Screaming in the Cloud

In this episode, we chat with Randall Hunt, the VP of Technology at Caylent, about the world of generative AI and how it's changing industries. Randall talks about his journey from being an AWS critic to leading tech projects at Caylent. He shares cool insights into the latest tech innovations, the challenges and opportunities in AI, and his vision for the future. Randall also explains how AI is used in healthcare, finance, and more, and gives advice for those interested in tech. 

Show Highlights: 

(00:00) - Introduction 

(00:28) - Randall talks about his job at Caylent and the projects he's working on

(01:35) - Randall explains his honest and evolving perspective on Amazon Bedrock after working with it hands-on

(03:35) - Randall breaks down the components and improvements of AWS Bedrock

(06:08) - Improvements in AWS Bedrock's preview announcements and API functionality

(08:05) - Randall's predictions on the future of generative AI models and their cost efficiency

(10:00) - Randall shares practical use cases using distilled models and older GPUs

(12:12) - Corey shares his experience with GPT-4 and the importance of prompt engineering

(17:21) - Bedrock console features for comparing and contrasting AI models

(21:02) - enterprise applications of generative AI and building reliable AI infrastructures

(28:13) - Randall and Corey delve into the costs of training large AI models

(36:37) - Randall talks about real-world applications of Bedrock in industries like HVAC management

(39:40) - Closing thoughts and where to connect with Randall

About Randall Hunt: 

Randall Hunt is a Software Engineer and Open Source Developer Advocate at Facebook. Previously of AWS, SpaceX, MongoDB, and NASA., Randall Hunt, VP of Cloud Strategy and Solutions at Caylent, is a technology leader, investor, and hands-on-keyboard coder based in Los Angeles, CA. Previously, Randall led software and developer relations teams at Facebook, SpaceX, AWS, MongoDB, and NASA. Randall spends most of his time listening to customers, building demos, writing blog posts, and mentoring junior engineers. Python and C++ are his favorite programming languages, but he begrudgingly admits that Javascript rules the world. Outside of work, Randall loves to read science fiction, advise startups, travel, and ski., Randall is the coder in the boardroom.

Links referenced: 

Randall Hunt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ranman/

Caylent: https://caylent.com/

Caylent on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/caylent/

* Sponsor 

Prowler: https://prowler.com

In this episode of Screaming in the Cloud, Corey Quinn reconnects with Justin Brodley, Senior Vice President of Cloud and Technology at Blackline and host of the CloudPod podcast, to discuss the ongoing changes within cloud computing, specifically the intense focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and its repercussions on traditional cloud infrastructure. Justin shares insights from his recent experience at Google Cloud Next, discussing how the AI hype is reshaping cloud service strategies. Additionally, their conversation explores the cultural and strategic shifts within Google and Microsoft, examining their impact on the broader cloud computing landscape.

Show Highlights: 

(00:00) - Introduction 

(01:45) - Justin's take on Google Cloud Next 

(03:56) - The investor-focused nature of the recent Google Cloud Next conference

(06:16) - How multi-cloud strategies are forming enterprise tech decisions

(08:18) - Over-reliance on AI in critical business functions

(15:08) - The lack of foundational cloud services and the risk of overemphasizing AI 

(19:36) - Leadership changes at Amazon and their impact on the company's direction

(21:50) - Growth of Amazon's ad revenue

(27:16) - The importance of cloud services in today’s tech world

(30:51) - Concerns about security practices and responsiveness in cloud services

(37:19) - The need for Security in user training and corporate policies

(41:13) - Closing remarks and where to find Justin

About Justin: 

Justin Brodley is the Senior Vice President of Cloud and Technology at Blackline and the host of the CloudPod podcast. With a strong background in building innovative DevOps teams and enhancing revenue growth through strategic compliance and innovation, Justin is adept at driving customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. He has extensive experience designing and deploying scalable systems, managing costs effectively, and implementing positive cultural changes across various sectors, including cloud computing, ITIL, infrastructure, and more. Justin is also an engaging mentor and a recognized voice in the cloud community through his podcast, found at www.thecloudpod.net.

