And, in the meantime, check out our latest coverage:

We look forward to chatting with you soon.

— Carol Wilson, Editor-at-Large, Light Reading