20H AGO

Nobody Owns Your Cloud Bill

Nobody in the building owns the cloud bill. Not IT, not finance, not engineering — and when a CEO finally gets desperate enough to set a hard ceiling, like getting spend below 9% of revenue or the business isn't viable, that's when everyone finds out the EDP they already signed made the target structurally impossible before the conversation even started. The problem wasn't technical. It was in the contract. Max sits down with Robby Gulri, Field CTO at RapidScale, to trace how companies end up there. Nobody owns the bill. Nobody can read the bill. Engineering won't reprioritize to fix the architecture because it's not their KPI. Finance wants a magic pill. And the cloud's biggest promise — that you only pay for what you use — disappears the moment you sign a multi-year commitment to pay whether you use it or not. If you're responsible for cloud spend, or you're about to sign a multi-year cloud commitment — watch this before you do. What We Get Into00:00 — The Daughter Analogy: Why Cloud Spend Feels Like Magic Money01:30 — How RapidScale Evolved from DaaS into Public Cloud05:00 — Why DaaS Never Became the Default (And Still Hasn't)09:00 — What Killed Early VDI Adoption — And Why That's Changed15:00 — The CapEx vs. OpEx Trap: You Escaped One Problem and Created Another20:30 — Multi-Cloud in Theory vs. What Companies Actually Run26:00 — Is AI Actually IT? The Question That Stumped a Room of CIOs30:00 — Is IT a Cost Center or a Profit Center?38:00 — Who Actually Owns Your Cloud Spend (Nobody Agrees)44:00 — Why Companies Can't Read Their Own Cloud Bills48:00 — Should FinOps Report to Finance or IT? (Still No Consensus)51:30 — The CEO Spending 15% of Revenue on Cloud — and Locked In55:00 — The EDP Trap: You Took the Discount. Now You Can't Spend Less.58:00 — Why the Cloud Ephemerality Promise Disappears Fast01:00:00 — Cost Tagging, Naming Conventions, and Why the Discipline Is Gone01:01:00 — Cloud Is Not Cheaper Than Bare Metal01:08:00 — Legacy Applications with No Source Code: The Migration Nobody Plans For01:15:00 — Why ROI and TCO Are the Wrong Language for IT Decisions01:17:00 — CFOs Blame IT. IT Says "It Depends." Nobody Moves.01:22:00 — Microsoft Licensing: You Need a PhD to Understand What You're Buying01:32:00 — Procurement Theater: The Magic 10% Was Already Priced In01:45:00 — What a Mature FinOps Practice Actually Looks Like01:59:00 — Agentic AI and What 2030 Actually Looks Like02:01:00 — AI Won't Kill Jobs — It'll Shift Them (The CNC Operator Analogy)02:05:00 — The Real Doomsday: Power and Water, Not LLMs What we Mentioned AWS Enterprise Discount Programs (EDPs) and commitment lock-inAWS MAP (Migration Acceleration Program)Reserved Instances and Savings PlansFinOps as a discipline — cost tagging, naming conventions, resource classificationVMware / Broadcom licensing changes and 3x price increasesMicrosoft 365 E1, E3, E5 licensing tiersAzure Virtual Desktop (AVD)Multi-cloud strategy vs. single-region realityCloud-to-bare-metal cost comparisonNutanix, Red Hat as VMware migration pathsAgentic AI and multi-agent orchestrationRapidScale's assessment and FinOps practiceAbout the Guest Robby Gulri is Field CTO at RapidScale, a managed cloud services provider owned by Cox Communications, with practices across AWS, Azure, GCP, and a dedicated FinOps discipline. He spends his time with partners, CIOs, and business leaders navigating cloud cost, modernization, and AI strategy — which means he hears the same expensive mistakes repeat across industries, company sizes, and funding stages. His job, as he puts it: make complex things simple. Connect with Robby: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbygulri/ RapidScale on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rapidscale/ About Signed Signed is the podcast for buyers in a market built for sellers. Host Max Clark, CEO of ITBroker.com, sits down with CIOs, CFOs, operators, and founders who've lived inside real enterprise tech deals. New episodes weekly at itbroker.com/podcast. If you're in the middle of a real tech decision and want someone in your corner, book an intro call at itbroker.com. Buy tech without regret. Follow: @itbrokerdotcom Full Transcript Click here to view the episode transcript.

