Smooth Scaling: System Design for High Traffic

Queue-it

Smooth Scaling: System Design for High Traffic focuses on all things scalability, reliability, and performance. Tune in for expert advice on how to scale systems, control costs, boost availability, optimize performance, and get the most out of your tech stack. Host Jose Quaresma is the VP of Technical Engagement at Queue-it, working on the frontlines with some of the world’s biggest businesses on their busiest days, from Ticketmaster to Zalando to Home Office U.K. He’ll be joined by experts across industries, uncovering how major organizations design, build, and deploy systems that remain reliable at scale.

  1. Queue-it’s Virtual Waiting Room System Design with Product Architect Moji Sarooghi

    12월 2일

    Queue-it’s Virtual Waiting Room System Design with Product Architect Moji Sarooghi

    In this episode, Moji Sarooghi, Distinguished Product Architect at Queue-it, breaks down the design principles and distributed systems behind Queue-it’s virtual waiting room. He explains how the team handles massive traffic spikes, upholds strict first-in, first-out fairness on request, and maintains reliability at a scale that would overwhelm most platforms. Moji also covers the shift from server-side integrations to Edge compute, how Safety Net protects against unexpected peaks, and why simplicity and failure-oriented design drive every architectural choice. A clear, technical exploration of scaling responsibly when millions depend on your system. Episode page ---(00:00) - Intro (01:34) - Visitor Flow: How the Waiting Room Works (03:24) - Edge vs. Server-Side Connectors (06:10) - Why Edge Improves Simplicity & Security (07:12) - Preventing Queue Bypass Attempts (09:14) - Connector Types & Verification Logic (12:04) - Safety Net: Automatic Peak Protection (14:54) - Scheduled Waiting Rooms + Safety Net (17:19) - FIFO at Scale (18:57) - Estimating Wait Times at Scale (20:40) - Designing for Reliability & High Traffic (24:38) - How Outflow Is Calculated (29:07) - Queue-It Token & Visitor Verification (31:02) - Cookies & Secure Access (32:35) - Key AWS Services in the Architecture (34:57) - Future: Multi-Cloud, Edge, & Bring Your Own Proxy (37:59) - Outro Mojtaba Sarooghi is a Distinguished Product Architect at Queue-it. Moji was one of the company’s first employees, starting his journey as a software developer over 10 years ago. He is highly experienced with AWS services, product and architectural design, managing developer teams, and defining and executing on product vision. This podcast is hosted by José Quaresma, researched by Joseph Thwaites and produced by Perseu Mandillo.  © Queue-it, 2025

    39분
  2. Trustpilot’s Journey From Monolith to Event-Driven with Engineering VP Angela Timofte

    11월 18일

    Trustpilot’s Journey From Monolith to Event-Driven with Engineering VP Angela Timofte

    In this episode, Angela Timofte, former VP of Global Engineering at Trustpilot, shares the decade-long journey of evolving Trustpilot’s architecture from a monolith to an event-driven, serverless-first platform. She reflects on the technical and organizational shifts that made it possible—from early trade-offs and nano-services to guardrails, templating, and chaos engineering. Angela also discusses the role of AI in engineering productivity, why staying small matters, and what scalability really means across tech, teams, and leadership. A thoughtful, candid look at modernizing systems for long-term resilience. Episode page ---(00:00) - Welcome & Episode Introduction (01:14) - What a Monolith Really Is (03:15) - Why Starting With a Monolith Made Sense (04:52) - The Breaking Point: When Scale Hit Hard (07:21) - Baby Monoliths & Early Decomposition (11:13) - The Shift to Serverless First (13:21) - Guardrails, VM Alerts & Tech Stack Choices (21:17) - Microservices to Nano Services: The Trade-offs (25:47) - Traffic Peaks, Auto-Scaling & Stress Testing (33:05) - Staying Small by Design: Team Structure & Conway’s Law (36:28) - The Impact of AI in Engineering & New Beginnings (43:28) - Rapid-Fire: Books, Advice & Defining Scalability (46:19) - Wrap-up Angela Timofte is a technology leader known for transforming organizations for scale and impact. As former VP of Global Engineering & Applied AI at Trustpilot, she led both the engineering and data science functions, driving the company’s shift from monolithic systems to scalable, event-driven, cloud-native architecture and drove a major transformation going from maintenance to value creation across the engineering organization. An AWS Serverless Hero and international speaker, she’s recognized for her work on scalability, data infrastructure, and high-performance engineering culture. Today, Angela advises companies through her consultancy, Atim Advisory, and is building a new tech venture. This podcast is hosted by José Quaresma, researched by Joseph Thwaites and produced by Perseu Mandillo.  © Queue-it, 2025

