
Screaming in the Cloud
674 episodes — Page 2 of 14

Ep 624Replay - HeatWave and the Latest Evolution of MySQL with Nipun Agarwal
On this Screaming in the Cloud Replay, Corey is joined by Nipun Agarwal, Senior Vice President of MySQL HeatWave Development at Oracle, to discuss the release of MySQL HeatWave and how it will benefit users among the sea of database offerings on AWS. Nipun reveals why Oracle decided to develop HeatWave, how HeatWave is providing meaningful cost savings to users, and how HeatWave has been optimized for the cloud. Nipun explains how they’ve lowered the barriers to entry for new users of HeatWave, and Oracle’s focus on implementing customer feedback when developing new offerings.Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(0:55) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(1:28) The significance of HeatWave coming to AWS(2:20) What is MySQL HeatWave?(5:13) What jumped out to Corey during his conversations with Nipun on Oracle(8:40) What’s “under the hood” of MySQL HeatWave(14:12) How Oracle built out its pricing for MySQL HeatWave(16:41) Why MySQL HeatWave doesn’t show up on AWS bills(21:27) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(22:09) Oracle’s historical customer base and the company’s credit system(24:30) The point behind MySQL HeatWave(27:51) How MySQL HeatWave runs(33:53) Where you can find more from Nipun and OracleAbout Nipun AgarwalNipun Agarwal is a Senior Vice President, MySQL HeatWave and Advanced Development, Oracle. His interests include distributed data processing, machine learning, cloud technologies and security. Nipun was part of the Oracle Database team where he introduced a number of new features. He has been awarded over 170 patents., Nipun Agarwal is Senior Vice President of MySQL Database & HeatWave Development. He leads a global engineering organization responsible for Oracle’s MySQL innovations that enable organizations to use a single database for both transactional and analytical workloads. His interests include data processing, distributed systems, machine learning, cloud computing and security. Prior to his current position, Nipun was with Oracle Labs and the Oracle Database team, where he introduced a number of new features. He has been awarded over 175 patents.LinksOracle: https://oracle.comMySQL HeatWave info: https://www.oracle.com/mysql/ MySQL Service on AWS and OCI login (Oracle account required): https://cloud.mysql.comOriginal Episodehttps://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/heatwave-and-the-latest-evolution-of-mysql-with-nipun-agarwal/SponsorThe Duckbill Group: duckbillgroup.com

Ep 623Replay - Learning to Give in the Cloud with Andrew Brown
The tech industry is getting long enough in the teeth that now there are some bonafide old fogeys. Nevertheless there, fortunately, are plenty of younger tech folks out there pushing the thought and mentality of the industry forward. Andrew Brown, Co-Founder and Cloud Instructor at ExamPro Training Inc certainly is, but his presence in the community is so much more! On this Screaming in the Cloud Replay, Andrew talks about the various internet platforms that he stays active on, and his mission to provide education on the cloud. Importantly so, Andrew does so with an immense amount of generosity. As he puts it, he couldn’t imagine taking money for the courses that he has created. Andrew and Corey discuss at length their thoughts on cloud certifications, the worth of multicloud, and much more!Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(0:41) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(1:15) Why Corey struggles to keep up with Andrew’s impressive online presence(2:47) Explaining ExamPro(6:39) The troubles of online “experts”(13:01) Andrew’s thoughts on using certifications as proxies(18:14) The value of certification vs. your level of experience(22:47) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(23:30) Should engineers learn more than one cloud provider?(27:10) Is multi-cloud actually the way to go?(34:31) Where you can find more from AndrewAbout Andrew BrownAndrew Brown has been working in tech 15 years. Today, he creates free cloud certification courses where he teaches people Cloud, DevOps, Data, ML, Security, K8s and Serverless.LinksExamPro Training, Inc.: https://www.exampro.co/PolyWork: https://www.polywork.com/andrewbrownLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-wc-brownTwitter: https://twitter.com/andrewbrownOriginal Episodehttps://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/learning-to-give-in-the-cloud-with-andrew-brown/SponsorThe Duckbill Group: duckbillgroup.com

Ep 622Creating the Foundation for a New Home Assistant with Paulus Schoutsen
Corey Quinn is joined by Paulus Schoutsen, creator of Home Assistant and president of the Open Home Foundation. What started as a Python script to control Hue lights is now a leading open-source smart home platform with 1.6M users. Unlike ad-driven devices, Home Assistant prioritizes privacy, user control, and customization. Backed by the Open Home Foundation, it stays independent from corporate influence. Paulus highlights their community-driven approach, with users sharing automations online. By focusing on open standards, privacy, and user-first development, Home Assistant empowers smarter, more sustainable home automation.Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(0:33) Duckbill Group sponsor read(1:45) What inspired Paulus to create Home Assistant(6:54) How Home Assistant developed from text files to its current incarnation(12:02) Duckbill Group sponsor read(13:42) How Home Assistant is able to detect different IoT devices(16:06) Why not having investors is a strength for Home Assistant(21:11) How Home Assistant acts as a unifier for communications protocols(24:22) Why Big Tech doesn’t have a lot of interest in Home Assistant(30:45) How to learn more about Home Assistant About Paulus SchoutsenPaulus Schoutsen is the creator of Home Assistant, the world’s most active open-source smart home platform, and president of the Open Home Foundation. What started as a Python script to control Philips Hue lights has grown into a global community of over 1.6 million users. Home Assistant stands out for its dedication to privacy, sustainability, and user control, offering a stable, customizable platform free from the ad-driven models of big tech. Paulus also leads Nabucasa, the commercial arm of Home Assistant, and champions the platform’s independence and community-driven ethos, ensuring long-term focus on open standards and user empowerment.LinksHome Assistant website https://www.home-assistant.io/SponsorThe Duckbill Group https://www.duckbillgroup.com/

Ep 621Replay - Multi-Cloud is the Future with Tobi Knaup
On this Screaming in the Cloud Replay, we’re revisiting our conversation with Tobi Knaup, the current VP & General Manager of Cloud Native at Nutanix. At the time this first aired, Tobi was the co-founder and CTO of D2iQ before the company was acquired by Nutanix. In this blast from the past, Corey and Tobi discuss why Mesosphere rebranded as D2iQ and why the Kubernetes community deserves the credit for the widespread adoption of the container orchestration platform. Many people assume Kubernetes is all they need, but that’s a mistake, and Tobi explains what other tools they end up having to use. We’ll also hear why Tobi thinks that multi-cloud is the future (it is the title of the episode after all).Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(0:28) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(1:01) Memosphere rebranding to D2iQ(4:34) The strength of the Kubernetes community(7:43) Is open-source a bad business model?(10:19) Why you need more than just Kubernetes(13:13) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(13:55) Is multi-cloud the best practice?(17:31) Creating a consistent experience between two providers(19:05) Tobi’s background story(24:24) Memories of the days of physical data centers(28:00) How long will Kubernetes be relevant(30:18) Where you can find more from TobiAbout Tobi KnaupTobi Knaup is the VP & General Manager of Cloud Native at Nunatix. Previously, he was the Co-Founder and CTO of D2iQ Kubernetes Platform before Nutanix acquired the company. Knaup is an experienced software engineer focusing on large scale systems and machine learning. Tobi’s research work is on Internet-scale sentiment analysis using online knowledge, linguistic analysis, and machine learning. Outside of his tech work, he enjoys making cocktails and has collected his favorite recipes on his cocktail website.LinksTobi’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/superguenterLinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobiasknaup/Personal site: https://tobi.knaup.me/Original Episodehttps://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/multi-cloud-is-the-future-with-tobi-knaup/SponsorThe Duckbill Group: duckbillgroup.com

Ep 620Looking at the Current State of Resilience with Spencer Kimball
Spencer Kimball, CEO of Cockroach Labs, joins Corey Quinn to discuss the evolving challenges of database resilience in 2025. They discuss the State of Resilience 2025 report, revealing widespread operational concerns, costly outages, and gaps in failover preparedness. Modern resilience strategies, like active-active configurations and consensus replication, reduce risks but require expertise and investment. Spencer highlights growing regulatory pressures, such as the EU’s Digital Operational Resilience Act, and the rising complexity of distributed systems. Despite challenges, Cockroach Labs aims to simplify resilience, enabling organizations to modernize while balancing risk, cost, and customer trust.Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(0:36) Cockroach Labs sponsor read(3:14) The foundational nature of databases(3:55) Cockroach Labs’ State of Resilience 2025 report(8:55) CrowdStrike as an example of why database resilience is so important(11:04) What Spencer found most surprising in the report’s results(15:13) Understanding the multi-cloud strategy as safety in numbers(18:29) Cockroach Labs sponsor read(19:23) Why cost isn’t the Achilles’ heel of the multi-cloud strategy that some people think(23:52) Executives are blaming IT people for outages as much(28:21) The importance of active-active configurations(32:01) Why anxiety about operational resiliency will never fully go away(37:52) How to access the State of Resilience 2025 reportAbout Spencer KimballSpencer Kimball is the CEO and co-founder of Cockroach Labs, a company dedicated to building resilient, cloud-native databases. Before founding Cockroach Labs, Spencer had a distinguished career in technology, including contributions to Google’s Colossus file system. Alongside co-founders Peter Mattis and Ben Darnell, he launched CockroachDB, a globally distributed SQL database designed to handle modern data challenges like resilience, multi-cloud deployment, and compliance with evolving data sovereignty laws. CockroachDB is renowned for its innovative architecture, enabling consistent and scalable database performance across regions and clouds. Under Spencer’s leadership, the company continues to redefine operational resilience for enterprises worldwide.LinksCockroach Labs: https://www.cockroachlabs.com/The State of Resilience 2025 report https://www.cockroachlabs.com/guides/the-state-of-resilience-2025/SponsorCockroach Labs: cockroachlabs.com/lastweek

Ep 619Helping Securing the Python with Mike Fiedler
On this Screaming in the Cloud In this episode of Screaming in the Cloud, Corey Quinn is joined by AWS container hero and security engineer at the Python Software Foundation, Mike Fiedler. They delve into the intricacies of Python's ecosystem, discussing the evolution of PyPI, its significance, and the ongoing battles against security threats like account takeover attacks and typo-squatting. Mike sheds light on his role in maintaining the security and reliability of the Python Package Index, the importance of 2FA, and the collaborative efforts with security researchers. Corey and Mike also explore the challenges and philosophies surrounding legacy systems versus greenfield development, with insights on maintaining critical infrastructure and the often-overlooked aspects of social engineering.Show Highlights(0:00) Introduction(0:47) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(1:21) Breaking down the Python nomenclature and its usability(5:49) Figuring out how Boto3 is one of the most downloaded packages(6:43) Why Mike is the only full-time security and safety engineer at the Python Software Foundation(9:53) How the Python Software Foundation affords to operate(14:17) Mike's stack security work(16:14) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(16:57) Having the "impossible job" of stopping supply chain attacks(21:00) The dangers of social engineering attacks(24:44) Why Mike prefers to work on legacy systems(33:30) Where you can find more from MikeAbout Mike FiedlerMike Fiedler is a highly analytical, forward-thinking Information Technology professional. His broad-based background includes systems administration and engineering in global environments. Mike is technically astute and versatile with ability to quickly learn, master, and leverage new technologies to meet business needs and has a track record of success in improving performance, stability, and security for all infrastructure and product initiatives.Mike is also bilingual, speaks English and Hebrew, and he loves solving puzzling problems.LinksMike’s Mastadon: https://hachyderm.io/@mikethemanMike’s Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/miketheman.comMike’s Python Software Foundation blog posts: https://blog.pypi.org/The Python Package Index Safety & Security Engineer: First Year in Review: https://blog.pypi.org/posts/2024-08-16-safety-and-security-engineer-year-in-review/SponsorThe Duckbill Group: duckbillgroup.com