Links referenced: 

• The CloudPod Podcast: https://www.thecloudpod.net/ 
• Justin’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/jbrodley
• Justin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbrodley/

Sponsor 

• Prowler: https://prowler.com

On this week’s episode of Screaming in the Cloud, Corey Quinn sits down with the incredible Cody Odgen, software developer and creator of Killed by Google. Corey and Cody discuss Google’s graveyard of products, how discontinuing offerings creates a feeling of distrust amongst your customers, and why Google lacks the hunger needed to create an amazing generative AI tool. Corey shares his take on killed products from an AWS perspective while Cody draws comparisons between late’90s Microsoft and today’s Google, suggesting a decline in quality could be on the horizon for the cloud giant.

Highlights

(00:00) Intro

(00:36) Ad - Panoptica

(01:17) The Google Graveyard: Discussing Killed Services

(02:11) AWS vs. Google: Service Termination Practices

(03:17) AI Overload at Google Cloud Next

(05:44) The Impact of Google's Decisions on Trust and Business

(11:26) The Stadia Shutdown: A Case Study in Trust Erosion

(14:11) Ad - Panoptica

(14:34) The Ripple Effects of Google's Service Closures

(18:50) The Importance of Longevity and Trust in Tech

(23:25) Comparing Cloud Giants: Google, Amazon, and Microsoft

(27:54) Closing Thoughts on Corporate Responsibility and Culture

(28:48) Wrapping Up and Where to Find More

Links:
Website: Killedbygoogle.com

Twitter/X: @killedbygoogle

* Sponsor

Prowler: https://prowler.com

In this Screaming in the Cloud episode, Corey welcomes Dana Mattioli, author of 'The Everything War: Amazon's Ruthless Quest to Own the World and Remake Corporate Power.' Together, they discuss the themes of her book, exploring Amazon's extensive reach and influence across multiple sectors, its profound impact on competition, and the ethical concerns surrounding its aggressive business practices. They also discuss Amazon's internal culture, intricate relationships with government entities, and strategic maneuvers within the corporate world.

Show Highlights:

(00:00) - Introduction 

(01:39) - The vast expansion of Amazon and its impact on modern society and corporate strategy

(05:31) - Amazon's internal profit strategies

(07:04) - Amazon's growth: Intentional strategy or opportunistic expansion?

(13:51) - Amazon’s competitive and controversial tactics against startups and innovators

(16:25) - Amazon's workplace culture and systemic issues leading to unethical practices

(20:49) - How Amazon leverages customer data to maintain competitive advantages

(25:17) - Amazon's interactions with the government and its public relations strategy

(29:28) - Amazon's ethical practices and the real-world impacts 

(32:00) - Amazon’s use of algorithms like Project Nessie to manipulate market pricing

(36:28) - Corey critiques Amazon’s internal product strategies

(38:29) - Amazon’s market dominance across various sectors 

(40:57) - Antitrust enforcement and their effects on modern digital monopolies 

(44:04) - Potential critical responses from Amazon insiders about Dana’s book

(45:50) - Closing thoughts and where to find Dana

About Dana: 

Dana Mattioli is a Wall Street Journal reporter based in New York, focusing on Amazon's business practices, market power, and antitrust issues. She authored "The Everything War: Amazon’s Ruthless Quest to Own the World and Remake Corporate Power" and was a 2020 Pulitzer Prize finalist for her investigative work on Amazon. Dana won the 2021 Gerald Loeb Award for Beat Reporting and the WERT Prize for business journalism. Previously, she covered mergers & acquisitions, including Pfizer’s $150 billion Allergan deal and the Dow-DuPont merger, which won a Gerald Loeb Award in 2016. Dana began her career at the Journal in 2006 after graduating from American University with degrees in journalism and literature.

