CloudChat

Episode 0015 - Dude, Where's My Server?

Today, Carl and Brandon cover a comprehensive overview of serverless computing, starting with its importance and benefits. We explain the serverless model, highlighting the differences between serverless and traditional computing, and addresses common misconceptions. The Big Three Cloud provider offerings are covered, including Azure Functions, AWS Lambda, and Google Cloud Run. Each service is explored, with real-world use cases, key features, and best practices for building and deploying serverless functions.

We also delve into the challenges and considerations of serverless computing, such as cold start latency, security concerns, and vendor lock-in. The discussion concludes with predictions for the future of serverless computing, including emerging trends, the rise of multi-cloud strategies, how AI may change the game, and the increasing focus on security and compliance.

• Apache Airflow
• AWS Lambda
• AWS Step Functions
• Azure Event Grid | Cloud Event Schema
• Azure Event Grid
• Azure Functions | Durable Functions | Monitoring Dashboard
• Azure Functions | Durable Functions
• Azure Functions
• Azure Logic Apps
• Cloud Events
• Google Cloud Composer
• Google Cloud Run
• Prisma Cloud | Secure hosts, containers and serverless across multicloud and hybrid environments
• Trend Micro | Azure Serverless Security Risks Exposed by New Study

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Episode 0014 - Smooooth Operator: Configuring Your Architecture 🛠️

In this episode, Carl and Brandon dive deep into the world of configuration, exploring various methods for system, app, and user-facing config. Starting with hard-coded values and whether there is ever a time for hard-coding, weighing the benefits and drawbacks. The conversation then shifts to configuration files, including web.config, app.config, and various environment-specific files such as .env files for backend and frontend uses.

Carl and Brandon also explore feature flags, databases, and SaaS options for configuration, such as LaunchDarkly, and delve into DevOps patterns, including pipeline sourcing and configuration services like AWS AppConfig and Azure App Configuration. Finally, they cover secrets management with services like Azure Key Vault and AWS Key Management Service.

• Make hard-coding your default choice | Enterprise Craftsmanship
• Shared library vs Enterprise development | Enterprise Craftsmanship
• The Pitfalls of Hard Coding: Why Config Files Are Essential in Data Science Projects
• AWS AppConfig
• AWS CloudHSM
• AWS Key Management Service
• Azure App Configuration
• Azure Key Vault
• LaunchDarkly

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• linkedin.com/company/cloudchat

Episode 0013 - What is the Cloud☁️?

Carl and Brandon delve into the fundamentals of cloud computing, exploring its definition, history, key components, and the various "types" of clouds such as public, private, and hybrid. The hosts also highlight the numerous benefits of cloud computing, including cost efficiency, scalability, flexibility, and enhanced security. The episode also addresses common challenges like security concerns, compliance issues, and managing costs, while offering insights into the future of cloud computing with emerging trends like edge computing and AI integration.

• What is Cloud Computing? | Microsoft Azure
• What is Cloud Computing? | AWS
• What is Cloud Computing? | Google Cloud
• Advantages of Cloud Computing | Google Cloud
• Backup and Disaster Recovery | Microsoft Azure
• Security | Microsoft Azure
• Shared Responsibility Model | AWS
• Shared Responsibility Model | Microsoft Azure
• Shared Responsibility Model | CrowdStrike
• Why We're Leaving the Cloud | 37signals
• We Have Left the Cloud | 37signals

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Episode 0012 - Words Mean Things

In our latest podcast episode, Carl and Brandon explored the fundamental aspects of cloud computing, focusing on Regions, Availability Zones, Quota, and Capacity. They discussed how regions are collections of zones, each with high-bandwidth, low-latency network connections, and the importance of deploying applications across multiple zones and regions to ensure fault tolerance and high availability. They also delved into the differences between logical and physical zones, and how regional resources can be accessed by any zone within that region. Additionally, they examined Azure's approach to paired regions and the need for custom geo-redundant capabilities in newer regions.

The conversation then shifted to the concepts of quota and capacity in cloud computing. Quotas, synonymous with limits, ensure that each service can offer a minimum amount of resources. Carl and Brandon discussed the different types of quotas, including soft limits that can be raised through support requests, and the architectural options available when more resources are needed. They highlighted the importance of diversifying resource types to overcome quota limits and enhance application resilience. Finally, they examined capacity limitations, the concept of capacity reservations in Azure, and the differences between on-demand capacity reservations and reserved instances.

• Regions vs Zones
• Logical vs Physical Zones
• Azure - Paired Regions
• Quota vs Capacity
• Google Cloud Quotas
• AWS Service Limits
• Capacity Reservation (Azure)

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Episode 0011 - m*cro-services

Carl and Brandon delve into the fascinating world of microservices, starting with a brief introduction and a comparison to macro-services like monolithic and modular monolith architectures. We explored the evolution from monolithic architectures to microservices, highlighting the advantages such as scalability, agility, resilience, and technology diversity. We also discussed the granular scalability of individual services, the independent development and deployment of services, and the use of different technologies for each service.

However, we didn't shy away from the challenges, addressing the increased complexity, operational overhead, and resource consumption associated with managing distributed systems.