Ep 618Replay - Serverless Hero, Got Servers in His Eyes with Ant Stanley
On this Screaming in the Cloud Replay, we’re revisiting our conversation with Co-Founder of Senzo, Ant Stanley. Ant sits down with Corey to do so. He offers up his history which has lead to his time as “Serverless Hero” to landing on the line that “serverless sucks.” Lend us your ears to see how that transition happened! Ant goes into detail on JeffConf (not the of the Bezos nomen), and working with servers and what to put where and why. Ant and Corey talk over the plague of AWS services where Ant offers his perspective how to trim the fat and keep things simple to make long-term objectives more attainable. They discuss the importance of training, the role of certifications for better and worse, and more. Tune in for his take!Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(0:51) Duckbill Group sponsor read(1:24) What does it mean to be an AWS Serverless Hero?(3:13) Why Ant and Corey are critical of the state of serverless(7:53) Woes with Lambda and CloudFront(10:12) The never-ending stream of new AWS services(13:36) Hurdles ahead of going serverless(17:33) Struggles of getting customers to understand a newly built service(21:31) Duckbill Group sponsor read(22:14) Pros and cons of certifications(32:17) Where you can find more from AntAbout Ant StanleyAnt Stanley is a community focused technologist with a passion for enabling better outcomes for society through technology. He is an AWS Serverless Hero, runs the Serverless London User Group, co-runs ServerlessDays London and is part of the ServerlessDays Global team. LinksA Cloud Guru: https://acloudguru.comhomeschool.dev: https://homeschool.devaws.training: https://aws.traininglearn.microsoft.com: https://learn.microsoft.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/iamstanOriginal Episodehttps://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/serverless-hero-got-servers-in-his-eyes-with-ant-stanley/SponsorThe Duckbill Group: duckbillgroup.com

Ep 617Best Practices for Securing AWS Cloud with Eric Carter
Eric Carter of Sysdig joins Corey to tackle the evolving landscape of cloud security, particularly in AWS environments. As attackers leverage automation to strike within minutes, Sysdig focuses on real-time threat detection and rapid response. Tools like Runtime Insights and open-source Falco help teams identify and mitigate misconfigurations, excessive permissions, and stealthy attacks, while Kubernetes aids in limiting lateral movement. Eric introduced the “10-minute benchmark” for defense, combining automation and human oversight. Adapting to constant change, Sysdig integrates frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK to stay ahead of threats. Corey and Eric also discuss Sysdig’s conversational AI security analyst, which simplifies decision-making.Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(0:32) Sysdig sponsor read(0:51) What they do at Sysdig(3:28) When you need a human in the loop vs when AI is useful(5:12) How AI may affect career progression for cloud security analysts(8:18) The importance of security for AI(12:18) Sysdig sponsor read(12:39) Security practices in AWS(15:19) How Sysdig’s security reports have shaped Corey’s thinking(18:10) Where the cloud security industry is headed(20:03) Cloud security increasingly feeling like an arms race between attackers and defenders(23:33) Frustrations with properly configuring leased permissions(28:17) How to keep up with Eric and SysdigAbout Eric CarterEric is an AWS Cloud Partner Advocate focused on cultivating Sysdig’s technology cloud and container partner ecosystem. Eric has spearheaded marketing efforts for enterprise technology solutions across various domains, such as security, monitoring, storage, and backup. He is passionate about working with Sysdig's alliance partners, and outside of work, enjoys performing as a guitarist in local cover bands.LinksSysdig's website: https://sysdig.com/Sysdig's AWS Cloud Security: https://sysdig.com/ecosystem/aws/Sysdig’s 5 Steps to Securing AWS Cloud Infrastructure: https://sysdig.com/content/c/pf-5-steps-to-securing-aws-cloud-infrastructure?x=Xx8NSJSponsorSysdig: https://www.sysdig.com

Ep 616Replay - Finding a Common Language for Incidents with John Allspaw
On this Screaming in the Cloud Replay, Corey is joined by John Allspaw, Founder/Principal at Adaptive Capacity Labs. John was foundational in the DevOps movement, but he’s continued to bring much more to the table. He’s written multiple books and seems to always be at the forefront. Which is why he is now at Adaptive Capacity Labs. John tells us what exactly Adaptive Capacity Labs does and how it works and how he convinced some heroes to get behind it. John brings a much-needed insight into how to get multiple people in an organization on the same level when it comes to dealing with incidents. Engineers and non. John points out the issues surrounding public vs. private write-ups and the roadblocks they may prop up. Adaptive Capacity Labs is working towards bringing those roadblocks down, tune in for how!Show Highlights(0:00) Introduction(0:59) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(1:33) What is Adaptive Capacity Labs and the work that they do?(3:00) How to effectively learn from incidents(7:33) What is the root of confusion in incident analysis(13:20) Identifying if an organization has truly learned from their incidents(18:23) Gitpod sponsor read(19:35) Adaptive Capacity Lab’s reputation for positively shifting company culture(24:22) What the tech industry is missing when it comes to learning effectively from the incidents(28:44) Where you can find more from John and Adaptive Capacity LabsAbout John AllspawJohn Allspaw has worked in software systems engineering and operations for over twenty years in many different environments. John’s publications include the books The Art of Capacity Planning (2009) and Web Operations (2010) as well as the forward to “The DevOps Handbook.” His 2009 Velocity talk with Paul Hammond, “10+ Deploys Per Day: Dev and Ops Cooperation” helped start the DevOps movement.John served as CTO at Etsy, and holds an MSc in Human Factors and Systems Safety from Lund UniversityLinksThe Art of Capacity Planning: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Capacity-Planning-Scaling-Resources/dp/1491939206/Web Operations: https://www.amazon.com/Web-Operations-Keeping-Data-Time/dp/1449377440/The DevOps Handbook: https://www.amazon.com/DevOps-Handbook-World-Class-Reliability-Organizations/dp/1942788002/Adaptive Capacity Labs: https://www.adaptivecapacitylabs.comJohn Allspaw Twitter: https://twitter.com/allspawRichard Cook Twitter: https://twitter.com/ri_cookDave Woods Twitter: https://twitter.com/ddwoods2Original Episodehttps://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/finding-a-common-language-for-incidents-with-john-allspaw/SponsorsThe Duckbill Group: duckbillgroup.com Gitpod: http://www.gitpod.io/

Ep 615Replay - Keep on Rockin’ in the Server-Free World with Michael Garski
On this Screaming in the Cloud Replay, we’re revisiting our conversation with Michael Garski, the director of software engineering at famed electrical guitar manufacturer, Fender. Prior to this position, he worked as a principal software architect at Viant, a principal software architect at MySpace, a manager of internet development at Countrywide Financial, and a manager of system architecture at Fandango, among other positions. He also had a four-year stint in the US Navy, working as an engineering laboratory technician. Join Corey and Michael as they talk about how artists are angels and Fender’s job is to give them wings, how Fender has diversified its offerings in recent years, how serverless is a mindset and how Fender approach serverless technology, how Fender’s traffic surged during the pandemic and how everything mostly scaled up without a hitch, the challenges of teaching students to play instruments over the internet, the vendor lock-in boogeyman, and more.Show Highlights(0:00) Introduction(0:42) Dragonfly sponsor read(1:25) How does Michael describe Fender’s work(2:08) Fender’s work to go serverless(4:13) The impact of COVID on Fender(6:19) Explaining Fender Play and how it works on the backend(9:44) Working with MediaConvert(11:30) Experiences with scaling and hitting AWS service limits(12:52) Why Michael prefers working on the customer side(15:33) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(16:15) Frustrations with gateways and third-party apps(19:03) Managing a massive influx of users during COVID(21:13) The vendor lock-in boogeyman(23:19) Cloud costs vs. saving time(24:49) Walking the fine line of criticism as a director(28:09) Enforcing consistency across services(31:52) Where you can find more from MichaelAbout Michael GarskiMichael Garski has worked in the Los Angeles tech industry for over 20 years, across companies including Fandango, Countrywide Home Loans, MySpace, Viant, and is currently at Fender Musical Instruments as the Director of Platform engineering were he leads the devops, data, and api engineering teams. His focus currently is on building the platform to support the consumer facing digital products for Fender. The most prominent application he supports is Fender Play, a web and mobile application that provides video-based instruction for guitar, bass, and ukulele for more than a quarter-million subscribers.LinksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mgarski/Original Episodehttps://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/keep-on-rockin-in-the-server-free-world/SponsorsDragonfly: dragonflydb.ioThe Duckbill Group: duckbillgroup.com

Ep 614Standardizing Developer Freedom with Chris Weichel
Whether remote or local, Gitpod Co-Founder and CTO Chris Weichel thinks there’s a clear benefit to standardizing automated development environments. On this episode of Screaming in the Cloud, Chris joins Corey to chat about the inception and progression of Gitpod, highlighting the company’s mission to streamline development workflows, improve security, and enhance developer productivity. They also discuss the hurdles and solutions that come with balancing organizational standardization with individual developer preferences. You’ll also get the inside scoop on why Gitpod is transitioning away from Kubernetes and the innovative aspects of Gitpod Flex!Show Highlights(0:00) Introduction(0:27) Gitpod sponsor read(1:39) What is Gitpod in the modern era?(3:07) The debate of local vs. remote development(4:57) Explaining Gitpod's target customers(9:36) Clarifying Corey's misconceptions about Gitpod(12:42) Building between developer environments(15:23) Is something inherently bad if your employer forces you to use it (17:49) Gitpod sponsor read(19:01) Deploying local development tools at large scale(21:16) Launching Gitpod Flex(22:54) Creating a separate product based on feedback(24:58) Gitpod's decision to leave Kubernetes(28:16) Where you can find more from Chris and GitpodAbout Chris WeichelChris Weichel is the Chief Technology Officer at Gitpod, where he leads the engineering team that builds and maintains the cloud-native platform for software development. With over 20 years of experience in software engineering and human-computer interaction, he has a comprehensive view of the systems Gitpod creates, from the user experience to the underlying technology.Chris is passionate about creating technology that empowers users, and solving complex engineering problems. His expertise in cloud-native architecture, programming, and digital fabrication has resulted in multiple publications, patents, and awards. Chris is always looking for new opportunities to apply my broad skill-set and excitement for creating technology in a commercial or research context.LinksChris’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-weichel-740b4224/Chris’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/csweichelGitpod: https://www.gitpod.io/Why Gitpod is leaving Kubernetes: https://www.gitpod.io/blog/we-are-leaving-kubernetesSponsorGitpod: https://www.gitpod.io/

Ep 613Learning the Joys of Reading and Writing with Laura Brief
Before cloud economics entered his life, Corey’s first true love was a good book. On this episode of Screaming in the Cloud, he’s joined by Laura Brief, the CEO of nonprofit 826 National. The organization is the largest youth writing network in the country, something that’s near and dear to our hearts at The Duckbill Group. Corey and Laura talk about why having a deep appreciation for reading and writing is vital no matter what career path you take. From offering a creative escape for kids to moonlighting as a “pirate supply company,” 826 National helps children realize that there’s an author inside all of us. So check out this great conversation, and be sure to buy one of our shirts while you’re at it!Show Highlights(0:00) Introduction(1:02) Gitpod sponsor read(2:14) The Duckbill Group's history working with 826 National(3:01) What is 826 National?(4:43) Corey's love of reading, writing, and how it correlates with 826 National's mission(10:11) The rise of ChatGPT and its impact on reading and writing(13:49) Why GenAI fails to capture the feeling of writing(22:30) Why writing education is important(24:54) The benefits of reading and writing for kids(31:39) 826 Valencia: the Pirate Supply Company(35:24) Buy a shirt benefiting 826 National!(37:15) Where you can find more from Laura Brief and 826 NationalAbout Laura BriefLaura Brief is the CEO of 826 National. Prior to joining the nonprofit, Laura held leadership positions at high achieving youth organizations including Build, First Graduate, Juma Ventures, and The Posse Foundation, where she developed the organization’s first national career, corporate engagement, and alumni programs. She holds a Master’s in Education and a Master’s in Counseling Psychology from Columbia University, and is the Chair of the Board of Directors at Youth Speaks.Links826 National: https://826national.org/Reach out to Laura: [email protected] Buy our charity shirt to help support 826 National: shitposting.fashionSponsorGitpod: gitpod.io

Ep 612Burnout and Breaking the Internet with Serena DiPenti
Corey Quinn talks with Serena DiPenti, aka “SheNetworks,” about her career from Cisco to Black Hills Information Security and her challenges in content creation. Serena reflects on starting at Cisco, where her role as a tech engineer required deep expertise and navigating rigid, high-pressure situations that led to burnout and limited growth opportunities. Now at Black Hills, she enjoys the hands-on work in security analysis and network-based penetration testing. Serena finds content creation more demanding than her cybersecurity work, often facing audience skepticism and burnout. However, her podcast Breaking the Internet provides a rewarding, conversational outlet for sharing insights.Show Highlights(00:00) Introduction(00:37) Dragonfly sponsor read(1:20) Catching up with Serena since she was last on the show(2:34) Serena’s experience at CISCO(8:00) How Serena got stuck in her TAC role(11:06) Serena’s pivot to her new role at Black Hills Information Security(14:10) When Serena finds time to sleep during her busy schedule(16:43) Corey’s short-lived attempt at YouTube(20:28) The importance of conversational content(21:43) Serena’s plans for naming and branding(25:49) Where Serena sees herself aiming next(31:18) How to follow Serena’s workAbout SerenaSerena DiPenti is an offensive security professional who shares her experiences and expertise through her Shenetworks educational content on platforms like TikTok, Twitter (X), YouTube, and Twitch. Her focus includes topics related to penetration testing, ethical hacking, and other areas of cybersecurity. She's passionate about helping others break into the cybersecurity field, offering tips, guidance, and career advice.Serena’s work includes creating accessible and engaging content that demystifies complex cybersecurity concepts, making the industry more inclusive and approachable for beginners and professionals alike.LinksYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@shenetworks TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shenetworks?lang=en Twitter: https://x.com/shenetworksBuy our charity shirt to help support 826 National!https://store.lastweekinaws.com/SponsorDragonfly: dragonflydb.io