Links referenced: 

Dana’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-mattioli-7b09779/

Dana’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanaMattioli

Dana’s Book, The Everything War: Amazon's Ruthless Quest to Own the World and Remake Corporate Power: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-everything-war-amazon-s-ruthless-quest-to-own-the-world-and-remake-corporate-power-dana-mattioli/20335592

* Sponsor 

Prowler: https://prowler.com

In this episode of Screaming in the Cloud, Corey Quinn is joined by Rachel Stephens, a Senior Analyst at RedMonk, for an engaging conversation about the profound impact of AI on software development. Rachel provides her expert insights on programming language trends and the shifts in the tech landscape driven by AI. They look into how AI has reshaped coding practices by automating mundane tasks and offering real-time assistance, altering how developers work. Furthermore, Corey and Rachel examine the economic and practical challenges of incorporating AI into business operations, aiming to strip away the hype and highlight AI technology’s capabilities and constraints.

Show Highlights:

(00:00) - Introducing Rachel Stephens, Senior Analyst at RedMonk

(00:28) - The Humorous Nemesis Backstory

(03:42) - AI, focusing on its broad impact and current trends in technology

(04:54) - Corey discusses practical applications of AI in his work

(06:00) - Rachel discusses how AI tools have revolutionized her workflow

(08:12) - RedMonk's approach to tracking language rankings

(10:29) - Public vs. Internal Use of Programming Languages

(13:09) - Rachel and Corey discuss how AI coding assistants are improving coding consistency and efficiency

(15:55) - Corey challenges the purpose  of language rankings 

(20:51) - AI tools affecting traditional data sources like Stack Overflow 

(26:28) - The challenges of measuring productivity in the AI era

(29:21) - The macroeconomic impacts on tech employment and the role of AI in workforce management

(36:33) - Rachel and Corey share their personal uses and preferences for AI tools

(39:25) - Closing Remarks and where to reach Rachel

About Rachel:

Rachel Stephens is a Senior Analyst with RedMonk, a developer-focused industry analyst firm. She focuses on helping clients understand and contextualize technology adoption trends, particularly from the lens of the practitioner. Her research covers a broad range of developer and infrastructure products., Rachel Stephens is a Senior Analyst with RedMonk, a developer-focused industry analyst firm. She focuses on helping clients understand and contextualize technology adoption trends, particularly from the lens of the practitioner. Her research covers a broad range of developer and infrastructure products.

Links Referenced: 

RedMonk: https://redmonk.com/

Rachel Stephens LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelstephens/

* Sponsor 

Prowler: https://prowler.com

On this Featured Guest episode of Screaming in the Cloud, Corey is joined by Sandy Bird, Co-Founder and CTO of Sonrai Security. The two discuss the current state of cloud permissions security, and Sandy details the company’s breakthrough Cloud Permissions Firewall which promises fast and scalable cloud least privilege all with one click. Corey and Sandy also talk about bunk AWS tools in this space, the insanely high “zombie” population in the cloud, and how Sonrai works for companies of all sizes.

Highlights:

(00:00) Welcome to Screaming in the Cloud with Corey Quinn

(00:50) Sponsored Ad

(01:32) Exploring Sonrai Security's Mission and Challenges

(03:38) Introducing the Cloud Permissions Firewall Concept

(05:59) Comparing Cloud Providers' Permissions Models

(09:49) Sponsored Ad

(10:12) Addressing the Zombie Identity Problem

(16:44) Scaling Solutions for Different Company Sizes

(20:10) Navigating Cloud Security Challenges

(23:38) Innovative Approaches to Permission Management

(25:27) Optimizing Permission Requests with Statistics

(27:04) Improving Cloud Security with Permissions on Demand

(35:15) Concluding Thoughts and Contact

About Sandy: 

Sandy Bird is the co-founder and CTO of Sonrai Security, helping enterprises protect their data by securing cloud identities and access. Sandy was the co-founder and CTO of Q1 Labs, which was acquired by IBM in 2011. At IBM, Sandy became the CTO for the global security business and worked closely with research, development, marketing and sales to develop new and innovative solutions to help the IBM Security business grow to ~$2B in annual revenue. He is a trusted and experienced cloud security expert.

