On this Screaming in the Cloud Replay, we’re revisiting our conversation with Michael Garski, the director of software engineering at famed electrical guitar manufacturer, Fender. Prior to this position, he worked as a principal software architect at Viant, a principal software architect at MySpace, a manager of internet development at Countrywide Financial, and a manager of system architecture at Fandango, among other positions. He also had a four-year stint in the US Navy, working as an engineering laboratory technician. Join Corey and Michael as they talk about how artists are angels and Fender’s job is to give them wings, how Fender has diversified its offerings in recent years, how serverless is a mindset and how Fender approach serverless technology, how Fender’s traffic surged during the pandemic and how everything mostly scaled up without a hitch, the challenges of teaching students to play instruments over the internet, the vendor lock-in boogeyman, and more.

Show Highlights

(0:00) Introduction

(0:42) Dragonfly sponsor read

(1:25) How does Michael describe Fender’s work

(2:08) Fender’s work to go serverless

(4:13) The impact of COVID on Fender

(6:19) Explaining Fender Play and how it works on the backend

(9:44) Working with MediaConvert

(11:30) Experiences with scaling and hitting AWS service limits

(12:52) Why Michael prefers working on the customer side

(15:33) The Duckbill Group sponsor read

(16:15) Frustrations with gateways and third-party apps

(19:03) Managing a massive influx of users during COVID

(21:13) The vendor lock-in boogeyman

(23:19) Cloud costs vs. saving time

(24:49) Walking the fine line of criticism as a director

(28:09) Enforcing consistency across services

(31:52) Where you can find more from Michael

About Michael Garski

Michael Garski has worked in the Los Angeles tech industry for over 20 years, across companies including Fandango, Countrywide Home Loans, MySpace, Viant, and is currently at Fender Musical Instruments as the Director of Platform engineering were he leads the devops, data, and api engineering teams. His focus currently is on building the platform to support the consumer facing digital products for Fender. The most prominent application he supports is Fender Play, a web and mobile application that provides video-based instruction for guitar, bass, and ukulele for more than a quarter-million subscribers.

Links

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mgarski/

Original Episode

https://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/keep-on-rockin-in-the-server-free-world/

Sponsors

Dragonfly: dragonflydb.io

The Duckbill Group: duckbillgroup.com

Whether remote or local, Gitpod Co-Founder and CTO Chris Weichel thinks there’s a clear benefit to standardizing automated development environments. On this episode of Screaming in the Cloud, Chris joins Corey to chat about the inception and progression of Gitpod, highlighting the company’s mission to streamline development workflows, improve security, and enhance developer productivity. They also discuss the hurdles and solutions that come with balancing organizational standardization with individual developer preferences. You’ll also get the inside scoop on why Gitpod is transitioning away from Kubernetes and the innovative aspects of Gitpod Flex!

Show Highlights

(0:00) Introduction

(0:27) Gitpod sponsor read

(1:39) What is Gitpod in the modern era?

(3:07) The debate of local vs. remote development

(4:57) Explaining Gitpod's target customers

(9:36) Clarifying Corey's misconceptions about Gitpod

(12:42) Building between developer environments

(15:23) Is something inherently bad if your employer forces you to use it

(17:49) Gitpod sponsor read

(19:01) Deploying local development tools at large scale

(21:16) Launching Gitpod Flex

(22:54) Creating a separate product based on feedback

(24:58) Gitpod's decision to leave Kubernetes

(28:16) Where you can find more from Chris and Gitpod

About Chris Weichel

Chris Weichel is the Chief Technology Officer at Gitpod, where he leads the engineering team that builds and maintains the cloud-native platform for software development. With over 20 years of experience in software engineering and human-computer interaction, he has a comprehensive view of the systems Gitpod creates, from the user experience to the underlying technology.

Chris is passionate about creating technology that empowers users, and solving complex engineering problems. His expertise in cloud-native architecture, programming, and digital fabrication has resulted in multiple publications, patents, and awards. Chris is always looking for new opportunities to apply my broad skill-set and excitement for creating technology in a commercial or research context.