• Macro-services to Nano-services: Evolution of Software Architecture
• Scaling up the Prime Video audio/video monitoring service and reducing costs by 90%
• Performing a Rolling Update | kubernetes

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Episode 0010 - Risky Bidness: Ripped from the Headlines

In this episode, Carl and Brandon explored the recent CrowdStrike outage and the lessons to take from the event as it relates to high availability, business continuity, and disaster recovery (HA/BCDR) strategies in the cloud. The incident underscored the need for redundancy, swift response, and well-defined recovery procedures.

Surprisingly, we drew parallels to the banana crisis of the 1950s. The monoculture of the Gros Michel banana left the industry vulnerable to Panama disease. The lesson? Diversity in dependencies matters—whether in tech or agriculture.

Remember: HA/BCDR and diversity are key to resilience.

🎙️🍌🔒

Links:

• CrowdStrike IT Outage Explained by a Windows Developer | Dave's Garage on YouTube
• CrowdStrike Update: Latest News, Lessons Learned from a Retired Microsoft Engineer | Dave's Garage on YouTube
• Remediation and Guidance Hub: Falcon Content Update For Windows Hosts | CrowdStrike
• Build high availability into your BCDR strategy | Microsoft Docs, Azure Architecture Center
• Protect and recover in cloud management | Microsoft Docs, Cloud Adoption Framework
• Imperial Scaling Banana by smc | Printables

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Episode 0009 - Knowing Your (Cloud) Tools

In this episode, we delve into the world of "Cloud Tooling". We explore how different cloud platforms take similar approaches to tooling, with a variety of tools such as command-line interfaces (CLIs), RESTful APIs (and even gRPC), as well as programming language-specific SDKs.

We discuss the spectrum of Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) and Command Line Interfaces (CLIs), comparing portals, CLI, and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) strategies. We also cover the differences between various Integrated Development Environments (IDEs), and the trend of living in the terminal/shell to be "leetcoderz".

The episode also touches on the increasing popularity of the shell among coders and streamers, and the importance of achieving consistent experiences with different shells.

• Azure Developer CLI Overview
• AWS CLI
• AWS Shell (Interactive)
• CloudFormation CLI
• GCP CLI
• GCP Cloud API Overview
• API Design
• GCP SDKs - Client Libraries
• Shell Customizations
  • Oh My Posh
  • Brandon's Oh My Posh Configuration
  • zinit
  • ohmyzsh
• How Terminals Work

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Episode 0008 - Container All the Things!

In this episode, Carl and Brandon delve into the world of containers, exploring their benefits and complexities. We discuss how containers compare to traditional server deployments and virtual machines, highlighting their advantages in development speed, reliable deployments, and consistency across different environments. However, we also touch on the challenges they present, such as complexity, networking, and security issues. We further explore the concept of container layers, the role of container runtimes, and the importance of container registries and orchestrators.

Show links:

• Understanding Containers
• Best Practices for Building Containers
• Demystifying a Docker Image
• Open Container Initiative
• Containerd
• Migrating from Dockershim

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Episode 0007 - What the WASM?

In this episode, we are joined by our first guest, Steven Murawski, a Principal Cloud Advocate at Microsoft, who provides an insightful discussion on WebAssembly (WASM) and its role in enabling interoperability across programming languages. The conversation delves into Web Assembly's objective of creating a portable execution format for multiple languages with near-native performance, and how it is designed to create a new interface when transitioning from the browser to the server-side.

We also explore how WebAssembly can be leveraged to modify application behavior by publishing interfaces for scenarios such as incoming changes, logging, or composing rule components, and the potential standalone use cases in a cloud ecosystem. We also discuss the possibilites of SDKs as wrappers around REST APIs or other shared endpoints, the role of different runtimes like wasmtime and Spin, and the concept of "worlds" in WebAssembly.

We would like to extend our gratitude to Steven for joining us and sharing his valuable insights!

Show links:

• Web Assembly System Interface (WASI)
  • Web assembly system interface
  • WASI 0.2 Launched
  • Azure AKS Use WASI Node Pools
• Component Model
  • Component Model
  • WIT
• WASM Runtimes
  • Wasmtime
  • Wamr
  • JCO
  • containerd shim
• Fermyon
  • Fermyon - Spin
  • Fermyon - SpinKube
  • Getting Started with Fermyon
• Wasmcloud
  • Wasmcloud
• .NET
  • .NET WASI SDK
  • C# (and .NET) in WebAssembly
  • WASI Developer Experience Goals
• DeisLabs
  • Hippo
  • Yo Wasm
• Binding Generation
  • Wit Bind Gen
• Additional Learning Resources
  • WASM by Example
  • VS Code and WASM
  • VS Code Extensions and WebAssembly
  • Hyperlight
  • Microsoft Build 2023 Inside Azure Innovations - Hyperlight
  • Extending Web Assembly to the Cloud
• Open Source Projects
  • Cloudflare Cobweb
  • Azure Samples - AKS Store Demo

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Episode 0006 - Who's Your Landlord?

In this episode, Carl and Brandon discuss the many layers of tenancy within a cloud solution. From single tenant to full multitenant, there are many options to consider. Additionally, building on the past episodoes of IaC and DevOps, Carl and Brandon talk about the disciplines required to move into a modern and automated solution that can scale with your organization and its services.

Show links:

• What is multitenancy? | CloudFlare
• Landing Zones
  • AWS
  • Azure
  • GCP

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