This week, we’re with one of those masters of database building, Andy Pavlo, an Associate Professor with indefinite tenure of databaseology in the computer science department at Carnegie Mellon University and the Co-Founder of OtterTune. Andy discusses how his introduction to “databaseology” changed the way databases are not only built but also studied for more efficiency at companies. From optimizing databases for efficient testing and usage to building effective databases using the right knobs and building blocks, Andy shares his insights and expertise on how to improve the performance and reliability of your applications. Join as we discuss:The emerging field of databaseology and its importance for efficient testing and usage.The design and implementation of effective databases using the right knobs and building blocks.Latest trends and techniques in database management and design that can improve application performance.Be sure to rate the podcast on your favorite podcast platform like Apple and Spotify! You can also watch every episode of Big Ideas in App Architecture by going to our YouTube page!

Database architecture can be a vital part of enhancing and maintaining customer success!In this episode of "Big Ideas in App Architecture," we explore several crucial aspects of backend engineering including stateless systems architected for resilience and how to do observability well. Our guest, Dan Goldin, Chief Architect at TripleLift, shares his expertise, drawing from his years of experience at startups and in the ad-technology industry. For those interested in customer experience, Dan discusses the power of data and how to leverage it to optimize app interactions. For those interested in application architecture, he talks about building resilience into different systems at TripleLift. Join as we discuss:The value of investing in “clean code”.How TripleLift gradually developed a strong data engineering functionThe challenge and importance of using observability to enhance customer experienceBuilding stateless systems for resilienceThe cost of outages and architecting to prevent themBe sure to rate the podcast on your favorite podcast platform like Apple and Spotify! You can also watch every episode of Big Ideas in App Architecture by going to our YouTube page!

AI is expanding in our lives like never before. How is it changing the way we approach software development for the future?In short, a ton!This week, Stephen Blum, CTO and Founder of PubNub, joins to discuss how specific tech roles will likely change as AI becomes more ingrained in the work of tech companies. Moreover, he theorizes that innovative companies won’t view AI as merely a means of shaving headcount, but will instead turn AI into a competitive edge — using real-time testing to develop applications quickly and efficiently.Join as we discuss:Tech’s role in the future of jobs and replacing humansBuilding a system to test in real-time with the marketRemote work and how work culture has evolvedBe sure to rate the podcast on your favorite podcast platform like Apple and Spotify! You can also watch every episode of Big Ideas in App Architecture by going to our YouTube page!

You are effectively scaling your software teams to their maximum efficiency. When is the right time to automate specific features to accommodate your growing team? This week we’re joined by Matt Ranney, Principal Engineer at DoorDash who emphasizes the importance of finding productivity angels in smaller teams with more automation, and how understanding that unit testing isn't the only valuable metric can lead to building more efficient infrastructure systems.Matt also discusses the pros and cons of Kubernetes and microsystems, and provides call-to-actions when Doordash experiences failures or downtimes on microservices. He stresses the importance of acknowledging that partial failure is still complete failure, and how taking steps to prevent and mitigate these failures can greatly improve overall system reliability.Join as we discuss:Finding productivity angels: Discover the importance of finding productivity angels in smaller teams with more automation.Valuable metrics beyond unit testing: Unit testing is important but don’t let it get in the way.Get tips on how to prevent downtime and mitigate failures on microservicesThe importance and power of Change Data Capture

Get fit in real time with tech’s advancements in the fitness industry! This week, we’re joined by Paul Lawler, Head of Software at Wahoo Fitness as he discusses how athletes everywhere are using technology to understand and grow their physical health in real-time. In this conversation Paul explains his experiences building highly available apps and services for a decade in Ed-Tech before moving into the fitness industry. While he shares a ton of interesting technical choices, his thoughts on the importance of hiring collaborative personalities might be the most compelling takeaway. Join as we discuss:Wahoo Fitness front end and back end technology tools.How Wahoo captures data information through fitness devices and their appPaul’s journey burning “innovation tokens” with microservicesCreating high-performance teams to establish consistent and streamlined products to customersBe sure to rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform!Mentioned in this episode:Will Larson’s book “Staff Engineer: Leadership Beyond the Management Track”The DevOps Handbook

Step into the future of app architecture with Gregg Mojica, Co-Founder and CTO of Alloy Automation, as we uncover the magic of multi-region architecture, serverless tools, scaling up and down with Kubernetes, and solving problems for merchants all over the world.Gregg will share his insights on how to build an efficient tech stack that solves problems for ecommerce companies by helping them integrate apps and platforms. We'll dive into technical decisions that Gregg and his team have made related to AWS, DynamoDB, Kubernetes, EKS, and more. Serverless architecture comes up often in the context of serving a global audience, dealing with bursts of traffic and trying to be cost efficient (and operationally efficient) at all times. Join as we discuss:Experience growing a company through YCMulti-region architecture for serving end users all over the worldStrategic use cases for serverless functionsThe efficiencies of paying by consumption with serverlessThe challenges/benefits of KubernetesStacking updates by location

Get ready to dive into the big ideas shaping the future of hiring software for SaaS companies! This week, Mike Boufford, CTO at Greenhouse Software shares his insights on the creation of Greenhouse's hiring software. Mike was the first engineering hire at Greenhouse and has watched the department grow to over 120 engineers. In this conversation he highlights the challenges they faced when building the product, such as: how to add customers indefinitely, and how to survive failures without impacting end user experiences. Join as we discuss:The creation of Greenhouse's hiring software for SaaS companies and the challenges faced during developmentThe importance of staying up to date with the latest technologies and trends in the industryThe role of big ideas in shaping one of the most popular hiring solutions on the market

Unlock the secrets of the data warehousing industry and stay ahead of the curve of data storage! This week, Ken Pickering, SVP of Engineering at Starburst Data, delves into the intricacies of separating compute from storage, transferring to cloud-based solutions, and keeping up with evolving data storage ecosystems. We also discuss the benefits of incorporating community connectors and designing a multi-cloud system.Join as we discuss:Advantages of migrating storage to a cloud-based serviceChanging data storage ecosystemsImplementing multi-cloud based systemsThe balance of in-office and remote work environments