Links

• Chris’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-weichel-740b4224/
• Chris’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/csweichel
• Gitpod: https://www.gitpod.io/
• Why Gitpod is leaving Kubernetes: https://www.gitpod.io/blog/we-are-leaving-kubernetes

Sponsor

• Gitpod: https://www.gitpod.io/

Before cloud economics entered his life, Corey’s first true love was a good book. On this episode of Screaming in the Cloud, he’s joined by Laura Brief, the CEO of nonprofit 826 National. The organization is the largest youth writing network in the country, something that’s near and dear to our hearts at The Duckbill Group. Corey and Laura talk about why having a deep appreciation for reading and writing is vital no matter what career path you take. From offering a creative escape for kids to moonlighting as a “pirate supply company,” 826 National helps children realize that there’s an author inside all of us. So check out this great conversation, and be sure to buy one of our shirts while you’re at it!

Show Highlights

(0:00) Introduction

(1:02) Gitpod sponsor read

(2:14) The Duckbill Group's history working with 826 National

(3:01) What is 826 National?

(4:43) Corey's love of reading, writing, and how it correlates with 826 National's mission

(10:11) The rise of ChatGPT and its impact on reading and writing

(13:49) Why GenAI fails to capture the feeling of writing

(22:30) Why writing education is important

(24:54) The benefits of reading and writing for kids

(31:39) 826 Valencia: the Pirate Supply Company

(35:24) Buy a shirt benefiting 826 National!

(37:15) Where you can find more from Laura Brief and 826 National

About Laura Brief

Laura Brief is the CEO of 826 National. Prior to joining the nonprofit, Laura held leadership positions at high achieving youth organizations including Build, First Graduate, Juma Ventures, and The Posse Foundation, where she developed the organization’s first national career, corporate engagement, and alumni programs. She holds a Master’s in Education and a Master’s in Counseling Psychology from Columbia University, and is the Chair of the Board of Directors at Youth Speaks.

Links

• 826 National: https://826national.org/
• Reach out to Laura: laura@826national.org
• Buy our charity shirt to help support 826 National: shitposting.fashion

Sponsor

Gitpod: gitpod.io

Corey Quinn talks with Serena DiPenti, aka “SheNetworks,” about her career from Cisco to Black Hills Information Security and her challenges in content creation. Serena reflects on starting at Cisco, where her role as a tech engineer required deep expertise and navigating rigid, high-pressure situations that led to burnout and limited growth opportunities. Now at Black Hills, she enjoys the hands-on work in security analysis and network-based penetration testing. Serena finds content creation more demanding than her cybersecurity work, often facing audience skepticism and burnout. However, her podcast Breaking the Internet provides a rewarding, conversational outlet for sharing insights.

Show Highlights

(00:00) Introduction

(00:37) Dragonfly sponsor read
(1:20) Catching up with Serena since she was last on the show

(2:34) Serena’s experience at CISCO

(8:00) How Serena got stuck in her TAC role

(11:06) Serena’s pivot to her new role at Black Hills Information Security

(14:10) When Serena finds time to sleep during her busy schedule

(16:43) Corey’s short-lived attempt at YouTube

(20:28) The importance of conversational content

(21:43) Serena’s plans for naming and branding

(25:49) Where Serena sees herself aiming next

(31:18) How to follow Serena’s work

About Serena

Serena DiPenti is an offensive security professional who shares her experiences and expertise through her Shenetworks educational content on platforms like TikTok, Twitter (X), YouTube, and Twitch. Her focus includes topics related to penetration testing, ethical hacking, and other areas of cybersecurity. She's passionate about helping others break into the cybersecurity field, offering tips, guidance, and career advice.

Serena’s work includes creating accessible and engaging content that demystifies complex cybersecurity concepts, making the industry more inclusive and approachable for beginners and professionals alike.

Links

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@shenetworks
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shenetworks?lang=en
• Twitter: https://x.com/shenetworks

Buy our charity shirt to help support 826 National!

• https://store.lastweekinaws.com/

Sponsor
Dragonfly: dragonflydb.io

Corey Quinn sits down with Stephen Barr, Chief Evangelist of CloudFix. With his extensive history in the cloud, the pair delve into Stephen's journey with AWS, relatable anecdotes on optimizing cloud costs, and the complex role of tech evangelists in fostering better communication between engineering and finance teams. Corey and Stephen also weigh the pitfalls of early AI adoption, how to come up with effective content creation strategies, and even postulate a hopeful vision of a tech-driven future (from a Trekkie’s point of view at least).

