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Big Ideas in App Architecture

Big Ideas in App Architecture
Author: Cockroach Labs
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Cockroach Lab’s Big Ideas in App Architecture is a podcast for architects and engineers building modern data-intensive applications and systems. In every weekly episode, an innovator joins the show to share useful insights from their experiences building reliable, scalable, maintainable systems.
Welcome to Big Ideas in App Architecture!
Welcome to Big Ideas in App Architecture!
61 Episodes
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In this episode, David sits down with Nishant Raman, a seasoned data infrastructure expert, to explore the evolving world of data engineering, AI integration, and building scalable systems from the ground up. With experience across logistics, healthcare, and fintech, Nishant shares hard-won insights from years of building resilient, cost-conscious infrastructure that scales with company growth and technical complexity.From choosing the right database to navigating the post-LLM explosion in tooling, this conversation offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to thrive as the first data hire and beyond.Join us as we discuss:Nishant’s accidental path into data engineering and lessons from startup lifeThe tradeoffs that can come with building scalable, cost-efficient data systemsThe growing role of AI in data infrastructure and what’s coming next for data teams
In this episode, David sits down with Masaru Hoshi, a cloud architect at Qlik, to explore his unexpected journey into cloud architecture, the cultural influences that shaped his career, and the evolving disciplines transforming enterprise technology today. Join as we discuss:Masaru’s path from developer to cloud architect and his open-source contributionsThe rising importance of site reliability engineering (SRE) and finops in modern enterprisesThe role of AI in reshaping SRE and predictive reliability managementWhat songs should go in a playlist for a Site Reliability Engineer
In this episode, David sits down with Peter Mattis, co-founder, CTO, and CPO of Cockroach Labs, to dive into the world of resilient databases, the evolution of AI in tech, and the journey of building a company that’s transforming how engineers approach scalability and performance. Peter shares insights from Cockroach Labs’ mission to create CockroachDB, a distributed SQL database designed to be virtually unbreakable and easily scalable in the cloud.Join us as we discuss:Peter’s personal journey in the tech industry and the founding of Cockroach LabsHow CockroachDB is pushing the limits of resilience, scalability, and performanceThe transformative impact of AI on engineering workflows and productivity, and how it will reshape industries like medicine, education, and daily lifeThe importance of embracing AI in the workplace and developing AI literacy among employees
In this episode, David sits down with Joe Duffy, CEO of Pulumi, to explore the revolutionary changes in cloud infrastructure and the power of Infrastructure as Code (IaC). Pulumi is redefining how developers and organizations manage cloud resources by enabling them to use familiar programming languages for scalable, efficient infrastructure management.Join us as we discuss:The evolution of cloud infrastructure and how IaC is transforming engineering workflows.How Pulumi simplifies cloud management by bridging the gap between developers and operations.The impact of AI on infrastructure automation and the future of cloud computing.The challenges organizations face in scaling their cloud environments and how Pulumi helps overcome them.
Connectivity has become as essential as power and water—without it, our modern world would grind to a halt.In this episode, David sits down with Anand Bajaj, Chief Architect at Ericsson, to explore the revolutionary shifts taking place with 5G technology. Anand breaks down the evolution from wired networks to the unparalleled flexibility of 5G, highlighting the power of network slicing in creating tailored, high-performance connections. From his early days coding in India to leading groundbreaking projects at Ericsson, Anand argues that connectivity is just as vital as our basic utilities. This conversation unveils how mobile technology powers the on-demand services we take for granted today, driving a transformative revolution in our world.Join us as we discuss:How 5G enables scalable networks and the role of automation in managing complexity.Why the shift to virtualized networks and cloud-native design can be better for scalability and recovery.The convergence of telecom and IT, leading to flexible, hybrid infrastructures without vendor lock-in.
