Host: Stu Miniman
Guest: Chris Williams
Production: Rohan Venkatram
Across industries and business sectors, senior leadership has to execute at an ever-increasing pace, and today’s technology decisions must balance short-term risk with long-term gains. Join host Stu Miniman as he leads insightful and candid discussions with a broad spectrum of experts, executives, and decision-makers on diverse and hot technology topics.
In this episode, host Stu Miniman reconnects with long-time industry pioneer Randy Bias for a conversation on the origins, meaning, and future of the famous “Pets vs. Cattle” analogy – and why it still matters today. And also as KubeCon is fast approaching in November, this will be a preview episode – what to expect!
Randy has been shaping the cloud conversation for over a decade. Currently serving as Vice President of Open Source Strategy and Technology, he has been instrumental in driving open source adoption across enterprises and spearheaded major efforts like OpenStack and Juniper’s Contrail (now OpenSDN). Today, he leads Mirantis’ Open Source Program Office, helping organizations rethink how open source can fuel disruption in cloud and autonomous computing.
But Randy is perhaps best known for popularizing one of the most enduring metaphors in cloud: Pets vs. Cattle. First introduced over a decade ago, this simple yet powerful framework gave IT leaders and cloud architects a language to explain the fundamental shift from “the old way” of treating servers as unique, indispensable systems, to the “new way” of designing for disposability, scalability, and resilience.
But Randy is perhaps best known for popularizing one of the most enduring metaphors in cloud history: Pets vs. Cattle. First introduced over a decade ago, this simple yet powerful framework gave IT leaders and cloud architects a language to explain the fundamental shift from “the old way” of treating servers as unique, indispensable systems, to the “new way” of designing for disposability, scalability, and resilience.
In this episode, Stu and Randy will explore:
– The true story behind Pets vs. Cattle – how it began, why it stuck, and what people still get wrong about it
– The role of open source communities in shaping cloud innovation – from OpenStack to Kubernetes and beyond
– Highlights from KubeCon London and a sneak preview of KubeCon Atlanta – the big themes to watch and why they matter for cloud-native adoption
– Lessons from the frontlines of open source strategy – building vibrant, sustainable communities that can outlast technologies
– Personal reflections – Randy’s move to Bratislava, his global perspective, and the next big challenges in cloud
Earlier this year, Randy spoke at KubeCon London, where his insights sparked important conversations across the Kubernetes community. Now, this In the Clouds episode doubles as a sneak preview of the upcoming KubeCon in Atlanta on November 10th, where Randy will once again bring thought leadership and perspective to one of cloud-native’s biggest stages.
Expect candid insights, industry history straight from the source, and maybe even a few untold stories from Randy and Stu’s years in the trenches together.
Whether you’ve been quoting “pets vs. cattle” for years or you’re hearing it for the first time, this is your chance to understand the analogy the way its creator intended – and why it’s still a tool worth keeping in your cloud toolbox.
🛡️ Expect real-world insights, expert commentary, and live energy.
💬 Bring your questions! We’ll be taking live audience questions during the stream, so don’t miss your chance to get answers straight from Randy and Stu.
📅 Thursday, September 25 @10:00am EDT
📍 Live on YouTube & Twitch
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Want to learn more?
Try Red Hat OpenShift: https://red.ht/3Haxapr
Follow us:
Stu Miniman https://bsky.app/profile/stu.bsky.social
Red Hat https://www.linkedin.com/company/red-hat/
Randy Bias https://x.com/randybias
KubeCon NA in Atlanta on the 10th of November: https://events.linuxfoundation.org/kubecon-cloudnativecon-north-america/
Randy at KubeCon EMEA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_47X1eKkiEs
Read more about the History of the Pet & Cattle Analogy: https://cloudscaling.com/blog/cloud-computing/the-history-of-pets-vs-cattle/
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About OpenShift:
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OpenShift on redhat.com https://red.ht/3JBaOia
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