Screaming in the Cloud

In this lively conversation, Jason Warner, CEO and co-founder of Poolside and former GitHub executive, shares his insights on GitHub's acquisition by Microsoft. He discusses how GitHub enhances Microsoft's cloud services, particularly through tools like Azure and VS Code. Jason delves into GitHub's evolving role in software development and the future of collaboration. With humorous anecdotes, he challenges nerd culture and emphasizes the need for user-friendly software design. Don't miss his perspective on navigating the cloud landscape for better client engagement!

In a thought-provoking discussion, Micheal Benedict, the Head of Infrastructure Engineering at Airtable and former Head of Engineering Productivity at Pinterest, delves into the intricacies of productivity engineering. He shares insights on the evolution of internal platforms, emphasizing the need for streamlined operations and reduced friction in large organizations. Micheal also tackles challenges related to cloud outages and emphasizes the importance of communication and clear priorities. His experiences highlight the critical nature of collaboration and the legacy of engineering excellence.

Matthew Prince, Co-founder and CEO of Cloudflare, shares insights about the complexities of cloud pricing, particularly critiquing AWS's high egress costs. He discusses the value of Cloudflare R2 as a cost-effective alternative for clients. The conversation also touches on how Cloudflare is evolving from CDN to a comprehensive service provider, emphasizing the importance of transparency in billing. Matthew reflects on the necessity of aligning product development with customer needs and how admitting mistakes can strengthen a business.

Daniel Feldman, an AI expert, and Corey dive into social media snark, GenAI's current state, fun with AI tools, hindrances caused by product excitement, using AI for practical purposes, and even indulge in some karaoke. The conversation also touches on industry trends, AI online backlash, and Corey's conference attire. The episode provides insights into AI creativity, version numbering quirks, navigating tech conferences, and balancing privacy with recognition.

Nikhil Suresh criticizes the GenAI hype, warning of a predatory bubble impacting young professionals. They discuss the correlation between AI and crypto grifts, the fluff of tech keynotes, and the loss of meaning in industry terms. The podcast dives into the fallout of Nikhil's blog post, the practicality of GenAI, and the consequences of hype cycles in the tech industry.

Former VMware Senior Staff Engineer, Bryan Liles, discusses the future of Kubernetes and cloud optimization tools. Topics include the long-term viability of Kubernetes, tech company branding, diversity in the industry, and the importance of intentional language in critiques.

Airbnb Staff Software Engineer Melanie Cebula and Corey discuss optimizing cloud spend, the role of engineers in cost-cutting, the dangers of inexperience in cost-saving, complexities of AWS billing, misperceptions about Kubernetes, and the growing pains of data infrastructure.

If you need a point of contact for all things networking, then look no further than Ivan Pepelnjak. Ivan is the webinar author at ipSpace.net where he is working on making networking an approachable subject for everyone. From teaching to writing books, Ivan has been at it for a long and storied career, and as a de facto go-to for networking knowledge, you can’t beat him. In this Summer Replay of Screaming in the Cloud, Ivan and Corey discuss Ivan’s status as a CCIE Emeritus and the old days of Cisco. Ivan also levels his network engineering expertise and helps Corey answer some questions about BGP and its implementation. Ivan aptly narrows it down into “layers” that he kindly runs us through. So tune in for a Dante-esque descent into BGP, DNS and Facebook, seeing out the graybeards of tech, and more!Show Highlights: (0:00) Intro to episode(1:23) Panoptica sponsor read(2:04) The world of VaxVMS(2:39) The significance of being a CCIE emeritus(5:02) The value of certification in the modern tech world(7:37) BGP and networking(12:41) Internal vs. external BGPs(15:23) “Unfair criticisms” of BGP(17:35) Differences between BGP and DNS(23:19) Cloud growth vs. loss of networking engineers(24:57) Panoptica sponsor read(25:20) Outsourcing admin work(27:45) Breaking down the Facebook DNS outage(31:37) Disconnect at the data center(37:06) Where you can find IvanAbout Guest:Ivan Pepelnjak, CCIE#1354 Emeritus, is an independent network architect, blogger, and webinar author at ipSpace.net. He's been designing and implementing large-scale service provider and enterprise networks as well as teaching and writing books about advanced internetworking technologies since 1990.Links Referenced:ipSpace.net: https://ipspace.netOriginal Episode: https://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/ironing-out-the-bgp-ruffles-with-ivan-pepelnjak/SponsorPanoptica: https://www.panoptica.app/

Relishing in your company’s current successes is important, but planning for the future of your business (and the wider industry) is equally vital. In this Summer Replay of Screaming in the Cloud, we’re taking you back to the post-pandemic climate of tech with the Global Vice President of the AWS Professional Services and GenAI Innovation Center Francessca Vasquez. With 20+ years of experience under her belt and thousands of customers, she knows a thing or two about thriving in the cloud. You’ll get Francessca’s insights into why companies struggle to maintain a cutting-edge work environment, the rapid pivot to the cloud amid a global pandemic, the importance of courting different backgrounds in your organization, and why the next generation of tech workers could spur unprecedented innovation. Even though COVID is seemingly in our rearview mirror, this discussion still holds weight in today.Show Highlights: (0:00) Intro to episode(0:49) Panoptica sponsor read(1:30) Francessca’s role as AWS Vice President of Technology(2:56) Challenges of shifting company culture(5:38) Customer service and cloud adoption(9:46) The importance of legacy companies as clients(11:55) The pandemic’s role in cloud migration(14:39) Finding “untapped talent” during the pandemic(16:45) Courting people breaking into the industry(20:19) Panoptica sponsor read(20:42) Toxic gatekeeping in tech(24:29) The “real world” versus the realities of tech(26:43) Excitement for the next generation in tech(29:15) Diversity, equity, and excellence(32:20) How to communicate with your customers(40:00) Where you can find FrancesscaAbout Guest:Francessca is the leader of the AWS Technology Worldwide Commercial Operations organization. She is recognized as a thought leader of business technology cloud transformations and digital innovation, advising thousands of startups, small-midsize businesses, and enterprises. She is also the co-founder of AWS workforce transformation initiatives that inspire inclusion, diversity, and equity to foster more careers in science and technology.Links Referenced:Twitter: https://twitter.com/Francessca_V LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesscavasquez/Original Episode: https://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/building-and-maintaining-cultures-of-innovation-with-francessca-vasquez/SponsorPanoptica: https://www.panoptica.app/

Levi McCormick, cloud expert at Jamf, discusses the connection between software development and personal ownership. Topics include gamified learning for engineers, economic barriers in the cloud field, AWS product rollout improvements, and the Cloud Resume Challenge. Levi's insights as Jamf's Director of Engineering offer valuable takeaways!