Episodes

  • AI, Market Cycles, and the Systems Built to Outlast Them with Cockroach Labs CEO & Co-founder Spencer Kimball

    AI, Market Cycles, and the Systems Built to Outlast Them with Cockroach Labs CEO & Co-founder Spencer Kimball
    Jan 21 2026
    Most databases are designed for success cases. Real systems fail– the difference is whether they’re built and tested for it.

    In this episode, David sits down with Spencer Kimball, co-founder and CEO of Cockroach Labs, to explore the architectural and testing decisions behind CockroachDB, and why validating systems under worst-case conditions is essential to building reliable infrastructure at scale. Spencer shares the origin story of CockroachDB, tracing it back to his time at Google, where working on large-scale data systems and helping build Google Spanner exposed the limitations of existing database technologies. Motivated by the limits of existing database designs, Spencer and his co-founders left Google to build a resilient, scalable, open-source database designed for a world where failure isn’t an edge case, it’s the norm.

    Plus, Spencer and David discuss how emerging AI workloads are reshaping expectations for database infrastructure by increasing scale, stressing latency budgets, and raising the cost of failure.

    Join us as we discuss:
    • How Google Spanner inspired the creation of CockroachDB
    • Designing a database that assumed failure by default
    • What resilience means at massive scale
    • How AI is changing the demands placed on modern databases
    • How the Cockroach Labs–IBM partnership reflects a broader shift in enterprise modernization
    • Spencer’s futuristic vision for databases, from AI automation to outer space
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    1 hr and 1 min
  • How to Scale Data Infrastructure from Startup to Enterprise

    How to Scale Data Infrastructure from Startup to Enterprise
    Jul 1 2025
    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 life
    • The tradeoffs that can come with building scalable, cost-efficient data systems
    • The growing role of AI in data infrastructure and what’s coming next for data teams
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    38 mins
  • Code, Cloud and Karate: The Unlikely Path to Cloud Architecture

    Code, Cloud and Karate: The Unlikely Path to Cloud Architecture
    May 27 2025
    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 contributions

    • The rising importance of site reliability engineering (SRE) and finops in modern enterprises

    • The role of AI in reshaping SRE and predictive reliability management
    • What songs should go in a playlist for a Site Reliability Engineer
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    40 mins
  • How to Build an AI-Native Organization

    How to Build an AI-Native Organization
    May 13 2025
    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 Labs
    • How CockroachDB is pushing the limits of resilience, scalability, and performance
    • The transformative impact of AI on engineering workflows and productivity, and how it will reshape industries like medicine, education, and daily life
    • The importance of embracing AI in the workplace and developing AI literacy among employees
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    43 mins
  • Inside Infrastructure as Code with Pulumi’s Founder & CEO

    Inside Infrastructure as Code with Pulumi’s Founder & CEO
    Feb 11 2025
    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.
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    44 mins
  • Inside Ericsson: How AI and Automation Are Shaping Telecom

    Inside Ericsson: How AI and Automation Are Shaping Telecom
    Jan 28 2025
    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.
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    53 mins
  • Unboxing the Cloud: AI, Microservices, and Resilient Databases

    Unboxing the Cloud: AI, Microservices, and Resilient Databases
    Jan 14 2025
    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.
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    55 mins
  • Strategic AI and Cloud Solutions: GitHub’s Blueprint for Modern Development Success

    Strategic AI and Cloud Solutions: GitHub’s Blueprint for Modern Development Success
    Oct 29 2024
    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.
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    40 mins