In this episode of Simplyblock's Cloud Commute Podcast, QA engineer Meryem Zid shares her insights on building effective QA pipelines, emphasizing unit tests and end-to-end testing as essentials for software quality. She discusses using tools like LocalStack and Terraform for cloud testing and explores emerging trends like chaos engineering, advanced observability, and edge computing testing. Meryem views AI as a supportive, transformative tool for QA rather than a replacement for human expertise, and she encourages adopting a QA culture that values continuous learning and collaboration.

In this episode of Cloud Commute, Chris and Meryem discuss:

• How to build an effective QA pipeline, from unit tests to end-to-end testing.
• What is LocalStack, and how can it be used to test AWS cloud services locally?
• Challenges and benefits of using Terraform for Infrastructure as Code in QA processes.
• Why chaos engineering and advanced observability are key to the future of quality assurance.
• How AI can assist in testing, but why it will not replace human-driven QA strategies.

Interested to learn more about the cloud infrastructure stack like storage, security, and Kubernetes? Head to our website (www.simplyblock.io/cloud-commute-podcast) for more episodes, and follow us on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/simplyblock-io/mycompany/). You can also check out the detailed show notes on Youtube (https://youtu.be/qoyyT9whpZQ).

You can find Meryem Zid (Senior Testing Engineer at Adservio Group) on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meryem-zid-652852187/

About simplyblock:

Simplyblock is an intelligent database storage orchestrator for IO-intensive workloads in Kubernetes, including databases and analytics solutions. It uses smart NVMe caching to speed up read I/O latency and queries. Single system connects local NVMe disks, GP3 volumes, and S3 making it easier to handle storage capacity and performance. With the benefits of thin provisioning, storage tiering, and volume pooling, your database workloads get better performance at lower cost without changes to existing AWS infrastructure.

👉 Get started with simplyblock: https://www.simplyblock.io/buy-now

🏪 simplyblock AWS Marketplace: https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/seller-profile?id=seller-fzdtuccq3edzm

In this episode of Simplyblock's Cloud Commute Podcast, Jeremy Theocharis, co-founder and CTO of Unite Manufacturing Hub (UMH), joins us to discuss digital transformation in manufacturing. Jeremy delves into how UMH centralizes factory data, enhancing real-time monitoring and data accessibility with a new data layer for the manufacturing process. He explains the benefits of integrating sensors and controllers, creating a Unified Namespace to improve efficiency and prevent production downtime. Additionally, Jeremy shares insights on UMH's scalable, Kubernetes-based infrastructure, built for self-hosting and data security.

In this episode of Cloud Commute, Chris and Jeremy discuss:

• What is the Unite Manufacturing Hub, and how does it centralize factory data?
• Why is real-time monitoring crucial for modern manufacturing?
• What challenges come with data security and self-hosting in industrial IoT?
• Why is the Unified Namespace concept a game changer for manufacturing?

Interested to learn more about the cloud infrastructure stack like storage, security, and Kubernetes? Head to our website (www.simplyblock.io/cloud-commute-podcast) for more episodes, and follow us on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/simplyblock-io/mycompany/). You can also check out the detailed show notes on Youtube (https://youtu.be/FU9VZnriHrY).

You can find Jeremy Theocharis (Co-founder & CTO at United Manufacturing Hub) on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-theocharis/

About simplyblock:

Simplyblock is an intelligent database storage orchestrator for IO-intensive workloads in Kubernetes, including databases and analytics solutions. It uses smart NVMe caching to speed up read I/O latency and queries. Single system connects local NVMe disks, GP3 volumes, and S3 making it easier to handle storage capacity and performance. With the benefits of thin provisioning, storage tiering, and volume pooling, your database workloads get better performance at lower cost without changes to existing AWS infrastructure.

👉 Get started with simplyblock: https://www.simplyblock.io/buy-now

🏪 simplyblock AWS Marketplace: https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/seller-profile?id=seller-fzdtuccq3edzm

In this episode of Simplyblock's Cloud Commute Podcast, Hadi Hariri, the head of open source projects at JetBrains, joins us to discuss the evolution of programming languages and developer tools. Hadi shares insights on JetBrains’ diverse suite of IDEs, including the recently launched Rust Rover, and explores how the company has integrated AI tools to support developer productivity. He also addresses the hype and practical impact of AI in coding, touching on how it may shape future developer skills.

