DevOps Sauna podcast: Favorites not to be missed

A comprehensive list of curated favourites

In the first episode of this small blog series (If we want to call it that), I introduced you to our best-performing podcasts of all time. However, I’m not sure if they’re our best or strongest. They certainly weren’t the ones that were the most fun to make.

So, for this second and final post, I will list a few of the podcasts I had the most fun making, those that have the most important messages, or those that discuss technologies I found particularly cool.

They will be written in no particular order.

#1 Getting started with platform engineering

We deal with a lot of established businesses, doing established practices. It’s all too easy to forget that they’re not all like that, so Marc and I decided to take several long steps (and a bit of a jump) back to square one: Getting started.

In this episode, we explore the world of PlatEng as it looked in 2024. We discuss starting from scratch by addressing past errors, standardized tooling, and securing management support, all while taking a balanced approach that focuses on investment, change resistance, and adaptability to new platforms.

We also have a guide on platform engineering if you want more info, so be sure to check that out as well.

Listen to the episode below:
https://www.eficode.com/devops-podcast/getting-started-with-platform-engineering

#2 AI-driven product organizations of the future

In this episode of DevOps Sauna, Marc and I are joined by Dan Khurram to discuss a white paper that originated from a collaborative workshop focused on AI scenarios. The workshop, which involved various experts, explores the potential impacts of AI on businesses.

The conversation delves into the process behind creating the white paper, the different AI scenarios examined, and the balance between AI's positive and negative impacts.

A key focus in the discussion is the "AI for all" scenario, which explores ethical considerations, governance challenges, and the ways AI could shape business operations and the workforce in the future. Read the white paper here if you’d like to see it for yourself.

You can also read our article on how DevOps supports the use of artificial intelligence here.

Listen to the episode below:
https://www.eficode.com/devops-podcast/ai-driven-product-organizations-of-the-future

#3 Securing the future: SBOMs, AI, and seamless DevSecOps

As I couldn’t go three episodes without including one about security, a fact I’m not at all sorry about, this episode delves into the key topics surrounding security, SBOMs (Software Bill of Materials), AI, and the seamless integration of security tools into DevOps.

Priyanka Syal emphasizes the importance of transparency in both software and training data, especially as AI introduces new challenges around ethics and security. While she was unable to join us for The DEVOPS Conference, we were glad to have her as a podcast guest to get her thoughts on security out into the world.

Learn how DevOps supports the use of AI and more from our article on transforming software development with AI and DevOps.

Listen to the episode below:
https://www.eficode.com/devops-podcast/securing-the-future-sboms-ai-and-seamless-devsecops

#4 AI safety nets: DevOps strategies for risk management

AI Safety nets have been a big talking point for Eficode for some time already. Thanks to AI tooling, we’re generating code at an unprecedented rate, and good DevOps strategies are critical for providing the required guardrails to ensure things go smoothly.

In this episode, Marc and I are joined by Henri Terho and Kalle Mäkelä to discuss the proactive role of DevOps in integrating AI into organizations, stressing the importance of robust security measures to manage risks and highlighting the benefits and challenges of using AI, particularly large language models (LLMs). This episode covered integrating requirements early into development value streams and maintaining rigorous verification and validation, particularly in secure environments, underscoring the proactive role of DevOps safety nets in enhancing software engineering.

If you want to learn more, we have a blog post on the four guiding principles of a healthy DevOps culture and our article page on transforming software development with AI and DevOps.

Listen to the episode below:
https://www.eficode.com/devops-podcast/ai-safety-nets-devops-strategies-for-risk-management

#5 The pitfalls of platform engineering

In this episode, Marc and I spoke about the importance of going all in on a platform transformation, emphasizing the need for commitment and investment and the shift towards internal developer platforms and the challenges of overcoming ill-defined areas in platform engineering.

If you want to learn how to address these pitfalls that platform engineering provides, definitely listen to this episode. We also have our ultimate guide to platform engineering if you’re looking for more specific answers.

Listen to the episode below:
https://www.eficode.com/devops-podcast/the-pitfalls-of-platform-engineering

#6 Liminal Spaces and Transitions

We can all admit that the space between Christmas and New Years is weird. I tend to work during this time, though whether I get any actual work done is always a question of debate. The space between these days always ends up sort of lost, like keys between the cushions of a sofa.

This is that episode, where on the Friday between a Tuesday Christmas and a Tuesday New Year’s Day, Pinja and I both found ourselves at work and recorded an episode about the strangeness of existing in liminal spaces, and how those transitions manifest themselves in our daily lives.

Listen to the episode below:
https://www.eficode.com/devops-podcast/liminal-spaces-and-transitions

Closing thoughts 

There we have it, my personal favourite episodes of the podcast. So far. As of today, we’ve got a couple of great episodes in the backlog, so this list might change in the not-too-distant future. I also reigned myself in somewhat by not including either of our recent April Fools episodes, which were probably the most fun I’ve been paid to have.

We continue to publish our podcasts on Friday morning, aiming for a weekly schedule with news episodes at the end of each month, so feel free to add us to your calendar and tune in. We hope to see you in our DevOps Sauna.

Cue steam noises.