Screaming In The Cloud

Brian Scanlan, Senior Principal Engineer at Intercom, the company building Fin.ai, joins Corey Quinn on Screaming in the Cloud to discuss Intercom’s move from AWS Aurora to PlanetScale’s managed Vitess after years of scaling challenges with their Ruby on Rails monolith. He explains how 13 Aurora clusters created operational pain and why PlanetScale’s white-glove, partnership-driven model won out over Amazon’s building-block approach.The discussion also covers Intercom’s volunteer-based on-call system, their pivot to AI agents after ChatGPT’s launch, concerns about the shrinking pipeline of systems engineers, and how companies like PlanetScale and Snowflake are outpacing AWS by delivering superior user experiences.About Brian: Brian is an engineer based in Intercom’s Dublin office. He fixes problems, builds things, and grows people. Show Highlights(01:34) The Digital Clippy Rant(2:16) The Good Chatbot vs. Bad Chatbot (03:51) The AI Chatbot Revolution (04:33) Unexpected Consequences of Good Chatbots (05:42) AI

AI is rewriting the rules of code review and CodeRabbit is leading the charge. In this featured episode of Screaming in the Cloud, Harjot Gill shares with Corey Quinn how his team built the most-installed AI app on GitHub and GitLab, nailed positive unit economics, and turned code review into a powerful guardrail for the AI era.Show Highlights(0:00) Entrepreneurial Journey and Code Rabbit's Origin (3:06) The Broken Nature of Code Reviews (5:47) Developer Feedback and the Future of Code Review (9:50) AI-Generated Code and the Code Review Burden (11:46) Traditional Tools vs. AI in Code Review (13:41) Keeping Up with State-of-the-Art Models (16:16) Cloud Architecture and Google Cloud Run(18:21) Context Engineering for Large Codebases (20:52) Taming LLMs and Balancing Feedback (22:30) Business Model and Open Source Strategy About Harjot Gill Harjot is the CEO of CodeRabbit, a leading AI-first developer tools company. LinksHarjot on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harjotsgill/SponsorCodeRabbit: https://coder

In this episode of Screaming in the Cloud, Corey Quinn talks with Jonathan Schneider, CEO of Moderne and author on Java microservices and automated code remediation. They explore why upgrading legacy systems is so hard, Schneider’s journey from Netflix to building large-scale code transformation tools like OpenRewrite, and how major companies like Amazon, IBM, and Microsoft use it.They also discuss AI in software development, cutting through the hype to show where it genuinely helps, and the human and technical challenges of modernization. The conversation offers a practical look at how AI and automation can boost productivity without replacing the need for expert oversight.Show Highlights(2:07) Book Writing and the Pain of Documentation(4:03) Why Software Modernization Is So Hard(6:53) Automating Software Modernization at Netflix(8:07) Culture and Modernization: Netflix vs. Google vs. JP Morgan(10:40) Social Engineering Problems in Software Modernization(13:20) The Geometric Explosion of Software Complexity(

On this episode of Screaming in the Cloud, Corey Quinn talks with Simon Willison, founder of Datasette and creator of LLM CLI about AI’s realities versus the hype. They dive into Simon’s “lethal trifecta” of AI security risks, his prediction of a major breach within six months, and real-world use cases of his open source tools, from investigative journalism to OSINT sleuthing. Simon shares grounded insights on coding with AI, the real environmental impact, AGI skepticism, and why human expertise still matters. A candid, hype-free take from someone who truly knows the space.Highlights: 00:00 Introduction and Security Concerns02:32 Conversations and Kindness04:56 Niche Museums and Collecting06:52 Blogging as a Superpower08:01 Challenges of Writing and AI15:08 Unique Use Cases of Dataset19:33 The Evolution of Open Source21:09 Security Vulnerabilities in AI32:18 Future of AI and AGI Concerns37:10 Learning Programming with AI39:12 Vibe Coding and Its Risks41:49 Environmental Impact of AI46:34 AI in Legal and Creat

In this deep-dive episode, Corey Quinn and Ed Zitron break down the complex and often murky world of AI and the tech giants fueling today’s rapid innovation. From Nvidia’s soaring valuations to OpenAI’s shaky finances and Microsoft’s high-stakes gambles, they reveal the cracks hidden beneath all the hype.They navigate the tangled web of corporate finance, big investments, and what could happen if the AI boom falters whether it reshapes the economy or crashes spectacularly.With sharp takes on the crossroads of AI, crypto hype, SaaS economics, and enterprise software, Cory and Ed cut through the noise to separate myth from reality. They ask: Is today’s tech gold rush truly transformative, or just another bubble pumped up by money, media, and wishful thinking?If you’re into tech or investing, this episode challenges you to look past the buzzwords and understand the real forces shaping the future of technology.Highlights (00:00) Introduction and Initial Thoughts on AI(00:53) AI Skepticism and Financial Realities(

