Screaming in the Cloud

Corey Quinn
  • 4.7 (92)
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Screaming in the Cloud with Corey Quinn features conversations with domain experts in the world of Cloud Computing. Topics discussed include AWS, GCP, Azure, Oracle Cloud, and the "why" behind how businesses are coming to think about the Cloud.

  1. Building Systems That Work Even When Everything Breaks with Ben Hartshorne

    1D AGO

    Building Systems That Work Even When Everything Breaks with Ben Hartshorne

    When AWS has a major outage, what actually happens behind the scenes? Ben Hartshorne, a principal engineer at Honeycomb, joins Corey Quinn to discuss a recent AWS outage and how they kept customer data safe even when their systems couldn't fully work. Ben explains why building services that expect things to break is the only way to survive these outages. Ben also shares how Honeycomb used its own tools to cut their AWS Lambda costs in half by tracking five different things in a spreadsheet and making small changes to all of them. About Ben Hartshorne:  Ben has spent much of his career setting up monitoring systems for startups and now is thrilled to help the industry see a better way. He is always eager to find the right graph to understand a service and will look for every excuse to include a whiteboard in the discussion. Show highlights:  (02:41)Two Stories About Cost Optimization (04:20) Cutting Lambda Costs by 50% (08:01) Surviving the AWS Outage (09:20) Preserving Customer Data During the Outage (13:08) Should You Leave AWS After an Outage? (15:09) Multi-Region Costs 10x More (18:10) Vendor Dependencies (22:06) How LaunchDarkly's SDK Handles Outages (24:40) Rate Limiting Yourself (29:00) How Much Instrumentation Is Too Much? (34:28) Where to Find Ben Links:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benhartshorne/ GitHub: https://github.com/maplebed Sponsored by: duckbillhq.com

    36 min
  2. Engineering Around Extreme S3 Scale with R. Tyler Croy

    3D AGO

    Engineering Around Extreme S3 Scale with R. Tyler Croy

    R. Tyler Croy, a principal engineer at Scribd, joins Corey Quinn to explain what happens when simple tasks cost $100,000. Checking if files are damaged? $100K. Using newer S3 tools? Way too expensive. Normal solutions don't work anymore. Tyler shares how with this much data, you can't just throw money at the problem, but rather you have to engineer your way out. About R. Tyler:  R. Tyler Croy leads infrastructure architecture at Scribd and has been an open source developer for over 14 years. His work spans the FreeBSD, Python, Ruby, Puppet, Jenkins, and Delta Lake communities. Under his leadership, Scribd’s Infrastructure Engineering team built Delta Lake for Rust to support a wide variety of high performance data processing systems. That experience led to Tyler developing the next big iteration of storage architecture to power large-scale fulltext compute challenges facing the organization. Show Highlights:01:48 Scribd's 18-Year History 04:00 One Document Becomes Billions of Files 05:47 When Normal Physics Stop Working 08:02 Why S3 Metadata Costs Too Much 10:50 How AI Made Old Documents Valuable 13:30 From 100 Billion to 100 Million Objects 15:05 The Curse of Retail Pricing  19:17 How Data Scientists Create Growth 21:18 De-Normalizing Data Problems 25:29 Evolving Old Systems 27:45 Billions Added Since Summer 29:29 Underused S3 Features 31:48 Where to Find Tyler Links:  Scribd: https://tech.scribd.comMastodon:  https://hacky.town/@rtylerGitHub: https://github.com/rtyler Sponsored by: duckbillhq.com

    34 min
  3. Avery Pennarun on Tailscale's Evolution: From Mesh VPN to AI Security Gateway

    JAN 8

    Avery Pennarun on Tailscale's Evolution: From Mesh VPN to AI Security Gateway

    Corey Quinn sits down with Avery Pennarun, co-founder and CEO of Tailscale, for a deep dive into how the company is reinventing networking for the modern era. From finally making VPNs behave the way they should to tackling AI security with zero-click authentication, Avery shares candid insights on building infrastructure people actually love using, and love talking about. They get into everything: surviving 100% year-over-year growth, why running on two tailnets at once is pure chaos, and how Tailscale makes “secure by default” feel effortless. Plus, they dig into why FreeBSD firewalls needed some tough love, the uncomfortable truth behind POCs, and even the surprisingly useful trick of turning your Apple TV into an exit node. About Avery: Avery Pennarun is the co-founder and CEO of Tailscale, where he’s redefining secure networking with a simple, Zero Trust approach. A veteran software engineer with experience ranging from startups to Google, he’s known for turning complex systems into approachable, user-friendly tools. His contributions to projects like wvdial, bup, and sshuttle reflect his belief that great technology should be both powerful and easy to use. With a mix of technical depth and dry humor, Avery shares insights on modern networking, internet evolution, and the realities of scaling a startup. Highlights:(0:00) Introduction to Tailscale and Security (00:52) Sponsorship and Personal Experiences (02:07) Technical Deep Dive into Tail Scale (06:10) Challenges and Future of Tail Scale (22:45) Building the Tail Net's API (23:54) Connecting Cloud Providers with Tailscale (25:22) Tailscale as a Security Solution (26:44) Innovations and Future of Tailscale Sponsored by: duckbillhq.com