Ep 611Finding a Fix for the Cloud with Stephen Barr
Corey Quinn sits down with Stephen Barr, Chief Evangelist of CloudFix. With his extensive history in the cloud, the pair delve into Stephen's journey with AWS, relatable anecdotes on optimizing cloud costs, and the complex role of tech evangelists in fostering better communication between engineering and finance teams. Corey and Stephen also weigh the pitfalls of early AI adoption, how to come up with effective content creation strategies, and even postulate a hopeful vision of a tech-driven future (from a Trekkie’s point of view at least).Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(0:40) Gitpod sponsor read(1:52) How Stephen defines his role(4:26) Breaking down recent shakeups at AWS and the ever-growing promotion of AI(9:36) How will AI impact how we teach younger people about coding?(13:45) AI marketing, crypto, and other professional grifts(16:56) Stephen's history with AWS and the cloud ecosystem(20:42) Wiz sponsor read(21:30)Oversights that can easily inflate a cloud bill(25:32) Acting as a marriage counselor between engineering and finance(30:09 Stephen's creative process as a Chief Evangelist(33:54) Stephen's thoughts on the future of technology(35:28) Where you can find more from StephenAbout Stephen BarrStephen Barr, Principal Architect and Technical Evangelist at CloudFix, is known throughout the technology industry for his joyful frame of mind and deep expertise in data engineering, machine learning, LLMs, systems architecture, and all things AWS.Even as a teenager, Stephen’s digital curiosity and drive landed him at an email hosting startup working on network administration. He also worked at Microsoft while still a high school student.After graduating from the University of Washington, he continued graduate studies at the University of Rochester and Washington. Stephen has also worked as a data scientist, software developer, technical consultant and more.When he’s not researching or communicating about the power of AWS, Stephen enjoys spending time with his family at home in Seattle. His interests outside of work include science fiction, 3D printing, and the outdoors., Stephen Barr, Principal Architect and Technical Evangelist at CloudFix, is known throughout the technology industry for his joyful frame of mind and deep expertise in data engineering, machine learning, LLMs, systems architecture, and all things AWS.Even as a teenager, Stephen’s digital curiosity and drive landed him at an email hosting startup working on network administration. He also worked at Microsoft while still a high school student.After graduating from the University of Washington, he continued graduate studies at the University of Rochester and Washington. Stephen has also worked as a data scientist, software developer, technical consultant and more.When he’s not researching or communicating about the power of AWS, Stephen enjoys spending time with his family at home in Seattle. His interests outside of work include science fiction, 3D printing, and the outdoors., Stephen Barr, Principal Architect and Technical Evangelist at CloudFix, is known throughout the technology industry for his joyful frame of mind and deep expertise in data engineering, machine learning, LLMs, systems architecture, and all things AWS.Even as a teenager, Stephen’s digital curiosity and drive landed him at an email hosting startup working on network administration. He also worked at Microsoft while still a high school student.After graduating from the University of Washington, he continued graduate studies at the University of Rochester and Washington. Stephen has also worked as a data scientist, software developer, technical consultant and more.When he’s not researching or communicating about the power of AWS, Stephen enjoys spending time with his family at home in Seattle. His interests outside of work include science fiction, 3D printing, and the outdoors.Links ReferencedLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenjbarr/AWS Made Easy: https://awsmadeeasy.com/SponsorsGitpod: gitpod.ioWiz: https://www.wiz.io/scream

Ep 610Sleuthing Out the Key to Teamwork with Dylan Etkin
Corey Quinn chats with Dylan Etkin, CEO and co-founder of Sleuth. He joins this episode of Screaming Into the Cloud to share his insights on reshaping engineering metrics to prioritize team success. Sleuth emphasizes team-level productivity over individual output, sidestepping controversial metrics like lines of code and focusing on alignment and iterative improvement. By aggregating data from tools like GitHub, Jira, and Datadog, Sleuth provides actionable insights, helping leaders reallocate resources for optimal impact without disrupting unique team workflows. Designed for collaborative review, Sleuth’s slide deck-like interface supports meaningful discussions around DORA metrics and deploy tracking. Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(0:51) Sleuth sponsor read(1:12) What Sleuth is(2:02) How Sleuth evaluates engineers’ work(5:41) The value that evaluations brings to a business(9:34) Who Dylan usually discusses results with(11:04) Sleuth sponsor read(11:30) The day-to-day experience of using Sleuth(14:23) The importance of meeting people where they are(18:21) The actual outcome of implementing Sleuth(20:27) Why engineering teams should care about metrics(24:27) The interface that people have when they're working with Sleuth(26:23) Where you can find more from SleuthAbout Dylan EtkinDylan was one of the first twenty employees of Atlassian, and a founding engineer and the first architect of Jira. He has led engineering at scale for Bitbucket and Statuspage. He has a Master's in Computer Science from ASU. Dylan is a bit of a space nut and has been seen climbing around the inside of a life-size replica of the Mir space station in Star City Russia.SponsorSleuth: https://www.sleuth.io/

Ep 609Replay - Chaos Engineering for Gremlins with Jason Yee
On this Replay, we’re revisiting our conversation with Jason Yee, Staff Technical Advocate at Datadog. At the time of this recording, he was the Director of Advocacy at Gremlin, an enterprise-grade chaos engineering platform. Join Corey and Jason as they talk about what Gremlin is and what a director of advocacy does, making chaos engineering more accessible for the masses, how it’s hard to calculate ROI for developer advocates, how developer advocacy and DevRel changes from one company to the next, why developer advocates need to focus on meaningful connections, why you should start chaos engineering as a mental game, qualities to look for in good developer advocates, the Break Things On Purpose podcast, and more.Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(0:31) Blackblaze sponsor read(0:58) The role of a Director of Advocacy(3:34) DevRel and twisting job definitions(5:50) How DevRel confusion manifests into marketing(11:37) Being able to measure and define a team’s success(13:42) Building respect and a community in tech(15:22) Effectively courting a community(18:02) The challenges of Jason’s job(21:06) Planning for failure modes(22:30) Determining your value in tech(25:41) The growth of Gremlin(30:16) Where you can find more from JasonAbout Jason YeeJason Yee is Staff Technical Avdocate at Datadog, where he works to inspire developers and ops engineers with the power of metrics and monitoring. Previously, he was the community manager for DevOps & Performance at O’Reilly Media and a software engineer at MongoDB.LinksBreak Things On Purpose podcast: https://www.gremlin.com/podcast/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gitbisectOriginal episodehttps://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/chaos-engineering-for-gremlins-with-jason-yee/SponsorBackblaze: https://www.backblaze.com/

Ep 608Disclosing Vulnerabilities in the Cloud with Ryan Nolette
In this episode of "Screaming in the Cloud," we’re making sure things are nice and secure thanks to Ryan Nolette, Senior Security Engineer at AWS Outreach. As a part of the Outreach team, he’s responsible for making everyone understand the nuances of AWS's Vulnerability Disclosure Program. Corey and Ryan explore the intricacies of AWS's approach to security, including the emphasis on communication with researchers. You’ll also get an overview of what goes into Vulnerability Disclosure Programs and how it courts security researchers over “security researchers.” If there’s anything you can take away from this episode, it’s that Ryan takes great pride in AWS's commitment to transparency and collaboration when it comes to resolving potential security flaws.Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(0:38) Blackblaze sponsor read(1:06) The role of AWS' security team outreach group(2:21) The nuance of the Vulnerability Disclosure Program(4:05) Will the VDP program replace human interactions(10:08) Response disclosure vs. coordinated disclosure(15:26) The high-quality communication of the AWS security team(17:33) Gitpod sponsor read(18:45) Security researchers vs. "security researchers"(25:54) What's next for the VDP Program?(29:26) Avoiding "security by obscurity"(32:08) Being intentional with security messaging(36:16) Where you can find more from RyanAbout Ryan NoletteRyan is AWS's Senior Security Engineer for the Outreach Team and CoAuthor of AWS Detective. He has previously held a variety of roles including threat research, incident response consulting, and every level of security operations. With almost 2 decades in the infosec field, Ryan has been on the development and operations side of companies such as Postman, Sqrrl, Carbon Black, Crossbeam Systems, SecureWorks and Fidelity Investments. Ryan has been an active speaker and writer on threat hunting and endpoint securityLinksAWS VDP on HackerOne: hackerone.com/aws_vdpAWS VDP inbox: [email protected]: www.linkedin.com/in/cloudy-with-a-chance-of-securityAWS Vulnerability Reporting site: https://aws.amazon.com/security/vulnerability-reporting/Give your feedback on the recently expanded VDP program: https://pulse.aws/survey/MOOFGRLMSponsorsBackblaze: https://www.backblaze.com/Gitpod: gitpod.io

Ep 607Replay - Creatively Giving Back to the Cloud Community with Forrest Brazeal
On this Screaming in the Cloud Replay, we revisit our chat with Forrest Brazeal. When this episode first aired, Forrest was the Head of Content at Google Cloud, but today, he helps run Freeman & Forrest, an influencer marketing service focused on enterprise tech. In this trip down memory lane, Forrest goes into detail on how he is working to give back to the cloud community. Forrest discusses his time at A Cloud Guru, his time as an AWS Serverless Hero, and the technical excellence he brings to his vast-ranging and prolific content. Forrest is also a successful author of a newsletter and multiple books, including a children's book about the cloud! Needless to say, Forrest is an incredibly varied personality in the cloud community, tune in for a chance to get to know him better!Show Highlights(00:00) Intro(1:10) Backblaze sponsor read(1:36) Starting a new job as the Head of Content for Google Cloud(2:32) Forrest’s background as a cloud consultant(3:57) Writing endeavors and The Cloud Resume Challenge(6:30) Being authentic and helpful in the cloud(11:43) Forrest’s experiences with Google Cloud(13:18) Being a thought leader in the cloud community(16:44) The interview process for Google Cloud(20:24) Creating online cloud content(25:51) Having creative freedom at Google(29:07) The viability of Google Cloud(31:52) Where you can find more from ForrestAbout Forrest BrazealForrest is a cloud educator, cartoonist, author, and Pwnie Award-winning songwriter. He’s also led some of the world's most innovative developer content and community teams at companies like Google and A Cloud Guru. LinksThe Cloud Bard Speaks: https://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/the-cloud-bard-speaks-with-forrest-brazeal/The Read Aloud Cloud: https://www.amazon.com/Read-Aloud-Cloud-Innocents-Inside/dp/1119677629The Cloud Resume Challenge Book: https://forrestbrazeal.gumroad.com/l/cloud-resume-challenge-book/launch-dealThe Cloud Resume Challenge: https://cloudresumechallenge.devTwitter: https://twitter.com/forrestbrazealOriginal Episodehttps://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/creatively-giving-back-to-the-cloud-community-with-forrest-brazeal/SponsorBackblaze: https://www.backblaze.com/