Reliable software shouldn't be an accident, but for most developers it is. Jeremy Edberg, CEO of DBOS and the guy who scaled Reddit and Netflix, joins Corey Quinn to talk about his wild idea of saving your entire app into a database so it can never really break. They chat about Jeremy's "build for three" rule, a plan for scale without going crazy, why he set Reddit's servers to Arizona time to dodge daylight saving time, and how DBOS makes your app as tough as your data. Plus, Jeremy shares his brutally honest take on distributed systems cargo cult, autonomous AI testing, and why making it easy for customers to leave actually keeps them around.Public Bio: Jeremy is an angel investor and advisor for various incubators and startups, and the CEO of DBOS. He was the founding Reliability Engineer for Netflix and before that he ran ops for reddit as its first engineering hire. Jeremy also tech-edited the highly acclaimed AWS for Dummies, and he is one of the six original AWS Heroes. He is a noted speaker in serverl

What happens when you try to monitor something fundamentally unpredictable? In this featured guest episode, Wayne Segar from Dynatrace joins Corey Quinn to tackle the messy reality of observing AI workloads in enterprise environments. They explore why traditional monitoring breaks down with non-deterministic AI systems, how AI Centers of Excellence are helping overcome compliance roadblocks, and why “human in the loop” beats full automation in most real-world scenarios.From Cursor’s AI-driven customer service fail to why enterprises are consolidating from 15+ observability vendors, this conversation dives into the gap between AI hype and operational reality, and why the companies not shouting the loudest about AI might be the ones actually using it best.Show Highlights(00:00) - Cold Open(00:48) – Introductions and what Dynatrace actually does(03:28) – Who Dynatrace serves(04:55) – Why AI isn't prominently featured on Dynatrace's homepage(05:41) – How Dynatrace built AI into its platform 10 years ago(07:32) –

How do you wrangle the chaos of AWS cost tools and live presentations? In this episode of Screaming in the Cloud, Corey Quinn is joined by AWS’s Bowen Wang and Matt Berk to break down their re:Invent talk and everything that almost went off the rails. From surprise tsunami alerts to last-minute feature changes, they explore the anxiety and art behind presenting at scale. They also look at how power user feedback shapes tools like the AWS Pricing Calculator, why storytelling matters more than specs, and what it’s like co-presenting with notes that say “make the rabbit joke.” They also discuss AWS’s internal planning process, how customers can get involved in talks, and where to catch them next.Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(1:38) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(2:35) The importance of collecting feedback before launching a product (4:52) The difference between the intended use of a product and how it’s actually used(8:52) How Bowen and Matt were able to be so prepared for their presentation(13:01) What many peopl

What’s going on with Infrastructure as Code? On this episode, Corey is joined by Firefly CEO and Co-Founder Ido Neeman to discuss the findings of the State of IaC 2025 report. Throughout their chat, Corey and Ido discuss the evolution of IaC adoption in enterprises, the challenges of managing multi-cloud and multi-IaC environments, and the importance of disaster recovery as code. The conversation also touches on the rise of open-source projects like Open Tofu and the significant role of automation in cloud cost optimization. This episode not only reflects on recent trends, but highlights the importance of robust cloud governance and the continuous need for innovation amidst increasing cloud complexity.Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(0:59) Firefly sponsor read(1:29) Firefly's semi-pivot to AI(2:54) The findings of the State of IaC 2025 survey(5:40) How are people working in multi-cloud environments(8:14) Is there a responsible way to use Helm charts?(11:21) The currrent state of Pulumi(12:46) Problems that can be

How does one manage to simplify the complexities of the NAT Gateway? In this episode of "Screaming in the Cloud," Corey Quinn interviews Malith Rajapakse, a DevOps engineer who has recently received acclaim for his blog post discussing the Managed NAT Gateway. Where AWS lacks in its documentation, Malith is a NATural at breaking things down. He’s so great at it that Corey had to invite him on the show! Malith shares the story behind his popular post, his creative process, and his use of interactive diagrams and engaging content. He and Corey also discuss the challenges of documentation and making technical subjects more appealing. Thankfully, Malith has already done that in written form, so enjoy this episode as he speaks it into the world!Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(1:24) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(1:58) Malith's background before his blog post (4:21) Why Malith wrote about the Managed NAT Gateway(5:38) Corey's problems with Managed NAT Gateway and why Malith's blog post impressed him(10:05) The interac

