Get to the Point — The High Point Networks Podcast

What does it take to make cybersecurity feel like it's for everyone? Dr. Ashley Podhradsky has spent her career answering that question.  In this episode, Andy and Brandi sit down with the Vice President for Research and Economic Development & Co-Founder of CybHER at Dakota State University to talk about building the next generation of cyber professionals, why curiosity matters more than...

After Episode 6 sparked a bigger conversation, Aaron Zylla came back to finish it.  In this bonus, Andy, Brandi, and Aaron dig into one of the most charged topics in physical security — where does protection end and surveillance begin?  0:00 - Welcome back & why we're here  2:14 - Liberty vs. privacy: the Benjamin Franklin framing  4:30 - Mass-scale AI surveillance: myth or reality?  7:45...

Surprise drop! We're giving you an extra episode this month because this conversation is too important to sit on.  VMware didn't just change — it changed fast, and more than once. Since Broadcom's acquisition, organizations have watched licensing costs climb and options narrow, often without much warning. In this episode, Sales Engineer Brian Bensen walks through what happened, why...

Most organizations think physical security means hanging a camera and calling it a day.  Aaron Zylla, Senior Physical Security Engineer at High Point Networks, says that's the most dangerous assumption you can make. In this episode, Aaron breaks down what a real physical security strategy actually looks like, why it matters far beyond your building's front door, and how the right systems...

If you're not evolving, you're falling behind. Brandon Conkins, Director of SMART Services at High Point Networks, makes the case for why comfort and complacency are among the biggest risks facing IT leaders and organizations today. Drawing from a viral street interview with Snowflake's CRO and the content of one of the world's fastest-growing business media channels, Brandon u...

Fear-based cybersecurity training uses the same tactics as cybercriminals. And it's not working. Lynn Soeth, Service Manager of Security Services and Sales Engineering at High Point Networks, has been leading security teams since 2017 with a distinctly human-first approach. In this episode, she breaks down what it actually looks like to build a security culture people want to participate in —...

Understanding the threat is only half the equation. In Part 2, we shift from awareness to action. Shawn Mendel — Director of Professional Services and Incident Response Manager at High Point Networks — walks through what response and recovery actually look like once a breach is underway, how AI is being weaponized by threat actors, and the five areas every organization should focus on to reduce th...

Cyber incidents don't start with panic. They start with patterns. In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Shawn Mendel — Director of Professional Services and Incident Response Manager at High Point Networks — breaks down the modern threat landscape driving today's incidents. With nearly 30 years of experience, 15 as an engineer, and a reputation for calm, clear-headed leadership under...

Every piece of technology has a story behind it. Not the specs. Not the features. The why. In our first episode, hosts Andy Middlemiss and Brandi Mentele share the story behind Get to the Point — how an idea born inside High Point Networks turned into a podcast built around one simple mission: technology is more interesting when you understand what it actually does for people. From a wireless netw...

IT is complicated. This podcast isn't.  Get to the Point is where real IT experts have real conversations, cutting through the noise to give business leaders, IT professionals, and curious minds the clarity they *actually* need. Hosted by Andy Middlemiss and Brandi Mentele, each episode digs into the deeper "why" behind the technology that runs your business. We’re here to make it a...