Techsplainers by IBM

IBM

Introducing the Techsplainers by IBM podcast, your new podcast for quick, powerful takes on today’s most important AI and tech topics. Each episode brings you bite-sized learning designed to fit your day, whether you’re driving, exercising, or just curious for something new. This is just the beginning. Tune in every weekday at 6 AM ET for fresh insights, new voices, and smarter learning. Visit podcast page: https://www.ibm.com/think/podcasts/techsplainers

  1. 5d ago

    What is infrastructure automation?

    This episode of Techsplainers explores infrastructure automation as the broader goal behind infrastructure as code practices. It explains how automation allows organizations to provision, configure and manage infrastructure through repeatable, code-driven workflows instead of manual processes, making it possible to operate complex hybrid and multicloud environments with greater speed and reliability. The episode breaks infrastructure automation into three core functions: provisioning, configuration management and workflow orchestration. It also shows how organizations typically build toolchains that combine products such as Terraform, Ansible, Kubernetes and Jenkins to automate different stages of the infrastructure lifecycle. Along the way, it explains why guardrails, policy as code and developer self-service are essential for scaling automation safely. Listeners will also hear how infrastructure automation improves consistency, reduces risk, optimizes costs and strengthens governance across modern environments. The discussion also highlights the growing influence of AI through predictive analytics, intelligent autoscaling and automated root cause analysis. Find more information at https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/infrastructure-automation Find more episodes https://www.ibm.biz/techsplainers-podcast Narrated by Alice Gomstyn

    What is infrastructure automation?

  2. 6d ago

    Terraform in IaC

    This episode of Techsplainers explores how Terraform is used to implement infrastructure as code, focusing on the practical mechanics that turn infrastructure from a manual process into a repeatable engineering discipline. It explains how Terraform’s declarative model lets teams define the end state of infrastructure in human-readable files, then automatically plan and apply changes based on dependencies and current state. The episode follows Terraform’s core workflow of write, plan and apply, showing how configuration files, state files, providers and modules work together to support consistent provisioning across cloud, on-premises and SaaS environments. It also examines why version control, reusable modules and execution plans are so central to the IaC model, helping teams standardize deployments, collaborate more effectively and reduce drift between environments. Along the way, the discussion highlights where Terraform fits alongside tools like Ansible and why its main strength is provisioning and lifecycle management at infrastructure level. The result is a clear, focused deep dive into Terraform’s role as one of the defining tools for modern IaC practices. Find more information at https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/terraform Find more episodes https://www.ibm.biz/techsplainers-podcast Narrated by Alice Gomstyn

    Terraform in IaC

  3. Aug 12

    Object versus file versus block storage: What’s the difference?

    This episode of Techsplainers explores the differences between object storage, file storage and block storage, helping listeners understand how each model organizes, stores and retrieves data. The episode explains how file storage uses familiar folders and files, why block storage is often chosen for databases and performance-sensitive workloads, and how object storage supports massive volumes of unstructured data with metadata-rich, API-based access. The discussion follows a clear comparison of how each storage model works, where it fits and what tradeoffs come with it. Listeners learn why file storage is intuitive for shared content and collaboration, why block storage gives applications more direct and efficient access to data, and why object storage is a strong fit for scale, archives, media libraries and cloud-native systems. The episode also highlights the benefits and limitations of each model around usability, latency, scalability and management. Rather than treating these as either-or technologies, the episode shows how many organizations use all three together to support a range of workloads across modern IT environments. Find more information at https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/object-vs-file-vs-block-storageFind more episodes at https://www.ibm.com/think/podcasts/techsplainers. Narrated by Dan Segal

    Object versus file versus block storage: What’s the difference?

  4. Aug 12

    What is data storage?

    This episode of Techsplainers introduces data storage and explains why it is one of the foundational parts of modern computing. The episode explores how storage records, organizes and protects digital information so it can be retrieved and used later, whether that data lives on a personal device, in a data center or across cloud environments. It follows storage from everyday use cases like apps, photos and media to enterprise needs such as archiving, backup and disaster recovery. Listeners are guided through how data storage works, including the difference between RAM and long-term storage, and the three major storage models: file storage, block storage and object storage. The discussion also breaks down core architectures such as DAS, NAS and SAN, along with common storage media and deployment options including HDDs, SSDs, cloud storage, hybrid cloud storage, AI storage and edge storage. It also highlights the benefits of scalability, flexibility and resilience, while addressing challenges tied to security, compliance, cost and growing data demands. Find more information at https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/data-storageFind more episodes at https://www.ibm.com/think/podcasts/techsplainers. Narrated by Dan Segal

    What is data storage?

  5. Aug 12

    What is provisioning?

