Adventures in DevOps

In today’s episode, Will Button and Warren are joined by special guest Eyal Solomon, co-founder of Lunar.dev. This episode dives deep into pressing DevOps topics like the complexities of Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions and the intricacies of the API economy. They explore the challenges of API management, the importance of visibility and monitoring in API consumption, and strategies to prevent issues like rate limiting and billing surprises.Eyal shares his journey from infrastructure optimization to specializing in API management, highlighting how Lunar dot Dev helps companies handle API quotas, security, and performance through their innovative platform. We also delve into integrating AI within APIs, managing API costs, and the rising trend of AI agents.Join them as they dissect the importance of combining storytelling with educational insights in various content forms, from books to YouTube channels. Learn how running can be a form of meditation and problem-solving, and get top book recommendations from our hosts. Whether you’re dealing with API challenges or looking to optimize your DevOps practices, this episode is packed with valuable insights straight from the experts. Don’t miss out!LinksLunar.devSocialsLinkedIn: Eyal Solomon

Today, Will and Warren dive into the intersection of DevOps and AI with our special guest, Görkem Ercan, CTO of Jozu and a seasoned expert in developer tools and DevOps. In this episode, they explore the practical applications and challenges of integrating Machine Learning into DevOps workflows, utilizing real-world examples like global shirt distribution and the US Army's sizing issues. They also discuss the critical role of psychological safety in successful teams, the surprising origins of the webcam, and the remarkable engineering feats of the Voyager spacecraft.Moreover, they unpack the intricacies of AI model management, confronting issues like non-deterministic outcomes, data drift, and the need for a unified control plane to handle complex, dynamic environments. They touch on the rise of internal AI management, the innovative use of sentiment analysis in customer support, and the surprising interest from consulting firms in AI-driven solutions.SocialsLinkedIn: Görkem ErcanGorkem Ercan 

In this engaging conversation, Markus Thurner, director of technology at Vista, delves into the realm of DevOps and engineering excellence. He highlights the crucial balance between training engineers and maintaining productivity. The group discusses the evolving landscape of cloud services versus on-premise data centers, and the complexities of managing costs. Drawing fascinating analogies from sports, they emphasize the importance of teamwork, scalable coding practices, and continual improvement. Plus, they share tech recommendations and an inspiring Metallica twist tied to history!

In today's episode, Warren, Will, and special guest Falit Jain dive deep into the intricate world of incident management and response, drawing from rich experiences at tech giants like Amazon and Disney. They explore real-life scenarios, including Amazon's complex debugging challenges with over 150 engineers maintaining their detail page, and the high stakes of live streaming events at Disney.\Join them as they discuss the crucial aspects of effective incident response, from the importance of familiarity with systems and the role of on-call processes to the value of communication and meticulous postmortems. They also deep-dive into cultural influences from leadership, the balance between new feature launches and system stability, and the significance of metrics like mean time to resolution and error budgets.SocialsLinkedIn: Falit JainPicksWarren - Radical FocusWill - The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross

In today's episode, they dive deep into the world of AI and prompt engineering with our dynamic panel of experts, featuring Anthony Spiteri. He shares their fascinating journey over the past 18 months, manipulating language models like ChatGPT to achieve remarkable results. They explore the intriguing development of a location-based app for finding the European delicacy, Black Pudding, and dive into the complexities of using AI for mentorship, accountability, and even fitness.Join them as they uncover the technical intricacies of building apps with AI, the philosophical questions surrounding AI's future, and the growing importance of prompt engineering. They also touch on critical issues of data security, the ethical implications of AI, and the ever-evolving landscape of DevOps. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting, this episode is packed with insights and stories that you won't want to miss. So, grab your headphones and get ready to explore the cutting edge of DevOps and AI!SocialsLinkedIn: Anthony Spiteri

In this episode, they dive deep into the intricate world of DevOps and the nuances that drive its continuous evolution. This episode brings you into a thought-provoking conversation featuring Michael Cade, Global Field CTO at Veeam Software. Join them as they explore a wide array of topics, from the controversial practice of intentional data leaks as an advertising strategy to the intricate details of Michael's groundbreaking "90 days of DevOps" project. This initiative, which began in 2022, has grown to feature 91 sessions and contributions from a spectrum of subject matter experts, aiming to enrich our understanding of varied DevOps topics. Michael brings fascinating insights into cloud-native data management and the challenges of integrating databases with Kubernetes.They delve into the critical aspects of business continuity, data backups, and the shared responsibility model for platforms like GitHub while emphasizing the importance of security measures such as multi-factor authentication. The episode also covers the evolution of programming languages in DevOps, the significance of physical and digital note-taking for task management, and the personal balance between professional responsibilities and physical activity.The discussion extends to the mentorship challenge within the DevOps community, the importance of creating and sharing valuable content, and the role of storytelling in simplifying complex technical concepts. Whether you're interested in hearing about the use of various cloud platforms, the behind-the-scenes of Michael's career at Veeam, or tips for achieving work-life harmony, this episode has something for everyone. So, plug in your AirPods Pro 2, lace up your running shoes, and get ready to be inspired by another exciting journey into the world of DevOps.SocialsLinkedIn: Michael CadeMichael CadeGitHub: @MichaelCade