Links referenced: 

Sonrai Security Website:  https://sonrai.co/screaming-cloud 

Free 14-Day Trial:  https://sonrai.co/screaming-trial

Sandy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandy-bird-835b5576/

* Sponsor 

Sonrai Security: https://sonrai.co/screaming-cloud 

In this episode of Screaming In The Cloud, we're joined by Nancy Wang, Venture Partner at Felicis Ventures, who discusses her exciting career shift from AWS to venture capital. Nancy shares the role of a venture partner and her focus on investing in infrastructure, platforms, and security from an operational perspective. Corey and Nancy talk about primary investment and the impact of market trend cycles on venture capital. Nancy’s work with the U.S. State Department is also highlighted in this episode, which promotes global entrepreneurship, especially for women in challenging environments.

Show Highlights 

(00:00) - Introduction 

(02:00) - What a venture partner does 

(03:42) - Nancy shares how she differentiates herself in her role and experience 

(07:07) - Insights on selecting companies to invest In 

(09:18) - The differences between working at Amazon vs. the VC and startup world

(12:09) - Investing in infrastructure and security startups

(17:09) - The balance between supporting established services and investing In new  

(19:18) - Exploring how different sectors influence venture capital investments 

(23:50) - AI and current investment trends in shaping venture capital decisions

(26:06) - Timing of investments, and the concept of 'entry points' for success

(27:22) - Nancy shares her work with the state department 

(30:44) - Closing thoughts and where to find Nancy 

About Nancy: 

Nancy is a product & engineering executive, advisor, and investor with significant experience in cloud computing, cybersecurity, and SaaS. Nancy advises Fortune 10 companies on accelerating revenue growth, and she advises startups on attracting their first 100K enterprise customers. She is a Venture Partner with Felicis Ventures, where she invests in early-stage startups in cybersecurity, enterprise infrastructure, and B2B SaaS. Previously, Nancy was the Director of Product & Engineering and General Manager at Amazon Web Services, where she leads P&L, product, engineering, and design for its data protection and security businesses - and currently serves as the technical advisor to Commvault (NASDAQ: CVLT) on its Cyber Resilience Council. Prior to Amazon, she led SaaS product development at Rubrik, the fastest-growing enterprise software unicorn, and built healthdata.gov for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Excited to advance more women into technical roles, Nancy is the founder & board chair of Advancing Women in Tech, a global 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has already informed and educated 35,000 Coursera learners worldwide on how to get their first, or next, tech leadership role and partners with the U.S. State Department.

Links referenced: 

• Nancy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wangnancy/
• Felicis Venture’s Website: https://www.felicis.com/

Sponsor:

• Panoptica Academy: https://panoptica.app/lastweekinaws

This episode features Anil Dash, VP of Developer Experience at Fastly, who returns to the podcast to share the integration of Glitch within Fastly post-acquisition. Anil shares how Glitch has continued flourishing under Fastly's umbrella, highlighting both platforms’ seamless acquisition and mutual growth. Anil shares the technical and cultural collaboration that has allowed Glitch to maintain its identity and mission while contributing to Fastly's broader goals. The episode highlights the power of community in tech, the importance of maintaining core values in mergers and acquisitions, and the advancements both Glitch and Fastly are making in the developer space.

Show Highlights: 

(00:00) - Introduction. 

(01:59) - Glitch's role within Fastly's infrastructure and services.

(02:16) - Comparison of AWS and Glitch’s approach to community building.

(05:40) - Anil’s ongoing enthusiasm for Glitch beyond typical post-acquisition experiences.

(08:53) - Fastly’s unique capabilities and impact on the internet. 

(14:35) - Fastly’s technical infrastructure and its performance advantages.

(20:42) - WebAssembly’s implementation and significance at Fastly.

(23:59) - Comparison of Glitch and Fastly’s developer engagement and pricing models

(25:18) - Ethical responsibilities and building a healthy tech ecosystem are important.

(27:50) - Importance of creating lasting and sustainable technologies.

(30:24) - Anil discusses Fastly's work culture and its influence on employee innovation and engagement.

(34:26) - Anil discusses Glitch's thriving post-acquisition integration into Fastly.

(38:26) - The critical role of Fastly's infrastructure in supporting major open-source platforms and decentralized networks.

(39:26) - Closing remarks and where to find more about Anil’s work.