2h 10m

MAY 12 · VIDEO

You’re Scaling on Infrastructure You Don’t Control

You're making infrastructure decisions on a system you can't see. It's fast, stable, and invisible. That's the problem.Underneath it, global capacity is planned years in advance, routes are shaped by geopolitics, and resilience depends on infrastructure you don't control. Max Clark sits down with TS Narayanan, CTIO of EXA Infrastructure, to explain the layer most enterprise buyers never see — and why it quietly determines whether your cloud strategy, your regional expansion, and your infrastructure commitments actually deliver what you paid for. They get into why AI isn't driving the traffic spike everyone assumes, what geopolitical risk actually does to a network route, why adding nodes costs more than buyers expect, and where the real constraint is right now (hint: it's not bandwidth). If you've ever signed a provider contract without fully understanding what sits underneath it, this is the episode that fills in the gap. WHAT WE GET INTO00:00 — The network layer your vendor isn't explaining to you04:00 — Why capacity is locked in years before you make a decision09:30 — The AI traffic myth: what's actually growing on the backbone12:30 — Why your cloud usage growing doesn't mean what you think it does15:40 — Bandwidth announcements and what they're not telling buyers17:50 — How traffic patterns are shifting — and what that means for your architecture20:40 — What hyperscalers are doing to the build equation (and what it means for everyone else)23:50 — How subsea cable routes get planned and why it's harder than it looks27:50 — Geopolitical risk is real: what the Mediterranean actually shows31:30 — Why LATAM and Africa are underserved — and what's finally changing35:20 — Data sovereignty: what compliance actually requires from your infrastructure41:00 — Capacity vs. latency: which one should be driving your vendor decision46:50 — The complexity cost of every node you add52:30 — What you're actually buying when you buy network capacity57:30 — Control vs. outsourcing: how buyers are splitting on this decision1:02:00 — Power is the real constraint. Not bandwidth.1:08:30 — Why infrastructure is always in upgrade mode and what that costs buyers1:18:30 — Network as a Service: what it actually means and where it's going WHAT WE MENTIONED EXA Infrastructure — https://www.linkedin.com/company/exa-infrastructure/TeleGeography subsea cable maps — https://www.submarinecablemap.comGÉANT (European R&D network, referenced in EU connectivity context)AMS-IX, DE-CIX (European internet exchange points)IRU (Indefeasible Right of Use) — the long-term capacity lease structure common in subsea contractsOVH, Hetzner (EU-based cloud providers referenced as demand drivers)ABOUT TS NARAYANANTS Narayanan is the Chief Technology and Information Officer at EXA Infrastructure, one of the largest fiber and subsea backbone networks spanning Europe and North America. He's spent his career across enterprise IT, systems integration, and telecom — which means he's seen infrastructure decisions from both sides: the buyer who has to live with them and the operator who builds and maintains them. That makes him unusually direct about where capacity planning goes wrong and what buyers should have asked before they signed. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ts-narayanan-62b3617/EXA Infrastructure: https://www.linkedin.com/company/exa-infrastructure/ ABOUT THE SHOWSigned is the podcast for buyers in a market built for sellers. Host Max Clark, CEO of ITBroker.com, sits down with CIOs, CFOs, operators, and founders who've lived inside real enterprise tech deals. New episodes weekly at itbroker.com/podcast. If you're in the middle of a real tech decision and want someone in your corner, book an intro call at itbroker.com. Buy tech without regret. Follow: @itbrokerdotcom FULL TRANSCRIPTClick here to view the episode transcript.

