Manik Surtani, Software Engineer @ Square on MySQL, 32 bit integer dilemma, and why live in SF

Summary: The fascinating Manik Surtani has joined the Devibe podcast today for an in depth conversation about some of the biggest issues in data and tech today. Manik Surtani (Twitter: @maniksurtani | Github: maniksurtani) is a software engineer at Square and one of the leading experts on data grids and distributed computing. He is the founder of the open source data grid project Infinispan and his book Infinispan Data Platform is considered by many to be the definitive introduction on the subject. Before tackling the data storage challenges at Square, Manik was the Senior Principal Software Engineer at Red Hat. A recent transplant to San Francisco, we discuss Manik's globe spanning career from Sri Lanka to London and beyond. As expected, Manik has great insights on data architecture, startup growth and scaling challenges, the future of open source, and building incredible teams. Manik is an avid outdoorsman and shared his favorite rock climbing spots in the Alps and why Yosemite was a big reason for moving to California. If you are considering a big move or just trying to figure out the best way to solve your data problems, then this episode of Devibe is a must listen. Highlights: The growth and scaling challenges that motivated Manik to join Square. Childhood misadventures with bootleg floppy disks in Sri Lanka. The challenge of right-sizing backend architecture. Monoliths vs. microservices. Challenges of 32 bit intingers over MySQL How to overhaul mission critical code base. Tips for scaling your database with organic growth in mind. How to know if NoSQL is the right choice for you. The future of open source databases, including CockroachDB. The industry wide problem of tech debt and what it means. Balancing code hygiene with business pressures. When should a startup address tech debt? Learning to distinguish a code failure from product direction failure. The unique startup environment at Square. Experiments in serverless architecture. Cultural adjustment in morning productivity routines. Reverse engineering a culture of trust. Mountain climbing in the Swiss Alps. Pro and Cons of moving to San Francisco. Robots and wealth distribution.