    44 min
  4. How Grokability Built a Profitable Open Source Business with Jeremy Price

    JAN 6

    How Grokability Built a Profitable Open Source Business with Jeremy Price

    Most open source companies do the same thing. They take investor money, lock their best features behind paywalls, sell the company, and disappoint everyone. Grokability did something different. Jeremy Price, VP of Technology at Grokability talks with Corey Quinn about how they built a business that makes enough money without chasing endless growth. From why they use simple technology to how they run thousands of separate installations for customers, Jeremy explains what happens when you care more about making a good product than explosive growth. Show Highlights: (00:51) Welcoming Jeremy Price from Grokability (03:34) How Snipe-IT Started With a Bet (05:30) Paying for Software Can Change Everything (07:40) When AWS Competes With Open Source (10:10) Boring Businesses Make Money (15:30) Balancing Hosting Needs and Product Quality (18:00) Pricing That Avoids Big Customer Problems (21:06) Better Than a Google Sheet (27:02) The Psychology of Buying (29:33) Where to Find Jeremy and Grokability Links:  https://jermops.com/about/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremygprice/ https://snipeitapp.com/company Sponsored by: duckbillhq.com

    31 min
  5. The AI Productivity Gap with Keith Townsend

    12/11/2025

    The AI Productivity Gap with Keith Townsend

    Corey Quinn reconnects with Keith Townsend, founder of The CTO Advisor, for a candid conversation about the massive gap between AI hype and enterprise reality. Keith shares why a biopharma company gave Microsoft Copilot a hard no, and why AI has genuinely 10x’d his personal productivity while Fortune 500 companies treat it like radioactive material. From building apps with Cursor to watching enterprises freeze in fear of being the next AI disaster in the news, Keith and Corey dig into why the tools transforming solo founders and small teams are dead on arrival in the enterprise, and what it'll actually take to bridge that gap. About Keith TownsendKeith Townsend is an enterprise technologist and founder of The Advisor Bench LLC, where he helps major IT vendors refine their go-to-market strategies through practitioner-driven insights from CIOs, CTOs, and enterprise architects. Known as “The CTO Advisor,” Keith blends deep expertise in IT infrastructure, AI, and cloud with a talent for translating complex technology into clear business strategy.With more than 20 years of experience, including roles as a systems engineer, enterprise architect, and PwC consultant, Keith has advised clients such as HPE, Google Cloud, Adobe, Intel, and AWS. His content series, 100 Days of AI and CloudEveryday.dev, provide practical, plainspoken guidance for IT leaders. A frequent speaker at VMware Explore, Interop, and Tech Field Day, Keith is a trusted voice on cloud and infrastructure transformation. Show Highlights(01:25) Life After the Futurum Group Acquisition (03:56) Building Apps You're Not Qualified to Build with Cursor (05:45)Creating an AI-Powered RSS Reader (09:01) Why AI is Great at Language But Not Intelligence (11:39) Are You Looking for Advice or Just Validation? (13:49) Why Startups Can Risk AI Disasters and AWS Can't (17:28) You Can't Outsource Responsibility (19:52) Business Users Are Scared of AI Too (23:00) LinkedIn's AI Writing Tool Misses the Point (26:42) Private AI is Starting to Look Appealing (29:00) Never Going Back to Pre-AI Development (34:27) AI for Jobs You'd Never Hire Someone to Do (39:09) Where to Find Keith and Closing Thoughts Links The CTO Advisor:  https://thectoadvisor.com Sponsor: https://www.sumologic.com/solutions/dojo-aihttps://wiz.io/crying-out-cloud

    41 min
  6. AI Agents, Enterprise Risk, and the Future of Recovery: Rubrik’s Vision with Dev Rishi

    12/04/2025

    AI Agents, Enterprise Risk, and the Future of Recovery: Rubrik’s Vision with Dev Rishi