    47분
  3. Navigating ISO 27001 and Multi-Cloud with Security Architect Gabor Sivók

    11월 4일

    Navigating ISO 27001 and Multi-Cloud with Security Architect Gabor Sivók

    In this episode, Gabor Sivók, Cloud Security Architect at Queue-it, shares a practical look at what it takes to secure large-scale systems in today’s cloud environments. He walks through Queue-it’s journey to ISO 27001 certification, the real trade-offs between security and performance, and how security practices adapt in multi-cloud setups. Gabor also weighs in on the growing role of AI in security operations—and why the best security work often stays invisible. A grounded conversation for anyone working at the intersection of reliability, scalability, and security. Episode page ---(00:00) - Intro & welcome to the Smooth Scaling Podcast (02:58) - AWS GameDay: Security through gamification (06:31) - The journey to ISO 27001 certification (09:34) - Balancing scalability, reliability & security (12:49) - What TLS really means for secure communication (15:29) - Moving from AWS to multi-cloud security (18:31) - How AI is changing cloud security (20:27) - The endless game of attackers vs. defenders (22:44) - Advice for starting a security career early (24:11) - Wrap-up & closing message Gabor Sivók is a Cloud Security Architect at Queue-it, where he leads security efforts across the R&D organization. With a background in infrastructure and compliance, he played a key role in Queue-it’s ISO 27001 certification and now focuses on securing multi-cloud environments at scale. Gabor works closely with platform engineering teams to embed security into architecture decisions while balancing performance, resilience, and risk. He’s also an active participant in the security community, keeping pace with emerging threats and tooling through Discord, Reddit, and bug bounty networks. This podcast is hosted by José Quaresma, researched by Joseph Thwaites and produced by Perseu Mandillo.  © Queue-it, 2025

    25분
  4. Mastering MACH Architecture & Orchestration with Sezin Cagil of Dr. Martens & the MACH Alliance

    10월 21일

    Mastering MACH Architecture & Orchestration with Sezin Cagil of Dr. Martens & the MACH Alliance

    In this episode, Sezin Cagil, Head of Unified Commerce Technology at Dr. Martens and MACH Alliance ambassador, shares hard-won insights on implementing and scaling MACH architecture in real-world environments. She explores how to approach modular migrations, manage complex vendor ecosystems, and prepare systems for high-traffic events. Beyond the tech, Sezin highlights the importance of team readiness, operational maturity, and aligning architecture with business needs. A must-listen for anyone navigating composable commerce or modern retail infrastructure. Episode page ---(00:00) - Intro Intro & What MACH Really Means (02:27) - How Sezin Accidentally Joined the MACH Movement (03:56) - From Monoliths to MACH: The Shift in Retail Tech (08:18) - Shopify, Complexity & When MACH Fits (11:04) - Inside a MACH E-commerce Architecture (14:52) - Aligning Tech Decisions with Business Needs (18:30) - Moving from Monolith to MACH: Benefits & Pitfalls (21:43) - Start Small: The Right Way to Transform (26:21) - Preparing for Traffic Peaks & Vendor Alignment (33:38) - The Queue-it Story: Handling Surprises in Peak Events (37:41) - Defining Scalability—Sezin’s Final Take Sezin Cagil is Head of Unified Commerce Technology at Dr. Martens, leading the teams through digital transformation and supporting omnichannel strategy. With expertise in agile delivery, composable architecture, and MACH principles, she drives seamless customer experiences across digital and retail channels. Previously, she led digital delivery at Selfridges and Costa Coffee, scaling international eCommerce platforms. As a MACH Alliance Ambassador, Sezin advocates for modern, modular technologies and contributes to industry thought leadership. This podcast is hosted by José Quaresma, researched by Joseph Thwaites and produced by Perseu Mandillo.  © Queue-it, 2025

    39분
  5. Hype Event Protection: How Akamai & Queue-it Stop Bots at Scale, with Ilia Bromberg & Martin Larsen