53 min

MAY 7 · VIDEO

Playbook: Be Careful With Your SOC2 Controls

SOC 2 certification has become shorthand for security. It isn't. Max Clark breaks down what SOC 2 actually demonstrates — and the costly mistake most buyers make when building their controls: anchoring them to a specific vendor's tool. When you replace that tool, the control breaks. And you won't find out until your auditor does.

4 min

MAY 5 · VIDEO

You’re Paying for the Same Network Twice

You’re paying for your network in ways you don’t see. Most teams don’t catch it until the bill shows up.Traffic leaves the cloud for inspection, then gets sent back in. Every step adds cost. Most teams never map the full path, so it goes unnoticed. Max Clark sits down with Doug Houghton from Alkira to break down how double egress happens, why costs can spike by 300x, and how these decisions quietly lock you into inefficient infrastructure. If you’re responsible for network or cloud spend, this is the kind of problem you only catch after it’s already costing you. What We Get Into00:34 — Why SD-WAN Didn’t Solve the Problem (And What Broke Instead)06:31 — MPLS at $3,500/Month — The Problem That Started It All14:30 — SD-WAN Promised Simplicity — It Delivered Complexity18:08 — When “SD-WAN” Meant Anything (And Nothing)20:31 — $54 Billion Lost in a Day — The Real Multi-Cloud Risk25:35 — 500 Sites, One Mistake: Asking the Wrong Question34:33 — Eight Figures in Cloud Spend — And No VPN43:07 — SD-WAN Didn’t Fix It — It Doubled the Problem53:00 — Why Most SASE Architectures Break in the Real World01:05:58 — 1,400 Stores, One Bad Design: The Michaels Case01:13:05 — Legacy vs. Broken: What Should Never Have Been Built01:43:41 — The Double Egress Problem Explained: Why You’re Paying 2–3x Per Request What We MentionedCloud egress pricing modelsZscaler architecture and traffic inspection flowSD-WAN design tradeoffsMulti-cloud networking complexity About Doug HoughtonDoug Houghton is Director of Global Channels at Alkira, where he works with enterprise teams designing and scaling multi-cloud network architectures. His focus is on helping organizations navigate the cost, complexity, and tradeoffs that come with modern cloud and network infrastructure. Connect with Doug: https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-houghton-9b77882/Learn more about Alkira: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alkiranet/ About Signed The IT market is built for sellers, not buyers. Signed is the podcast for the buyers. Host Max Clark, CEO of ITBroker.com, sits down with CIOs, CFOs, operators, and founders who’ve lived inside real enterprise tech deals — the ones who can tell you what actually determined whether the deal worked, not what the deck promised. New episodes weekly. An ITBroker.com podcast. Full Transcript Click here to view the episode transcript.