    This episode of Techsplainers explores provisioning through the lens of infrastructure as code, explaining why it is such a foundational part of modern IT operations. It breaks down provisioning as the process of setting up infrastructure and making resources available for systems and users, from servers and networks to applications, cloud services and devices. The episode also clarifies a common source of confusion by separating provisioning from configuration. Provisioning creates and allocates the underlying resource, while configuration tailors that resource for a specific workload or user need. From there, it examines several major types of provisioning, including server, network, application, cloud and device provisioning, showing how each supports a functioning IT environment. The discussion then shifts to automated provisioning and why it has become essential in DevOps-era organizations. It highlights how infrastructure as code helps automate provisioning through scripts and templates, reducing manual effort while improving speed, scalability, consistency and compliance. The episode also addresses the tradeoff of automation: while it reduces human error, mistakes in code can scale quickly if not reviewed carefully. Find more information at https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/provisioning Find more episodes https://www.ibm.biz/techsplainers-podcast Narrated by Alice Gomstyn

    What is provisioning?

  6. Aug 11

    What is infrastructure as code?

    This episode of Techsplainers explores infrastructure as code, the DevOps practice of automating infrastructure provisioning and management through configuration files rather than manual processes. It explains how IaC treats infrastructure like software, allowing teams to write, version, test and deploy infrastructure with the same rigor they apply to application code. The episode walks through the four-stage IaC workflow of write, version, provision and deploy, showing how configuration files, version control systems and automation engines work together to create repeatable, scalable infrastructure management. It also breaks down key implementation choices, including declarative versus imperative approaches and mutable versus immutable infrastructure, helping listeners understand the different ways organizations structure their IaC strategies. Along the way, the discussion highlights the major benefits of IaC, including faster provisioning, greater consistency, better security and compliance, accelerated development cycles, lower costs and protection against knowledge loss. It also shows how IaC fits directly into DevOps and CI/CD pipelines by ensuring environments stay aligned from development through production. The result is a practical introduction to one of the most important operating models in modern infrastructure. Find more information at https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/infrastructure-as-code. Find more episodes https://www.ibm.biz/techsplainers-podcast Narrated by Alice Gomstyn

    What is infrastructure as code?

  7. Aug 10

    What is IT infrastructure?

    This episode of Techsplainers introduces IT infrastructure as the foundation of modern digital business. It explains how hardware, software and networking work together to support the systems organizations depend on every day, from servers and storage to operating systems, business applications and employee devices. The episode walks through the difference between traditional on-premises infrastructure and cloud infrastructure, highlighting how virtualization made modern cloud computing possible and helped pave the way for services like IaaS, PaaS, SaaS and hybrid cloud. It also explores why infrastructure has become a strategic business enabler, powering cloud computing, process automation, AI, generative AI and real-time analytics. Listeners will also hear how modern IT infrastructure supports innovation, improves security, and keeps evolving to support new developments in DevOps and AIOps. As the first episode in an IaC-focused week, it provides the essential foundation for understanding what infrastructure teams are actually managing and automating. Find more information at https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/infrastructure Find more episodes https://www.ibm.biz/techsplainers-podcast Narrated by Alice Gomstyn

    What is IT infrastructure?

  8. Aug 5

    What is Apache Kafka?

    This episode of Techsplainers explores Apache Kafka, the open-source event-streaming platform that has become a cornerstone of modern real-time data systems. The episode explains how Kafka helps organizations publish, store, process and consume streams of events with high throughput, low latency and strong reliability. Listeners are introduced to the concept of event streaming through familiar examples, from customer orders and website clicks to IoT sensor updates, before learning how Kafka differs from traditional message queues by retaining records for replay and independent consumption. The discussion then breaks down Kafka’s core architecture, including topics, partitions, brokers, offsets and replication, along with Kafka’s shift away from ZooKeeper toward KRaft for simpler cluster management. The episode also covers Kafka’s four primary APIs, its leading use cases in real-time data pipelines, streaming applications, microservices, cloud-native systems and IoT, and its broader ecosystem integrations with tools like Spark, Flink and Cassandra. Finally, it examines how Kafka compares with RabbitMQ and why Kafka is increasingly valuable in AI-driven systems that depend on live, continuously moving data. Find more information at https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/apache-kafka Find more episodes https://www.ibm.biz/techsplainers-podcast Narrated by Ian Smalley

    What is Apache Kafka?
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About

Introducing the Techsplainers by IBM podcast, your new podcast for quick, powerful takes on today’s most important AI and tech topics. Each episode brings you bite-sized learning designed to fit your day, whether you’re driving, exercising, or just curious for something new. This is just the beginning. Tune in every weekday at 6 AM ET for fresh insights, new voices, and smarter learning. Visit podcast page: https://www.ibm.com/think/podcasts/techsplainers

Information

  • Creator
    IBM
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    151
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © ibm2026
  • Show Website
    Techsplainers by IBM

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