The Cloudcast

Over the course of a career, you'll have to make critical decisions about jobs, managers, salaries, technical vs. business focus, and career paths. These 10 tips can help to make better decisions. SHOW: 507SHOW SPONSORS:CBT Nuggets: Expert IT Training for individuals and teamsSign up for a CBT Nuggets Free Learner accountJoin Turbonomic, Kelsey Hightower, & Corey Quinn for the Apps ON Cloud Summit May 11-13. Swag & giveaways!Datadog Security Monitoring Homepage: Modern Monitoring and AnalyticsTry Datadog yourself by starting a free, 14-day trial today. Listeners of this podcast will also receive a free Datadog T-shirt.CLOUD NEWS OF THE WEEK - http://bit.ly/cloudcast-cnotwCHECK OUT OUR NEW PODCAST - "CLOUDCAST BASICS"SHOW NOTES:10 Lessons for Surviving the Tech IndustryEarly in your career, get a certification, and work on something mainstream. Give yourself some foundations to build upon. Early in your career, it’s OK to take risks on companies, if you are able to get a lot of experience (either breadth or depth).Most people in tech don’t have a huge cash-out (IPO, Acquisition, etc.), but if you do, bank it to give yourself options (future savings, job hopping, change of career, etc.)Have a side hustle. Have a mix of business and technical skills.Always be learning something new. Being able to learn new stuff is the skill. Find a community of people (online or live) that can be mentors, sounding boards, or just “trusted” people. Find managers that support you, encourage you, and promote you. Sometimes ride with them on the next journey.Title, salary, job scope or location…..you can only pick 2 (maybe 3Most people leave bad managers, not the company. Work/Life balance is really hard to find. There’s no right answer, it’ll come and go in waves. Ride waves when they come, because they don’t always come back. Work on your communication skills. FEEDBACK?Email: show at thecloudcast dot netTwitter: @thecloudcastnet

Paige Hinckley, (Sr. Director Global Alliances & GTM @Qumulo) talks about the evolution of scalable file and unstructured data in the public cloud. SHOW: 506SHOW SPONSOR LINKS:CBT Nuggets: Expert IT Training for individuals and teamsSign up for a CBT Nuggets Free Learner accountDatadog Security Monitoring Homepage: Modern Monitoring and AnalyticsTry Datadog yourself by starting a free, 14-day trial today. Listeners of this podcast will also receive a free Datadog T-shirt.Okta - Safe Identity for customers and workforceTry Okta for FREE (Trial in 10 minutes)CLOUD NEWS OF THE WEEK - http://bit.ly/cloudcast-cnotwCHECK OUT OUR NEW PODCAST - "CLOUDCAST BASICS"SHOW NOTES:Qumulo Homepage: Manage File Data at Scale, AnywhereTest Drive Qumulo: Try Qumulo for free, no downloads or setup requiredTopic 1 - Welcome to the show. Before we jump into discussing data in the cloud, let’s talk a little bit about your background, as you’ve been at the center of several recent technology transitions? Topic 2 - Let’s start by understanding how the use of file data has changed over the years. So many applications involve video, or huge data lakes for analytics, or massive content repositories for research. How has the scale evolved over the years? Topic 3 - Qumulo does some very unique things around scalability and performance that are very critical for industries like media/entertainment, healthcare, research. What are some of the use cases that best take advantage of Qumulo Q Cloud? Topic 4 - As you work with companies moving file data to the cloud, what are some of the tips and lessons you’ve seen that lead to faster success? Topic 5 - How does Qumulo work with partners in the tech industry to bring your innovation to customers?FEEDBACK?Email: show at thecloudcast dot netTwitter: @thecloudcastnet