2h 12m

APR 30 · VIDEO

AI Is Exposing Bad Network Decisions

Most enterprise networks weren’t designed for what they’re carrying today. The problem isn’t traffic—it’s the decisions underneath it.Those decisions weren’t made for today’s reality. They were made years ago—then inherited, layered on, and never fully revisited. Over time, that turns into performance issues, rising costs, and risk that only shows up when something breaks. In this episode of Signed, Max Clark sits down with Scott Nicols (Chief Commercial Officer at Aurelion) to break down how those decisions actually get made and where they go wrong. They unpack why SD-WAN often masks deeper architectural problems, how cloud and AI are exposing weak infrastructure choices, and why delivery and support—not price—ultimately determine whether a decision succeeds or fails. If you’ve inherited your network or you’re about to make a major infrastructure decision—this is the conversation to hear before you sign. WHAT WE GET INTO00:28 — Why Most Tech Decisions Go Unquestioned02:00 — You’re Buying Tech Without Fully Understanding It04:53 — The Old Decisions Still Driving Your Network07:10 — Why Enterprises Stay Stuck (Even When It’s Wrong)08:55 — SD-WAN Isn’t the Fix — It’s the Warning Sign15:00 — Where Network Problems Actually Start17:40 — AI Isn’t Strategy — It Just Increases Demand20:00 — The Talent Gap Behind Bad Decisions24:30 — Why Network Planning Breaks at Scale28:00 — You Never Catch Up on Capacity31:00 — Why Infrastructure Is Moving Away from Major Markets36:30 — Cloud Isn’t Cheaper — So Why Are You Paying More?39:30 — The 300x Cost Problem Most Teams Miss42:00 — Network as a Service: Helpful or Just Repackaged?46:30 — Why Providers Lose Focus (And You Pay for It)50:00 — Security Isn’t Optional Anymore (DDoS Reality)1:14:30 — What Actually Differentiates a Network Provider1:25:00 — Self-Service Sounds Good… Until It Breaks1:33:00 — What Actually Matters When You’re Buying Network WHAT WE MENTIONED Aurelion (global IP transit and backbone provider)SD-WAN architecture and deployment modelsCloud egress cost structuresAI-driven network traffic growthABOUT SCOTT NICHOLSScott Nichols is the Chief Commercial Officer at Arelion, one of the world’s largest global IP transit and backbone providers. He works directly with enterprise customers on network strategy, performance, and large-scale infrastructure decisions. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-nichols-53b14440Company: https://se.linkedin.com/company/arelion ABOUT THE SHOWSigned is the podcast for buyers in a market built for sellers.Host Max Clark, CEO of ITBroker.com, sits down with CIOs, CFOs, operators, and founders who’ve lived inside real enterprise tech deals. New episodes weekly at itbroker.com/podcast. If you’re in the middle of a real tech decision and want someone in your corner, book an intro call at itbroker.com.Buy tech without regret. Follow: @itbrokerdotcom

1h 37m

APR 27

The Market Is Built For Sellers

2 min

FEB 26

Why Companies Spend Millions on Data (And Still Get No Value)

Max Clark is joined by Ed Bailey, Field CISO at Cribl, to discuss why many companies invest heavily in collecting data but struggle to turn it into meaningful outcomes. They explore common mistakes in data strategy, the gap between tools and skills, and what organizations should consider before collecting more data. What you’ll learn: Why companies are spending millions collecting data without clear outcomesThe gap between data collection and real decision-makingHow tools, skills, and strategy need to alignWhy collecting more data doesn’t automatically create valueQuestions leaders should ask before expanding their data footprintHow to rethink data strategy to support real business results Guest: Ed Bailey, Field CISO at Cribl Cribl Website: https://cribl.io Ed LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/baileyedward/ Cribl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cribl/ Cribl X: https://x.com/cribl_ioWebsite: https://cribl.io

1h 11m

FEB 12

From 400 Calls in Queue to Zero Hold Time

What happens when your contact center hits peak demand… and the queue explodes? In this episode, Max sits down with Michael Cibelli (PolyAI) to break down how one major brand went from 400+ callers waiting in queue to zero hold time—without wrecking customer experience. You’ll learn why traditional IVR trees (“Press 1 for…”) fail, what replaces them, and how modern Voice AI can contain calls end-to-end (not just “deflect” them). They also unpack the real-world risks—like AI hallucinations, compliance in regulated industries, and why context transfer matters more than most CX teams realize. What you’ll learn: Why IVR systems create customer rage (and broken experiences)The difference between call deflection vs call containmentHow Voice AI scales CX without scaling headcountHow to prevent “repeat yourself” transfers that destroy trustThe hidden cost of agent churn + seasonal hiringWhy BPOs are paying attention to Voice AI right nowHow analytics from customer calls can unlock real business ROIIf you’re leading CX, operations, IT, or customer support—this is the playbook for building a contact center that stays fast, consistent, and on-brand when demand spikes. 🎧 Subscribe for more conversations on IT, CX, AI, and operational leverage.

1h 6m

Signed

Episodes

Nobody Owns Your Cloud Bill

You’re Scaling on Infrastructure You Don’t Control

Playbook: Be Careful With Your SOC2 Controls

You’re Paying for the Same Network Twice

AI Is Exposing Bad Network Decisions

The Market Is Built For Sellers

Why Companies Spend Millions on Data (And Still Get No Value)

From 400 Calls in Queue to Zero Hold Time

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