The AWS Developers Podcast

In this episode of the AWS Developers Podcast, we explore the first major step in Cancer Research UK’s broader move to serverless: the migration of their payment systems. While this application was the first to make the shift, it paved the way for many other products and services that have since followed suit—marking a significant milestone in their serverless journey. Our guests, Ellie Wintram and Swetha Podduturi, walk us through the motivations behind the migration, the architecture decisions that shaped it, and the key AWS services that made it possible. They share how technologies like AWS Lambda and DynamoDB enabled cost savings of up to 94%, why TypeScript was the right fit for their microservices, and how observability and load testing were central to building trust in the new system. Whether you're planning a migration or curious about serverless best practices in production, this episode is packed with technical insights and practical lessons from the field.With Swetha Podduturi, Software Engineer, Cancer Research UK ; With Ellie Wintram, Software Engineer, Cancer Research UKCancer Research UK

Everton Oliveira and Krzysztof Głuszczyk from Ryanair discuss the airline's ambitious integration of generative AI to meet its goal of 300 million passengers. They highlight the importance of responsible AI, including the establishment of an AI compliance hub amidst regulatory challenges. The duo provides insights into identifying use cases and optimizing processes, balancing innovation with compliance, and the role of cross-functional collaboration. With a commitment to continuous improvement, they share how they evaluate AI responses through both human and automated systems.

Tobie Morgan Hitchcock, Co-founder & CEO of SurrealDB, dives into the groundbreaking world of multi-model databases. He explains how SurrealDB simplifies complexity by separating storage from compute while supporting various data models. Tune in as he discusses the shift from Golang to Rust, the flexibility of schema definitions, and practical use cases for real-time decision-making in the cloud. Plus, hear about the importance of open-source innovation and how SurrealDB stands up to competitors like Postgres and MongoDB.

This week on the AWS Developers Podcast, we sit down with Avi Fenesh to explore the evolution of Redis into Valkey, an open-source alternative born after Redis changed its licensing model. They take a deep dive into Valkey GLIDE, a new client library designed to provide a seamless developer experience, making it easier to connect to Valkey with zero configuration. The conversation covers the architectural decisions behind Valkey GLIDE, its implementation in Rust for performance and safety, and how it supports multiple programming languages. Avi explains how the AWS-led project has grown into a thriving community-driven effort, placing developer experience, security, and scalability at its core. Topics include API design, Unix domain socket security, and how Valkey GLIDE handles complex scenarios like topology changes in clustered environments. Whether you’re building with Redis, experimenting with Rust, or just curious about the future of open source in-memory database solutions, this episode offers insights into how Valkey GLIDE is reshaping client-library development with a strong focus on community and usability.With Avi Fenesh, Software Development Engineer, AWSValkeyValkey GLIDEForeign functions interfaceUnix domain socket

In this episode of the AWS Developers Podcast, we dive into the different ways to deploy large language models (LLMs) on AWS. From self-managed deployments on EC2 to fully managed services like SageMaker and Bedrock, we break down the pros and cons of each approach. Whether you're optimizing for compliance, cost, or time-to-market, we explore the trade-offs between flexibility and simplicity. You'll hear practical insights into instance selection, infrastructure management, model sizing, and prototyping strategies. We also examine how services like SageMaker Jumpstart and serverless architectures like Bedrock can streamline your machine learning workflows. If you're building or scaling AI applications in the cloud, this episode will help you navigate your options and design a deployment strategy that fits your needs.With Germaine Ong, Startup Solution Architect ; With Jarett Yeo, Startup Solution ArchitectBlog: Deploying Deepseek R1 Distill on Amazon EC2Blog: Deploying DeepSeek R1 Distill on Amazon Sagemaker JumpstartOllamaOpen Web UIDoc: deploy your own model on Amazon SagemakerDoc: deploy your own model on Amazon Bedrock

