7 6 calls—in about 30 seconds—from aircraft spotters to Army Information Centers. Into the mid-1980’s, AT&T provided the network for the Strategic Air Command (SAC). Today, the DoD network is made up of roughly 15,000 separate networks built by a number of different companies. Primarily designed and deployed over the past two decades, these networks rely on legacy circuit-switched infrastructure. They require constant hardware maintenance and upgrades. They also have inherent limitations that cannot accommodate rapid data growth and changes in task or mission. Networking-as-a-Service (NaaS) provides a rapid modernization path for the DoD. Computing and storage were the first two IT services to become virtualized and move to an As-a-Service model, which gave rise to the massive push to cloud computing. Networking is the final piece of the puzzle. Software allows for the orchestration of these three previously siloed IT functions, unleashing unprecedented levels of agility and performance. With NaaS, the DoD can take advantage of the AT&T investment of more than $140 billion in its wireless and wireline networks over the past five years (2013-2017). NaaS can also provide networking services on a “pay per use” consumption model. “Change is never easy, but we’ve witnessed firsthand how new technology can revolutionize networking,” says Parente. “When I’m speaking to a CIO, he or she sees the promise immediately. By embracing network virtualization, internal IT teams can help ensure the DoD develops networking capabilities second to none.” With his home base in Fairfax County, Parente is always readily available to the federal customers of AT&T. When he’s not helping design next- generation networks, he can often be found ferrying his five children to athletic and scouting events, or enjoying his hobbies of music and cooking. Parente has always gravitated to the big thing—he was at the forefront of the AT&T cloud business in 2010. Today, Parente is laser-focused on delivering the Defense network of tomorrow. He’s a natural on the front lines of transformation, working side by side with colleagues that share the same passion. These leaders proudly honor the history of the company’s commitment to the military and are forging a future legacy built on innovation. LEADING THE FUTURE “Change is never easy, but we’ve witnessed firsthand how new technology can revolutionize networking.”