Aetna: Digital Team Kubernetes Deep Dive

Executive Summary

Conducted comprehensive Kubernetes workshop for Aetna’s digital team, providing deep domain expertise across a broad range of containerization topics while building technical confidence for healthcare industry cloud transformation.

Challenge

Aetna’s digital transformation team faced complex containerization challenges:

• Healthcare Compliance: Strict regulatory requirements for container security and data protection in healthcare environments
• Technical Depth Requirements: Team needed comprehensive understanding of Kubernetes across multiple technical domains
• Digital Transformation: Modern container strategy required for digital healthcare initiative success
• Regulatory Expertise: Need for technical guidance that understood healthcare industry compliance requirements

Approach & Solution

As Kubernetes specialist and healthcare technology advisor, I developed a comprehensive solution:

Electronic Arts: GKE/Kubernetes Workshop Excellence

Executive Summary

Delivered exceptional GKE/Kubernetes workshop for Electronic Arts, finding the perfect balance of high-level overview and technical depth within limited time constraints, helping overcome reservations about managed cloud offerings in the gaming industry.

Challenge

Electronic Arts faced specific challenges in adopting managed cloud services for gaming workloads:

• Gaming Industry Requirements: Specialized needs for high-performance, low-latency gaming applications
• Managed Service Skepticism: Reservations about using managed offerings versus self-managed infrastructure
• Technical Depth vs. Time: Need to deliver comprehensive understanding within limited workshop timeframe
• Performance Concerns: Gaming industry concerns about managed service performance and control limitations

Approach & Solution

As gaming cloud specialist and Kubernetes expert, I developed a comprehensive solution:

Kronos: Global CI/CD Workshop & Pipeline Transformation

Executive Summary

Delivered comprehensive GKE & CI/CD workshop for Kronos with 45 virtual attendees, successfully mapping their current pipeline to GCP native tools while establishing best practices and creating organization-wide Kubernetes momentum across the enterprise.

Challenge

Kronos faced significant DevOps transformation challenges across their global organization:

• Legacy Pipeline Integration: Complex existing CI/CD pipeline requiring careful mapping to modern cloud-native tools
• Global Scale Coordination: Need to engage 45+ virtual attendees across different time zones and technical backgrounds
• Best Practices Education: Organization lacked standardized approach to efficient CI/CD pipeline implementation
• Kubernetes Adoption: Required foundation for building Kubernetes groundswell and momentum enterprise-wide

Approach & Solution

As workshop leader and DevOps specialist, I developed a comprehensive solution:

Nuance Communications: Kubernetes Training to Revenue Success

Executive Summary

Delivered high-quality Kubernetes Technical Architecture Workshop that increased customer trust in Google’s container expertise, directly leading to a $150K Professional Services win and positioning $1.75M in 2019 cloud revenue for their first workload migration.

Challenge

Nuance Communications required comprehensive container expertise to support their cloud transformation:

• Technical Validation: Need to assess Google’s Kubernetes expertise before committing to major cloud initiative
• Trust Building: Required demonstration of deep technical competency to justify platform investment
• Migration Planning: First workload migration requiring careful technical planning and risk mitigation
• Strategic Partnership: Evaluation of Google Cloud as long-term strategic technology partner

Approach & Solution

As Kubernetes specialist and workshop leader, I developed a comprehensive solution:

Schlumberger (SLB): DELFI Cloud Native Applications

Executive Summary

Provided comprehensive architecture overviews and Kubernetes expertise for multiple DELFI Cloud Native applications at Schlumberger, supporting the next generation of E&P software from the leading O&G software provider with 20+ years of industry dominance.

Challenge

Schlumberger faced complex modernization challenges for their flagship software platform:

• Legacy Modernization: Transforming 20+ years of established E&P software into cloud-native architecture
• Multiple Applications: Comprehensive modernization across ProdOps WFE, ProdOps PDI, FDPlan, CDS, CFS, Wellbore Interpretation, and additional applications
• Industry Leadership: Maintaining market position as leading O&G software provider during platform transformation
• Cloud Architecture: Designing cloud-native solutions for specialized oil & gas industry requirements

Approach & Solution

As cloud architecture specialist and industry technology advisor, I developed a comprehensive solution:

Challenge

The Home Depot’s e-commerce platform, generating over $5 billion in annual revenue, was running on aging on-premises infrastructure. The company needed to modernize their technology stack to support growing online traffic, improve global performance, and reduce operational costs—all while maintaining 100% uptime for their critical business operations.

