Network Product Leader Open to Opportunities

Tom Gervais

Network Product Leader - Building NaaS platforms, cloud interconnection fabrics, and SDN-driven network products. Personally designed, deployed, and managed the Equinix Ashburn Internet Exchange for 12+ years.

20+ Years in Networking
12+ Years at Equinix
NaaS Platform Builder
BGP/IX Peering Architect

Product vision meets deep network engineering.

I'm a customer-facing network product leader and technical subject matter expert with two decades of experience building, deploying, and evangelizing Network as a Service platforms and cloud interconnection products.

For 12+ years at Equinix, I helped design, build, and deploy core platform products including Internet Exchange, Equinix Connect, Metal, Network Edge, and the Cloud Exchange interconnection platform now known as Equinix Fabric. Stationed in Ashburn, VA, I personally designed, deployed, and managed Equinix Internet Exchanges across multiple metros, with the Ashburn IX - the heart of North America's interconnection ecosystem - as my primary responsibility. I built cloud on-ramp services for AWS, Azure, Oracle, and GCP, and translated complex network architectures into products that drive business value.

I bring a rare combination: the technical depth of a senior network engineer with the strategic vision of a product leader. I develop go-to-market strategies, build competitive playbooks, define product success criteria, and maintain the customer cadence that ensures every feature shipped delivers real value.

Why NaaS? I've been in the NaaS space since before it had a name - building the platforms, the peering exchanges, and the cloud on-ramps that enterprises now depend on daily. I ran Internet Exchanges at the epicenter of North American interconnection: Ashburn, VA. This isn't just my career - it's my domain expertise.

Professional Affiliations

ARIN IEEE NANOG

Equinix Fabric Pioneer

Helped design and deploy the SDN-based elastic interconnection platform (Cloud Exchange → Equinix Fabric) enabling programmable virtual circuit provisioning globally.

NaaS Product Lifecycle Owner

Built Datatility Cloud Exchange from zero - a carrier-neutral NaaS interconnection platform with full self-service portal and API integration.

Customer-Facing Technical Leader

Regular engagement with Fortune 50/500 customers and cloud partners (AWS, Azure, Oracle, GCP), translating technical capabilities into business outcomes.

Ashburn IX - Primary Operator

Personally designed, deployed, and managed Equinix Internet Exchanges across multiple metros. Ashburn - North America's largest interconnection hub - was my primary responsibility. Managed BGP peering, autonomous systems, and IP procurement.

Built for Network as a Service.

Every dimension of what it takes to build, ship, and scale NaaS products - from BGP peering to product strategy to go-to-market execution.

01

NaaS Platform Development

Full lifecycle ownership of Network as a Service products - from technical specification through go-to-market. Built Equinix Cloud Exchange infrastructure and Datatility's carrier-neutral NaaS platform from scratch.

SDN Elastic Interconnection VXC Cloud On-Ramp
02

Data Networking & Peering

Deep first-hand working knowledge of Ethernet, IP, BGP routing, peering, firewalls, NAT, OSPF, VXLAN, MPLS, Q-in-Q, and SD-WAN. Personally designed, deployed, and managed Equinix Internet Exchanges across multiple metros with Ashburn as primary responsibility.

BGP Ashburn IX Peering / IX Ethernet VXLAN MPLS
03

Product Strategy & GTM

Defining technical product specifications, developing go-to-market strategies, building competitive playbooks, and setting success criteria. Experienced platform evangelist - presented at OracleWorld 2020.

Go-to-Market Competitive Analysis Sales Enablement
04

API & Platform Engineering

API-driven platform architecture, RESTful API design, customer self-service portals, and automation tooling. Extended API capabilities into products for provisioning, monitoring, and ecosystem connectivity.

REST APIs Python .NET CI/CD IaC
05

Cloud Interconnection

Developed technical specifications and built on-ramp services for AWS DirectConnect, Azure ExpressRoute, Oracle FastConnect, and GCP Partner Interconnect. Includes GovCloud connectivity.

AWS Azure Oracle GCP GovCloud
06

Customer & Partner Engagement

Maintaining regular cadence with enterprise customers and cloud partners. Collecting requirements, validating product-market fit, and ensuring new development delivers measurable value for the business.

Fortune 50/500 Technical Pre-Sales Channel Partners

Two decades at the intersection of network engineering and product.

From building Equinix's NOC and Cloud Exchange to launching my own NaaS platform - a career defined by building network products that scale.