In this episode of Cloud Commute, Chris and Hadi discuss:

• The evolution of JetBrains and its tools for developers
• The impact of AI on coding and developer productivity
• How JetBrains supports Rust development with Rust Rover
• Why Hadi believes critical thinking is essential in a tech-driven world

Interested to learn more about the cloud infrastructure stack like storage, security, and Kubernetes? Head to our website (www.simplyblock.io/cloud-commute-podcast) for more episodes, and follow us on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/simplyblock-io/mycompany/). You can also check out the detailed show notes on Youtube (https://youtu.be/LsZIx4DZBwM).

You can find Hadi Hariri (VP of Program Management and Communications at JetBrains) on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hadi-hariri/

About simplyblock:

Simplyblock is an intelligent database storage orchestrator for IO-intensive workloads in Kubernetes, including databases and analytics solutions. It uses smart NVMe caching to speed up read I/O latency and queries. Single system connects local NVMe disks, GP3 volumes, and S3 making it easier to handle storage capacity and performance. With the benefits of thin provisioning, storage tiering, and volume pooling, your database workloads get better performance at lower cost without changes to existing AWS infrastructure.

👉 Get started with simplyblock: https://www.simplyblock.io/buy-now

🏪 simplyblock AWS Marketplace: https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/seller-profile?id=seller-fzdtuccq3edzm

In this episode of Simplyblock's Cloud Commute Podcast, Yingjun Wu, founder of RisingWave Labs, discusses stream processing and how RisingWave enables real-time data analytics. He explains the differences between batch and streaming databases, RisingWave’s PostgreSQL compatibility, and its open-source focus.

In this episode of Cloud Commute, Chris and Yingjun discuss:

• What is stream processing and how does it differ from batch processing?
• Why RisingWave is a better fit for real-time data analytics.
• How PostgreSQL compatibility enhances RisingWave’s functionality.
• What open standards like Postgres, Kafka, and Iceberg mean for the future of data infrastructure.

Interested to learn more about the cloud infrastructure stack like storage, security, and Kubernetes? Head to our website (https://podcasts.simplyblock.io/podcast/cloud-commute) for more episodes, and follow us on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/simplyblock-io/mycompany/). You can also check out the detailed show notes on Youtube (https://youtu.be/tJIoKWqInu4).

You can find Yingjun Wu (Founder & CEO at RisingWave Labs) on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yingjun-wu/

About simplyblock:

Simplyblock is an intelligent database storage orchestrator for IO-intensive workloads in Kubernetes, including databases and analytics solutions. It uses smart NVMe caching to speed up read I/O latency and queries. Single system connects local NVMe disks, GP3 volumes, and S3 making it easier to handle storage capacity and performance. With the benefits of thin provisioning, storage tiering, and volume pooling, your database workloads get better performance at lower cost without changes to existing AWS infrastructure.

👉 Get started with simplyblock: https://www.simplyblock.io/buy-now

🏪 simplyblock AWS Marketplace: https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/seller-profile?id=seller-fzdtuccq3edzm

In this episode of Cloud Commute, Java evangelist Bruno Souza shares insights on adapting to cloud and AI trends, navigating the hidden job market, and building career visibility. He emphasizes hands-on learning and applying new technologies in real projects. Souza also introduces his Mentorship Hub, aimed at helping developers advance their careers with personalized guidance.

In this episode of Cloud Commute, Chris and Bruno Souza discuss:

• How to navigate the hidden job market in tech
• The importance of cloud computing and AI for career advancement
• Practical advice for developers to build visibility and learn new technologies
• How mentorship can help developers grow their careers and adapt to industry changes

Interested to learn more about the cloud infrastructure stack like storage, security, and Kubernetes? Head to our website (www.simplyblock.io/cloud-commute-podcast) for more episodes, and follow us on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/simplyblock-io/mycompany/). You can also check out the detailed show notes on Youtube (https://youtu.be/iq8_3zmNHgM).

