This week on the Business of Cloud Native, I talked with Kelsey Hightower, principle engineer at Google and Kubernetes expert. We talked about how technology like Kubernetes helps engineers focus more on solving business problems instead of constantly solving the same low-level problems.

Highlights:

How the evolution of technology — and the evolution of customers’ expectation — have made cloud native practices table stakes.

The more established a company is, the more layers it likely has in its technology stacks. Unless a company is under 10 years old, it probably isn’t 100% cloud native because it’s rarely practical to throw away everything they’ve been doing in the past.

Why it’s so challenging for companies to “disrupt themselves” by adopting cloud native technology unless they have serious motivation.

How successful cloud native journeys involve both grand strategic visions and boring tactical plans that can actually be implemented.

Why companies need to take into account the entire ‘infrastructure’ needed to adopt cloud native. How do you collect the data you need to reach your goals? Do you have the human resources, both technical and non-technical, to achieve their goals?

How cloud native transitions can quickly become an ‘onion’ problem where there is always another layer that companies need to solve.

How to convince practitioners who are trying to build customer tools internally that they should use Kubernetes or other open source projects.

The myth of ‘tech displacing people.’ Usually evolution of technology leads to more jobs for software engineers, not less.

How Kubernetes helps engineers focus on the business — and that is a good thing.

The difference between 20 years of experience and 20 years worth of 1-year experience.

Why Kubernetes is a platform for building other platforms.

Why Kubernetes and cloud native are not a magic bullet that will completely transform your business.

Links:

Kelsey Hightower on Twitter

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