2022 – Present
Director of Product Development Current
Intufo - Cybersecurity, Network Security & Data Fabric Solutions
Owning end-to-end product development for Intufo's SCCAI Fabric platform, defining technical specifications, setting success criteria, and delivering go-to-market strategies. Serving as platform evangelist at ChannelPro conferences, driving API development strategy, and leading cross-functional collaboration on product roadmap prioritization.
2019 – 2022
Co-Founder & CCO
Datatility - Managed Service Provider, NaaS Platform, Datacenter & Cloud Solutions
Built Datatility Cloud Exchange (DCX) from the ground up - a carrier-neutral NaaS interconnection platform enabling elastic connectivity between enterprises, CSPs, and network partners. Architected the self-service cloud portal with API integration, engineered GovCloud on-ramps via Azure ExpressRoute and AWS DirectConnect, and directed a team of six across engineering, sales, and operations.
2007 – 2019
Senior Network Engineer
Equinix - Global Carrier-Neutral Datacenter & Interconnection Provider
12+ year tenure stationed in Ashburn, VA - spanning the critical era of cloud interconnection. Helped design, build, and deploy Equinix Cloud Exchange and Network Edge (now Equinix Fabric). Key contributions:
  • Personally designed, deployed, and managed Equinix Internet Exchanges across multiple metros - Ashburn IX as primary responsibility
  • SDN-based elastic interconnection platform architecture
  • BGP peering and IX fabric design across autonomous systems
  • Cloud on-ramp specs for AWS, Azure, Oracle, GCP
  • Founding member of the NOC (2008) - defined monitoring, escalation, and SLA frameworks
  • IP transit cost negotiations and ARIN IP space procurement
  • Python/.NET automation tools and internal APIs for network ops
2004 – 2007
Senior Network Engineer
Baltimore City Police Department - Enterprise IT & Network Infrastructure
Managed enterprise LAN/WAN infrastructure, IP routing, firewalls, and NAT across multi-agency environments including MoIT, Maryland State Police, HIDTA (DEA), and FBI coordination.

Milestones that matter.

Career-defining moments from building platforms that power enterprise connectivity.

First Oracle Cloud Enterprise Interconnect

Built the first-ever OCI us-ashburn-1 | us-phoenix-1 interconnected enterprise customer. Invited to present the architecture and go-to-market value at OracleWorld 2020.

View Case Study →

Ashburn IX - Multi-Metro IX Operator

Personally designed, deployed, and managed Equinix Internet Exchanges across multiple metropolitan areas. Served as primary operator for the Ashburn IX - the most critical interconnection hub in North America and a key node in global internet traffic exchange.

Equinix NOC - Founding Member

Member of the team that built Equinix's first Network Operations Center in 2008, establishing 24x7 monitoring and escalation frameworks adopted as the global operational standard.

1st Place - DevPost Hackathon (ChainSmith, 2023)

Grand Prize winner demonstrating rapid prototyping and full-stack product development capabilities in competitive hackathon environment.

Read Article →

Datatility Cloud Exchange - Built from Zero

Conceptualized, architected, and launched a carrier-neutral NaaS interconnection platform with self-service portal, API integration, and cloud on-ramp connectivity for enterprise and government customers.

Full-spectrum network & platform expertise.

From the CLI to the product roadmap - hands-on across the entire stack.

NaaS & Cloud Platforms
Network as a Service (NaaS) SDN / Elastic Interconnection Equinix Fabric / ECX Cloud Exchange Fabric Virtual Cross Connect (VXC) Network Edge AWS DirectConnect Azure ExpressRoute Oracle FastConnect GCP Partner Interconnect
Data Networking & Protocols
BGP Routing & Peering Internet Exchange (IX) Ethernet / IP Firewalls / NAT OSPF VXLAN MPLS 802.1q / Q-in-Q MC-LAG / LACP SD-WAN
Network Operating Systems
Arista EOS Cisco IOS / IOS XR / NX-OS Juniper Junos Brocade IronWare Dell FTOS
API & Development
RESTful API Design Python .NET (C#, C++) JavaScript Docker CI/CD Infrastructure as Code Network Automation
Product & Strategy
Technical Product Development Go-to-Market Strategy Competitive Analysis Sales Playbook Development Platform Evangelism Customer & Partner Engagement Cross-Functional Leadership

Let's talk about building the future of network connectivity.

I'm always open to conversations about NaaS, cloud interconnection, product strategy, and the evolving landscape of enterprise networking. Whether you're looking for a technical product leader or want to discuss the industry, I'd love to connect.

Quick Info

Location Ashburn, VA
Status Open to Opportunities
Work Style Remote / Hybrid
Focus NaaS & Cloud Interconnection
Experience 20+ Years
Equinix Tenure 12+ Years