Microsoft has its fingers in a lot of pots, but just how secure are said pots? On this episode, Corey is joined by Ann Johnson, Corporate Vice President and Deputy CISO of Microsoft's Customer Security Management Office. Ann talks about her 40-year professional journey and how it's culminated in her current role. Corey is known to “punch up” at the big guys in the tech industry, but he and Ann talk about the challenges of corporate leadership and being a public face in such a prominent company. Since it’s 2025, of course, they’re going to talk about AI’s pros and cons (and why it shouldn’t be used to make art).Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(0:51) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(1:25) What Ann's been up to since she and Corey last spoke (2:29) The makeup of Microsoft Security(4:28) The unique company culture at Microsoft(8:42) What's going on with Microsoft Azure(10:31) How Ann handles the immense pressure of working in Microsoft Security(14:13) The toxic nature of online criticism(19:57) The Duckbill Group spons

If you believed, they put a data center on the moon. No, for real, they did, and it’s partially thanks to Lili Rogowsky, partner at Atypical Ventures. Lili joins Corey to discuss her unconventional leap from law to venture capital. Although she made a sharp turn career-wise, Lili remains grounded in the often heartless world of venture capital—highlighting the importance of empathy and technical prowess in founding successful enterprises. Out of all resources, time carries the heftiest price tag, and this half-hour episode is a low-risk, high-yield investment.Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(1:12) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(1:46) How Corey (kinda) met Lili(3:38) What attracted Corey to Atypical Ventures(5:58) How Atypical helped put a data center on the moon(8:34) VC “done right”(9:59) What led Lili to run a VC firm(13:43) Quitting jobs until you find something you like(16:28) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(16:54) The value of sharing your time(21:44) Risk assessment, well-dressed horses, and punching up in

Dropping and sharing files should be easy. What a novel idea. On this episode, Corey speaks with Timo Josten, the sole developer behind Dropshare. We bring up the fact that he’s the only guy working on it because the tool is quite impressive! Corey loves it and so does an entire community of folks on Github! Together, they discuss the evolution and functionality of Dropshare. Timo also shares how he balance of enhancing Dropshare, emphasizing user feedback, and customization options, all while offering feature updates and maintaining sustainability. Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(1:06) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(1:39) What does Dropshare do? (6:10) Dropshare's impressive flexibility and dedicated community(10:27) How Timo landed on Dropshare's business model(12:38) What's new in Dropshare 6?(16:09) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(16:36) Determining what should be an update or part of the next version of Dropshare(18:30) Dropshare’s iOS app(21:04) The perks of being able to configure deletion in Dropshare(25

How you learn is important. Corey Quinn is joined by Aditya Bhargava, a Staff Software Engineer at Etsy and the author of Grokking Algorithms. They talk about the nuances of technical learning and the contrasting philosophies of "just in time" versus "just in case" learning. In this episode, Aditya emphasizes the importance of effective teaching methods and the value of incorporating fun things like drawings into technical explanations. This approach also bleeds into his illustrated Substack, DuckTypes. As Corey and Aditya discuss, a good, informative book doesn’t need to drag on, and this quick, insightful, 30-minute conversation is no different.Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(1:24) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(1:58) Corey's admiration for Aditya's writing(5:40) How Aditya clearly explains AWS networking(8:06) “Just in case” vs. “just in time”(10:15) Why business books don't need to be hundreds of pages long(14:19) Reading for pleasure vs. reading for work(16:57) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(17:24) Explain

Sysdig’s 2025 Cloud-Native and Security Usage Report is hot off the presses, and Corey has questions. On this episode, he’s joined by Crystal Morin, a Cybersecurity Strategist at Sysdig, to break down the trends of the past year. They discuss Sysdig’s approach to detecting and responding to security and the success the company has seen with the rollout of Sysdig Sage (an AI product that Corey thinks is actually useful). They also chat about what’s driving a spike in machine identities, practical hygiene in cloud environments, and the crucial importance of automated responses to maintain robust security in the face of increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(0:39) Sysdig sponsor read(2:22) Explaining Sysdig's 5/5/5 Benchmark(4:06) What does Sysdig's work entail?(10:03) Cloud security trends that have changed over the last year(14:30) Sysdig sponsor read(15:16) How Sysdig is using AI in its security products(19:09) How many users are adopting AI tools like Sysdig Sage(25:51) The real