In this episode of the AWS Developers Podcast, we sit down with Ivan Casco, Principal Solutions Architect, AWS Community Builder, and one of the rare few to have earned all 14 AWS certifications—an achievement that earned him the coveted Golden Jacket. Ivan takes us through his remarkable journey, from his first certification back in 2017 to joining the Community Builders program in 2023, and finally reaching the full set of certifications in 2025. Based between Spain and Dublin, Ivan shares what drove him to pursue this challenge, how he stayed motivated, and which certifications pushed him the most—spoiler alert: networking and machine learning were no walk in the park. We also dive into his favorite study techniques, what it’s really like to sit through the exams, and how these certifications have impacted both his confidence and his career. If you're thinking about starting your own AWS certification path—or you're in the middle of one—this conversation is full of practical advice, community insight, and inspiration. Plus, find out what the golden jacket moment was really like.With Ivan Casco Valero, Principal Solutions ArchitectAWS Certifications

Join us for an in-depth conversation with Rick Ochs from AWS as we explore the powerful capabilities of AWS Compute Optimizer. Discover how this free tool changes cloud resource management by leveraging machine learning to deliver precise recommendations for EC2 instances, EBS volumes, and more. Rick shares insights on how Compute Optimizer analyzes historical utilization data to help organizations optimize both cost and performance, while respecting customer privacy through opt-in features. Learn about the tool's evolution, its integration with auto scaling groups, and how it handles everything from basic resource sizing to complex performance management decisions. We also dive into the future of cloud optimization, exploring upcoming AI integrations and discussing how AWS builds trust in its recommendations. Whether you're managing a small deployment or a large-scale infrastructure, this episode offers valuable insights into maximizing your AWS resources while maintaining optimal performance and cost efficiency.With Rick Ochs, Senior Manager, Cloud OptimizationGetting started with AWS Compute Optimizer

In this episode of the AWS Developers Podcast, Sebastien Stormacq is joined by Giuseppe Battista and Kevin Shaffer-Morrison for a deep dive into Agentic AI and the Model Context Protocol (MCP). They explore how startups are rapidly adopting generative AI and the business and technical hurdles they encounter along the way. The conversation covers how AI agents are integrated into workflows, the role of orchestration technologies, and how tools enhance the planning capabilities of AI models. The trio unpacks the MCP framework and its potential to standardize communication between large language models and tools—drawing a compelling analogy to how USB transformed hardware interactions. They also discuss the complexities of tool orchestration, including resource management and security, and what the rise of ‘tool definition engineering’ means for the future. From integrating MCP with platforms like Amazon Bedrock to rethinking the role of software engineers, this episode looks at how AI is reshaping the foundations of modern software development.With Kevin Shaffer-Morrison, Senior Startup Solution Architect ; With Giuseppe Battista, Senior Startup Solution ArchitectModel Context Protocol (MCP) and Amazon BedrockRunning MCP-Based Agents (Clients & Servers) on AWSThe multi-agent orchestratorThe podcast where we talk about the multi-agent orcuestratorAgent Orchestration: CrewAIAgent Orchestration: PydanticSmolagentsSwami's post on Linked about MCP

In this episode of the AWS Developers Podcast, we sit down with Trevor Rowe, Senior Manager of the AWS SDK team, for a deep dive into the evolution and inner workings of the AWS SDKs. We explore how the SDKs scale to support over 320+ AWS services, the importance of maintaining backward compatibility, and the role of developer experience in shaping the SDK design. Trevor explains how the team uses Smithy to automate code generation, ensuring consistency and efficiency across different programming languages. The conversation touches on the growing adoption of modular architecture, community contributions via GitHub, and the team's efforts to improve performance, define better schemas, and simplify migrations. Whether you're building cloud applications or maintaining complex integrations, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at how AWS builds and evolves its core developer tools.With Trevor Rowe, Sr. Software Engineering Manager, AWSThe AWS SDKs, API for 320+ services in 13 programming languagesSmithy code generation from API definitionCurrent retry strategy in the AWS SDKsBlog post: AWS STS service endpoint and Retry StrategyAWS Common Runtime for the AWS SDKs

In this episode of the AWS Developers Podcast, we welcome Christian Bonzelet to discuss the art of prompting in software development. Together, we explore how PromptZ.dev helps developers structure and share their prompts to maximize efficiency. Christian shares his insights from hands-on workshops, the challenges engineers face, and the importance of community feedback. The episode also delves into the technologies used to build the platform, including Amplify Gen2, DynamoDB, and Cognito, as well as its integration with Amazon Q. Finally, they discuss the impact of AI on developers' workflows and the future of PromptZ.dev.With Christian Bonzelet, Solution Architect, Bundesliga & AWS Community BuilderBundesligaPromptZAmazon Q Developer