Ep 606Tackling AI, Cloud Costs, and Legacy Systems with Miles Ward
Corey Quinn chats with Miles Ward, CTO of SADA, about SADA’s recent acquisition by Insight and its impact on scaling the company’s cloud services. Ward explains how Insight’s backing allows SADA to take on more complex projects, such as multi-cloud migrations and data center transitions. They also discuss AI’s growing role in business, the challenges of optimizing cloud AI costs, and the differences between cloud-to-cloud and data center migrations. Corey and Miles also share their takes on domain registrars and Corey gives a glimpse into his Raspberry Pi Kubernetes setup.Show Highlights(00:00) Intro(00:48) Backblaze sponsor read(2:04) Google’s support of SADA being acquired by Insight(2:44) How the skills SADA invested in affects the cases they accept (5:14) Why it’s easier to migrate from one cloud to another than from data center to cloud(7:06) Customer impact from the Broadcom pricing changes(10:40) The current cost of AI(13:55) Why the scale of AI makes it difficult to understand its current business impact(15:43) The challenges of monetizing AI(17:31) Micro and macro scale perspectives of AI(21:16) Amazon’s new habit of slowly killing of services(26:55) Corey’s policy to never use a domain registrar with the word “daddy” in their name(32:46) Where to find more from Miles and SADAAbout Miles WardAs Chief Technology Officer at SADA, Miles Ward leads SADA’s cloud strategy and solutions capabilities. His remit includes delivering next-generation solutions to challenges in big data and analytics, application migration, infrastructure automation, and cost optimization; reinforcing our engineering culture; and engaging with customers on their most complex and ambitious plans around Google Cloud.Previously, Miles served as Director and Global Lead for Solutions at Google Cloud. He founded the Google Cloud’s Solutions Architecture practice, launched hundreds of solutions, built Style-Detection and Hummus AI APIs, built CloudHero, designed the pricing and TCO calculators, and helped thousands of customers like Twitter who migrated the world’s largest Hadoop cluster to public cloud and Audi USA who re-platformed to k8s before it was out of alpha, and helped Banco Itau design the intercloud architecture for the bank of the future.Before Google, Miles helped build the AWS Solutions Architecture team. He wrote the first AWS Well-Architected framework, proposed Trusted Advisor and the Snowmobile, invented GameDay, worked as a core part of the Obama for America 2012 “tech” team, helped NASA stream the Curiosity Mars Rover landing, and rebooted Skype in a pinch.Earning his Bachelor of Science in Rhetoric and Media Studies from Willamette University, Miles is a three-time technology startup entrepreneur who also plays a mean electric sousaphone.LinksProfessional site: https://sada.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milesward/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/mileswardSponsorBackblaze: https://www.backblaze.com/

Ep 605Cloud Resilience Strategies with Seth Eliot
Seth Eliot, Principal Resilience Architect at Arpio, and former Global Reliability Lead at AWS, joins Corey to discuss cloud resilience. He emphasizes that Multi-AZ setups are typically sufficient, with multi-region configurations only necessary for specific risks. Seth highlights the importance of balancing cost and resilience based on business needs, while cautioning against making resilience a mere checkbox exercise. Together, they explore disaster recovery challenges, noting that many companies fail to account for real-world complexities during testing. Seth also stresses the importance of avoiding control plane dependencies and warns that poorly designed multi-cloud setups can introduce additional risks.Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(1:12) Backblaze sponsor read(1:40) Seth’s involvement in the Well-Architected sphere of AWS(4:43) Well-Architected as a maturity model(6:46) Cost vs. resilience(10:37) The tension between resiliency and the cost pillar(13:26) Legitimate reasons to go multi-region (18:31) Mistakes people make when trying to avoid an AWS outage(24:07) The challenges of control planes(25:04) What people are getting wrong about the resiliency landscape in 2024(26:31) Where you can find more from SethAbout Seth EliotCurrently Principal Resilience Architect at Arpio, and ex-Amazon, ex-AWS, ex-Microsoft… Seth has spent years knee-deep in the tech trenches, figuring out how to design, implement, and launch software that's not just fast but also bulletproof. He thrives on helping teams tackle those "make or break" technical, process, or culture challenges—then partners up to solve them. As the Global Reliability Lead for AWS Well-Architected, Seth didn’t just work with customers; he scaled his insights via workshops, presentations, and blog posts, benefiting thousands. Before that, as one of the rare AWS-dedicated Principal Solutions Architects at Amazon.com (yep, not AWS, but the mothership itself), he rolled up his sleeves with engineers to fine-tune the AWS magic powering Amazon.com’s immense stack. Earlier? He led as Principal Engineer for Amazon Fresh and International Tech, and before that, helped bring Prime Video into homes everywhere.LinksPersonal site: https://linktr.ee/setheliotLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/setheliot/Twitter: https://twitter.com/setheliotSponsorBackblaze: https://www.backblaze.com/

Ep 604Replay - Memes, Streams & Software with Cassidy Williams
On this Screaming in the Cloud replay, we’re looking back to our conversation with Cassidy Williams, a Senior Director of Developer Advocacy at GitHub and the co-founder and chief product officer of Cosynd, Inc. Prior to these positions, she worked as the principal developer experience engineer at Netlify, an instructor and senior engineer at React Training, director of outreach at cKeys, a senior software engineer at CodePen, head of developer voice programs at Amazon, and a software engineer at Venmo, among other positions. Join Corey and Cassidy as they reflect on what Netlify is and what a developer experience engineer does, how JavaScript started off as a toy language and why everything that can be built with JavaScript will be moving forward, the benefits of using low-code development tools, how discovering TikTok helped Cassidy drum up a major following on social media, how Cassidy's humor is never directed at people or organizations and why that's the case, the differences between recording a podcast and live streaming on Twitch from the speaker's point of view, and more.Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(0:22) Backblaze sponsor read(0:49) What is Netlify and its role of a principal developer experience engineer(2:50) Is JavaScript the future?(7:46) Using low-code tools for web development(12:12) Having a goofy internet presence in a serious field(17:23) Social platforms as a means to teach(24:50) Twitch streaming and its inherent challenges(28:16) Cassidy’s online coursework and how she answers, “So, what do you do?”(32:12) Unique ways of tracking Twitter followers(37:15) Where you can find more from CassidyAbout Cassidy WilliamsCassidy is a Senior Director of Developer Advocacy at GitHub. She's worked for several other places, including Netlify, CodePen, Amazon, and Venmo, and she's had the honor of working with various non-profits, including cKeys and Hacker Fund as their Director of Outreach. She's active in the developer community, and was one of Glamour Magazine's 35 Women Under 35 Changing the Tech Industry and LinkedIn's Top Professionals 35 & Under. As an avid speaker, Cassidy has participated in several events including the Grace Hopper Celebration for Women in Computing, TEDx, the United Nations, and dozens of other technical events. She wants to inspire generations of STEM students to be the best they can be, and her favorite quote is from Helen Keller: "One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar." She loves mechanical keyboards and karaoke.LinksTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cassidooNewsletter: https://cassidoo.co/newsletter/Scrimba: https://scrimba.com/teachers/cassidooUdemy: https://www.udemy.com/user/cassidywilliams/Skillshare: https://www.skillshare.com/user/cassidooO’Reilly: https://www.oreilly.com/pub/au/6339Personal website: https://cassidoo.coTwitter: https://twitter.com/cassidooGitHub: https://github.com/cassidooCodePen: https://codepen.io/cassidoo/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassidooOriginal Episodehttps://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/memes-streams-software-with-cassidy-williams/SponsorBackblaze: https://www.backblaze.com/

Ep 603Replay - Breaking the Tech Mold with Stephanie Wong
On this Screaming in the Cloud Replay, we’re revisiting our conversation with Stephanie Wong. When she first sat down with Corey, she was the Head of Developer Engagement at Google, but today, she serves as the company’s Head of Technical Storytelling. While Stephanie is certainly a key player at such a massive company, her passion lies in her own advocacy for women in tech as well as making tech more approachable to larger audiences. Stephanie is not one to put her job title first. Her bio covers the spread from dancer, to hip-hop medalist, to podcast host. Stephanie gives us the birds eye view on her own non-traditional and interdisciplinary path that led to her work both in and outside of Google. Stephanie’s focus on producing content that reaches across a wide spectrum of participants is crucial to how she has broken the mold on what tech can do, and her lessons are ones we can all learn from.Show Highlights:(0:00) Intro(1:06) Backblaze sponsor read(1:32) Explaining the Head of Developer Engagement(2:13) Stephanie’s background and authenticity in tech(7:11) Approaching developer relations from a non-”traditional” tech background(11:04) Building a personal and company online presence(14:41) Corey’s perceived contradictions with Google Cloud(22:29) Through engaging your audience through media and storytelling(27:23) Helping find the next generation of tech talent(29:23) The cloud and the inflection of tech(38:51) Where you can find more from StephanieAbout Stephanie Wong:Stephanie Wong is an award-winning speaker, engineer, pageant queen, and hip hop medalist. She is a leader at Google with a mission to blend storytelling and technology to create remarkable developer content. At Google, she's created 100s of videos, blogs, courses, and podcasts that have helped developers globally. Stephanie is active in her community, fiercely supporting women in tech and mentoring students.Links:Personal Website: https://stephrwong.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/stephr_wongOriginal Episodehttps://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/breaking-the-tech-mold-with-stephanie-wong/SponsorBackblaze: https://www.backblaze.com/

Ep 602Navigating the Cloud-First World with Eric Pullen
Corey is joined by cloud economist Eric Pullen to discuss Eric’s journey at AWS that led to his current role as a cloud economist at Duckbill Group. They explore Eric’s early career building data centers and learning IT finance, highlighting how today’s cloud-first world has transformed career paths. The conversation also addresses the hype around cloud repatriation, with Eric arguing that enterprises are unlikely to return to on-prem due to the efficiency of cloud solutions. Additionally, they touch on cloud cost optimization, AWS service deprecation, and the importance of aligning cloud spending with business value rather than cutting costs blindly.Show Highlights:(1:35) Eric Pullen’s background before joining The Duckbill Group(3:22) What’s going on with cloud repatriation(6:39) Eric’s advice for getting into the IT industry(7:08) How Eric got involved with AWS(10:51) Different aspects of Eric’s time at AWS, including Well-Architected(15:02) The rise of service deprecation in AWS(17:47) Why Eric joined The Duckbill Group(22:42) Eric’s concept of consulting at scale(26:23) How cost can affect performance(32:32) Problems with standardization in enterprises(39:10) Where to learn more about Eric and his workAbout Eric PullenI'm Eric Pullen, and I live just outside of Louisville, Kentucky. I've been following Duckbill Group for a while now, and when I saw an opportunity to join as a Cloud Economist, I couldn't pass it up. Before AWS, I worked at Appriss, Inc. for over 14 years, where I was the Director of IT and helped grow several SaaS products, including VINE, JusticeXchange, and MethCheck. In 2015 I joined AWS, where I worked as a Senior Cloud Infrastructure Architect, the Global Performance Efficiency Pillar Lead for the AWS Well-Architected Framework, and most recently as a Global Solutions Architect in their Healthcare and Life Sciences (HCLS) division. During my time at AWS, I had the chance to work with some of their biggest customers, including GE, Siemens, and AstraZeneca.Outside of work, I've been married to Kelly for almost 19 years, and we have two daughters: Jordan, who is 26 and fully embracing adulthood, and Myia, who is 15. We also have two pets: Rocky, my charcoal Lab, and Turbo, our Lionhead bunny.LinksPersonal site: https://www.ericpullen.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericpullen/Twitter: https://x.com/ericpullenSponsorsBackblaze: https://www.backblaze.com/

Ep 601Replay - Security Challenges and Working for President Biden with Jackie Singh
In this Replay of Screaming in the Cloud, we revisit our inspiring conversation with Jackie Singh. At the time, she had recently served as a senior cybersecurity staffer at the Biden campaign. But her venerated career is considerably more than that alone. Jackie’s time spent in the Army, at the DoD, and eventually at work in the commercial world allows her to bring an adroit sensibility to her work and to this episode. Jackie goes into detail on her time spent at the Biden campaign and the intricacies of working in such highly politicized, and short term, environment. The cyber security threats she faced there were paramount, to downplay it, and have given Jackie a rich and constantly developing perspective on security. That in combination with her career has helped her develop a perspective that she has kindly discussed in detail during this episode! Tune in for the whole story.Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(1:16) Backblaze sponsor read(1:42) Working for the 2020 Biden Campaign(4:45) The high-stakes world of political information security(10:08) Breaking down Jackie’s impressive resume(12:38) Being the target of a far-right tabloid hit piece(16:24) Contemporary politics, bad faith discourse, and its role in tech(23:34) Common Fate sponsor read(24:03) The ethics of reporting InfoSec vulnerabilities(31:13) Explaining “threat modeling”(36:49) Where you can find more from JackieAbout Jackie SinghJackie Singh is an Information Security professional with more than 20 years of hacking experience, beginning in her preteen. She began her career in the US Army, and deployed to Iraq in 2003. Jackie subsequently spent several years in Iraq in cleared roles for the Department of Defense.She is now an independent consultant. Her passion extends to evangelizing best practices, writing and research for her blog, tweeting informative content, speaking at conferences, contributing to podcasts, and collaborating with fellow journalists and security professionals.Links:Disclose.io: https://disclose.ioTwitter: https://twitter.com/hackingbutlegalOriginal Episode:https://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/security-challenges-and-working-for-president-biden-with-jackie-singh/SponsorsBackblaze: https://www.backblaze.com/Common Fate: http://commonfate.io/