What does it take to build systems that thrive in today’s fast-evolving tech landscape?In this episode, we talk with Jim Hatcher, Solutions Engineer at Cockroach Labs, about the future of application architecture. From cloud commitments and database optimization to the transformative role of AI, Jim shares expert insights into building resilient, scalable systems. We explore the shift to cloud-native architectures, containerization, and how CockroachDB delivers unmatched reliability for mission-critical operations.Join us as we discuss:Breaking free from vendor lock-in with cloud portability for greater flexibility.Revolutionizing database management with AI and NVIDIA’s Jetson Nano.Ensuring high availability for essential applications in industries like finance and e-commerce.
In this episode, David welcomes Ari LiVigni, Senior Cloud Solutions Architect at GitHub, for an engaging conversation about cloud infrastructure, cloud adoption, AI, and security. Join us as we discuss:The importance of effective cloud solutions for data protection and security, including a look at tools from GitHub, AWS, and Azure.GitHub's significant milestones, including its acquisition by Microsoft and the launch of innovative tools like pull requests and forking.How GitHub Copilot enhances productivity by enabling developers to focus on code prompts while automating routine tasks.
Ever wondered how cloud architecture works in the public sector? In this episode, David Joy is joined by Nik Mayer, Principal Cloud Architect at Maximus, a company that partners with state, federal and local governments to provide critical health and human service programs. Nick discusses his journey into cloud architecture, emphasizing the impact of public cloud on innovation and accessibility. He also highlights the key differences between private and public sector cloud strategies, focusing on the heightened security and compliance requirements of government agencies.Key takeaways from the episode include:The importance of cloud computing in the public sectorThe challenges of migrating legacy systems to the cloudThe importance of balancing cost optimization with performance in federal cloud deploymentsThe value of continuous learning and diverse experiences in staying current with the rapidly evolving tech landscape
This week, David is joined by Dom Scandinaro, CTO at Cameo, the platform that allows users to send personalized videos from celebrities and creators. Scandinaro gives an in-depth overview of Cameo’s rapid growth from a simple idea into a robust and deeply personalized fan experience platform with the digital infrastructure to match. Join us as we discuss:How Cameo’s tech stack has evolved as the company expands globallyWhy leaders need to have an in-depth understanding of their team’s abilities and limitationsHow Cameo is harnessing Generative AI for new products and platform features.
In this episode, our host David Joy speaks with Samarth Shah, Senior Network Architect at Equifax to learn about the steps they took to modernize from the mainframe to the cloud, as well as the impact AI has on the industry.Join as we also discuss:The limitations of the mainframe and what enterprises need to consider when moving towards a cloud architecture.How to address modern security challenges including IAM controls, network segmentation, and DDoS protection.Innovative use cases for generative AI in network security, including how to automate defensive actions during cyber incidents.
In this episode, we dive into the heart of cloud architecture, disaster recovery, observability, and more with OneStream’s Senior VP of Cloud Architecture, Ryan Berry. Whether you're a tech enthusiast or finance professional, this episode offers indispensable knowledge on navigating modern cloud landscapes and optimizing financial software solutions.Join as we discuss:The importance of learning new cloud patterns for cost-effectiveness and higher migration success.The intricacies of scaling infrastructure, particularly during high-demand scenarios such as month-end and quarterly financial modeling.What companies need to consider when adopting the cloud.
In this episode, David is joined by Head of Product Engineering and Chief Architect at Altimetrik, Ignacio Segovia. From revolutionizing product engineering to harnessing the power of cloud technologies, Ignacio breaks down the themes of digital transformation in today's rapidly evolving landscape, and how Altimetrik fosters cultural alignment and innovation on their engineering teams.Join as we discuss:How Altimetrik approaches modernization and product engineering efforts across industries including financial services, payments, and more.The importance of user satisfaction and how it drives technical decision-making across every architectural layer.Insights into building high-performance teams, including Ignacio’s hiring principles and interview questions
This week, David is joined by Unmesh Joshi, Principal Consultant at Thoughtworks and author of “Patterns of Distributed Systems” for a conversation on the technical intricacies that keep modern applications running smoothly. Join as we discuss:Key concepts behind distributed systems, including fault tolerance and consistency models, consensus algorithms, and more.Unmesh’s inspiration behind “Patterns of Distributed Systems,” and how he hopes to simplify complex concepts for developers.Technical predictions for distributed systems over the next five years.
