Lab-to-live: Delivering Resilient and Secure Cloud-Native Networks

As modern cloud-native networks evolve, traditional testing approaches are no longer sufficient. Agile, lab-based testing now plays a critical role in enabling agile cloud-native operations.

The ‘Lab-to-Live’ concept integrates hardware development, lab testing, network deployment, and operations into a unified DevOps lifecycle, fostering stronger collaboration between development and operations teams. This approach is particularly vital in container-based networks, where seamless coordination between testing and assurance is crucial.

The role of the lab is shifting—it’s no longer an isolated, offline process. Instead, continuous testing is becoming the norm, with lab verification flowing into live operational monitoring. This ensures operational readiness and provides a blueprint for successful, resilient network operations.

This paper outlines the key drivers behind the Lab-to-Live transformation and highlights best practices for ensuring the resilience and security of cloud-native networks.

This paper was developed in collaboration with Spirent, and can be downloaded from their website here.