Insightful Interview: A Deep Dive into Customer-Centric Technology
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Chapter 1: Meeting Saurabh Jain
Recently, I had the pleasure of chatting with my good friend, Saurabh Jain, who has dedicated the last six years to Riverbed Technology, working as a Tech Evangelist specializing in SD-WAN and Observability in Bengaluru and New Delhi. Although we had collaborated remotely for quite a while, our first in-person meeting took place around 18 months ago. During that meeting, we explored ways to enhance customer connections. Saurabh's enthusiasm for both technology and human interaction resonated with me, and this synergy allowed us to collaborate effectively on a significant project for a major national firm in India. This experience deepened our understanding of each other and further fueled our mutual commitment to customer success.
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Section 1.1: Saurabh's Journey into Technology
Leigh: What inspired you to pursue a career in technology?
Saurabh: From a young age, I recognized the potential of technology to address real-world issues. I embarked on my career approximately 15 years ago in the telecommunications industry, where I was involved with one of the initial LTE networks. This experience revealed to me a technological transformation akin to the shift from rotary phones to mobile devices. I began to foresee a data revolution that would enable new functionalities like live content streaming, IoT advancements (especially with 5G), and remote work capabilities. Forward-thinking business leaders quickly embraced this data wave, adopting LTE to empower their teams.
Leigh: Having experienced lengthy commutes in India (where two-hour Uber rides are common), I understand the transformative impact of LTE and 5G. Many of my friends catch the IPL (Indian Premier League) while commuting.
Section 1.2: Evolving with Data Center SDN
Saurabh: My next step took me to a Korean startup in Data Center SDN, where I saw a chance to revolutionize network design. Back in 2014, SDN gained traction as the concept of centralized and hybrid control planes emerged in data centers. Major players like Google and Facebook were adopting this approach, all eager to utilize OpenFlow. This innovation allowed us to leverage standard hardware instead of relying solely on expensive switches and routers, with centralized decision-making enhancing efficiency through TCAM tables for traffic routing. These programmable ASICs provided developers with remarkable flexibility and adaptability.
Chapter 2: The Importance of Observability
In 2017, I returned to India and joined Riverbed Technology, focusing on SD-WAN and Observability. The concept of Observability intrigued me, as it uncovered blind spots and significantly enhanced customer experiences. For instance, if I encountered a slow-loading app or website, I would quickly switch to an alternative. I realized that performance and observability could substantially impact user satisfaction and reduce churn rates for businesses. By measuring user experience, we could work toward improvements.
Section 2.1: Addressing Challenges with Observability
Leigh: What issues have you managed to resolve using observability tools?
Saurabh: Often, I witness situations in large organizations where different teams present their metrics in a competitive manner, which doesn't effectively address the problems at hand. Frequently, these issues arise from a lack of comprehensive historical data, leading to a defensive mindset where teams prioritize their own metrics over collaborative problem-solving. Observability fosters a shift in thinking from individual metrics to a collective organizational perspective.
With Observability, we have tackled challenges such as hypervisor over-subscription, resource utilization issues, and end-to-end transaction tracing from users to back-end services, encompassing every microservice involved.
Section 2.2: The Value of Observability
Leigh: Why should individuals consider a career in Observability?
Saurabh: Engaging with Observability promotes continuous learning, as it requires knowledge across various domains—networks, cybersecurity, applications, and infrastructure. This culture of perpetual learning is ideal for inquisitive minds.
Leigh: What are you currently investigating in this field?
Saurabh: I'm particularly focused on the intersection of Cybersecurity and Observability. Their overlap is crucial since you cannot secure what remains unseen.
Leigh: Any suggestions for those eager to delve deeper into Observability?
To connect with Saurabh, you can find him on LinkedIn and Medium.