You can find Bruno Souza on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brjavaman/

About simplyblock:

Simplyblock is an intelligent database storage orchestrator for IO-intensive workloads in Kubernetes, including databases and analytics solutions. It uses smart NVMe caching to speed up read I/O latency and queries. Single system connects local NVMe disks, GP3 volumes, and S3 making it easier to handle storage capacity and performance. With the benefits of thin provisioning, storage tiering, and volume pooling, your database workloads get better performance at lower cost without changes to existing AWS infrastructure.

👉 Get started with simplyblock: https://www.simplyblock.io/buy-now

🏪 simplyblock AWS Marketplace: https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/seller-profile?id=seller-fzdtuccq3edzm

In this episode of Cloud Commute, Michele Mancioppi, Head of Product at Dash0, discusses how Dash0 enhances Kubernetes-native observability using OpenTelemetry. He and Chris Engelbert explore the importance of context in telemetry data and how standardization simplifies observability. Mancioppi also touches on balancing product management with technical expertise.

In this episode of Cloud Commute, Chris and Michele discuss:

• What OpenTelemetry brings to observability and its benefits.
• How Dash0 simplifies Kubernetes-native observability.
• The importance of context when analyzing telemetry data.
• The evolving role of AI and machine learning in observability solutions.

Interested to learn more about the cloud infrastructure stack like storage, security, and Kubernetes? Head to our website (www.simplyblock.io/cloud-commute-podcast) for more episodes, and follow us on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/simplyblock-io/mycompany/). You can also check out the detailed show notes on Youtube (https://youtu.be/9QMaykrLduw)

You can find Christina Lin (Head of Product at Dash0) on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelemancioppi/

About simplyblock:

Simplyblock is an intelligent database storage orchestrator for IO-intensive workloads in Kubernetes, including databases and analytics solutions. It uses smart NVMe caching to speed up read I/O latency and queries. Single system connects local NVMe disks, GP3 volumes, and S3 making it easier to handle storage capacity and performance. With the benefits of thin provisioning, storage tiering, and volume pooling, your database workloads get better performance at lower cost without changes to existing AWS infrastructure.

👉 Get started with simplyblock: https://www.simplyblock.io/buy-now

🏪 simplyblock AWS Marketplace: https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/seller-profile?id=seller-fzdtuccq3edzm

In this episode of Cloud Commute, Christina Lin from Redpanda Data discusses how Redpanda simplifies data streaming as an alternative to Kafka. She and Chris Engelbert explore its ease of use, cloud compatibility, and innovations like the BYOC service as a seamless Kafka alternative.

In this episode of Cloud Commute, Chris and Christina discuss:

• What makes Redpanda a simpler alternative to Kafka?
• How does Redpanda's BYOC (Bring Your Own Cloud) service work?
• What are the benefits of using Redpanda for cloud-native applications?
• How is Redpanda improving Kafka Connect with the Ventus Project?

Interested to learn more about the cloud infrastructure stack like storage, security, and Kubernetes? Head to our website (www.simplyblock.io/cloud-commute-podcast) for more episodes, and follow us on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/simplyblock-io/mycompany/). You can also check out the detailed show notes on Youtube (https://youtu.be/HhMoa46Y03A)

You can find Christina Lin (Director of Developer Advocacy at Redpanda) on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weimeilin/

About simplyblock:

Simplyblock is an intelligent database storage orchestrator for IO-intensive workloads in Kubernetes, including databases and analytics solutions. It uses smart NVMe caching to speed up read I/O latency and queries. Single system connects local NVMe disks, GP3 volumes, and S3 making it easier to handle storage capacity and performance. With the benefits of thin provisioning, storage tiering, and volume pooling, your database workloads get better performance at lower cost without changes to existing AWS infrastructure.

👉 Get started with simplyblock: https://www.simplyblock.io/buy-now

🏪 simplyblock AWS Marketplace: https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/seller-profile?id=seller-fzdtuccq3edzm

In this episode of Cloud Commute, Michael Schmidt, co-founder & CTO of simplyblock, joins us to discuss the innovation behind simplyblock. Michael shares his journey from consulting and leading major retail IT operations to the creation of simplyblock.

