The Cloudcast

Brian talks with Jason McGee (@jrmcgee, VP & CTO IBM Cloud) about the origin of the Istio project, the challenges of large project teams, how Istio helps application teams, and the evolution of cloud-native application frameworks on Kubernetes.Show Links: Istio Framework Istio on GitHub Boston Istio Meetup[PODCAST] @PodCTL - Containers | Kubernetes -  RSS Feed, iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn and all your favorite podcast players[SERVERLESS] ServerlessConf in NYC (Oct. 8-11). 20% Discount on all passes[A CLOUD GURU] Get The Cloudcast Alexa Skill[A CLOUD GURU] DISCOUNT: Serverless for Beginners (only $15 instead of $29)[A CLOUD GURU] FREE: Alexa Development for Absolute Beginners[FREE] eBook from O'ReillyShow NotesTopic 1 - Welcome back to the show. For anyone that's not familiar with Istio, what is it, what cdoes it do, and what types of problems does it solve for developers?Topic 2 - Istio is beginning to get some traction at meetups tradeshow talks. Where is it in terms of maturity, open governance, developer participation?Topic 3 - Is Istio going to be broadly applicable to new applications (cloud-native, microservices), or do you see it trending towards a specific type of use case?Topic 4 - Istio is being adopted by the companies and the technologies around Kubernetes, the CNCF, etc. Do you feel like the Kubernetes architectural approach is going to be the direction that we'll see going forward for modern application development and container usage?Topic 5 - What are the best ways for companies or developers to start experimenting with Istio? Is it easy to get started? Is there training yet?Feedback?Email: show at thecloudcast dot netTwitter: @thecloudcastnet and @ServerlessCast

Brian talks with Chen Goldberg (@GoldbergChen, Director of Engineering, Container Engine & Kubernetes) and Mark Mandel (@Neurotic, Developer Advocate, Co-Host Google Cloud Platform podcast) at Google.about the state of Kubernetes maturity, how Google manages cloud services and open-source projects, Developers perspectives on Kubernetes, "boring" applications, Kubernetes Federation, and trends around Kubernetes community participation.Show Links:[Podcast] @PodCTL - Containers | Kubernetes -  RSS Feed, iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn and all your favorite podcast players[Serverless] ServerlessConf in NYC (Oct. 8-11). 20% Discount on all passes[A CLOUD GURU] Get The Cloudcast Alexa Skill[A CLOUD GURU] DISCOUNT: Serverless for Beginners (only $15 instead of $29)[A CLOUD GURU] FREE: Alexa Development for Absolute Beginners[FREE] eBook from O'ReillyShow NotesTopic 1 - Where do you see Kubernetes today in terms of maturity, breadth of capabilities, ease of use, etc.?Topic 2 - How is Google's Engineering structured to manage GKE/GCP services, open source contributions and partner engagements?Topic 3 - What are some of the common use-cases with GKE usage? Do you also track Kubernetes usage on GCP services to see where you need to expand/improve GKE?Topic 4 - Is Kubernetes easy enough, or robust enough for developers today? If not, where does it need to expand? Should this be within Kubernetes, or in other areas like Istio (or other)?Topic 5 - How do you see Kubernetes Federation evolving? What might be possible for end-customers over time?Feedback?Email: show at thecloudcast dot netTwitter: @thecloudcastnet and @ServerlessCast