With a growing library of media properties including CNET, Lonely Planet, and Bankrate, Red Ventures’ data platform has scaled from handling 16 million events per day to nearly 2 billion. To dive into the evolution of their architecture and understand how data effortlessly travels through their systems, our host David Joy sat down with Principal Software Engineer Majid Fatemian.Join as we discuss:Why Red Ventures migrated from SQL Server to Amazon RedshiftHow the data landscape has changed over the last two decadesThe challenges every leader should expect when running a data platformMajid’s time at Ubisoft and his involvement in one of David’s favorite games, Far Cry 2
For the engineering team at digital analytics company Amplitude, real-time customer feedback and cutting-edge Northstar metrics play a significant role in helping them adapt their tech stack and stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market.To learn more about the innovative approaches at Amplitude, we sat down with their SVP of Engineering, Shadi Rostami, for a discussion on the significance of ownership, accountability, and a founder's mindset in shepherding a company's growth.Join as we discuss: Developing a growth mindset to enable a successful engineering careerShadi’s engineering principles including “ship fast with quality”How to scale platforms through informed data-driven prioritization and strategic product focus
Modernizing database infrastructure can solve more than just data problems. It can also simplify your software architecture and the way your engineering organization works.In this episode, David sits down with technical evangelist, Rob Reid from Cockroach Labs, to discuss the importance of architectural simplification through proven patterns, real-world examples, and practical use cases. Join as we discuss:The benefits of simplifying your data architectureWhy you should think of regulations as part of your architectureHow in some cases, running a database across three data centers can be cheaper than twoWhat to know about selecting the right database for your use case
“Customer experience is top priority, if the customer isn’t happy and you scale it, it doesn’t matter, nobody's gonna use it!”This week, David is joined by Sachin Joshi, Director of Enterprise Architecture at Vimeo, to discuss customer experience as the north star of architecture work, the evolution and impact of AI, and Vimeo's code-to-cash process for business efficiency. Join us as we discuss:Vimeo's enterprise architecture, integration, and automationHow to prioritize customer experience when scaling applicationsMonolithic vs microservices architecture
How to leverage real-time data processing for enterprisesIn this episode, David is joined by Andrew Sellers, Head of Technology at Confluent, to discuss the dynamic world of data streaming and its transformative impact in the enterprise as well as everyday applications. Andrew sheds light on the evolution of data infrastructure and how Confluent is constantly working to revolutionize data management with its platform.Join us as we discuss: The pivotal role of technologies like Kafka and Apache Flink in application architecturesHow data streaming translates into tangible business value, from improved decision-making to enhanced operational efficiencyForesight into the evolving trends in real-time data processing, including why data streaming will ultimately make generative AI better
Developers need a toolkit to build AI into their applications – models, functions, & data, Hypermode does just that. To learn how the world of data and databases have been rapidly evolving for the age of AI, we sat down with their CTO Gajanan Chinchwadkar (previously Chief Systems Architect at Visa). Join as we discuss:The evolution of database technologies from niche markets to a $100 billion industry with over 8000 options. Scaling databases in different organizational contexts, and strategies for staying up-to-date with industry trends.How AI will impact the programming landscape.
With over a decade of experience spanning various industries, Chief Architect Joshua Prismon shares insights on his journey from guiding the architecture of FICO to his current role enabling media owners to grow revenue and marketers to reach consumers on any screen at Index Exchange. From the democratization of credit scores to the ethical considerations of AI use, Josh provides a comprehensive overview of the intersection between technology, privacy, and innovation.Join as we discuss:The transformative impact of technology on credit scoring and financial services.The importance of balancing technological advancements with privacy-focused ad tech.The critical role of app architecture in navigating data privacy and regulatory compliance.