Ep 600How Revenue Heals All Sins with Xe Iaso
Xe Iaso returns to Screaming in the Cloud, and it’s been quite an interesting few months for them. They’re now the CEO of Techaro and are back for a discussion that spans career trials, the peculiarities of AI, and the intricacies of video production. Xe shares candid insights about being laid off multiple times and how it paradoxically led to career growth (and the tricks to resume-building). Xe also highlights the nuanced world of video editing and they’re learning tools like DaVinci Resolve.Show Highlights:(00:00) Intro(00:50) Backblaze sponsor read(0:52) Xe’s transparency with their layoffs over the past couple of years(04:39) What Xe has been up to with their coding lately (05:05) Xe’s method of addressing AI models’ Strawberry Problem(10:44) Xe’s use of prompt injection attacks in their resume(13:23) Why Xe has been embracing independent contracting(15:20) How Xe has been working with video(18:10) Common Fate sponsor read(19:56) The shifting nature of content creation and the need for practice(24:23) The importance of having audio backups for presentations(26:17) What Xe is building toward as a contractor(28:50) Where you can find more from XeAbout Xe IasoXe Iaso is a top voice on cloud computing, developer marketing, and shitposting. They focus on making computers easier to understand and entertaining people in the process. They also use satire as a way to cope with the surreal madness that is the technology industry these days.LinksXe’s blog: https://xeiaso.net/ Friend pendant ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_Q1hoEhfk4SponsorsBackblaze: https://www.backblaze.com/Common Fate: https://www.commonfate.io/

Ep 599Politely Asking for Permissions in the Cloud with Sandy Bird
Do we have your permission to share this episode of Screaming in the Cloud with you? Sonrai CTO and Co-Founder Sandy Bird is back on the show to help Corey break down the woes that come with granting permissions in the world of cloud security. As they catch up, the pair touch base on how automation can create major headaches, what goes into navigating the minefield of granting permissions, and if the future of adoption patterns is as grim as Corey predicts. Sandy also answers one of Corey’s long-time questions: how do you pronounce “Sonrai?” Who knows? Maybe Corey will finally learn how to say it properly...Show Highlights:(0:00) Intro(0:30) Breaking down Sonrai’s name(1:45) Sonrai sponsor read(2:25) Getting alerts vs. fixing the root of the problem(4:50) The problems with granting permissions(7:34) The dangers of automating permissions(10:10) "Where do I make this change, and how do I enforce it?" (13:46) The security concerns that come with tagging automation(16:12) Sonrai sponsor read(16:53) Properly deploying permissions access(21:16) Woes of running reporting in the middle of the night(23:21) Are adoption patterns getting worse?(29:01) Where you can find more from Sonrai SecurityAbout Sandy BirdSandy Bird is the co-founder and CTO of Sonrai Security, helping enterprises protect their data by securing cloud identities and access. Sandy was the co-founder and CTO of Q1 Labs, which was acquired by IBM in 2011. At IBM, Sandy became the CTO for the global security business and worked closely with research, development, marketing and sales to develop new and innovative solutions to help the IBM Security business grow to ~$2B in annual revenue. He is a trusted and experienced cloud security expert., Sandy Bird is the co-founder and CTO of Sonrai Security, helping enterprises protect their data by securing cloud identities and access. Sandy was the co-founder and CTO of Q1 Labs, which was acquired by IBM in 2011. At IBM, Sandy became the CTO for the global security business and worked closely with research, development, marketing and sales to develop new and innovative solutions to help the IBM Security business grow to ~$2B in annual revenue. He is a trusted and experienced cloud security expert.LinksSonrai Security: https://sonraisecurity.com/Sonrai Security free trial: https://sonraisecurity.com/trial/Sonrai Security demos: https://sonraisecurity.com/demo/Sonrai Security learning resources: https://sonraisecurity.com/resource-library/Sonrai Security blog: https://sonraisecurity.com/blog/Sonrai Security ACCESS Virtual Summit: sonrai.co/access-on-demandSponsorSonrai Security: https://sonraisecurity.com/

Ep 598How to Responsibly Automate Your Home with Mike Gray
From elementary school music teacher to a Senior Cloud Engineer at Defiance Digital, Mike Gray has lived quite a few lives. He hit it off with Corey during the AWS New York Summit this past summer. What brought them together? Their mutual frustration at what dominated the discourse of the event: the current fascination with GenAI. Although Mike has his qualms with AI, he also enjoys working with it quite a bit. As a matter of fact, he uses it to help automate his home and appliances! From exploring what goes into consulting customers on cloud products, to the nightmare of having your kids hijacking your Alexa with an endless stream of children’s music, this episode features twists and turns, leaving no stone unturned.Show Highlights:(0:00) Intro(0:40) Chronosphere sponsor read(1:14) The responsibilities of a Senior Cloud Engineer at Defiance Digital(2:07) Cloud product consulting(3:27) The challenges of working with Kubernetes(7:50) Mike's problems with AI(9:33) Challenges with home automation(15:38) Chronosphere sponsor read(16:13) The joys of home automation(18:34) Prefered hardware for home automation(20:10) Home automation and the impact on your relationships and kids(23:43) Going from teaching kids to the world of tech(28:42) Where you can find more from MikeAbout Mike GrayMike Gray is a technologist, currently employed as a Senior Cloud Engineer, with a focus on Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud Platform.In previous roles, he has worked with companies of every size, from single-digit employee startups to Fortune 500 companies. In a past life, Mike has worked as a professional musician and music educator.Mike is also an active open source contributor, splitting time between OpenVoiceOS and Neon AI. Think of it as open source Alexa, but all your data stays at home.LinksMike's website: https://graywind.orgMike’s email: [email protected]’s Twitter: https://x.com/saxmanmikeSponsorChronosphere: https://chronosphere.io/?utm_source=duckbill-group&utm_medium=podcast

Ep 597Insights from a Vendor Insider with Ian Smith
It turns out, you don’t need to step outside to observe the clouds. On this episode, we’re joined by Chronosphere Field CTO Ian Smith. He and Corey delve into the innovative solutions Chronosphere offers, share insights from Ian’s experience in the industry, and discuss the future of cloud-native technologies. Whether you're a seasoned cloud professional or new to the field, this conversation with Ian Smith is packed with valuable perspectives and actionable takeaways.Show Highlights:(0:00) Intro(0:42) Chronosphere sponsor read(1:53) The role of Chief of Staff at Chronosphere(2:45) Getting recognized in the Gartner Magic Quadrant(4:42) Talking about the buying process(8:26) The importance of observability(10:18) Guiding customers as a vendor(12:19) Chronosphere sponsor read(12:46) What should you do as an observability buyer(16:01) Helping orgs understand observability(19:56) Avoiding toxicly positive endorsements(24:15) Being transparent as a vendor(27:43) The myth of "winner take all"(30:02) Short term fixes vs. long term solutions(33:54) Where you can find more from Ian and ChronosphereAbout Ian SmithIan Smith is Field CTO at Chronosphere where he works across sales, marketing, engineering and product to deliver better insights and outcomes to observability teams supporting high-scale cloud-native environments. Previously, he worked with observability teams across the software industry in pre-sales roles at New Relic, Wavefront, PagerDuty and Lightstep.LinksChronosphere: https://chronosphere.io/?utm_source=duckbill-group&utm_medium=podcastIan’s Twitter: https://x.com/datasmithingIan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ismith314159/SponsorChronosphere: https://chronosphere.io/?utm_source=duckbill-group&utm_medium=podcast

Ep 596Replay - GCP’s Many Profundities with Miles Ward
In this Screaming in the Cloud Replay, we’re revisiting our conversation with Miles War — perhaps the closest thing Google Cloud has to Corey Quinn. With a wit and sharpness at hand, and an entire backup retinue of trumpets, trombones, and various brass horns, Miles is here to join the conversation about what all is going on at Google Cloud. Miles breaks down SADA and their partnership with Google Cloud. He goes into some details on what GCP has been up to, and talks about the various areas they are capitulating forward. Miles talks about working with Thomas Kurian, who is the only who counts since he follows Corey on Twitter, and the various profundities that GCP has at hand.Show Highlights:(0:00) Intro(1:38) Sonrai Security sponsor read(2:40) Reliving Google Cloud Next 2021(7:24) Unlikable, yet necessary change at Google(11:41) Lack of Focus in the Cloud(18:03) Google releases benefitting developers(20:57) The rise of distributed databases(24:12) Backblaze sponsor read(24:41) Arguments for (and against) going multi-cloud(26:49) The problem with Google Cloud outages(33:01) Data transfer fees(37:49) Where you can find more from MilesAbout Miles WardAs Chief Technology Officer at SADA, Miles Ward leads SADA’s cloud strategy and solutions capabilities. His remit includes delivering next-generation solutions to challenges in big data and analytics, application migration, infrastructure automation, and cost optimization; reinforcing our engineering culture; and engaging with customers on their most complex and ambitious plans around Google Cloud.Previously, Miles served as Director and Global Lead for Solutions at Google Cloud. He founded the Google Cloud’s Solutions Architecture practice, launched hundreds of solutions, built Style-Detection and Hummus AI APIs, built CloudHero, designed the pricing and TCO calculators, and helped thousands of customers like Twitter who migrated the world’s largest Hadoop cluster to public cloud and Audi USA who re-platformed to k8s before it was out of alpha, and helped Banco Itau design the intercloud architecture for the bank of the future.Before Google, Miles helped build the AWS Solutions Architecture team. He wrote the first AWS Well-Architected framework, proposed Trusted Advisor and the Snowmobile, invented GameDay, worked as a core part of the Obama for America 2012 “tech” team, helped NASA stream the Curiosity Mars Rover landing, and rebooted Skype in a pinch.Earning his Bachelor of Science in Rhetoric and Media Studies from Willamette University, Miles is a three-time technology startup entrepreneur who also plays a mean electric sousaphone.Links:SADA.com: https://sada.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/mileswardEmail: [email protected] episode:https://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/gcp-s-many-profundities-with-miles-ward/SponsorsSonrai Security: sonrai.co/access24Backblaze: backblaze.com

Ep 595Keeping the Cloud Reasonable with Shlomo Dubrowin
After years of trying, Corey has finally convinced a TAM to come on the show! In this lively episode, AWS Senior Technical Account Manager Shlomo Dubrowin takes the mic to share his fascinating experiences dealing with cloud complexities. Listen in as Shlomo recounts building AWS Reasonable Account Defaults from scratch, stresses the importance of writing a solid application, and shares the benefits of leveraging GenAI to help maintain his work. Don't miss this entertaining and insightful conversation that could save you a few bucks!Show Highlights:(0:00) Intro(0:42) Chronosphere sponsor read(1:15) Finally getting a TAM on the show(2:24) Providing quality customer service as a TAM(5:31) AWS Reasonable Account Defaults(11:01) What went into crafting AWS Reasonable Accounts Defaults(12:20) Chronosphere sponsor read(12:54) Writing a program that won't break easily(17:25) Optimizing billing data(19:53) Transparency in costs(21:27) Expanding AWS Reasonable Account Defaults(23:34) Further optimizing AWS Reasonable Account Defaults in the future(26:18) Building with GenAI(29:01) Where you can find more from ShlomoAbout Shlomo DubrowinShlomo Dubrowin has been a TAM for over 6 years supporting AWS customers from startups through to Fortune 100 companies. He has spoken at re:Invent twice and has specialized in Cost Optimization. Shlomo has been in the tech industry since 1994. And he lives with his wife, son and 2 dogs.LinksClouded Torah: https://www.clouded-torah.org/SponsorChronosphere: https://chronosphere.io/?utm_source=duckbill-group&utm_medium=podcast