Aaron and Brian talk about the new partnership with A Cloud Guru, as well as a 2017 Mid-Year update around all things cloud - VMworld ecosystem, Serverless Ecosystem, Kubernetes for All, etc.. Show Links:[Podcast] @PodCTL - Containers | Kubernetes -  RSS Feed, iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn and all your favorite podcast players[Serverless] ServerlessConf in NYC (Oct. 8-11). 20% Discount on all passes[A CLOUD GURU] Get The Cloudcast Alexa Skill[A CLOUD GURU] DISCOUNT: Serverless for Beginners (only $15 instead of $29)[A CLOUD GURU] FREE: Alexa Development for Absolute Beginners[FREE] eBook from O'ReillyShow NotesTopic 1 - Something looks and sounds different from normal. Why don’t you tell our listeners what’s going on?Topic 2 - Impressions from the VMworld 2017 Keynotes and show floors?Topic 3 - In talking to the A Cloud Guru team, we’re starting to see a big trend of people getting cloud training and certifications. Should we be doubling back on fundamental technologies to supplement more complex shows?Topic 4 - Are we in a technology lull right now? We had containers a couple years ago, and serverless like 12-18 months ago, but right now it feels like an expansion phase. Thoughts?Topic 5 - Let’s talk about some of the trends we’re seeing at this point in 2017: All vendors supporting Kubernetes (AWS, Oracle, Microsoft) Is it strange that we’re heard almost nothing from Docker since DockerCon and their announcements of a new CEO and the “Moby” project?We’re beginning to see some funding in the serverless space (IOpipe, Skippbox acquired by Bitnami, Iron.io at Oracle) and that crazy $140M for Databricks and calling themselves “serverless data science and AI”Topic 6 - We saw Amazon acquire Whole Foods recently, as well as getting back into the retail markets (people-less stores). Do you think we’ll start to see their movement into all these adjacent markets impact customers adopting AWS? Apparently Target is now moving off AWS.Topic 7 - AUDIENCE QUESTION: We’ve never really focused on SaaS applications, outside of SaaS-based tool that help IT. Does our audience think we should focus on SaaS applications, and if so, which verticals should we target?Feedback?Email: show at thecloudcast dot netTwitter: @thecloudcastnet and @ServerlessCast

Brian talks with Seth Vargo (@sethvargo, Director of Technical Advocacy @HashiCorp) about the evolving security footprint of modern applications, the increasing needs for secrets management with microservices, the challenges of managing encryption, how to maintain highly available environments, and the evolution of Pittsburgh as a tech city.Show Links:[Donations for Hurricane Harvey, Houston Flood Victims] Red CrossBuy Necessary Items, via Amazon, for Hurricane Harvey VictimsUse code “PCCLOUD” for 20% of Gold, Silver, Bronze passes at VelocityConfSeth’s projects on GitHubSeth’s book from O’ReillyHashiCorp Vault [website] and GitHub project[O’Reilly Velocity Conference, NYC] Microservices Secrets Management with VaultInterested in ServerlessConf in NYC (Oct 8-11)? 20% Discount on all passesStart Serverless Skills Bundle (4 courses) - (only $49 instead of $79)FREE Alexa Development for Absolute BeginnersShow NotesTopic 1 - Welcome to the show. Tell us about your background as a technologist and author.Topic 1a - And since we’re going to talk about Vault, give us the basics of the Vault platform.Topic 2 - Let’s start with the basics. Why are we seeing so many more discussions about secrets management with microservices vs. legacy applications?Topic 3 - What are the core challenges that microservices applications face with regard to secrets? Is it key management, or key rotation or encryption of secrets, or something else?Topic 4 - Since secrets are so central to microservices, and critical to normal operations, how do you make sure that a platform like Vault is highly available? Or what happens if it goes out of service?Topic 5 - If we’re talking about microservices, the conversation typically evolves to deploying them, which leads to discussions about container schedulers. Can you talk about the challenges that schedulers have with secrets and how Vaults helps to manage those challenges?Feedback?Email: show at thecloudcast dot netTwitter: @thecloudcastnet and @ServerlessCast

Brian talks with Keith Townsend (@ctoadvisor, The CTO Advisor) and Stu Miniman (@stu, Wikibon | theCUBE) about the upcoming VMworld 2017 event, VMware’s relevance in a cloud-centric world, the Dell merger 2yrs later and the advice they would give Michael Dell or Pat Gelsinger.Show Links:[The Register] It's a small VMworld after all – life in the shadow of re:InventSilicon Angle TV - theCUBE[Stu] Wikibon[Keith] The CTO Advisor (and guest host of theCUBE at VMworld)Keith’s preview of VMworld 2017Wikibon’s VMworld preview including video with Stu and Dave VellanteInterested in ServerlessConf in NYC, Oct 8-11? 20% Discount on all passesStart Serverless Skills Bundle (4 courses) - (only $49 instead of $79)FREE Alexa Development for Absolute BeginnersShow NotesTopic 1 - Welcome back to the show, both of you. What’s new in your worlds and what trends are on your radar these days?Topic 2 - A couple weeks ago The Register forecasted that VMworld is a shrinking event and a stark contrast to the growth of AWS re:Invent. From your perspective, what’s the state of the VMware ecosystem these days?Topic 3 - With Dell being private but VMware is still public, and their stock being up about 2.5x since the merger ($40-100), is there any sense of how money is flowing within VMware (e.g. R&D) vs. flowing over to pay Dell’s debts?Topic 4 - You both get access to the VMware executive team during the week of VMworld. What questions do you wish you could ask them, but it’s not appropriate during the interview or Q&A formats that exist?Topic 5 - Can you explain VMware’s “Cloud Strategy” to us?Topic 6 - HCI (HyperConverged Infrastructure) is growing very quickly and all the vendors now have an HCI play (Nutanix, DellEMC VxRail, HPE Simplivity/Nimble, Cisco SpringPath, Red Hat HCI, etc.). Does the market need this many similar offerings? Which one of these is non-existent in 3-4 years?Feedback?Email: show at thecloudcast dot netTwitter: @thecloudcastnet and @ServerlessCast

