
Platform Engineering Podcast
Welcome to the Platform Engineering Podcast, a monthly exploration into the fascinating world of platform engineering. This podcast caters to professionals and enthusiasts passionate about the intricacies of platform architecture, cloud operations, and scaling DevOps practices. Whether you're a seasoned expert or just starting in the realm of platform engineering, this is a must-listen show you don’t want to miss.Each episode features in-depth interviews with seasoned platform engineers, cloud specialists, and DevOps teams. Their expertise and knowledge are crucial for thriving in this field. Tune in as they share their experiences, challenges, and successes, offering unique perspectives into the everyday workings and innovations of this domain. Let their intriguing anecdotes provide you with valuable lessons that can immediately enhance your business’s competitive edge. Hosting the podcast is Cory O’Daniel, CEO of Massdriver. A software and operations engineer in Los Angeles, California, Cory has over two decades of experience in building startup brands and managing cloud operations. He created Bonny, an Elixir-based Kubernetes operator framework, and is passionate about AWS cloud, Kubernetes, and platform engineering. Join Cory as he breaks down platform engineering with his expert guests. Learn more at platformengineeringpod.com
Latest episodes

Nov 27, 2024 • 1h 5min
Democratizing Kubernetes: The Kubefirst Journey with John Dietz
John Dietz, CEO and co-founder of Konstruct (formerly Kubefirst), joins us fresh from KubeCon North America to discuss the evolution of cloud-native platform adoption. John shares insights into Konstruct's mission to make Kubernetes and cloud-native technology more accessible, reducing the typical 18-month adoption timeline to minutes.The conversation explores Konstruct's two main products: Kubefirst, an open-source GitOps platform, and Colony, their new solution for bare metal and data center deployments. John discusses the company's philosophy on open-source licensing, the importance of building trust in platform engineering, and their unique approach to commercialization while maintaining core platform accessibility.Don’t miss our new segment: TrashOps!Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, & share! http://platformengineeringpod.com/

Nov 13, 2024 • 51min
Executing Well in Healthcare with Jessica Kalinowski
Jessica Kalinowski, VP of DevOps and Corporate IT at Connect RN, shares her journey from corporate IT to implementing DevOps and platform engineering in a startup environment. Jessica discusses the challenges and successes of applying tech strategies in healthcare.The episode covers strategies for platform adoption, including early engineer engagement and flexible implementation. Jessica discusses how automation has enabled efficient management with a small team, benefiting the entire organization.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, & share! http://platformengineeringpod.com/

Oct 30, 2024 • 56min
Solomon Hykes on Docker, Dagger, and the Future of DevOps
In this episode, Solomon Hykes discusses the journey from Docker's inception to its widespread adoption, the challenges faced in open-source development, and his current work with Dagger. He explains how Dagger aims to revolutionize continuous integration by making pipelines more modular and efficient, addressing the "push and pray" problem in software development. Hykes also shares insights on the evolution of DevOps, the complexities of open-source business models, and his vision for the future of software development workflows.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, & share! http://platformengineeringpod.com/

Oct 16, 2024 • 60min
Security and Scalability with Justin Berman from Thirty Madison
In this episode of the Platform Engineering Podcast, Cory O'Daniel sits down with Justin Berman, Vice President of Platform Engineering and Chief Information Security Officer at Thirty Madison. Justin shares his journey from software engineering to security leadership, discusses the challenges of building secure and scalable platforms, and offers insights into the future of platform engineering and security integration.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, & share! http://platformengineeringpod.com/

Oct 2, 2024 • 54min
Engineering Culture Change with Stack Overflow’s Peter O’Connor
Peter O’Connor, the Director of Platform Engineering at Stack Overflow, shares insights on the company’s shift from on-premises infrastructure to the cloud. He discusses the balance between technical challenges and team dynamics during this monumental transition. O’Connor highlights the importance of fostering a culture of innovation and overcoming resistance to cloud-native services. With anecdotes from his educational background, he emphasizes collaboration and communication in advancing DevOps and platform engineering, while addressing the role of AI in this evolving landscape.

Sep 18, 2024 • 44min
Platform Engineering for Social Good with Code for America’s Grace Huntley
Want your work to mean more?In this inspiring episode of the Platform Engineering Podcast, we welcome Grace Huntley, Director of Engineering for DevOps, InfoSec, and Safety Net Innovation Lab at Code for America. Grace shares her unconventional journey from licensed plumber to civic tech leader, driven by personal experiences and a passion for solving societal challenges through technology. Discover how Code for America is revolutionizing government services, making them more accessible and efficient for those in need. Grace discusses the transition from private sector to civic tech, the challenges of working with government systems, and the exciting potential of AI in improving public services. This episode offers valuable insights into the intersection of technology, social impact, and the future of civic engagement.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, & share! http://platformengineeringpod.com/

Sep 4, 2024 • 47min
Bridging Tech and Human Factors in Platform Engineering with Morteza Irdmousa
Technical expertise is undoubtedly important when it comes to implementing Platform Engineering but unless you are also paying close attention to the human factor and the cultural aspects of building an effective team it will be much harder to succeed.Cory talks to Morteza Irdmousa, Head of Platform Engineering at Curative, about his experiences in Platform Engineering and DevOps. Join them as they explore the need for a holistic approach that considers both technical and cultural aspects of implementing Platform teams. Gain valuable insights and actionable takeaways as they discuss key issues such as team integration, psychological safety, team engagement, and messaging that truly conveys the business impact of platform engineering work. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, & share! http://platformengineeringpod.com/

Aug 21, 2024 • 1h 2min
From Netflix to the Cloud: Adrian Cockroft on DevOps, Microservices, and Sustainability
Adrian Cockroft, a trailblazer in cloud computing at Netflix, shares insights on transforming IT infrastructures. He discusses the evolution of DevOps and microservices, emphasizing the need for developer ownership in navigating complex cloud environments. Adrian also tackles the pressing issue of sustainability, revealing the environmental impact of AI workloads and advocating for greener practices. His journey offers valuable lessons for professionals in cloud computing, blending technical expertise with a forward-thinking approach to sustainability.

Aug 7, 2024 • 57min
Foundations of The Cloud With Brian Grant, Kubernetes
It’s episode four of the Platform Engineering Podcast’s special series on the Foundations of The Cloud! This time Cory O'Daniel sits down with Brian Grant, the original lead architect of Kubernetes, to dive deep into the history and evolution of Kubernetes in cloud operations. Brian shares his journey from working in supercomputing to joining Google and helping develop Kubernetes. He also provides insights on the importance of Kubernetes' declarative model, managing complexity in cloud native environments, and the extensive impact and future potential of Kubernetes. Tune in to learn more about the intricate details of platform engineering and the revolutionary developments in cloud native infrastructure.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, & share! http://platformengineeringpod.com/

Jul 24, 2024 • 54min
Foundations of The Cloud With Mitchell Hashimoto, Terraform
In this third episode of the Platform Engineering Podcast’s special series on the Foundations of The Cloud, host Corey O'Daniel interviews Mitchell Hashimoto, co-founder of HashiCorp and creator of Terraform, Vault, and Nomad. They discuss the intricacies of platform engineering, the history and evolution of Terraform, the advent of infrastructure as code, and the challenges accompanying it. Mitchell also shares insights on his new project, Ghostly, a high-performance terminal emulator, and delves into how generative AI will transform operations engineering. Listen to this episode to get valuable lessons for both industry veterans and newcomers.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, & share! http://platformengineeringpod.com/