Platform Engineering Podcast

Are your platform teams constantly saying "no" to requests for new Kubernetes clusters? The traditional approach to Kubernetes multi-tenancy forces organizations to choose between cluster sprawl or restrictive namespaces - neither of which fully meets the needs of modern development teams.Lukas Gentele, CEO and co-founder of Loft Labs, shares how vCluster is transforming the way organizations handle multi-tenancy in Kubernetes. By running virtual Kubernetes control planes inside namespaces, vCluster enables teams to experiment with different versions, operators, and configurations while maintaining efficient resource usage.Key topics covered:How vCluster solves the limitations of...

When organizations grow beyond using third-party platforms, they face a critical challenge: how to build internal platforms that enable teams to work efficiently while maintaining security and compliance. Abby Bangser, founding principal engineer at Syntasso, shares insights on creating real-world platforms that strike the right balance between standardization and flexibility.Key InsightsThe shift from external platforms to internal ones often comes from specific business needs, like compliance requirementsSuccessful platform engineering requires finding the right balance between prescriptive standards and flexible customizationPlatforms should offer multiple levels of abstraction - from simplified "paved paths" to advanced customization...

Testing smart TV applications presents unique challenges that traditional web testing approaches can't solve. Dave Lucia, CTO and co-founder of TV Labs, shares how his team built a platform that virtualizes televisions and set-top boxes to help media companies test their smart TV apps on physical devices.Learn about TV Labs' innovative architecture and how they handle everything from camera-based testing systems to their custom Lua-based DSL for faster test execution. A key highlight is how choosing Elixir as their primary technology has enabled TV Labs to build a robust orchestration system. The language's built-in capabilities for...

Why do 70% of organizations still struggle to adopt infrastructure as code? Sören Martius, CPO and co-founder of Terramate, joins Cory O'Daniel to tackle the challenges of modern infrastructure management and the delicate balance between vendor trust and lock-in.The conversation explores practical solutions for common infrastructure challenges, from managing monolithic state files to orchestrating complex deployments. Martius shares insights on: When to maintain a monolithic state file versus breaking it into smaller unitsHow infrastructure needs evolve as engineering teams grow beyond 100 peopleWhy anti-lock-in features build trust with operations teamsThe role of AI in detecting and re...

Building infrastructure tooling doesn't require massive VC funding or a huge team - just ask Malcolm Matalka, co-founder of bootstrapped Terrateam. Malcolm shares his journey from real estate websites to investment banking to biotech, before landing in infrastructure automation.Learn how Terrateam takes a unique "libraries over frameworks" approach to development, prioritizing simplicity and control by carefully selecting dependencies and building critical components in-house. Malcolm explains how this philosophy leads to more maintainable code and better security outcomes.As an early participant in the OpenTofu fork, Malcolm provides insights into the community response and adoption...

Is GitOps holding your team back? In this thought-provoking conversation with Massdriver co-founder Dave Williams, we challenge conventional wisdom around cloud infrastructure management and explore why traditional approaches to compliance and self-service may be creating more problems than they solve.Discover how leading organizations are moving beyond ceremonial approval processes to create truly automated, self-service platforms that enhance developer productivity while maintaining security and control. Learn why treating infrastructure as code differently from application code could be the key to unlocking engineering velocity.Key topics covered:Why compliance doesn't require manual GitOps workflowsCreating meaningful...

Feeling overwhelmed by the number of apps you need to manage while building developer trust, managing costs, and trying to create an extensible platform that teams actually want to use?Joel Vasallo shares practical insights from scaling TAG's platform engineering initiatives across multiple healthcare organizations. Learn how his team transformed deployment times from weeks to minutes while maintaining security and compliance. Joel breaks down the journey from initial Kubernetes adoption to managing 70+ applications. Listeners will gain actionable strategies for:Starting small with platform initiatives and building organic buy-inBalancing standardization with team autonomyManaging cloud costs a...

Navigating cloud migrations and building modern platforms is challenging in the best of circumstances. Alex Voorhees, VP of Cloud Engineering at 66 Degrees, shares valuable lessons from helping organizations as they take on these challenges.Don’t miss his insights on:How to tackle the human and organizational challenges that come with cloud transformationPractical strategies for upskilling teams transitioning from traditional ops to cloud operationsKey considerations when implementing platform engineering solutions across different organizational maturity levelsIntegrating AI capabilities into cloud architectureCommon pitfalls to avoid when moving legacy applications to the cloudApproaches for balancing innovation with practical business ne...

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.<...

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.Guest:  Jessica Kalinowski, Vice President of DevOps and Corporate IT at connectRNVice President of DevOps and Corp IT with 15+ years’ experience in IT as...

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.Guest: Solomon Hykes, Co-founder of Docker and DaggerSolomon Hykes is the co-founder and CEO of Dagger.io, t...

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.Guest: Justin Berman, VP of Platform Engineering and Chief Information Security Officer at Thirty MadisonJustin Berman is the VP of Platform Engineering and Chief Information Security Officer at Thirty Madison. Prior he was Head of S...

Join us as we learn about Stack Overflow's monumental shift from on-premises infrastructure to the cloud with Peter O'Connor, Director of Platform Engineering. Peter shares invaluable insights on navigating the complexities of migrating a beloved developer platform, balancing technical challenges with team dynamics, and fostering a culture of innovation. From the intricacies of lift-and-shift strategies to the nuances of adopting microservices, this episode offers a masterclass in modern platform engineering. Discover how Stack Overflow is revolutionizing its architecture while maintaining its core mission of serving developers worldwide.Guest: Peter O'Connor, Director of Platform Engineering at Stack Overflow</p...

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, a...

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...

In this episode Cory sits down with Adrian Cockroft, a pioneering technologist who played a crucial role in Netflix's transition to cloud computing and microservices architecture. Adrian shares insights from his impressive career, including his work at Netflix, AWS, and beyond. He discusses the evolution of DevOps practices, the rise of microservices, and the challenges of platform engineering in today's complex cloud environments. Adrian also delves into the pressing issue of sustainability in tech, offering valuable perspectives on the environmental impact of AI and machine learning workloads. Whether you're a seasoned DevOps professional or just starting your journey in...

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...

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.Guest: Mitchell Ha...

In this second episode of the Platform Engineering Podcast’s special series on the Foundations of The Cloud, Cory O’Daniel meets up with Adam Jacob, co-founder of Chef and System Initiative. They discuss his early interest in infrastructure and automation, the development and impact of Chef in the DevOps community, and his transition to becoming a CEO. The conversation emphasizes the community and technological advancements Chef brought to the industry and introduces the ambitious goals of his current project, System Initiative. Don't miss this insightful conversation—tune in now to discover the future of infrastructure and automation!Gues...

In this special episode of the Platform Engineering Podcast on Foundations of The Cloud, Cory O'Daniel chats with Mark Burgess, the creator of CFEngine and a pioneer in configuration management. They dive into Mark's journey from physics to computer science, the birth of CFEngine, and the dynamic world of system administration and DevOps. They also explore the evolution of IT operations, the challenges of managing modern infrastructures, and the future promises of AI and autonomous systems in tech. Join us for an insightful discussion filled with historical anecdotes, practical advice, and visionary ideas for the future of platform engineering.<...