Key Challenges:

• Legacy monolithic architecture limiting scalability
• High infrastructure maintenance costs
• Complex deployment processes causing delays
• Geographic performance inconsistencies
• Risk of downtime during peak shopping seasons

Approach

I led a comprehensive cloud transformation strategy focused on minimizing risk while maximizing business value. The approach centered on incremental migration with extensive testing and rollback capabilities.

Case Study: Wellsky Corporation

Executive Summary

Led a $50M/6-year engagement for Wellsky, supporting comprehensive migration from on-premises infrastructure and AWS to Google Cloud while addressing complex challenges in scaling container orchestration and implementing robust software delivery practices in a healthcare environment.

Challenge

Wellsky faced significant technical and regulatory hurdles in their cloud transformation:

• Complex migration from on-premises infrastructure and AWS to Google Cloud required specialized expertise
• Healthcare compliance requirements demanded rigorous security implementation
• Scaling container orchestration created operational overhead challenges
• Developer friction in existing CI/CD pipelines impacted productivity
• Protected health information required specialized security controls in cloud environments

Approach & Solution

As technical advisor and architecture lead, I developed a comprehensive solution:

Case Study: T-Mobile

Executive Summary

Guided a $10M/5-year technical evaluation and solution development initiative for T-Mobile, facilitating migration from Pivotal Cloud Foundry to Google Kubernetes Engine while developing strategies that minimized disruption to customer-facing systems.

Challenge

T-Mobile needed to modernize their application platform while addressing telecommunications-specific requirements:

• Migration from Pivotal Cloud Foundry to Google Kubernetes Engine required specialized expertise
• Large-scale telecommunications infrastructure demanded high reliability during transition
• Customer-facing systems required zero-downtime migration approaches
• Technical teams needed guidance on containerization strategies for diverse workloads
• Digital transformation objectives needed alignment with infrastructure modernization

Approach & Solution

As technical advisor and architecture lead, I developed a comprehensive solution:

Panera Bread: Kubernetes Restaurant Technology

Executive Summary

Architected and implemented Kubernetes-based containerization strategy for Panera Bread’s restaurant technology stack, enabling modern container deployment for kiosk ordering, kitchen fulfillment systems, and centralized back office aggregation and processing.

Challenge

Panera Bread needed to modernize their restaurant technology infrastructure to support digital transformation across their restaurant chain:

• Legacy Restaurant Systems: Outdated technology stack limiting digital ordering and operational efficiency
• Multi-Location Deployment: Need for consistent technology deployment across hundreds of restaurant locations
• Operational Integration: Seamless integration between customer-facing kiosks, kitchen operations, and back office systems
• Container Adoption: Implementing Kubernetes and containerization for restaurant-specific technology requirements
• Scalable Architecture: Building technology foundation that could scale with business growth and digital innovation

Approach & Solution

As Cloud Solutions Architect, I developed a comprehensive Kubernetes strategy for restaurant operations:

HEB: Anthos Alpha Implementation

Executive Summary

Led one of the first Anthos alpha implementations at HEB, deploying cutting-edge enterprise GKE services for on-premises usage while integrating with centralized Google Cloud services, providing crucial feedback that contributed to Anthos product development and GA readiness.

Challenge

HEB was selected as an alpha site for Google’s revolutionary Anthos platform, presenting several significant challenges:

• Alpha Technology Risk: Working with pre-release, cutting-edge technology in a production retail environment
• Hybrid Cloud Complexity: Implementing enterprise GKE services on-premises while maintaining integration with centralized cloud services
• Retail Scale Requirements: Adapting alpha technology for large-scale retail operations and infrastructure
• Product Development Feedback: Providing actionable feedback to Google product teams for Anthos refinement
• Enterprise Validation: Proving Anthos viability for mission-critical retail technology operations

Approach & Solution

As Cloud Solutions Architect, I led this pioneering implementation: