#013 - Kubernetes for Humans Podcast with Ian Nowland (Datadog)
Dec 20, 2023
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Ian Nowland, a software development and management professional, discusses challenges in transitioning to Kubernetes in finance, legacy system migrations, and navigating complexity in Kubernetes and observability. He also shares insights on his career journey from mechanical engineering to platform engineering.
Ian transitioned from mechanical to software engineering due to industry trends post-Y2K.
Ian emphasized the importance of managing cultural shifts and technological adaptations in platform engineering.
Ian's upcoming book on platform engineering aims to address the evolving landscape and the need for structured approaches.
Deep dives
Ian Oland's Transition from Mechanical Engineering to Software Engineering
Ian Oland's career transition from mechanical engineering to software engineering began with a strong interest in robotics during his university years. Graduating with a mechanical engineering degree, he initially planned for a PhD in the field but shifted to software engineering due to industry trends post-Y2K. In his software engineering journey, Ian worked at Honeywell, focusing on industrial information and software development. His career path then led him to Amazon in its early days, where he contributed to projects like Elastic MapReduce and EC2, facing challenges and successes in infrastructure development.
Challenges and Innovations in Platform Engineering at Amazon
During his time at Amazon, Ian Oland navigated the challenges and innovations in platform engineering, particularly focusing on EC2 and its infrastructure evolution. Amidst hyper growth and technical hurdles, including tackling noisy neighbor issues and bottlenecks, Ian played a pivotal role in initiating projects like Nitro (now Nitro Enclaves). His experience highlighted the balance between managing legacy systems and driving futuristic strategies.
Navigating Complexities and Integration Challenges at Financial Firms
Transitioning to the financial sector, Ian Oland delved into platform engineering complexities when helping firms like FinTech pivot to cloud environments using Kubernetes. Overcoming challenges like legacy tech debt and integration issues due to acquisitions, Ian emphasized the importance of managing cultural shifts and technological adaptations while balancing operational needs.
Reflections on Platform Engineering and Future Predictions
Ian Oland's reflections on platform engineering underscored the significance of aligning product mindsets with platform development, emphasizing cross-functional collaboration. With a critical view on industry trends, especially around Kubernetes complexity and observability challenges, Ian predicted a shift towards empowering platform teams for increased business leverage. His upcoming book on platform engineering aims to address the evolving landscape and the need for structured approaches in managing technology infrastructures.
Closing Remarks and Future Book Release
Ian Oland shared insights into his upcoming book on platform engineering, scheduled for an early release next year. The book, geared towards platform engineering team managers, will delve into challenges, strategies, and best practices in navigating the evolving tech landscape. With a focus on empowering platform teams and streamlining infrastructure management, Ian's work reflects a forward-looking approach to technology leadership and organizational agility.
Ian has been in the software development industry for over 25 years, with the last 14 in management. That includes a long stint in AWS EC2 and a shorter stint at a quant hedge fund Two Sigma. Up until recently, he served as SVP of Core Engineering at Datadog, managing about half the engineering org that built the company's core data and platform systems. Ian is now enjoying his post-Datadog days and working on a new book about platform engineering.
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