The docker project evolved out of the PaaS movement, unlocking polyglot cloud-native applications. But it was only a piece of the puzzle to enable platforms, applications and a broader ecosystem. What lessons can be learned from the docker ecosystem?SHOW: 505SHOW SPONSORS:See how O’Reilly online learning can help your tech teams. Request a free demo now.Zesty Homepage - Real Time Cloud SavingsFree cloud cost-savings evaluation from ZestyCLOUD NEWS OF THE WEEK - http://bit.ly/cloudcast-cnotwCHECK OUT OUR NEW PODCAST - "CLOUDCAST BASICS"SHOW NOTES:Solomon Hykes shows “docker” at PyCon for 1st time (2013)Solomon Hykes on Eps.97, introducing “Docker” (2013)History of Docker, Inc (Wikipedia)dotCloud becomes Docker (2013)Ben Golub (Docker CEO) on Eps.143Diverging Container Standard (Kelsey Hightower, OCI, etc.) - 2016Introducing Kubernetes Container Runtime Interface (CRI) - 2016Microsoft rumored to be buying Docker for $4B (2016)Moby Project announced (2017)Docker Networking with Socketplane (pre-acquisition by Docker)Architectural Considerations for OSS PaaS and Container Platforms (2016) HOW DID docker/DOCKER EVOLVE?Between 2008 and 2013, dozens of PaaS platforms emerged. Within the platform, they all had a model for allocating compute resources, mostly through the use of Linux LXC and cGroups -- what would become containers. dotCloud was the PaaS company started by Solomon Hykes that eventually became Docker. LESSONS LEARNED FOR THE FUTUREContainers were a fundamental building block for next-gen applications and platforms.Docker/docker created a massive community of users, but frustrated the ecosystem of partners. Project / Company naming conflicts are very hard to resolve (“docker” vs. “Docker”)Successful ecosystems allow a broad set of participants to monetize different elements of the technology. Not having a monetization model is not a good plan. Docker was the last software company to not monetize through offering a managed/SaaS cloud service. FEEDBACK?Email: show at thecloudcast dot netTwitter: @thecloudcastnet

Brendan O’Leary (@olearycrew, Sr. Dev Evangelist @GitLab, CNCF Board) talks about Developer Productivity, how to improve flow, integrated tool chains, and tips to improve organizational dynamics.  SHOW: 504SHOW SPONSOR LINKS:Okta - Safe Identity for customers and workforceTry Okta for FREE (Trial in 10 minutes)See how O’Reilly online learning can help your tech teams. Request a free demo now.Datadog Security Monitoring Homepage: Modern Monitoring and AnalyticsTry Datadog yourself by starting a free, 14-day trial today. Listeners of this podcast will also receive a free Datadog T-shirt.CLOUD NEWS OF THE WEEK - http://bit.ly/cloudcast-cnotwCHECK OUT OUR NEW PODCAST - "CLOUDCAST BASICS"SHOW NOTES:GitLab HomepageTopic 1 - Welcome to the show. Software supply-chains have been in the news quite a bit lately. Before we get into that, tell us about your background and what gets you passionate about developer productivity? Topic 2 - Let’s talk about “the State of Developer Productivity” in 2021. What are developers able to do well, and where are their big bottlenecks today? Topic 3 - I constantly get questions of “do we fix this with better tools, or better organizations. I’m pretty sure the answer is a combination of both, but do you see one side or the other having a bigger impact? Topic 4 - GitLab does a very good job bringing together the tools developers need across the software-supply chain. When do you see an integrated “platform” gain more adoption, and when does the developer desire for “pick our tools” tend to stay in place?   Topic 5 - Is the Solarwinds hack making a lot of companies rethink how they build software? Topic 6 - What are some of the best tips you have to help developer teams get more efficient, more productive? FEEDBACK?Email: show at thecloudcast dot netTwitter: @thecloudcastnet

