Kubernetes has come a long way from its early days of container orchestration hype. In this episode, we sit with Hijmen Fokker from Pionative to take a deep dive into what makes Kubernetes so crucial to today’s cloud-native world.

We unpack the rise of platform engineering and the critical shift from everyone running their own clusters to dedicated teams managing infrastructure behind the scenes.

We discuss why developers shouldn’t have to know how etcd works, when not to adopt Kubernetes, and how abstraction layers can both empower and endanger your stack—depending on your team’s readiness.From operators managing stateful services like Postgres and Kafka to the hidden costs of DIY Kubernetes, we get into the real trade-offs companies face when scaling their cloud-native workloads.

Whether you're a CTO deciding how to build your next platform, a DevOps engineer wrestling with Helm charts, or just Kubernetes-curious—this episode will give you a clear, honest lens on where the ecosystem is heading.

Kubernetes has come a long way from its early days of container orchestration hype. In this episode, we sit with Hijmen Fokker from Pionative to take a deep dive into what makes Kubernetes so crucial to today’s cloud-native world.

We unpack the rise of platform engineering and the critical shift from everyone running their own clusters to dedicated teams managing infrastructure behind the scenes. We discuss why developers shouldn’t have to know how etcd works, when not to adopt Kubernetes, and how abstraction layers can both empower and endanger your stack—depending on your team’s readiness.

From operators managing stateful services like Postgres and Kafka to the hidden costs of DIY Kubernetes, we get into the real trade-offs companies face when scaling their cloud-native workloads.

Whether you're a DevOps engineer wrestling with Helm charts, a CTO deciding how to build your next platform, or just Kubernetes-curious—this episode will give you a clear, honest lens on where the ecosystem is heading.

Join us on this conversation!

Kubernetes has come a long way from its early days of container orchestration hype. In this episode, we sit with Hijmen Fokker from Pionative to take a deep dive into what makes Kubernetes so crucial to today’s cloud-native world.

We unpack the rise of platform engineering and the critical shift from everyone running their own clusters to dedicated teams managing infrastructure behind the scenes.

We discuss why developers shouldn’t have to know how etcd works, when not to adopt Kubernetes, and how abstraction layers can both empower and endanger your stack—depending on your team’s readiness.From operators managing stateful services like Postgres and Kafka to the hidden costs of DIY Kubernetes, we get into the real trade-offs companies face when scaling their cloud-native workloads.

Whether you're a CTO deciding how to build your next platform, a DevOps engineer wrestling with Helm charts, or just Kubernetes-curious—this episode will give you a clear, honest lens on where the ecosystem is heading.

In this episode of Cloudscapes, we’re joined by the team behind Hack The Box—the Cyber Performance Center with the mission to provide a human-first platform to create and maintain high-performing cybersecurity individuals and organizations. Thiseas Meggos (VP of Infrastructure) and Gerasimos Marketos (SVP of Product) share how they’re scaling a global cybersecurity community of over 3.5 million users, building a hybrid cloud architecture, and delivering upskilling labs using Pwnbox.

We discuss what it takes to run secure, high-performance cybersecurity learning environments at scale, the role of automation in keeping content fresh, and how partnering with UpCloud helped Hack The Box meet their performance and flexibility needs.

If you’re interested in cybersecurity, developer platforms, or modern infrastructure strategy, this one’s definitely for you.

Dive in!

Choosing the right web hosting solution is more than just a technical decision, it's a strategic one. In this episode of Cloudscapes, we are joined by Tim Terreur COO from Hosted Power to explore the key considerations that modern businesses should weigh when evaluating their hosting options. From startups launching their first product or enterprises scaling globally, infrastructure choices can directly impact performance, security, and long-term agility.
We walk through different types of hosting environments — shared and VPS to dedicated servers and cloud-native solutions — and break down what each means in practice. We also dive into common pain points such as vendor lock-in, data residency, and cost predictability, offering real-world guidance on how to future-proof your infrastructure.
If you're looking to understand how to align your hosting strategy with your business goals, this episode offers practical perspectives, and a clear framework for making informed decisions in a crowded and often confusing landscape.
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In this episode of Cloudscapes, we sit down with Lauri Kainulainen from Montel Intergalactic to navigate the evolving landscape of cloud migration.

Together, we explore what modern cloud migration looks like today: from the motivations behind the move to cloud-native infrastructure, to the challenges that organizations face when scaling applications across complex environments.

We talk about how Kubernetes workflows have matured, which tools best support modern cloud operations, and how leveraging managed services can remove operational friction while improving scalability and resilience.
With a special focus on trends in the European cloud ecosystem, Montel shares their insights on building cloud strategies that prioritize flexibility, performance, and data control.

Whether you’re planning your first migration or optimizing your existing setup, this episode is packed with actionable insights from the front lines of cloud infrastructure.

In this first guest episode of Cloudscapes, we’re joined by Hailey HR — a standout in the European HR tech scene — to talk about what it really takes to scale fast, stay agile, and remain compliant in today’s cloud landscape. 

We dive into the challenges and opportunities of building HR software in a region defined by strict regulations and high expectations for data protection. From navigating GDPR to making intentional choices about cloud infrastructure, Hailey HR shares how they’re using European cloud solutions to keep sensitive data secure while supporting rapid growth. We also explore what it means to put people first — not just in HR, but in the technology choices that underpin modern work. With transparency, trust, and data sovereignty top of mind, this conversation highlights how smart infrastructure decisions can support innovation without compromising compliance.

Whether you’re in SaaS, HR, or just curious about building better cloud-native products in Europe — this episode is packed with real-world takeaways.

Welcome to Cloudscapes — UpCloud’s brand-new podcast exploring the ever-evolving world of cloud-native technology in Europe and beyond.

In this special intro episode, you’ll meet your hosts and hear why we’re launching this series. We talk about what excites us in the cloud space, the stories we want to share, and the insights you can expect in upcoming episodes.

From data sovereignty to digital transformation, scaling infrastructure to choosing the right tech stack — Cloudscapes is here to spark thoughtful, honest conversations that bridge the gap between cloud strategy and real business impact.

Whether you’re deep in DevOps, leading SaaS growth, or just curious about where the cloud is headed — you’re in the right place.

Let’s get into it.