Conference Description
Key Takeaways
- NANOG 98 convenes network operators, engineers, and architects in Miami from October 19–21, 2026
- Peer-reviewed presentations address network engineering, operations, architecture, and global connectivity
- Peering coordination forums facilitate interconnection discussions among service providers and backbone operators
- IPv6 readiness features among the technical topics under examination
- The programme balances technical content with structured networking opportunities
Introduction
NANOG 98 marks the 98th gathering of the North American Network Operators’ Group, bringing together professionals responsible for designing, operating, and scaling the infrastructure that underpins the modern internet. Scheduled for October 2026 in Miami, Florida, the conference addresses network engineering, operations, and architecture with a particular emphasis on global connectivity challenges. As internet traffic volumes continue to grow and interconnection complexity increases, the event provides a forum for practitioners to examine emerging solutions and share operational experience.
About NANOG 98
The North American Network Operators’ Group has established itself as a central venue for technical exchange among those who build and maintain large-scale networks. NANOG 98 continues this tradition with a three-day programme held at the InterContinental Miami, combining peer-reviewed presentations with peering coordination forums and structured networking sessions.
The peer-review process distinguishes NANOG from many industry gatherings. Presentations undergo evaluation by working practitioners, ensuring that content addresses genuine operational concerns rather than serving purely commercial interests. This approach encourages candid discussion of both successes and failures, creating an environment where attendees can learn from real-world implementations.
Technical Focus Areas
The programme spans the technical and operational dimensions of large-scale network management. Network engineering sessions examine the design principles and implementation strategies that enable resilient, high-performance infrastructure. Operations-focused content addresses the day-to-day challenges of maintaining service quality across complex, geographically distributed systems.
Architecture discussions explore how networks evolve to accommodate changing traffic patterns, new application requirements, and shifting interconnection models. Global connectivity receives particular attention at this edition, reflecting the increasing importance of international traffic flows and the technical challenges of maintaining performance across diverse regulatory and infrastructure environments.
IPv6 readiness appears among the technical topics, an area that remains operationally significant as organisations continue transitioning from legacy addressing schemes. The protocol’s deployment intersects with routing policy, security considerations, and equipment capabilities, making it a recurring subject of practical interest.
Peering and Interconnection
Peering coordination forums provide dedicated space for discussions between network operators seeking to establish or optimise interconnection arrangements. These sessions facilitate the relationship-building that underlies much of the internet’s traffic exchange, allowing engineers and peering coordinators to meet counterparts from other networks in a neutral setting.
For internet service providers, backbone operators, and content delivery networks, peering decisions carry significant implications for cost structures, latency, and redundancy. The forums offer an efficient mechanism for initiating conversations that might otherwise require months of email exchanges and scheduling coordination.
Industry Context
Network operators face mounting pressure from traffic growth driven by video streaming, cloud computing, and emerging applications. Simultaneously, expectations for availability and performance continue to rise, leaving little tolerance for outages or degradation. The operational knowledge shared at gatherings like NANOG 98 helps practitioners navigate these demands by exposing them to approaches tested in production environments.
The emphasis on global connectivity reflects broader industry trends. As organisations expand their digital presence internationally, network teams must contend with varying infrastructure quality, regulatory requirements, and interconnection options across regions. Understanding how peers address these challenges provides valuable context for strategic planning.
Who Should Attend
NANOG 98 serves professionals directly involved in network infrastructure. Network engineers and architects benefit from technical presentations examining design patterns and implementation experiences. Operations managers gain insight into practices that improve reliability and efficiency. Peering coordinators find concentrated opportunities to advance interconnection discussions.
The event draws attendees from internet service providers, backbone carriers, cloud platforms, content delivery networks, and large enterprises with substantial internal network operations. Technical leadership, including those in CTO and similar roles, attend to maintain awareness of developments affecting infrastructure strategy.
Event Support
NANOG 98 receives support from organisations across the networking industry. Larus serves as Host Sponsor, with AT&T and Hewlett Packard Enterprise among the contributing sponsors. This backing enables the community-focused programming that characterises NANOG events while maintaining the technical independence of presentation content.