Cloud was supposed to make computing easier, but it’s now as complicated or more complicated than legacy data centers and apps. Is there any future in a simpler cloud?SHOW: 503SHOW SPONSORS:Zesty Homepage - Real Time Cloud SavingsFree cloud cost-savings evaluation from ZestyCBT Nuggets: Expert IT Training for individuals and teamsSign up for a CBT Nuggets Free Learner accountCLOUD NEWS OF THE WEEK - http://bit.ly/cloudcast-cnotwCHECK OUT OUR NEW PODCAST - "CLOUDCAST BASICS"SHOW NOTES:DigitalOcean has an IPOSIMPLIFYING CLOUDAPPLICATIONS - SaaS, RPA, Low-Code and PaaS v2Small Business as-a-ServiceMultinational Business-as-a-ServiceDemandGen-as-a-ServicePRICING - Cost Management has its own complex ecosystemThe cloud bill is always an unknownINTERCONNECTING SERVICES - Are the APIs easy enough to integrateMulesoft, Red Hat Integration, Apigee, etc. for the older stuffIs cross-SaaS integration easy enough? FEEDBACK?Email: show at thecloudcast dot netTwitter: @thecloudcastnet

Alex Hidalgo (@ahidalgosre, Director of SRE at @nobl9inc) talks about the evolution of SRE teams, implementing SLOs, and enabling AppDev and Ops teams to better manage reliability.SHOW: 502SHOW SPONSOR LINKS:Get started with the JumpCloud Directory Platform today  Visit the JumpCloud Homepage.  Email press@jumpcloud.com for a FREE JumpCloud T-Shirt.CBT Nuggets: Expert IT Training for individuals and teamsSign up for a CBT Nuggets Free Learner accountQumulo Homepage: Manage File Data at Scale, AnywhereTest Drive Qumulo: Try Qumulo for free, no downloads or setup requiredCLOUD NEWS OF THE WEEK - http://bit.ly/cloudcast-cnotwCHECK OUT OUR NEW PODCAST - "CLOUDCAST BASICS"SHOW NOTES:Nobl9 HomepageThe SLO Book - Implementing Service Level ObjectivesTopic 1 - Welcome to the show. Congratulations on the launch of Nobl9. Before we get into that, let’s talk about your background and what got you focused on SREs and SLOs.Topic 2 - We’ve spoken about the role of SRE quite a bit the last few years, but not as much about SLOs - and how to achieve them. Paint us some broad brush strokes about the world of SLOs today, and how they are different from SLAs or other commonly used measurements and metrics. Topic 3 - So how do we start taking the SLO concepts and start making them actionable?Topic 4 - How does a move to a SLO-centric model change the AppDev or the Ops teams?   Topic 5 - Is there a “low-hanging fruit” in an adoption of SLO-centric capabilities, or does it take quite a bit of top-down and bottom-up change? Topic 6 - What’s a good way to get started with the Nobl9 platform?FEEDBACK?Email: show at thecloudcast dot netTwitter: @thecloudcastnet