Ep 594Replay - Letting the Dust Settle on Job Hopping with Brian Hall
In this Screaming in the Cloud Replay, we revisit a spirited debated between Corey and the VP of Product and Industry Marketing at Google Cloud, Brian Hall. The topic — How much time should one spend in a job? But thankfully, their conversation doesn’t limit itself to just that! Corey and Brian chat about how social media’s failure to capture nuance and context can lead to some unfortunate misinterpretations. Brian offers some insight on his significant amount of time spent at Microsoft under various roles. He gives his perspective on how one should optimize their career path for where they want to go, and not just follow the money. Tune in to see how Corey and Brian let the dust settle, and develop what was a disagreement into a well-rounded conversation.Show Highlights:(0:00) Intro(1:02) Chronosphere sponsor read(1:36) Job hopping vs. job loyalty(6:14) Being in the right place at the right time(9:57) Investing in the job vs. the job investing in you(13:31) Weighing the cost of job hopping(20:14) Chronosphere sponsor read(20:47) Changing jobs to get a raise(24:02) How to attract people as a cloud employer(26:31) Changing paths into the industry(30:14) What's ahead for Brian(32:33) Where you can find more from BrianAbout Brian HallBrian Hall leads the Google Cloud Product and Industry Marketing team - focused on accelerating the growth of Google Cloud. Before joining Google, he spent more than 25 years in different forms of product marketing or engineering.Brian is the father of three children who are all named after trees in different ways. He met his wife Edie at the beginning of their first year at Yale University, where he studied math, econ, and philosophy and was the captain of the Swim and Dive team my senior year. Edie has a PhD in forestry and runs a sustainability and forestry consulting firm she started, that is aptly named “Three Trees Consulting”. They love the outdoors, tennis, running, and adventures in Brian's 1986 Volkswagen Van, which is his first and only car, that he can’t bring myself to get rid of.Links:Twitter: https://twitter.com/IsForAtLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brhall/Episode 10: https://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/episode-10-education-is-not-ready-for-teacherless/Original Episode:https://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/letting-the-dust-settle-on-job-hopping-with-brian-hall/Sponsorhttps://chronosphere.io/?utm_source=duckbill-group&utm_medium=podcast

Ep 593Replay - Navigating the Morass of the Internet with Chloe Condon
On this Screaming in the Cloud Replay, we revisit our fall of 2021 conversation with Chloe Condon. At the time of recording, Chloe was a Senior Cloud Advocate for Microsoft, and today, she works for Google as a Senior Developer Relations Engineer. When we spoke to her, Chloe had recently started the Master Creep Theatre (yes, with the British spelling) which is a project to bring some more creative and artistic efforts into the tech world! Given Chloe’s non-traditional background she’s able to bring a lot of great perspective to weaving these two worlds together. Chloe also discusses the politics of navigating DMs as a woman on the internet, fun. Her and Corey discuss internet culture in general and how to make the most of it, in spite of all the baggage. Tune in for Chloe's take!Show Highlights:(0:00) Intro(0:47) Sonrai sponsor read(1:48) Master Creep Theatre (6:16) The wide world of creepy DMs(12:21) What's the root of the creep behavior?(15:52) Harassment and privilege in tech(20:00) The fight for privacy(27:58) Backblaze sponsor read(28:24) Designing things to be more inclusive and "jerk-free"(37:49) Where you can find more from ChloeAbout Chloe Condon:Chloe is a Bay Area based Developer Advocate for Google Cloud and AI. Previously, she worked at Microsoft, as well as Sentry.io where she created the award winning Sentry Scouts program (a camp themed meet-up ft. patches, s’mores, giant squirrel costumes, and hot chocolate), and was featured in the Grace Hopper Conference 2018 gallery featuring 15 influential women in STEM by AnitaB.org. Her projects and work with Azure have ranged from fake boyfriend alerts to Mario Kart 'astrology', and have been featured in VICE, The New York Times, as well as SmashMouth's Twitter account. Chloe holds a BA in Drama from San Francisco State University and is a graduate of Hackbright Academy. She prides herself on being a non-traditional background engineer, and is likely one of the only engineers who has played an ogre, crayon, and the back-end of a cow on a professional stage. She hopes to bring more artists into tech, and more engineers into the arts.Featured in the Grace Hopper Conference 2018 gallery featuring 15 influential women in STEM by AnitaB.org: https://vimeo.com/289762602/30c246c503Links:Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChloeCondonInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/gitforked/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ChloeCondonVideosSponsorsSonrai: http://sonrai.co/zombieBackblaze: https://www.backblaze.com/

Ep 592Creating GenAI Teammates with Amit Eyal Govrin
Much of the discourse surrounding GenAI has centered on replacement, but what if tools focused on harmony instead? In this episode of Screaming in the Cloud, Kubiya CEO Amit Eyal Govrin explains why his company is flipping the script on AI. Amit and Corey discuss the perks and shortcomings of today’s automation, how Kubiya functions as a teammate alongside its human counterparts, and the GenAI trends that aren’t getting the attention they deserve. If you’re worrying about your job security in the current AI climate, this discussion may help put your fears at ease.Show Highlights:(0:00) Intro(0:47) Chronosphere sponsor read(1:21) What Amit and Kubiya are building(5:34) Pros and cons of automation(9:10) Building a virtual teammate(12:39) Implementing AI with nuance(16:16) Real world applications of the tech(18:09) Firefly ad read(18:43) The value of human review in the world of AI(21:10) Complexities (or lack thereof) of GenAI(24:36) What people are sleeping on when it comes to GenAI(28:08) Where you can learn more about KubiyaAbout Amit Eyal Govrin:Amit is the CEO of Kubiya, helping the industry Break through the Time-To-Automation Paradox. As an early pioneer in the FinOps domain - executive position at Cloudyn (currently Azure Cost Manager), Zesty (advisor, early investor) and leading DevOps partnerships at AWS.Links Referenced:Kubiya: kubiya.aiSponsorChronosphere: https://chronosphere.io/?utm_source=duckbill-group&utm_medium=podcast

Ep 591The Power of Networking in the Cloud with Tom Scholl
A cloud service is only as good as the team of network engineers who keep it up and running. In this episode, AWS Vice President and Distinguished Engineer Tom Scholl breaks down the importance of security and legwork needed to support the company’s massive infrastructure. Corey picks Tom’s brain while singing the praises of the AWS DDoS Protection Team, marveling at the scale of the modern internet, and looking ahead to the next generation of network engineers that could land at AWS. If you’ve ever wondered about the inner workings of the AWS cloud, then this is the discussion for you.Show Highlights: (0:00) Intro(1:09) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(1:42) The importance of a good network for AWS(3:38) Evolution of networking(6:03) Efficiency of the AWS DDoS Protection Team(7:29) AWS Cloud and weathering DDoS attacks(10:03) Policing network abuse(12:08) Walking the SES tightrope and network attacks(15:00) Ensuring the security of the internet(17:53) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(18:37) Scale of the modern internet(20:47) Migrating the AWS network firewall(21:54) Internal network scaling(24:27) Preparing for DDoS disruption(29:14) Finding the next generation of network engineers(32:15) Where to learn more about AWS cloud securityAbout Tom Scholl:Tom Scholl is a VP and Distinguished Engineer at Amazon Web Services (AWS) in the infrastructure organization. His role includes working on AWS’s global network backbone, as well as focusing on denial of service detection and mitigation systems. He has been with AWS for over 13 years.Prior to AWS, Tom was a Principal Network Engineer at nLayer and AT&T Labs (formerly SBC Telecom). He also previously held network engineering roles at OptimalPATH Digital Network and ANET Internet Services. Links Referenced:AWS Security Blog: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/security/How AWS threat intelligence deters threat actors: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/security/how-aws-threat-intelligence-deters-threat-actors/Using AWS Shield Advanced protection groups to improve DDoS detection and mitigation: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/security/using-aws-shield-advanced-protection-groups-to-improve-ddos-detection-and-mitigation/AWS re:Inforce 2024 presentation on Sonaris and MadPot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38Z9csvyFDgNANOG 2023 presentation on AWS networking infrastructure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tcR-iQce7s AWS re:Invent 2022 presentation on AWS networking infrastructure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJNR_dX8g8c AWS re:Invent 2022 presentation on Scaling network performance on next-gen Amazon EC2 instances: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNYpWa7gf1A&t=1373sIEEE paper on Scalable Relatable Diagram (SRD): https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9167399SponsorThe Duckbill Group: https://www.duckbillgroup.com/

Ep 590Battling Back Against Data Breaches with Maya Levine
Data breaches can throw countless lives into disarray. With massive leaks and compromises happening on what feels like a daily basis, what can be done to protect people and services? On this episode, Sysdig Product Manager Maya Levine joins us for a discussion on the current state of affairs in the world of cybersecurity. Why do these attacks keep happening? Are they becoming too frequent? What can we do to prevent them? Maya has all the answers as well as tips to help keep you and your organization safe.Show Highlights:(0:00) Intro(0:37) Sysdig sponsor read(0:58) Product management at Sysdig(2:09) Are cyber attacks becoming more frequent in the cloud?(5:58) Urgency (or lack thereof) while under attack (10:37) Motives and methods in modern data breaches(15:57) Sysdig sponsor read(16:20) The cost (and necessity) of audit logging(18:46) “If breach is inevitable, what can people do?”(22:36) Maya’s “I am Confused” talk(25:40) Stopping attacks before they spiral out of control(32:32) Where can find more from Maya and SysdigAbout Maya Levine:Maya Levine is a Product Manager for Sysdig. Previously she worked at Check Point Software Technologies as a Security Engineer and later a Technical Marketing Engineer, focusing on cloud security. Her earnest and concise communication style connects to both technical and business audiences. She has presented at many industry conferences, including AWS re:Invent and AnsibleFest. She has also been regularly interviewed on television news channels, written publications, and podcasts about cybersecurity.Links:Maya’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maya-levine/Sysdig: https://sysdig.com/SponsorSysdig: https://sysdig.com/

Ep 589Summer Replay - Innovations and the Changing DevOps Tides of Tech with Nigel Kersten
In this Screaming in the Cloud Summer Replay, we revisit our discussion with Nigel Kersten. When we spoke to him in 2021, he was the Field CTO at Puppet. Today, he works as the Chief Product Officer for Platform.sh. In this trip down memory, Nigel joins Corey to reflect on his time spent as a traveling contract trainer for Puppet, dive into the changes in DevOps since, and look back at how Docker handed over the keys and some of the attachments we have to a techno-social system. Nigel speaks on the innovations that have changed along the way and the impact they’ve had in the industry. Especially those who have a tendency to cling to “legacy.”Show Highlights:(0:00) Intro(1:18) Duckbill Group sponsor read(1:52) Corey's Puppet experience(3:49) What is Puppet?(5:04) Puppet’s role in DevOps(8:12) Challenges in technology adoption(12:36) Issues with legacy in tech(18:26) The misconception of “limited” skilled workers(23:16) Duckbill Group sponsor read(24:00) Corporate communication breakdowns(25:22) State of DevOps Report(32:02) Cloud adoption and missteps(37:46) More from the report and NigelAbout Nigel Kersten:Nigel is a technical leader with 13 years of experience building teams and growing B2B startups as a CTO, VP of Engineering, and Head of Product, with substantial experience working with enterprise customers. Prior to that, he was recruited into the Google SRE org to develop an industry-leading infrastructure-as-code system.Links:Puppet: https://puppet.com2020 State of DevOps Report: https://puppet.com/resources/report/2020-state-of-devops-report/Original Episode:https://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/innovations-and-the-changing-devops-tides-of-tech-with-nigel-kersten/Sponsor:The Duckbill Group: https://www.duckbillgroup.com/

Ep 588Summer Replay - Building a User-Friendly Product with Aparna Sinha
On this Screaming in the Cloud Summer Replay, we revisit our conversation with Aparna Sinha, the Head of AI Product at Capital One. As a former Director of Product Management at Google Cloud, Aparan joins Corey to talk about GCP and how Corey was surprised to find that, in some ways, it was “its own universe.” She offers up why folks can expect a developer user-friendly experience when using GCP, and how it differentiates them from the litany of cloud providers out there. From focusing on developing, to a vast array of customers, GCP is bringing their best forward. Check out their conversation on how GCP is keeping its focus on the user!Show Highlights:(0:00) Intro(0:48) Duckbill Group sponsor read(1:21) Role of a Director of Outbound Product Management(2:43) Developer experiences on Google Cloud(8:47) The philosophy of courting developers(11:38) The shift to serverless(17:17) Cloud Run observations(22:59) Duckbill Group sponsor read(23:43) Customer involvement with Google Cloud(28:55) Cloud Build vs. Cloud Deploy(32:50) Google and cloud security(38:45) Where you can find AparnaAbout AparnaAparna Sinha is Senior Vice President and Head of Enterprise AI/ML products at Capital One. She is also a startup investor / advisor at PearVC. Aparna has a track record of successful P&L ownership, creating new revenue streams and building $B+ businesses through technical and go-to-market innovation. She was Sr. Director of Developer Products at Google Cloud leading a 100+ member PM, UX, and DevRel Engineering team responsible for >40 cloud services and open source tools. She was an early contributor to Kubernetes, built the team and grew Google Kubernetes Engine 100x into a Top 3 revenue generator for Cloud. Prior to Cloud Aparna worked on Android, ChromeOS and Play. Previously at McKinsey & Company she was a leader in the business technology office, working with CIOs on server virtualization strategy, pricing, and SaaS.Aparna holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Stanford, and a patent from Google. She served as Chair of the Governing Board of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF).Links:DevOps Research Report: https://www.devops-research.com/research.htmlTwitter: https://x.com/aparnabsinhaOriginal Episode:https://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/building-a-user-friendly-product-with-aparna-sinha/Sponsor:The Duckbill Group: https://www.duckbillgroup.com/

