Fork Around And Find Out

Kubernetes isn’t just a platform—it’s a revolution. On this episode of Fork Around and Find Out, Justin and Autumn sit down with Kubernetes co-creator Brian Grant to explore the origins of this game-changing technology. From Google’s internal tooling to the cloud-native juggernaut it is today, Brian takes us behind the scenes of Kubernetes’ evolution, including its roots in Borg and the creation of CNCF.Brian also opens up about his fascinating career, from debugging GPUs at PeakStream to improving Google’s threading systems. Along the way, he shares his candid thoughts on Terraform, GitOps, and the future of infrastructure management. We’re talking insider stories, tech critiques, and the cyclical nature of trends like AI—all packed into one unmissable episode.Brian is a visionary who’s shaped the cloud-native ecosystem as we know it. We can’t wait for you to hear his story and insights! Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(0:31) Tremolo Security sponsor read(2:42) Brian’s background(6:20) What it’s like working on something great but it not being the right time(9:17) How Brian’s work from the 2000s is still important today(11:16) Why Brian said ‘yes’ to Google after previously turning them down(12:59) The history of the FDIV bug(16:49) What Brian was doing when his old company was bought by Google(20:51) How Brian’s education helped him get started down this path(23:47) Brian’s jump from Borg to Kubernetes(32:27) The effect Kubernetes has had on the landscape of infrastructure and applications(35:48) Tremolo Security sponsor read(36:47) Times Brian has been frustrated at how people use Kubernetes(41:05) The patterns Brian notices thanks to his years in the tech industry(48:04) What Brian expects to see next as manual actions to make providers work to make a comeback(54:58) Reflecting on Brian’s serendipitous journey through the tech world(1:02:18) Where you can find more from BrianAbout Brian GrantBrian Grant is the CTO and co-founder of ConfigHub, pioneering a new approach to provisioning, deploying, and operating cloud applications and infrastructure. As the original lead architect of Kubernetes, Brian created its declarative configuration model (KRM) and tools like kubectl apply and kustomize. With over 30 years in high-performance and distributed computing, he’s held pivotal roles, including tech lead for Google’s Borg platform and founder of the Omega R&D project. A Kubernetes Steering Committee and CNCF Technical Oversight Committee member, Brian also boasts 15+ patents and a Ph.D. in Computer Science, shaping the future of cloud and computing innovation.Links ReferencedLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bgrant0607/Twitter: https://x.com/bgrant0607BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bgrant0607.bsky.socialMedium: https://medium.com/@bgrant0607Hachyderm: https://hachyderm.io/@bgrant0607SponsorTremolo: http://fafo.fm/tremoloSponsor the FAFO Podcast!http://fafo.fm/sponsor

Retirement is about the journey, not the destination. For Kelsey Hightower, it’s been an epic journey. On our debut episode of the Fork Around and Find Out Podcast (and much to Autumn’s elation), Kelsey joins us to run down his illustrious career that spans a quarter of a century.Known for authenticity, Kelsey was on the frontlines of Kubernetes advocacy in the tool’s humble beginnings. Because of his time at Google, we get the inside scoop on why the company seems to enjoy killing off some of its most popular products. You’ll also hear his thoughts on why curiosity is essential to tech and why the industry needs to embrace problem solvers. We also get into the absurd state of the world, the moments that caused Kelsey to finally quit Twitter, and why he’s happy to embrace Bluesky.Kelsey is not just someone who cares. He’s a genuine human being who’s invested in the future of the industry. We can’t wait for you to check out this conversation, because we know you’ll love it!Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(0:37) Tremolo sponsor read(1:56) Introducing Kelsey Hightower(3:04) Reflecting on how Kelsey's 25-year tech journey shaped what he's been up to recently(9:15) Why you shouldn't be surprised when someone like Google kills off a product(14:46) How Kelsey built up his trust in the tech community through his honesty(16:31) Having the financial privilege to be able to say "no"(22:57) Is the churn and burn nature of the tech industry going to hurt innovation (29:19) Advising NFL stars Larry Fitzgerald and Kelvin Beachum on their tech investments(38:28) Figuring out how to make tech more sustainable by treating it like a relay race(42:36) Autumn’s appreciation for the Kubernetes community(44:16) How you can help sponsor the FAFO Podcast(45:17) Kelsey’s theory around the strong Kubernetes community(47:26) The future of the relationship between corporations and open-source(51:33) Kelsey's adventures in circuitry, doing electrical work on his home, and why that kind of curiosity is vital to learning new skills in tech(59:11) Is tech starting to abandon problem solvers?(1:03:41) Creating solutions for problems that don't exist(1:08:49) The absurd state of the world, social media, and how Kelsey helped lead the tech migration to Bluesky(1:19:40) The power and the positive impact you can have with a large online presence(1:30:29) Where you can find more from KelseyAbout Kelsey HightowerKelsey Hightower has worn every hat possible throughout his career in tech, and enjoys leadership roles focused on making things happen and shipping software. Kelsey is a strong open source advocate focused on building simple tools that make people smile. When he is not slinging Go code, you can catch him giving technical workshops covering everything from programming to system administration.Links ReferencedKelsey’s Github: https://github.com/kelseyhightower Kelsey’s Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/kelseyhightower.com SponsorTremolo: http://fafo.fm/tremoloSponsor the FAFO Podcast!http://fafo.fm/sponsor

Fork Around and Find Out is your downtime from uptime. Your break from the pager, and a chance to learn from expert’s successes and failures. We cover state-of-the-art, legacy practices for building, running, and maintaining software and systems. Be sure to follow us on your favorite podcast player, and stay tuned for weekly episodes! Follow the podcast elsewhere online:Website: https://fafo.fmBluesky: @fafo.fm