What is Platform Engineering? Chat with Ian Nowland
Feb 24, 2025
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Ian Nowland, a platform engineering expert and co-founder of Junction Labs, shares insights from his remarkable journey through Amazon and Datadog. He delves into the evolution of platform engineering and its differences from traditional IT roles. Ian discusses the challenges of multi-cluster Kubernetes networking and the need for simplified service discovery. He also critiques the future of Kubernetes, suggesting higher-level abstractions, and emphasizes the importance of dynamic configuration in enhancing application functionality. Tune in for expert strategies and innovation!
Platform engineering emphasizes in-house software development to create tailored solutions that better meet specific organizational needs.
Collaboration between systems administrators and software developers is essential for effective platform engineering, as it bridges the gap between infrastructure management and business logic creation.
Deep dives
Foundation of Platform Engineering
Platform engineering is defined as the internal development of systems that focus on providing robust solutions for internal customers. This approach contrasts with the industry's trend of mixing disparate open-source tools and vendor products, which often leads to disjointed solutions. The emphasis is on significant in-house software development to tailor platforms to specific company needs rather than relying on generic platforms. The idea is that effective platforms enable product teams to innovate and deliver more rapidly.
Collaboration Between Roles
The discussion highlights the historical divide between systems administrators and software developers and how both roles must collaborate within platform engineering. Each role brings distinct strengths; systems engineers are detail-oriented and adept at managing complex systems, while software developers focus on creating business logic without worrying about infrastructural details. Effective platform engineering requires that both types of individuals work on the same team to develop tailored solutions that meet organizational requirements. This collaborative model is essential for addressing the complexities of modern software environments.
Challenges in Platform Adoption
A recurring theme in platform engineering is the struggle for platform teams to gain acceptance and utility within their organizations. Many teams face skepticism regarding their products, leading to underutilization and a lack of trust from developers. This often stems from a disconnect between the platform's perceived value and the real needs of the end-users, which underscores the importance of adopting a more iterative and user-focused approach. Instead of building grand solutions that take years to implement, platform teams should prioritize smaller, business-aligned initiatives that produce immediate value.
The Future of Platform Engineering
The future of platform engineering is positioned around higher-level abstractions that simplify complex orchestration, moving away from tightly coupled systems like Kubernetes. The speaker argues that Kubernetes may not be a scalable solution for every organization, advocating for newer methodologies that allow for dynamic configurations and seamless service discovery. Their startup, Junction Labs, aims to tackle these challenges by focusing on simplifying the microservices communication layer, thus enhancing the overall developer experience. This approach emphasizes operational efficiency while supporting the evolving landscape of application development.
In this episode of the Infrapod, Tim and Ian sat down with Ian Nowland (ex-SVP of Datadog, co-author of Platform Engineering book), a platform engineering expert and co-founder of Junction Labs. They dive deep into the nuances of platform engineering, discussing the evolution of roles like sysadmin, DevOps, and SRE, and the current state and future of platform engineering. Ian shares his journey from Amazon to Datadog and talks about his new company, Junction Labs, which aims to simplify microservices networking. Tim and Ian explore the challenges and solutions in platform engineering, and Ian provides insights on building effective, user-friendly platforms.
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:21 Ian Noland's Background and Journey
01:49 Understanding Platform Engineering
04:03 Challenges in Platform Engineering
19:56 Effective Strategies and Common Pitfalls
25:02 Insights on Buying Software for Platforms
39:48 Conclusion
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