In this episode, they dive deep into the evolving landscape of cloud infrastructure and developer experience. Join our host, Warren and Will and Eli Ben Israel—former AWS and Microsoft engineer and co-founder of Wing—as they explore the challenges and innovations in DevOps.In this episode, Eli shares pivotal insights from his journey at Amazon, revealing that despite advanced tools like CDK, building on the cloud remains fraught with difficulties. They dissect the cognitive barriers developers face in understanding cloud mechanics and the need for greater access and autonomy in cloud development.Discover the transformative potential of the Wing project, designed to abstract cloud complexities and enhance developer productivity by providing a seamless, cloud-agnostic platform. They also touch upon the importance of good API design, the intriguing philosophy behind Kubernetes, and how projects like Wing promise to simplify and scale cloud development.As they navigate through infrastructure challenges, community building in open-source projects, and the shift from Slack to Discord, this episode promises a wealth of knowledge for both seasoned DevOps professionals and curious newcomers.Stay tuned for technical insights, book recommendations, and a journey through the future of cloud development on **Top End Devs**!Socials LinkedIn: Elad Ben-Israel

Warren delves into this episode featuring an engaging conversation with David Stenglein, a seasoned industry expert with over 20 years of experience. In this episode, they shed light on the pitfalls of hiring product managers amidst hype cycles, urging a shift towards a product mindset that prioritizes user pain points and tangible value. They critique traditional metrics like DORA and ENPS, discussing their limitations and the need for better communication and alignment on business-level metrics.They explore the complexities of platform adoption, from Kubernetes to Docker, and the challenges of managing modern technologies. David emphasizes the importance of striking a balance between innovation and practicality, while Warren delves into the cognitive load and the necessity of higher-level abstractions. With discussions ranging from the evolution of software platforms, and the transformative potential of WebAssembly, to the nuances of user-driven platform development, this episode is packed with valuable insights for every developer navigating the fast-evolving tech landscape. So, tune in as they dissect the future of platform development and the delicate dance between innovation and efficiency.SocialsLinkedIn: David Stenglein

In this episode, Warren and Will delve deep into the intricate world of DevOps and SaaS integrations, featuring insights from special guest Michael Zuercher from Prismatic. Throughout the discussion, they talk about the challenges legacy companies face in updating their massive infrastructure and how Prismatic is revolutionizing SaaS integrations with its innovative approaches. They explore the significance of flexible and reliable integration platforms, learn about the evolution of farming technology, and take a closer look at the long tail of customer needs in the tech industry.Moreover, the experts take on the complexities of handling large data files and API integrations, including the persistent issues of idempotency, pagination, and rate limiting. Additionally, they discuss leadership and market strategies, with book recommendations and personal anecdotes enriching our tech talk. Tune in as they uncover how Prismatic is crafting tools to simplify the integration process, reduce reliance on core developers, and help businesses thrive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. Get ready for an episode filled with technical expertise, practical advice, and a few surprises along the way!SocialsLinkedIn: Michael Zuercher prismatic.io/

In this episode, they delve into the intricacies of DevOps implementation with our insightful hosts and key guest, Marius Stanca. They share invaluable perspectives on the continuous learning nature of DevOps, the evolving toolkit, and the essential roadmap for organizations. Highlighting the critical need for understanding problems before adopting DevOps solutions, the conversation covers practical experiences, automation strategies, and effective resource management.They also discuss the misuse of terms like "agile" and "DevOps" and the importance of eliminating waste through lean principles, citing "The Toyota Way." Moreover, they reflect on the challenges of starting with DevOps, noting the high-quality, minimal-effort maintainability of resources. They explore the automation of everyday tasks, leveraging tools like GitHub and GitLab, and the necessity of adapting to evolving technologies.Marius Stanca introduces the "awesome DevOps" repository, a collaborative resource collection meticulously vetted for DevOps and SRE relevance. Navigating through topics such as team structuring, the simplification of workflows, the perpetual struggle of innovation in DevOps, and the use of GPT in generating source code, this episode is packed with expert advice and humorous insights. Tune in as we bridge the gap between theory and practical execution, providing a rich roadmap for your DevOps journey!SocialsLinkedIn: Marius Stancamarius.xyz