    10월 7일

    Hype Event Protection: How Akamai & Queue-it Stop Bots at Scale, with Ilia Bromberg & Martin Larsen

    In this episode of the Smooth Scaling Podcast, Ilia Bromberg (Akamai) and Martin Larsen (Queue-it) explore the evolution of bots, the growing complexity of detecting them, and the real-world impact on hype events like product drops and ticket sales. They introduce Hype Event Protection, a new joint solution from Queue-it and Akamai, designed to level the playing field for genuine users. The discussion covers technical approaches to bot mitigation, performance optimization, and the importance of layered defenses for high-demand online events. Episode page ---(00:00) - Welcome & Guest Introductions (01:01) - Why Bots Are a Problem (04:06) - Good Bots vs. Bad Bots (07:49) - How Bots Have Evolved (11:42) - Bots Move Into E-commerce (13:10) - Residential IPs and Hidden Networks (15:42) - What Is a Hype Event? (18:46) - Why Queue-it and Akamai Partnered (22:20) - Fairness, Trust & Brand Reputation (28:36) - How Hype Event Protection Works (35:59) - Preparing for Big Events (44:34) - Real Results from Beta Customers (46:42) - How to Get Started & Wrap-Up Ilia Bromberg is a Principal Solutions Engineer at Akamai Technologies with nearly 30 years experience helping organizations secure and scale their digital environments. A seasoned leader in web and application security, he has been named Akamai’s Solutions Engineer of the Year and has earned multiple hackathon and innovation awards. He holds CISSP, CCSP, and GWAPT certifications and specializes in WAFs, bot management, API security, DNS, and zero trust technologies.  Martin Larsen is a Distinguished Product Architect at Queue-it. Starting as a software developer, Martin was one of the company’s first employees. He played an instrumental role in building the foundations of Queue-it and is heavily involved in activities including the design, architecture, testing, and deployment of the virtual waiting room, as well as defining and executing on product vision. This podcast is hosted by José Quaresma, researched by Joseph Thwaites and produced by Perseu Mandillo.  © Queue-it, 2025

    49분
  6. Handling 200k Requests Per Second Surges with Zalando SRE Manager Johannes Boumans

    9월 23일

    Handling 200k Requests Per Second Surges with Zalando SRE Manager Johannes Boumans

    In this episode, Johannes Boumans, Engineering Manager in Zalando’s SRE team, shares how Lounge by Zalando handles daily surges of up to 200,000 requests per second. He discusses the shift from monoliths to microservices, the “you build it, you run it” model, SRE champions, and the trade-offs behind reliability, fairness, and cost. From bot defense to chaos engineering, it’s a deep dive into scaling one of Europe’s largest e-commerce platforms. Episode page ---Johannes Boumans is an Engineering Manager in the SRE organization at Zalando, where he leads reliability efforts for Zalando Lounge, the company’s off-price shopping destination. Over nearly 10 years at Zalando, Johannes has grown from product support into SRE leadership, where he now supports 25 engineering teams in building resilient, fair, and scalable systems. Johannes is passionate about the “you build it, you run it” philosophy and champions practices like chaos engineering, predictive scaling, and bot defense to keep systems reliable. This podcast is hosted by José Quaresma, researched by Joseph Thwaites and produced by Perseu Mandillo. 00:00 – Intro01:28 – Zalando: Europe's leading fashion destination02:42 – The company’s rapid tech evolution since 200803:41 – From one team to 25: Johannes’ journey05:48 – How the SRE champions model works08:00 – What reliability really means at Zalando09:27 – From monolith to full DevOps accountability11:32 – What makes Lounge by Zalando unique12:50 – Dealing with massive daily traffic spikes14:05 – Predictive scaling and real-time cost control17:15 – First-come, first-served: fairness at scale22:11 – Solving the challenges of limited inventory25:09 – Combating bots with layered protections27:12 – Trade-offs: performance vs. experience29:38 – Why Lounge doesn’t have a search function31:17 – Advice for engineering managers facing traffic surges34:25 – Chaos testing in production—including turning off zones35:53 – Scaling advice for daily vs. seasonal peaks37:55 – Evaluating virtual waiting rooms for fairness39:30 – Book & mindset recommendations for engineers41:43 – Scalability is… balance, cost, and confidence © Queue-it, 2025

    43분
  7. Special Episode: The Digital Experiences that Build & Break Trust, with CMO Jillian Als