In this episode of Cloud Commute, Chris and Michael discuss:

• What is software-defined storage?
• Why is hardware-defined storage outdated?
• What are the challenges with cloud storage solutions today?
• How is Simplyblock addressing the inefficiencies of traditional and cloud storage?

Interested to learn more about the cloud infrastructure stack like storage, security, and Kubernetes? Head to our website (www.simplyblock.io/cloud-commute-podcast) for more episodes, and follow us on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/simplyblock-io/mycompany/). You can also check out the detailed show notes on Youtube (https://youtu.be/AJO5MKSg7Ls).

You can find Michael Schmidt (Co-Founder and CTO at simplyblock) on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-schmidt-7268a89/

About simplyblock:

Simplyblock is an intelligent database storage orchestrator for IO-intensive workloads in Kubernetes, including databases and analytics solutions. It uses smart NVMe caching to speed up read I/O latency and queries. Single system connects local NVMe disks, GP3 volumes, and S3 making it easier to handle storage capacity and performance. With the benefits of thin provisioning, storage tiering, and volume pooling, your database workloads get better performance at lower cost without changes to existing AWS infrastructure.

👉 Get started with simplyblock: https://www.simplyblock.io/buy-now

🏪 simplyblock AWS Marketplace: https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/seller-profile?id=seller-fzdtuccq3edzm

Event-driven processing and real-time stream analytics are common design elements of modern, scalable architectures. Jove Zhong from Timeplus talks about how and why you want to use these architectural patterns and why Timeplus.

In this episode of Cloud Commute, Chris and Jove discuss:

• What is Streaming Analytics?
• Why do people prefer Timeplus?
• What are the challenges with anything stream processing?
• What does Jove believe the future holds?

Interested to learn more about the cloud infrastructure stack like storage, security, and Kubernetes? Head to our website (www.simplyblock.io/cloud-commute-podcast) for more episodes, and follow us on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/simplyblock-io/mycompany/). You can also check out the detailed show notes on Youtube (www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6Anit845ZM).

You can find Jove Zhong (Co-Founder and Head of Product at Timeplus) on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jovezhong

About simplyblock:

Simplyblock is an intelligent database storage orchestrator for IO-intensive workloads in Kubernetes, including databases and analytics solutions. It uses smart NVMe caching to speed up read I/O latency and queries. Single system connects local NVMe disks, GP3 volumes, and S3 making it easier to handle storage capacity and performance. With the benefits of thin provisioning, storage tiering, and volume pooling, your database workloads get better performance at lower cost without changes to existing AWS infrastructure.

👉 Get started with simplyblock: https://www.simplyblock.io/buy-now

🏪 simplyblock AWS Marketplace: https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/seller-profile?id=seller-fzdtuccq3edzm

Writing good integration tests is hard. Databases and other services need to be started up, the test has to be run, and everything needs to be shut down again. In this episode of Cloud Commute Oleg Šelajev from Docker talks about how Testcontainers makes our lives better.

In this episode of Cloud Commute, Chris and Oleg discuss:

• Test containers and their role in development and testing environments
• Improving developer productivity with containerized environments
• Challenges and benefits of integrating Docker with test containers
• The future of AI in software development and democratization of AI components
• Building efficient and scalable testing frameworks using pre-configured modules

Interested to learn more about the cloud infrastructure stack like storage, security, and Kubernetes? Head to our website (www.simplyblock.io/cloud-commute-podcast) for more episodes, and follow us on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/simplyblock-io). You can also check out the detailed show notes on Youtube (www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrS8LmPVolE).

You can find Oleg Šelajev on X @shelajev and Linkedin: / shelajev.

About simplyblock:

Simplyblock is an intelligent database storage orchestrator for IO-intensive workloads in Kubernetes, including databases and analytics solutions. It uses smart NVMe caching to speed up read I/O latency and queries. A single system connects local NVMe disks, GP3 volumes, and S3 making it easier to handle storage capacity and performance. With the benefits of thin provisioning, storage tiering, and volume pooling, your database workloads get better performance at lower cost without changes to existing AWS infrastructure.

👉 Get started with simplyblock: https://www.simplyblock.io/buy-now

🏪 simplyblock AWS Marketplace: https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/seller-profile?id=seller-fzdtuccq3edzm