Ep 587Summer Replay - That Datadog Will Hunt with Dann Berg
In this Screaming in the Cloud Summer Replay, we revisit our conversation with Dann Berg. At the time, he was a Senior Cloud Analyst at Datadog, but he now provides community support for the FinOps Foundation. Dann and Corey go into the weeds of cost optimization, and each of them bring their respective experiences forward. Dann’s offers his take on multi-cloud and how Datadog is tackling its customer needs there. But the talent doesn’t end there, Dann is also an emerging thinker and influencer in the space, and to boot, an accomplished writer and playwright. Two of his plays have been produced in NYC and China. Check out their conversation!Show Highlights:(0:00) Intro(1:02) Duckbill Group sponsor read(1:36) Transitioning to Senior Cloud Ops Analyst(5:12) The composition of Dann's team(6:54) Cloud cost optimization in the regular business cycle(10:43) Helping customers understand their cloud bills(17:42) Paying attention to pricing changes(21:06) The psychology of cloud economics(23:20) Working with multiple clouds(25:02) Duckbill Group sponsor read(25:46) Spending too much money to save too little money(31:12) The dangers of relying on third-party tools(34:01) Pricing woes(36:25) Where you can find DannAbout Dann BergDann Berg currently works part-time with FinOps after spending more than a decade in the industry. He is also an active member of the larger technical community, hosting the monthly New York City FinOps Meetup, and has been published multiple times in places such as MSNBC, Fox News, NPR, and others. When he’s not saving companies millions of dollars, he’s writing plays, and has had two full-lengh plays produced in New York City and China., Dann is the Director of Community at Vantage. Previously, first FinOps Practitioner at Datadog and FullStory. Host of the NYC FinOps Meetup for almost three years. He also writes plays.Links:Datadog: https://www.datadoghq.comPersonal Website: https://dannb.orgLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannberg/Twitter: https://twitter.com/dannbergMonthly newsletter: https://dannb.org/newsletter/Previous SITC episode with Dann Berg, Episode 51: https://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/episode-51-size-of-cloud-bill-not-about-number-of-customers-but-number-of-engineers-you-ve-hired/Original Episode:https://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/that-datadog-will-hunt-with-dann-berg/Sponsor:The Duckbill Group: https://www.duckbillgroup.com/

Ep 586Summer Replay - Heresy in the Church of Docker Desktop with Scott Johnston
In this Screaming in the Cloud Summer Replay, we revisit our conversation with Scott Johnston, CEO of (the church) of Docker. Docker’s community and their fervor is well known, and Scott has much to say about it! Join the discussion as Scott goes into how he left Puppet after some exposure to Corey to become the CEO at Docker. Scott tells us what exactly Docker is, and where it starts, which is the community around it. Scott talks about the reset that Docker went through in November of 2019, where they decided to make the developer the focus of their mission. He also dives into Docker Desktop, which Scott goes into the details of. Check out this episode for more!Show Highlights:(0:00) Intro(1:15) Duckbill Group sponsor read(1:48) What is Docker?(4:03) Returning to being a developer tool(5:56) Docker’s pricing changes and Docker Desktop(11:47) Community reaction to the pricing change(13:57) Building customer confidence(18:52) Duckbill Group sponsor read(19:36) Putting trust into user(22:04) Docker’s monetization strategy(29:28) Embracing change(32:16) Where to learn more about Scott and Docker About Scott JohnstonScott first typed ‘docker run’ in 2013 and hasn't looked back. He’s been with Docker since 2014 in a variety of leadership roles and currently serves as CEO. His experience previous to Docker includes Sun Microsystems, Puppet, Netscape, Cisco, and Loudcloud (parent of Opsware). When not fussing with computers he spends time with his three kids fussing with computers.Links:Docker: https://www.docker.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/scottcjohnstonOriginal Episode:https://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/heresy-in-the-church-of-docker-desktop-with-scott-johnston/Sponsor:The Duckbill Group: https://www.duckbillgroup.com/

Ep 585Summer Replay - Spreading the Networking Vibes with Serena (@shenetworks)
In this Summer Replay, look back on Serena a.ka. @shenetworks’ mark on the digital sphere! Serena’s work on the social end of the spectrum is only a facet of her work. As a network engineer in the age of cloud, Serena has much to say about the work of data centers. Corey and Serena talk datacenters, cybersecurity, and the role that her social media presence plays into her work in that typically curmudgeonly world. She traces the rise of her content and how she intends to utilize that previously untapped space to spread the network “vibes”!Show Highlights:(0:00) Intro(0:50) Duckbill Group sponsor read(1:24) Data centers in the era of the cloud(3:46) Establishing an online presence(7:00) Misconceptions of the industry and engaging content(11:12) Modern marketing campaigns(13:43) What data centers look like today(18:53) Today’s entry path in tech(20:58) Duckbill Group sponsor read(21:42) Is the future solely in the cloud?(26:00) Ramifications of putting all the eggs in the AWS basket(29:52) Aiming content at beginners(33:56) Where you can find SerenaAbout Serena Serena is a Network Engineer who specializes in Data Center Compute and Virtualization. She has degrees in Computer Information Systems with a concentration on networking and information security. She is most known for her content on TikTok and Twitter as Shenetworks. Serena’s content focuses on networking and security for beginners which has included popular videos on bug bounties, switch spoofing, VLAN hoping, and passing the Security+ certification in 24 hours.Links:TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shenetworksTwitter: https://x.com/shenetworksOriginal Episode:https://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/spreading-the-networking-vibes-with-serena-shenetworks/Sponsor:The Duckbill Group: https://www.duckbillgroup.com/

Ep 584Summer Replay - What GitHub Can Give to Microsoft with Jason Warner
In this Summer Replay, we revisit our conversation with Jason Warner, where he explained to us how to “Git” on it. Since this episode’s original airdate, Jason has since went on to become the CEO and co-founder at poolside, but his time at GitHub has given him the expertise to inform folks about all the exciting things GitHub has going on. Listen as Jason offers insight into GitHub’s successes which have led to their acquisition by Microsoft. He breaks down his own history at GitHub and its vision to become the “worlds most important software company.” Jason dives into some of the details of GitHub acquisition and the possibilities for what they want to achieve, and where they expect to go within Microsoft. Jason and Corey discuss how to talk about the cloud for its current, and importantly, future clients. Jason talks about what GitHub will bring to Microsoft, and perhaps how it’ll be for the better. Tune in, because the getting is about to “git” good.Show Highlights:(0:00) Intro(0:27) Duckbill Group sponsor read(1:01) The role of GitHub(4:46) How GitHub and Azure can coexist(7:08) When to adopt to the cloud(9:55) GitHub’s impact on Microsoft(13:24) Experiencing acquisition(19:34) Misconceptions of GitHub(21:36) Duckbill Group sponsor read(22:20) Practicality of Codespaces(25:34) Designing software with a purpose(28:40) Dispelling nerd culture in software(30:55) Starting in a non-technical direction(33:52) Where you can find more about JasonAbout Jason Warner:Jason Warner is the co-founder and CEO of poolside. He serves on the operating board of Bridgewater Associates. He has previously worked at GitHub as their CTO.Links:GitHub: https://github.com/@jasoncwarner: https://twitter.com/jasoncwarnerGitHub: https://github.com/jasoncwarnerJasoncwarner/ama: https://github.com/jasoncwarner/amaOriginal Episode:https://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/what-github-can-give-to-microsoft-with-jason-warner/Sponsor:The Duckbill Group: https://www.duckbillgroup.com/

Ep 583Summer Replay - Breaking Down Productivity Engineering with Micheal Benedict
In this Summer Replay, we revisit our 2021 conversation Micheal Benedict. At the time, he was the Head of Engineering Productivity at Pinterest, and today, he’s Head of Infrastructure Engineering at Airtable. Micheal tells us what exactly it means to lead engineering productivity and divulges more details on productivity engineering. He traces the history of productivity engineering at Pinterest and offers some distinct observations on building out internal teams. Micheal talks about what it is like in his day-to-day complexities of working in AWS. Tune in for Micheal’s take on the specific details of productivity and the cloud.Show Highlights:(0:00) Intro(0:55) Panoptica sponsor read(1:36) What is product engineering?(2:44) The effectiveness of internal platforms(7:46) Solving AMI problems(10:23) Building foundations and learning woes(13:06) Micheal’s day-to-day at Pinterest(15:31) When engineering productivity starts to make sense(18:58) Changes Micheal would've made at Pinterest(20:56) Panoptica sponsor read(21:19) Biggest mistakes at Pinterest(23:46) Navigating outages in the cloud(30:51) Corey’s personal experiences with Pinterest(36:20) The legacy of code(40:31) Where you can find more from MichealAbout Micheal Benedict:Micheal Benedict is an engineering leader with a decade of experience in building and scaling infrastructure for consumer and enterprise companies.He currently heads Infrastructure Engineering at Airtable. Previously, he led teams at Databricks, Pinterest, and Twitter, enhancing developer productivity, scaling infrastructure, and driving efficient use of multi-million $ cloud budgets.Micheal holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the University at Buffalo.Links:Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/michealLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michealb/Original Episode:https://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/breaking-down-productivity-engineering-with-micheal-benedict/SponsorPanoptica: https://www.panoptica.app/

Ep 582Summer Replay - Cutting Cloud Costs at Cloudflare with Matthew Prince
In this Summer Replay of Screaming in the Cloud, Corey is joined by Co-founder and CEO of Cloudflare, Matthew Prince. In this cost-cutting conversation from 2021, Matthew breaks down what exactly Cloudflare is up to, and how they are handling their clients' cloud cost needs. The pair focus on Cloudflare as a company and the options they are bringing to their clients. They discuss their mutual concerns with some AWS costs and why Cloudflare’s suite of tools has slowly been made available over time. Turn back the clock with this fan-favorite episode for more insight.Show Highlights:(0:00) Intro(0:53) Backblaze sponsor read(1:20) Origins of Cloudflare(5:55) The Achilles Heel of the AWS cloud(10:09) What is Cloudflare R2?(12:26) Pricing philosophies in the cloud(17:35) Egress cost of the “static” internet(19:48) How Amazon’s pricing harms the overall market(24:34) Firefly sponsor read(25:10) Cloudflare’s endgame(28:32) Staying focused as a business(33:35) The value of providing a valuable service(37:17) “The internet is a fad.”(42:19) The strength of admitting you’re wrong(43:04) Where you can find out more about CloudflareAbout Matthew Prince:Matthew Prince is co-founder and CEO of Cloudflare. Cloudflare’s mission is to help build a better Internet. Today the company runs one of the world's largest networks, which spans more than 200 cities in over 100 countries. Matthew is a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, winner of the 2011 Tech Fellow Award, and serves on the Board of Advisors for the Center for Information Technology and Privacy Law. Matthew holds an MBA from Harvard Business School where he was a George F. Baker Scholar and awarded the Dubilier Prize for Entrepreneurship. He is a member of the Illinois Bar, and earned his J.D. from the University of Chicago and B.A. in English Literature and Computer Science from Trinity College. He’s also the co-creator of Project Honey Pot, the largest community of webmasters tracking online fraud and abuse.Links Referenced:The Cloudflare Blog: blogs.cloudflare.comSponsors:Backblaze: https://www.backblaze.com/Firefly: https://www.firefly.ai/