Brian talks with Amy Lewis (@commsninja), John Troyer (@jtroyer) and Matthew Broberg (@mjbrender) from the Geek Whisperers podcast (@geek-whisperers) about the closing of their podcast/community, the evolution of cloud careers, and lessons learned from community interaction. Show Links: PodCTL - Brian's new Containers | Kubernetes podcast[Podcast] The Geek Whisperers[Amy’s (new) Podcast] - Speaking in Tech[John’s Business] - Tech Reckoning [Matt’s Job] - Sensu Interested in ServerlessConf in NYC, Oct 8-11? 20% Discount on all passesStart Serverless Skills Bundle (4 courses) - (only $49 instead of $79)FREE Alexa Development for Absolute BeginnersShow NotesTopic 1 - for us to talk to all of you together. Let’s start by talking about what Geek Whisperers was, and then why mom & dad have new hobbies.Topic 2 - A lot has changed since you started, back in 2012. HW to SW. On-Prem to Cloud. Open Source. Vendor communities to lack of vendor trust. What are the big trends that wish you had a better grasp on?Topic 3 - What does a 2012 Whisperer tell a colleague on career advice vs. a 2017 Whisperer?Topic 4 - Do you buy into the idea that technology is moving much faster these days? And if so, have you found any good tips or tricks to staying ahead of it, no matter what part of the tech industry someone might work in (tech, sales, management, etc.)?Topic 5 - What types of things worry you about our industry at this time? Topic 6 - What are you hopeful about for either people in the communities you engage with, or for the next generation of folks that will have technology all around them? Feedback?Email: show at thecloudcast dot netTwitter: @thecloudcastnet and @ServerlessCast

Aaron and Brian talk with Thurupathan Vijayakumar (@ThuruTweets, Solutions Architect | Developer | Microsoft Azure MVP) about cloud deployments in Asia, the business drivers for using public cloud services, the challenges of data sovereignty, and how companies are managing their organizations to align to microservices.Show Links:Thuru's Book - Practical Azure Application Development: A Step-by-Step Approach to Build Feature-Rich Cloud-Ready SolutionsThuru’s BlogInterested in ServerlessConf in NYC, Oct 8-11? 20% Discount on all passesStart Serverless Skills Bundle (4 courses) - (only $49 instead of $79)FREE Alexa Development for Absolute BeginnersShow NotesTopic 1 - Welcome to the show. You’re our first guest from Asia, joining us from Sri Lanka. Tell us about your background and the types of technology projects you’re working on today.Topic 2 - Recently you wrote a book about building cloud applications on Azure. Can you talk about what attracted you to use Azure (vs. AWS or other clouds) - discuss some of the types of applications you’re building.Topic 3 - You have an interesting perspective having worked with companies from multiple parts of the world. Can you give us some perspective on trends in Asia vs. other areas? What business demands are driving their technology decisions?Topic 4 - How do the companies you work with manage data sovereignty and the location of public cloud data centers?Topic 5 - What are some of the core technologies that you’re using these days? How much do you use native Azure services vs. containers vs. other technologies? How are you keeping up with learning those technologies?Topic 6 - As you’re beginning to focus on microservices architectures, how are you finding global customers adapting to what that means within their internal IT cultures and processes?Feedback?Email: show at thecloudcast dot netTwitter: @thecloudcastnet and @ServerlessCast