Show Highlights

(0:00) Intro

(0:40) Gitpod sponsor read

(1:52) How Stephen defines his role

(4:26) Breaking down recent shakeups at AWS and the ever-growing promotion of AI

(9:36) How will AI impact how we teach younger people about coding?

(13:45) AI marketing, crypto, and other professional grifts

(16:56) Stephen's history with AWS and the cloud ecosystem

(20:42) Wiz sponsor read

(21:30)Oversights that can easily inflate a cloud bill

(25:32) Acting as a marriage counselor between engineering and finance

(30:09 Stephen's creative process as a Chief Evangelist

(33:54) Stephen's thoughts on the future of technology

(35:28) Where you can find more from Stephen

About Stephen Barr

Stephen Barr, Principal Architect and Technical Evangelist at CloudFix, is known throughout the technology industry for his joyful frame of mind and deep expertise in data engineering, machine learning, LLMs, systems architecture, and all things AWS.

Even as a teenager, Stephen’s digital curiosity and drive landed him at an email hosting startup working on network administration. He also worked at Microsoft while still a high school student.

After graduating from the University of Washington, he continued graduate studies at the University of Rochester and Washington. Stephen has also worked as a data scientist, software developer, technical consultant and more.

When he’s not researching or communicating about the power of AWS, Stephen enjoys spending time with his family at home in Seattle. His interests outside of work include science fiction, 3D printing, and the outdoors., Stephen Barr, Principal Architect and Technical Evangelist at CloudFix, is known throughout the technology industry for his joyful frame of mind and deep expertise in data engineering, machine learning, LLMs, systems architecture, and all things AWS.

Even as a teenager, Stephen’s digital curiosity and drive landed him at an email hosting startup working on network administration. He also worked at Microsoft while still a high school student.

After graduating from the University of Washington, he continued graduate studies at the University of Rochester and Washington. Stephen has also worked as a data scientist, software developer, technical consultant and more.

When he’s not researching or communicating about the power of AWS, Stephen enjoys spending time with his family at home in Seattle. His interests outside of work include science fiction, 3D printing, and the outdoors., Stephen Barr, Principal Architect and Technical Evangelist at CloudFix, is known throughout the technology industry for his joyful frame of mind and deep expertise in data engineering, machine learning, LLMs, systems architecture, and all things AWS.

Even as a teenager, Stephen’s digital curiosity and drive landed him at an email hosting startup working on network administration. He also worked at Microsoft while still a high school student.

After graduating from the University of Washington, he continued graduate studies at the University of Rochester and Washington. Stephen has also worked as a data scientist, software developer, technical consultant and more.

When he’s not researching or communicating about the power of AWS, Stephen enjoys spending time with his family at home in Seattle. His interests outside of work include science fiction, 3D printing, and the outdoors.

Links Referenced

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenjbarr/
• AWS Made Easy: https://awsmadeeasy.com/

Sponsors

Gitpod: gitpod.io
Wiz: https://www.wiz.io/scream

Corey Quinn chats with Dylan Etkin, CEO and co-founder of Sleuth. He joins this episode of Screaming Into the Cloud to share his insights on reshaping engineering metrics to prioritize team success. Sleuth emphasizes team-level productivity over individual output, sidestepping controversial metrics like lines of code and focusing on alignment and iterative improvement. By aggregating data from tools like GitHub, Jira, and Datadog, Sleuth provides actionable insights, helping leaders reallocate resources for optimal impact without disrupting unique team workflows. Designed for collaborative review, Sleuth’s slide deck-like interface supports meaningful discussions around DORA metrics and deploy tracking.

Show Highlights

(0:00) Intro

(0:51) Sleuth sponsor read

(1:12) What Sleuth is

(2:02) How Sleuth evaluates engineers’ work

(5:41) The value that evaluations brings to a business

(9:34) Who Dylan usually discusses results with

(11:04) Sleuth sponsor read

(11:30) The day-to-day experience of using Sleuth

(14:23) The importance of meeting people where they are

(18:21) The actual outcome of implementing Sleuth

(20:27) Why engineering teams should care about metrics

(24:27) The interface that people have when they're working with Sleuth

(26:23) Where you can find more from Sleuth

About Dylan Etkin
Dylan was one of the first twenty employees of Atlassian, and a founding engineer and the first architect of Jira. He has led engineering at scale for Bitbucket and Statuspage. He has a Master's in Computer Science from ASU. Dylan is a bit of a space nut and has been seen climbing around the inside of a life-size replica of the Mir space station in Star City Russia.