Technology leaders have many different focus areas and motivations. On today’s show, we’ll discuss three common types of leaders - Visionaries, Maintainers and Resume-Builders.SHOW: 501SHOW SPONSORS:CBT Nuggets: Expert IT Training for individuals and teamsSign up for a CBT Nuggets Free Learner accountGet started with the JumpCloud Directory Platform today  Visit the JumpCloud Homepage. Email press@jumpcloud.com for a FREE JumpCloud T-Shirt.Datadog Security Monitoring Homepage: Modern Monitoring and AnalyticsTry Datadog yourself by starting a free, 14-day trial today. Listeners of this podcast will also receive a free Datadog T-shirt.See how O’Reilly online learning can help your tech teams. Request a free demo now.CLOUD NEWS OF THE WEEK - http://bit.ly/cloudcast-cnotwCHECK OUT OUR NEW PODCAST - "CLOUDCAST BASICS"SHOW NOTES:Three types of product leaders (via @shreyas)Pioneers, Settlers and Town Planners (from Geek Whisperers)THREE TYPES OF TECHNOLOGY LEADERSVISIONARIES | TRANSFORMERSSpeak in stories, painting big pictures.Truly understand the overall business, the broader markets, and the potentially changing landscapes ahead over both the near-term and long-termUnderstand the timing of the markets and when change is needed vs. nice-to-haveUnderstand the breadth of competitive threats to the businessUnderstand both opportunities and opportunity costs MAINTAINERS | PROTECTORS Would like to be a visionary, but always default back to focusing on re-optimizing legacy investmentsTend to believe that all decisions are build vs. buy. Aren’t focused on creating longer-term partnershipsRun long RFI processes vs. creating a mindset of incremental experimental scenarios.Have a protectionist mindset (“avoid vendor lock-in”) with new opportunities, but don’t release that with sunk costs. RESUME BUILDERSRecognize that the world is moving fast (lots of new technologies, business models), but aren’t in an optimal starting position.Establish a big, audacious goal that portrays a visionary mindset. Establish an “everything” or “all-inclusive” policy, even when it doesn’t make economic sense. The old 5yrs of building an ERP system is now the 2yrs of transforming to the cloud. Springboard to build the resume without finishing the project. FEEDBACK?Email: show at thecloudcast dot netTwitter: @thecloudcastnet

Nick Weaver (@lynxbat, VP Architecture, Innovation, Data/Analytics at @Dicks) talks about the journey from engineer to technology leader within large corporations, the challenges of leading teams during COVID, and the realities of digital transformation.  SHOW: 500SHOW SPONSOR LINKS:Qumulo Homepage: Manage File Data at Scale, AnywhereTest Drive Qumulo: Try Qumulo for free, no downloads or setup requiredSee how O’Reilly online learning can help your tech teams. Request a free demo now.Get started with the JumpCloud Directory Platform today  Visit the JumpCloud Homepage.  Email press@jumpcloud.com for a FREE JumpCloud T-Shirt.CLOUD NEWS OF THE WEEK - http://bit.ly/cloudcast-cnotwCHECK OUT OUR NEW PODCAST - "CLOUDCAST BASICS"SHOW NOTES:Eps.400 - Many Paths of an Engineering Journey (Nick Weaver)Technology at Dick’s Sporting GoodsTopic 1 - Welcome back to the show. It’s been almost two years. What are you up to these days?Topic 2 - The last 5-6 years, you’ve really embraced moving from being a hard-core, hands-on engineer to being a leader of very large technology teams, projects and initiatives. Walk us through some of the new muscles developed, some of the unexpected, and some of the stuff you still need to figure out.Topic 3 - When you were at Nike, you lived through a legitimate “digital transformation”, both in how the company engaged with the market, but also how you dealt with suppliers/vendors. Help us understand some of the dynamics in going through those changes.Topic 4 - We all know lots of people on the vendor side of things, and how those dynamics work as people compete, collaborate or change companies. How does that work amongst “customers”, either in the same industry or cross-industry?Topic 5 - You’re still a technologist at heart. What technologies are interesting to you these days? Topic 6 - From where you are today, how would you mentor a young Nick Weaver that just did a 5 minute demo during an EMCworld keynote in 2008-2009? FEEDBACK?Email: show at thecloudcast dot netTwitter: @thecloudcastnet