Ep 581Generating AI Laughs with Daniel Feldman
Social media snark and rightfully criticizing industry trends? This episode of Screaming featuring Daniel Feldman must be a match made in heaven for Corey. Daniel’s wit is only matched by his engineering expertise, and his insights help us examine the current state of GenAI. This conversation breaks down how you can have fun with today’s AI tools, why product excitement can often hinder advancement, and even carries a tune with a bit of karaoke. As a bonus, Daniel indulges Corey about his signature conference attire. If you ever wanted to learn more about Mr. Quinn’s suit game, then this is the episode for you!Show Highlights:(0:00) Intro to episode(0:48) Who is Daniel Feldman(1:25) Backblaze sponsor read(1:51) Sounding off on social media(3:13) Having fun with AI(5:27) The origins of quackernews.com(6:36) Practical uses of AI(8:40) Enthusiasm vs. progress(12:30) AI’s online backlash(15:45) AI, slideshows, and karaoke(18:14) Firefly sponsor read(18:50) Tricks to prompting DALL-E(21:32) Markdown and software update naming(25:13) Exclusionary humor in tech(26:19) reInvent and Corey’s sense of fashion(28:32) Getting publicly recognized for Twitter posts(30:43) Where to find DanielAbout Daniel Feldman:Daniel Feldman is working on new projects in the service identity space. He previously was an early engineer at Scytale and deployed SPIFFE service identity at over a dozen companies. Before that, he was a principal software engineer at Veritas.Links Referenced:quakernews.comTwitter: https://x.com/d_feldmanBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/dfeldman.bsky.socialMastodon: https://hachyderm.io/@dfeldmanSPIFFE: https://spiffe.io/Solving the Bottom Turtle: https://spiffe.io/book/SponsorsBackblaze: https://www.backblaze.com/Firefly: https://www.firefly.ai/

Ep 580Piledriving the GenAI Grift with Nikhil Suresh
While we can’t repeat the title of his blog post here, Nikhil Suresh recently gained notoriety for his scathing takedown of the hype surrounding GenAI. On the surface, it appears his anger lies with the tech, but that’s not the case. In this episode, Nikhil explains to Corey why his frustrations are targeted at a predatory bubble swindling young professionals and investors. You’ll hear their thoughts on the correlation between AI and crypto grifts, why most tech keynotes are just fluff and buzzwords, and when industry catch-all terms start to lose meaning. While GenAI may still show some promise, this week’s episode breaks down why you shouldn’t believe the hype.Show Highlights: (0:00) Intro to episode(0:41) Backblaze sponsor read(1:08) The origins of Nikhil’s viral article(4:20) The disconnect between buzzwords and work(5:26) Throwing money at AI(7:17) AI vs. craftsmanship(13:36) The rush to get AI tools out the door(16:12) The telltale signs of bad AI content(18:50) AI, crypto, and GPU grifts(20:33) The fallout of Nikhil’s blog post(22:34) Firefly sponsor read(23:10) The practicality of GenAI(26:24) GenAI presentations vs. reality(29:07) Predatory hiring practices and tech’s current barrier for entry(32:03) Sturgeon’s Law in the industry(35:22) Consequences of the hype cycle(38:48) The fantasy land of “conferenceware”(42:01) Where you can find Nikhil About Nikhil Suresh:Nikhil is one of the directors at an Australian data consultancy named Hermit Tech, though he’s probably most well-known for writing a blog titled Ludicity. Nikhil has a background in psychology and data science.Links Referenced: https://ludic.mataroa.blog/https://www.hermit-tech.com/SponsorsBackblaze: https://www.backblaze.com/Firefly: https://www.firefly.ai/

Ep 579Summer Replay - The Future of Kubernetes with Bryan Liles
Is there true value in using cloud optimization tools when they may be phased out in the near future? You may be surprised. In this Summer Replay of Screaming of the Cloud, Corey is joined by former VMware Senior Staff Engineer Bryan Liles. Since this episode was originally released, Bryan wasn’t just promoted to the Vice President of Principal Engineering at VMware, he’s also transitioned to a new role as a Senior Principal Engineer with AWS! Listen as the pair talk about the long-term viability of Kubernetes, what’s in a tech company’s name, flipping the script surrounding the discussion of diversity in the field, and why the words you use matter the most in criticism. If anything, this throwback will show the value of intention, whether in the tech industry or your everyday life. Show Highlights: (0:00) Intro to episode(0:30) Backblaze sponsor read(0:56) The struggles of setting up interview times(2:22) What Bryan does at VMware(4:14) What Kubernetes has accomplished(5:39) Corey’s qualms with Kubernetes(8:16) The shelf life of Kubernetes(10:36) Optimizing Kubernetes in the cloud(13:25) What is Project Pacific?(15:28) Firefly sponsor read(16:04) Woes of the multicloud(19:09) VMware’s branding and Tanzu(21:00) Mispronouncing company names(22:07) Punching down and diversity discourse in tech(25:18) Intentional language in company critiques(28:50) Learning lessons from getting fired(30:36) Where you can find BryanAbout Bryan LilesBryan Liles is a Senior Principal Engineer with AWS where his team oversees all of S3. When not working, Bryan builds and races cars and drones.Over the past 20 years, Bryan has worked around cloud technology and distributed systems. His approaches to technology are: simplify with fidelity and technology should give access to all.Links Referenced: https://vmware.comSponsorsBackblaze: https://www.backblaze.com/Firefly: https://www.firefly.ai/

Ep 578Summer Replay - Optimizing Cloud Spend at Airbnb with Melanie Cebula
Just because the AWS Cloud hangs above our heads, doesn’t mean your bill needs to be just as sky-high. In this Screaming in the Cloud Summer Replay, Corey is joined by Airbnb Staff Software Engineer Melanie Cebula. Her job is to ensure they keep their monthly cloud bill low, and that the cost isn’t just there for a temporary stay. Hear Melanie and Corey chat about the vital role engineers play in helping balance the company books, tricks to optimizing your organization’s cloud spending, how inexperience can have a dangerous effect on cost-cutting, and the growing pains facing today’s world of data infrastructure. We hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane (just be sure you checkout on time to avoid any fees).Show Highlights: (0:00) Intro to episode(0:27) Backblaze sponsor read(0:54) The role of a Staff Engineer(2:09) Working for a large company reliant on the cloud(3:59) Melanie’s Area of Expertise(5:58) Efficiently Managing AWS Bills(11:33) Optimizing cloud spend(14:50) The harmful hesitancy to turn things off(18:17) Inexperience and cost-saving measures(21:17) Firefly sponsor read(21:53) How to avoid snowballing cloud bills(23:40) Kubernetes and cloud billing(27:12) The perks of compounding microservices(29:19) Misconceptions about Kubernetes(31:10) Growing pains of data infrastructure(34:44) Where you can find MelanieAbout Melanie CebulaMelanie Cebula is an expert in Cloud Infrastructure, where she is recognized worldwide for explaining radically new ways of thinking about cloud efficiency and usability. She is an international keynote speaker, presenting complex technical topics to a broad range of audiences, both international and domestic. Melanie is a staff engineer at Airbnb, where she has experience building a scalable modern architecture on top of cloud-native technologies.Besides her expertise in the online world, Melanie spends her time offline on the “sharp end” of rock climbing. An adventure athlete setting new personal records in challenging conditions, she appreciates all aspects of the journey, including the triumph of reaching ever higher destinations.On and off the wall, Melanie focuses on building reliability into critical systems, and making informed decisions in difficult situations. In her personal time, Melanie hand whisks matcha tea, enjoys costuming and dancing at EDM festivals, and she is a triplet.Links Referenced:Twitter: https://twitter.com/melaniecebulaMelanie Cebula’s website: https://melaniecebula.com/SponsorsBackblaze: https://www.backblaze.com/Firefly: https://www.firefly.ai/

Ep 577Summer Replay - Ironing out the BGP Ruffles with Ivan Pepelnjak
If you need a point of contact for all things networking, then look no further than Ivan Pepelnjak. Ivan is the webinar author at ipSpace.net where he is working on making networking an approachable subject for everyone. From teaching to writing books, Ivan has been at it for a long and storied career, and as a de facto go-to for networking knowledge, you can’t beat him. In this Summer Replay of Screaming in the Cloud, Ivan and Corey discuss Ivan’s status as a CCIE Emeritus and the old days of Cisco. Ivan also levels his network engineering expertise and helps Corey answer some questions about BGP and its implementation. Ivan aptly narrows it down into “layers” that he kindly runs us through. So tune in for a Dante-esque descent into BGP, DNS and Facebook, seeing out the graybeards of tech, and more!Show Highlights: (0:00) Intro to episode(1:23) Panoptica sponsor read(2:04) The world of VaxVMS(2:39) The significance of being a CCIE emeritus(5:02) The value of certification in the modern tech world(7:37) BGP and networking(12:41) Internal vs. external BGPs(15:23) “Unfair criticisms” of BGP(17:35) Differences between BGP and DNS(23:19) Cloud growth vs. loss of networking engineers(24:57) Panoptica sponsor read(25:20) Outsourcing admin work(27:45) Breaking down the Facebook DNS outage(31:37) Disconnect at the data center(37:06) Where you can find IvanAbout Guest:Ivan Pepelnjak, CCIE#1354 Emeritus, is an independent network architect, blogger, and webinar author at ipSpace.net. He's been designing and implementing large-scale service provider and enterprise networks as well as teaching and writing books about advanced internetworking technologies since 1990.Links Referenced:ipSpace.net: https://ipspace.netOriginal Episode: https://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/ironing-out-the-bgp-ruffles-with-ivan-pepelnjak/SponsorPanoptica: https://www.panoptica.app/

Ep 576Summer Replay - Building and Maintaining Cultures of Innovation with Francessca Vasquez
Relishing in your company’s current successes is important, but planning for the future of your business (and the wider industry) is equally vital. In this Summer Replay of Screaming in the Cloud, we’re taking you back to the post-pandemic climate of tech with the Global Vice President of the AWS Professional Services and GenAI Innovation Center Francessca Vasquez. With 20+ years of experience under her belt and thousands of customers, she knows a thing or two about thriving in the cloud. You’ll get Francessca’s insights into why companies struggle to maintain a cutting-edge work environment, the rapid pivot to the cloud amid a global pandemic, the importance of courting different backgrounds in your organization, and why the next generation of tech workers could spur unprecedented innovation. Even though COVID is seemingly in our rearview mirror, this discussion still holds weight in today.Show Highlights: (0:00) Intro to episode(0:49) Panoptica sponsor read(1:30) Francessca’s role as AWS Vice President of Technology(2:56) Challenges of shifting company culture(5:38) Customer service and cloud adoption(9:46) The importance of legacy companies as clients(11:55) The pandemic’s role in cloud migration(14:39) Finding “untapped talent” during the pandemic(16:45) Courting people breaking into the industry(20:19) Panoptica sponsor read(20:42) Toxic gatekeeping in tech(24:29) The “real world” versus the realities of tech(26:43) Excitement for the next generation in tech(29:15) Diversity, equity, and excellence(32:20) How to communicate with your customers(40:00) Where you can find FrancesscaAbout Guest:Francessca is the leader of the AWS Technology Worldwide Commercial Operations organization. She is recognized as a thought leader of business technology cloud transformations and digital innovation, advising thousands of startups, small-midsize businesses, and enterprises. She is also the co-founder of AWS workforce transformation initiatives that inspire inclusion, diversity, and equity to foster more careers in science and technology.Links Referenced:Twitter: https://twitter.com/Francessca_V LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesscavasquez/Original Episode: https://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/building-and-maintaining-cultures-of-innovation-with-francessca-vasquez/SponsorPanoptica: https://www.panoptica.app/

Ep 575Summer Replay - An Enterprise Level View of Cloud Architecture with Levi McCormick
When you hear a name like “Jamf,” you aren’t likely to think of cloud architecture, but for Levi McCormick, it’s his bread and butter. On this Summer Replay of Screaming in the Cloud, Corey and Levi chat about how Jamf’s business approach benefits both their clients and their development team. Levi gives his take on the relationship between software development and personal ownership, how he gamified learning for young engineers, the economic challenges presented to professionals trying to break into the cloud, and how AWS can improve its rollout of new products. Seeing as Levi McCormick is now Jamf’s Director of Engineering, those insights have seemingly paid dividends! You can check out this blast from the past (as well as Corey’s usual wit and hot takes) right now!Show Highlights(0:00) Intro to the episode(0:58) Panoptica sponsor read(1:49) Levi’s role as a Cloud Architect(2:41) The history of Jamf and the services they provide(5:58) Breaking down the cloud for customers(8:18) Services, development, and ownership(11:44) Identity and assumed roles in software engineering(14:41) The woes of mismanagement in the field(17:03) Pantoptica sponsor read(17:26) Explaining the Cloud Resume Challenge(20:11) Hesitancy to take the challenge wider(21:26) Economic barriers for young engineers(26:00) Thoughts on reInvent 2021(28:45) What’s ahead for Levi McCormick(29:33) Where you can find LeviAbout LeviLevi's passion lies in helping others learn to cloud better.Links ReferencedJamf: https://www.jamf.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/levi_mccormickOriginal Episode: https://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/an-enterprise-level-view-of-cloud-architecture-with-levi-mccormick/SponsorPanoptica: https://www.panoptica.app/