Sponsor
Sleuth: https://www.sleuth.io/

On this Replay, we’re revisiting our conversation with Jason Yee, Staff Technical Advocate at Datadog. At the time of this recording, he was the Director of Advocacy at Gremlin, an enterprise-grade chaos engineering platform. Join Corey and Jason as they talk about what Gremlin is and what a director of advocacy does, making chaos engineering more accessible for the masses, how it’s hard to calculate ROI for developer advocates, how developer advocacy and DevRel changes from one company to the next, why developer advocates need to focus on meaningful connections, why you should start chaos engineering as a mental game, qualities to look for in good developer advocates, the Break Things On Purpose podcast, and more.

Show Highlights

(0:00) Intro

(0:31) Blackblaze sponsor read

(0:58) The role of a Director of Advocacy

(3:34) DevRel and twisting job definitions

(5:50) How DevRel confusion manifests into marketing

(11:37) Being able to measure and define a team’s success

(13:42) Building respect and a community in tech

(15:22) Effectively courting a community

(18:02) The challenges of Jason’s job

(21:06) Planning for failure modes

(22:30) Determining your value in tech

(25:41) The growth of Gremlin

(30:16) Where you can find more from Jason

About Jason Yee

Jason Yee is Staff Technical Avdocate at Datadog, where he works to inspire developers and ops engineers with the power of metrics and monitoring. Previously, he was the community manager for DevOps & Performance at O’Reilly Media and a software engineer at MongoDB.

Links

• Break Things On Purpose podcast: https://www.gremlin.com/podcast/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/gitbisect

Original episode
https://www.lastweekinaws.com/podcast/screaming-in-the-cloud/chaos-engineering-for-gremlins-with-jason-yee/

Sponsor

Backblaze: https://www.backblaze.com/

In this episode of "Screaming in the Cloud," we’re making sure things are nice and secure thanks to Ryan Nolette, Senior Security Engineer at AWS Outreach. As a part of the Outreach team, he’s responsible for making everyone understand the nuances of AWS's Vulnerability Disclosure Program. Corey and Ryan explore the intricacies of AWS's approach to security, including the emphasis on communication with researchers. You’ll also get an overview of what goes into Vulnerability Disclosure Programs and how it courts security researchers over “security researchers.” If there’s anything you can take away from this episode, it’s that Ryan takes great pride in AWS's commitment to transparency and collaboration when it comes to resolving potential security flaws.

Show Highlights

(0:00) Intro

(0:38) Blackblaze sponsor read

(1:06) The role of AWS' security team outreach group

(2:21) The nuance of the Vulnerability Disclosure Program

(4:05) Will the VDP program replace human interactions

(10:08) Response disclosure vs. coordinated disclosure

(15:26) The high-quality communication of the AWS security team

(17:33) Gitpod sponsor read

(18:45) Security researchers vs. "security researchers"

(25:54) What's next for the VDP Program?

(29:26) Avoiding "security by obscurity"

(32:08) Being intentional with security messaging

(36:16) Where you can find more from Ryan

About Ryan Nolette

Ryan is AWS's Senior Security Engineer for the Outreach Team and CoAuthor of AWS Detective. He has previously held a variety of roles including threat research, incident response consulting, and every level of security operations. With almost 2 decades in the infosec field, Ryan has been on the development and operations side of companies such as Postman, Sqrrl, Carbon Black, Crossbeam Systems, SecureWorks and Fidelity Investments. Ryan has been an active speaker and writer on threat hunting and endpoint security

Links

• AWS VDP on HackerOne: hackerone.com/aws_vdp
• AWS VDP inbox: aws-security@amazon.com
• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/cloudy-with-a-chance-of-security
• AWS Vulnerability Reporting site: https://aws.amazon.com/security/vulnerability-reporting/
• Give your feedback on the recently expanded VDP program: https://pulse.aws/survey/MOOFGRLM

Sponsors

Backblaze: https://www.backblaze.com/

Gitpod: gitpod.io