The COVID-19 pandemic will last ~18 months, but how long will the impact to the technology industry last? SHOW: 499SHOW SPONSORS:Get started with the JumpCloud Directory Platform today  Visit the JumpCloud Homepage. Email press@jumpcloud.com for a FREE JumpCloud T-Shirt.See how O’Reilly online learning can help your tech teams. Request a free demo now.Datadog Security Monitoring Homepage: Modern Monitoring and AnalyticsTry Datadog yourself by starting a free, 14-day trial today. Listeners of this podcast will also receive a free Datadog T-shirt.CLOUD NEWS OF THE WEEK - http://bit.ly/cloudcast-cnotwCHECK OUT OUR NEW PODCAST - "CLOUDCAST BASICS"SHOW NOTES:How COVID changed on people work (Pew Research)Remote Work Trends and StatsGoogle to invest $7B in post-pandemic officesMicrosoft report on post-COVID "Hybrid Work"Stocks with enough cash to outlast COVID-19HOW WILL COVID CHANGE THE TECH INDUSTRY?REMOTE WORK and COLLABORATIONThe foundational tools are in place (GitHub, Zoom, Slack, Jira, Public Cloud) but are they really designed for large # of remote workers collaborating? Event sign-ups were up 5-10x, but have people actually been consuming the content? Will companies continue to encourage and support remote workers, or do we see a boomerang in late 2021 and 2022? MORE RAPID ADOPTION OF THE PUBLIC CLOUDLess people in the office, so more adoption of public clouds?Public clouds grew, but not at faster rates than before - 2021/2022 might be better indicators, as 2020 had “budget concerns” for many companies (uncertainty)More adoption of SaaS-like offerings (be near the clouds, align buying models, more flexible)Acceleration of more agile approaches, as the world becomes more polarized - hence stability may be shorter intervals? WHY DIDN’T THE CLOUD PROVIDERS DO MORE?Cloud providers have massive cash reserves (Microsoft, $137B, Google $112B, Amazon $50B), but no major acquisitions.Nobody has initiate price-wars, but we are seeing more long-range ELAs announcedWHERE IS THE “NEXT BIG THING”?2006/2007 - iPhone, AWS launch ; 2008 Financial Crash2020 - ???FEEDBACK?Email: show at thecloudcast dot netTwitter: @thecloudcastnet

Ben Murray (@br_murray, Founder of SaaS CFO and SaaS Academy) talks about how to understand the financial models behind successful SaaS companies, the tradeoffs on profit vs. growth, and how to spot the health of SaaS businesses.SHOW: 498SHOW SPONSOR LINKS:Datadog Security Monitoring Homepage: Modern Monitoring and AnalyticsTry Datadog yourself by starting a free, 14-day trial today. Listeners of this podcast will also receive a free Datadog T-shirt.CBT Nuggets: Expert IT Training for individuals and teamsSign up for a CBT Nuggets Free Learner accountQumulo Homepage: Manage File Data at Scale, AnywhereTest Drive Qumulo: Try Qumulo for free, no downloads or setup requiredCLOUD NEWS OF THE WEEK - http://bit.ly/cloudcast-cnotwCHECK OUT OUR NEW PODCAST - "CLOUDCAST BASICS"SHOW NOTES:SaaS CFO (homepage)SaaS Academy (homepage)Topic 1 - Welcome to the show. We don’t usually get CFOs on the show. Tell us a little bit about your background and what brought you into the SaaS world. Topic 2 - The more we study SaaS companies, the more it seems like everyone needs to understand the financial model and associated metrics (executives, product managers, marketing, customer service, etc.). How do you go about teaching best practices to SaaS companies?Topic 3 - Let’s talk about the core financial concepts that SaaS companies need to think about (CAC, MRR, ACV, LCV, Churn, Gross Margin, etc.)Topic 4 - Are there some common financial patterns (metrics, ratios, etc,) to tell how a SaaS company is doing (good or bad)? If so, are there established best-practices to get them out of bad situations?  Topic 5 - Can you help us better understand why some people get excited when a SaaS company has revenue growth and loses money, and others freak out? Help us understand that in growth stages vs. stable stages. (SaaS Rule of 40?)Topic 6 - Have you found that SaaS businesses are unique in their financial modeling, or can some of these best practices be applied to non-SaaS software businesses?Topic 7 - You just started SaaS CFO and SaaS Academy. Give us an overview of what people will learn.  FEEDBACK?Email: show at thecloudcast dot netTwitter: @thecloudcastnet