    9월 9일

    Special Episode: The Digital Experiences that Build & Break Trust, with CMO Jillian Als

    In this episode of Smooth Scaling, Jillian Als, CMO at Queue-it, unpacks The Age of Online Trust report. She explores why reliability is the license to operate, how trust is earned in drops but lost in buckets, and what 1,000 consumers revealed about their expectations for fairness, transparency, and resilient digital experiences. For technical leaders, the findings confirm that every percentage point of uptime and performance directly impacts trust, loyalty, and long-term business growth. Episode page ---Jillian Als is Chief Marketing Officer at Queue-it, where she leads global marketing efforts to help businesses earn and protect online trust for billions of digital visitors each year. With 15+ years in B2B SaaS marketing, she’s known for her expertise in go-to-market strategy, demand generation, and brand development, as well as her passion for building happy, high-performing teams. A frequent speaker at industry podcasts and events like SaaSiest2025 and Funnel Vision, Jillian brings a deep understanding of consumer behavior and the link between digital performance, transparency, and loyalty. This podcast is hosted by José Quaresma, researched by Joseph Thwaites and produced by Perseu Mandillo. (00:00) - Intro: Trust, Scale & a Special Guest (01:06) - The Meaning of Reliability (03:08) - Exploring Technical and Commercial Views on Reliability (04:53) - A Deep Dive Into the “Age of Online Trust” Report (07:13) - The Global Survey Methodology (08:13) - The Definition of Online Trust (10:28) - The Ongoing Importance of Trust Beyond Peak Events (12:33) - Key Findings: How Bad Experiences Erode Trust (13:54) - Gen Z’s Higher Trust Expectations (16:26) - Preference for Smooth Experiences Over Speed (18:45) - The Psychology Behind Informed Waiting (21:11) - How Trust Fuels Loyalty, Spend, and Advocacy (26:31) - Technical Takeaways From the Report (29:06) - Rapid Fire Insights on Scalability, Books, and Career Advice © Queue-it, 2025

    32분
  8. Lessons from Supporting Hundreds of Peak Traffic Events with Praveen Thakur

    8월 26일

    Lessons from Supporting Hundreds of Peak Traffic Events with Praveen Thakur

    In this episode of Smooth Scaling, Jose is joined by Praveen Thakur, Queue-it’s Head of Technical Engagement, APAC who shares what it takes to prepare for and succeed during high-traffic online events. From coordinating mission control rooms to navigating bot threats and post-event analysis, Praveen shares lessons learned from years of hands-on experience with retailers, ticketing providers, and government organizations. The discussion offers a behind-the-scenes look at the technical and organizational decisions that shape successful peak traffic events. Episode page ---Praveen Thakur is Head of Technical Engagement, APAC at Queue-it, where he works closely with teams across the region on technical integration, performance readiness, and post-event analysis. With over 13 years of experience spanning product engineering, consulting, and in-house IT roles, he brings deep expertise in cloud, DevOps, and distributed systems. He’s particularly focused on aligning technology decisions with business goals and building resilient, outcome-oriented teams. This podcast is hosted by José Quaresma, researched by Joseph Thwaites and produced by Perseu Mandillo. (00:00) - Welcome to the Smooth Scaling Podcast (01:00) - What is technical engagement at Queue-it? (04:03) - How Praveen became head of technical engagement (07:09) - Preparing retailers for peak traffic events (15:11) - Scheduled events vs. 24/7 peak protection (18:21) - Why you might restrict traffic intentionally (20:48) - Inside a mission control “war room” (26:50) - Post-event evaluation & common mistakes (28:14) - Covering the full user journey (30:10) - How the bot landscape has changed (32:22) - There are no bullet proof solutions against bots (34:07) - Rapid-fire questions with Praveen Thakur (37:42) - Wrapping up the episode © Queue-it, 2025

    38분
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소개

Smooth Scaling: System Design for High Traffic focuses on all things scalability, reliability, and performance. Tune in for expert advice on how to scale systems, control costs, boost availability, optimize performance, and get the most out of your tech stack. Host Jose Quaresma is the VP of Technical Engagement at Queue-it, working on the frontlines with some of the world’s biggest businesses on their busiest days, from Ticketmaster to Zalando to Home Office U.K. He’ll be joined by experts across industries, uncovering how major organizations design, build, and deploy systems that remain reliable at scale.

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