Aaron and Brian talk with Corey Quinn (@QuinnyPig, Cloud Economist/Last Week with AWS) about the complexity of AWS bills, the rapid expansion of AWS services, the challenges of “best practices” and the biggest AWS trends and mistakes.Show Links:Get a free eBook from O'Reilly media or use promo code PC20CLOUD for a discount - 40% off Print Books and 50% off eBooks and videos[DISCOUNT] Start Serverless Skills Bundle (4 courses) - (only $49 instead of $79)[FREE] Alexa Development for Absolute BeginnersThe Quinn Advisory Group[newsletter] Last Week in AWSShow NotesTopic 1 - Welcome to the show. Tell us about your background and how you decided to get into the “saving money” or  “economics of technology” business?Topic 2 - AWS is sort of a strange technology company to explain to someone that comes from traditional IT, in that they just release new features randomly. So it’s sort of like a SaaS, but it’s also like a big toolbox. Your newsletter helps, but how do you find that people are to keep up with the randomness of all the features?Topic 3 - Do you think that AWS eventually gets too complicated for the broader market?Topic 4 - Beyond the issues around costs/pricing, what are the big AWS trends that you’re tracking, or that your clients are using to improve their businesses?Topic 5 - What are some of the big mistakes that companies make in using various AWS services, whether they are cost-related or security-related or availability/performance-related?Topic 6 - Let’s play a quick speed round before we end the show. Give us a sense of pace of growth for each of these AWS services:  - Lambda- Big Data (Dynamo, Redshift, Kinesis)- IoT- Snowball or Snowmobile (raw data movement)- ECS (containers)Feedback?Email: show at thecloudcast dot netTwitter: @thecloudcastnet

NOTE: Sorry about the patchy audio quality in spots on this episode, we didn't notice until we edited the show that both Adam's and Aaron's connections weren't the best this time. We cleaned it up the best we could. Thanks for listening!Aaron and Brian talk with Adam Johnson (@adjohn, CO-Founder/CEO of @IOpipe)about the momentum of Serverless, the challenge of identify performance bottlenecks, if NoOps is real or not, how APMs have to evolve in a Serverless world. Show Links:Get a free eBook from O'Reilly media or use promo code PC20CLOUD for a discount - 40% off Print Books and 50% off eBooks and videos[DISCOUNT] Start Serverless Skills Bundle (4 courses) - (only $49 instead of $79)[FREE] Alexa Development for Absolute BeginnersIOpipe websiteShow NotesTopic 1 - Welcome to the show. Give us a little bit of your background and walk us through the process of being part of the TechStars incubator program. Tell us a little bit about IOpipe. Topic 2 - It took a little while for people to grasp the concept of serverless (e.g. AWS Lambda), but now it has a lot of momentum. What made you think it was the the right focus for the company a few years back? Topic 3 - Why IOpipe? What problem does is solve? How is it “Included” in existing FaaS code today? How is that different from the Serverless Framework plugin? Topic 4 - Serverless seems to be associated with the NoOps movement, since the underlying platform tends to do many things the Ops team used to do. Where does an APM platform like IOpipe fit into the discussion? Is it used by a Serverless Ops team, or mostly by Developers? Topic 5 - What are some of the common performance challenges with Serverless that people should be aware of? Follow Up: What are some of the most common emerging use cases? Feedback?Email: show at thecloudcast dot netTwitter: @thecloudcastnet

Brian talks with Robyn Bergeron (@robynbergeron, @Ansible Community Architect) about managing large OSS projects, how teams adopt DevOps culture and tools, the role of Containers with Ansible, the spread of OSS operations tools, and the role of automation with Serverless.Show Links:Get a free eBook from O'Reilly media or use promo code PC20CLOUD for a discount - 40% off Print Books and 50% off eBooks and videos[DISCOUNT] Start Serverless Skills Bundle (4 courses) - (only $49 instead of $79)[FREE] Alexa Development for Absolute BeginnersAnsible CommunityThe Phoenix ProjectThe DevOps HandbookShow NotesTopic 1 - Welcome back to the show. Let's talk about the Ansible community. You've been around large and fast moving communities for a while. What makes a healthy OSS community or project?Topic 2 - I've been reading a number of surveys recently about important tech skills and Ansible is always near the top of the list. What do you think is driving that level of importance?Topic 3 - We’re were both at a DevOps event with Gene Kim last week. Where do you see DevOps in the industry today in terms of success, best practices, etc. and what role does Ansible play with DevOps? Topic 4 - Let's talk about containers. How is this space evolving? Lots of new tools, etc.Topic 5 - Let’s talk about Serverless. Lots of talk about this being the ultimate NoOps movement. What do you hear from Ops engineers about how they plan to evolve with these new abstractions.Feedback?Email: show at thecloudcast dot netTwitter: @thecloudcastnet