KubeFM

Dear friend, you have built a Kubernetes, with Mac Chaffee

Jun 24, 2025
Mac Chaffee, a platform engineer and security champion, dives into the underestimated complexities of running modern applications. He discusses how overconfidence can lead to costly mistakes, particularly when teams reject proven tools like Kubernetes. Mac highlights the tipping point where DIY solutions become burdensome and stresses the importance of mentorship in preventing poor technical decisions. He advocates for transparency in technology, urging teams to establish effective guardrails rather than hiding complexity.
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ANECDOTE

Early Kubernetes Career Start

  • Mac got into Cloud Native when his mentors introduced Kubernetes before it was needed.
  • This early exposure launched his career despite the initial lack of necessity.
ADVICE

Sustainable Learning on the Job

  • Learn new technologies sustainably by focusing on tools that solve real problems.
  • Sell these solutions effectively within your company to balance learning and workload.
ADVICE

Rebuilding Kubernetes Unknowingly

  • Rejecting Kubernetes often leads teams to rebuild it piece by piece unknowingly.
  • Understanding Kubernetes' problems helps avoid costly reinvention efforts.
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