    In this episode of Screaming in the Cloud, Corey Quinn sits down with Rubrik’s GM of AI, Dev Rishi, to unpack the real story behind enterprise AI adoption, the rise of agentic systems, and why most organizations are still stuck in read-only mode. Dev breaks down how Rubrik’s Agent Rewind brings safety, observability, and resilience to AI-driven actions, solving the “Oh no, the agent deleted production data” problem before it happens. From deep learning’s evolution to the massive gap between consumer AI enthusiasm and enterprise risk posture, this conversation is a candid, insightful look at the AI future Global 2000 companies are racing toward… or cautiously tiptoeing into. Show Highlights (00:25) Understanding Rubrik and Agent Rewind (00:50) Challenges in AI and Disaster Recovery (01:27) Guest Introduction: Dev Rishi from Rubrik (01:44) The Evolution of AI in Enterprises (02:33) Starting an AI Company: The Backstory (05:10) Generative AI and Its Impact (07:15) Enterprise AI Trends and Challenges (08:56) The Future of Agentic AI (18:03) AI in Customer Support (22:03) Rubrik's Acquisition and AI Strategy (29:30) Launching Rubrik Agent Cloud (31:26) Lessons from Starting a Machine Learning Company (35:25) Conclusion and Contact Information Sponsor:Rubrik: https://www.rubrik.com/sitc

    36 min
  7. From Code to Cash: How André Arko Builds Better Tools and Gets Paid for Open Source

    11/13/2025

    From Code to Cash: How André Arko Builds Better Tools and Gets Paid for Open Source

    André Arko, CEO of Spinel Cooperative and longtime Bundler maintainer, joins Corey Quinn to introduce RV, a new Ruby tool that installs Ruby in one second instead of 10-40 minutes by using precompiled binaries. Inspired by Python's UV, RV aims to simplify Ruby dependency management without the complexity of older tools like RVM and rbenv. They talk about why Ruby isn't actually dead, Apple's problem with shipping a five-year-old end-of-life Ruby in macOS, and the challenges of writing dependency managers in the language they manage. André also shares how he transitioned from a struggling nonprofit model to a cooperative that charges companies for expertise, proving that open source maintainers can build sustainable businesses without relying on donations. Show Highlights: (03:50) Introducing RV (05:12) The RVM vs rbenv Wars and Why They All Break Bundler (09:00) Why Your Mac Still Shows Ruby 3.0.0 in Your Prompt (11:00) The Chef vs Puppet Philosophy Divide (16:30) Installing Ruby in One Second vs 40 Minutes (18:13) Apple’s Ancient System Ruby Problem (22:20) RV’s Incremental Approach  (24:23) Is Ruby Dead?  (28:44) Why RV Is Written in Rust, Not Ruby (31:10) The Bundler Problem (32:15) The Financial Reality (38:00) Spinel’s Plans to Make Money (39:23) How to Stay In Contact with André Links: André Arko: https://arko.netBlue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/indirect.ioSpinel Cooperative: https://spinel.coop Sponsor: Rubrik: https://www.rubrik.com/sitc

    41 min
  8. Cyber Resilience Beyond Prevention with Anneka Gupta

    10/30/2025

    Cyber Resilience Beyond Prevention with Anneka Gupta

    When attackers are smart enough to hit your backups, recovery becomes your best defense. Rubrik’s Chief Product Officer, Anneka Gupta, joins host Corey Quinn to break down what true cyber resilience looks like in today’s multi-cloud world. From AI-driven recovery to surviving ransomware with your data (and reputation) intact, this episode covers what it really takes to bounce back when everything goes sideways. Show Highlights (00:00) Introduction to Ransomware and Backups (00:25) Welcome to Screaming in the Cloud (00:32) Introducing Rubrik and Annika Gupta (01:26) What Does Rubrik Do? (02:18) Evolution of Backup and Recovery (03:37) Challenges in Cyber Recovery (05:33) Rubrik's Approach to Cyber Resilience (08:44) Importance of Cyber Recovery Simulations (09:40) Security vs. Operational Recovery (11:28) Assume Breach: A New Security Paradigm (14:29) Multi-Cloud Complexities and Security (27:45) Hybrid Cloud and Cyber Resilience (29:25) AI in Cyber Resilience (33:09) Conclusion and Contact Information About Anneka GuptaAnneka Gupta is a senior executive leader with a proven track record of scaling successful B2B SaaS businesses from the ground up. She’s led across product, tech, go-to-market, and operations, always with a customer-first mindset. Known for turning complex challenges into big wins, Anneka brings energy, innovation, and real-world results to every team she leads. She’s been recognized as one of San Francisco Business Times’ Most Influential Women in Business and 40 Under 40, as well as a Rising Star by AdExchanger and Marketing EDGE. Oh, and AdAge once named her one of the Top 10 Digital Marketing Innovators. Linksrubrik.com/sitchttps://www.linkedin.com/in/annekagupta/ Sponsor: Rubrik: https://www.rubrik.com/sitc

    34 min
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About

Screaming in the Cloud with Corey Quinn features conversations with domain experts in the world of Cloud Computing. Topics discussed include AWS, GCP, Azure, Oracle Cloud, and the "why" behind how businesses are coming to think about the Cloud.

Information

  • Creator
    Corey Quinn
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    661
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2021 Duckbill Group, LLC
  • Show Website
    Screaming in the Cloud

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