It has been several years since I immersed myself in the world of cloud computing. I remember that, in those early days, the term "cloud" sounded like modern magic, almost unattainable. Today, being a professor of Cloud Computing, and director of the Master in Cloud Architecture & DevOps ManagementI look back and smile at how many lessons (and anecdotes) these years of experiences have taught me.
The Payments Processing Challenge: Reinventing Under Pressure
One of the most intense and revealing episodes occurred when we were tasked with automate a payment process involving multiple data sources and complex transformations. Up to that point, such a process took weeks and was riddled with errors. The first goal was ambitious: to design a solution that could process everything in just a couple of days - a huge improvement on its own!
But, knowing the potential of the ETL systemsthe services serverless y, en parte, gracias a «ambiciosas» peticiones de nuestros clientes, la ventana se fue estrechando hasta dejar espacio para apenas 30 minutos de procesamiento. Nuestro equipo estaba desesperado; la tarea parecía imposible. Sin embargo, nos supimos reinventar:
– Descomposición en microprocesos: Dividimos el procesamiento de datos en pequeñas tareas que se ejecutaban en paralelo sobre Kubernetes.
– Escalabilidad ajustable: Adaptamos la capacidad de Kubernetes to actual demand, optimising resources and costs by using queues.
– Orquestación eficiente: Coordinamos los estados de cada tarea a través de diversas colas de PubSub, asegurando que cada paso se ejecutara en el orden correcto utilizando Cloud Composer.
– Reingeniería del framework: Rehicimos nuestro framework in Pythonby perfecting data transformation in a comprehensive way against BigQuery.
The result was amazing: the final execution was completed in less than 20 minutes, with a near-perfect success rate. And the best part? The go-live took place on New Year's Eve, while many were enjoying grapes. It was a lesson in adaptability, flexibility, creativity and, above all, camaraderie. Today, that solution is considered a reference model in the industry for process execution and data transformation.
Lessons Beyond the Code
With each experience, I have learned that success in the cloud does not depend solely on technical know-how or the latest innovative tool. The real keys lie in:
– Adaptabilidad: Aprender a reinventarse y a ajustar la estrategia en función de las circunstancias es fundamental.
– Trabajo en equipo: La unión y el compromiso de un equipo pueden convertir un reto casi insuperable en una oportunidad para innovar.
– Innovación constante: La nube está en continua evolución; estar abierto a nuevas metodologías y tecnologías es esencial para mantenerse relevante.
– Resiliencia: Los contratiempos y los cambios de última hora son parte del proceso. Cada obstáculo superado refuerza la capacidad de enfrentar el futuro con confianza.
The Cloud, a Universe of Opportunities. A word from a cloud computing professor
Looking back and remembering these episodes reaffirms to me that the real magic of cloud computing lies in the combination of technology, human talent and a passion to innovate. Every challenge, no matter how complex it may seem, is an opportunity to grow and redefine our limits.
If I have learned anything on this journey, it is that the cloud is not just a set of tools or a passing fad; it is an ecosystem in constant transformation that challenges us to be better professionals. And, as I always say in class, behind every successful solution or design there are dozens of versions, trial and error, adaptability, resilience and, above all, collaboration.
So one thing I always say, and not just as a cloud computing teacher, is that we are only as good as the people around us.
See you in class (or in the cloud)!
English (UK)