What’s the difference between marketing and BS? On this episode, Corey Quinn is joined by Jonathan Cowperthwait, Duckbill’s brand-new Head of Marketing. Jonathan's career path is a bit unconventional. After all, not everyone can say their professional journey was influenced by The West Wing. Even though he’s a marketer by trade, Jonathan still has the technical know-how needed to work in the often expensive world of cloud economics. Have you ever wanted to know what The Duckbill Group’s relationship with AWS is really like? How fun is it to sit on domains like “oldmanstartup?” Is there a similarity between clouds and butts? This interview is the inside scoop on The Duckbill Group that you never knew you needed. Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(1:11) Duckbill Group sponsor read(1:45) Acquiring the Duckbill Group office post-pandemic(2:52) Keeping your pants on during a pandemic so you can officiate your nanny's wedding(6:07) Jonathan's background prior to joining The Duckbill Group(11:29) What Duckbill was looking

What were you doing at the age of 12? We’d wager to bet you weren’t getting invited to Google I/O. On this episode, Corey chats with Alex Zenla, the founder and CTO of Edera. Only in her mid-20s, Alex already has more than a decade’s worth of professional experience working in the tech industry. They discuss how Alex found her way into programming at a young age, her experiences with open source projects like the Dart Project and Chromium OS, and getting contacted by Google’s lawyers as a preteen. You’ll also get to learn about Alex’s company, Edera, and their creative approaches to Kubernetes container security using Xen hypervisors. Did we forget to mention that there are multiple sidebars about Minecraft in this one? So grab your pick axe, put on your headphones, and a Google legal will be at your door by the time we wrap up this conversation.Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(0:54) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(1:28) What is Edera?(2:18) Who is the target customer for Edera's product(7:50) Breaking down the ov

Andy Warfield joins Corey in this episode to discuss the evolution of storage technology at Amazon. This includes the evolution of S3 from archival storage to supporting modern AI and analytics. As Vice President and Distinguished Engineer at AWS, Andy is able to explain performance-enhancing innovations like S3 Tables and Common Runtime (CRT). On the other hand, challenges like compaction and namespace structuring are discussed. Reflecting on his journey from working on the Xen hypervisor to AWS, Andy shares insights into scaling S3, including buckets spanning millions of hard disks. Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(1:09) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(1:43) Andy’s background(3:38) How AWS envisioned services being used vs. what customers actually do with them(6:54) The frustration of legacy applications not keeping up with the times(10:14) Why S3 is so accurate(15:29) S3 as a role model for how a service should be run(18:04) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(18:46) Why AWS made Iceberg into a native offering(23:5

Ever wondered how Corey got to where he is today? You have Brian Weber to partially thank for that. On this episode of Screaming in the Cloud, Corey catches up with his old friend and mentor to talk about the ever-evolving world of tech. Brian’s been around the block a time or two having done significant stints at Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter (during the Elon acquisition no less)! As Corey and Brian catch up, you’ll hear them chat about the importance of empathy, coaching the next generation of tech workers, and their conspiracies surrounding Google and Kubernetes. So grab your tinfoil hats, it’s time to go Screaming!Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(0:53) The Duckbill Group sponsor read(1:27) When Brian took Corey under his win(3:21) Brian's experience coming to the cloud as an engineer(7:24) Why it's important to reinvent yourself in tech(8:54) How Brian reacted to the industry adopting Kubernetes over Mesos Marathon(10:31) Kubernetes conspiracy theories(12:30) The importance of empathy in tech(15:46) Trying

On this Screaming in the Cloud Replay, we look back at our conversation with Amy Negrette. Before she joined DigitalOcean Senior Development Advocate, she was a cloud economist at The Duckbill Group. Prior to that, Amy worked as a cloud architect at Trek10, Inc., a cloud software engineer lead at Cloudreach, a software developer at ASRC Research and Technology Solutions, and a software engineer at Yahoo, among other positions. She’s also an organizer of Write/Speak/Code, an organization committed to helping Under Represented Genders sharpen their technical speaking and writing capabilities. Join Corey and Amy as they discuss the pros and cons of remote work, what Duckbill’s organizational structure is like, remote work during the pandemic vs. remote work during the before times, why it’s nice to be able to work whenever you want to work instead of during fixed hours, why the future of travel in the tech industry should change, how Corey and Amy met, what makes cloud economics come natural to Amy, a tool that