About Anil: 

Anil Dash is the vice president of developer experience at Fastly, where he leads the team behind Glitch, the friendly developer community where coders have collaborated to create and share millions of web apps. Anil advises startups and nonprofits, including Medium and the Lower East Side Girls Club. An accomplished writer and artist, Dash has contributed to Wired and The Atlantic and collaborated with Lin-Manuel Miranda on one of the most popular Spotify playlists in 2018.

Links referenced: 

Anil’s Personal Website: https://www.anildash.com/

Glitch’s website: https://preview.glitch.com/

Sponsor:

Panoptica Academy: https://panoptica.app/lastweekinaws

This episode of Screaming in the Cloud focuses on keeping critical data safe and organized, especially when there's a lot of it. Pranava Adduri, the CEO of Bedrock Security, shares the tools and methods Bedrock uses to help other businesses protect their essential information. They discuss how new technologies like AI can help manage vast amounts of data and ensure only the right people can access it.

About Pranava:

Pranava has worked in data protection and security for more than a decade. Before becoming an Entrepreneur In Residence at Greylock Partners in 2020, he was a Software Development Manager for AWS, where he worked with Fortune 500 CISOs to develop innovative products for data risk and compliance. Before that, he was a founding engineer at Rubrik, a SaaS data protection platform. Pranava graduated magna cum laude from the University of California, Berkeley with a triple-major B.S. in Computer Science, Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, and Economics, then obtained an M.S. from Berkeley in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research. 

Show highlights:

(00:00) - Introduction 

(01:36) - Overview of Bedrock Security's solutions for large-scale data protection

(03:04) - The importance of data classification and access control was discussed

(04:47) - Exploring the limitations of current data governance 

(05:22) - Pranava details how data is managed in cloud environments

(09:39) - Evolving strategies in data lake management and data volume growth

(12:36) - Impact of generative AI on data creation and the need for retention

(15:50) - Discussion on cost-effective data management solutions

(23:45) - The role of AI in enhancing data security measures at Bedrock

(25:42) - How customer feedback shapes Bedrock’s AI security technology

(27:19) - The growing necessity for sophisticated data security systems

(29:22) - Upcoming events and where to find more about Bedrock Security and Pranava

Links:
 

Bedrock Security: https://www.bedrock.security/
Bedrock Security X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/bedrocksec
Bedrock Security LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bedrocksec/
Pranava’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/padduri/
Pranava’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/thenava?lang=en
Innovation Sandbox 2024: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240402284910/en/Bedrock-Security-Named-RSA-Conference-2024-Innovation-Sandbox-Finalist

Sponsor
Panoptica Academy: https://panoptica.app/lastweekinaws  

This episode of Screaming in the Cloud features Katie Reese, an experienced events producer at Tailscale, who walks us through the ins and outs of event marketing within the tech industry. Katie shares insights on effective swag management and event planning to create memorable experiences that drive product adoption. Additionally, Katie and Corey discuss the challenges and strategies of marketing in a post-pandemic, budget-conscious world and explore how remote-first companies have adapted to these changes.

Show Highlights: 

00:00 - Intro
00:19 - Welcome Katie Reese, discussing life in sunny Mexico City and her work at Tailscale
03:03 - How Tailscale's product-led growth feels like magic
05:08 - Success stories from the Tailscale Up conference
06:25 - Event strategies in the post-pandemic, budget-conscious era
09:04 - The benefits of remote-first companies and changes in the event landscape
10:36 - Katie's career journey and the value of networking at events
14:34 - The thoughtful approach to swag and reducing event waste
20:14 - How bad marketing can ruin customer interactions
25:40 - Ensuring swag runs out at the right time at conferences
28:10 - Discussion on ethical event practices and avoiding waste
32:04 - Closing thoughts and where to find Katie online

About Katie:

Katie leads field events at Tailscale and, when she is not traveling, splits her time between small-town Tennessee and Mexico City because it's all about balance.

Links referenced: 

*Tailscale: https://tailscale.com/
*Katie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-reese/
*Katie’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/katiereese317?lang=en

Sponsor
*Panoptica Academy: https://panoptica.app/lastweekinaws