ProFocus Technology Professionals

Come out and join us to network with local cloud native peers.

Agenda: 5:00pm to 5:30pm – Pizza and Networking! Food sponsored by Mezmo

5:45pm - Streamlining Telemetry Data: Building a Telemetry Pipeline to Handle High-Cardinality Metrics by Chelsea Wright @ Mezmo

Handling high-cardinality telemetry data efficiently is crucial for modern observability systems. In this session, we will explore strategies for designing a scalable telemetry pipeline that can process large volumes of diverse metrics without performance bottlenecks. We’ll cover best practices for data ingestion, storage optimization, and query performance, along with real-world techniques to mitigate challenges like high dimensionality and resource constraints. Attendees will gain insights into building a robust telemetry pipeline that balances accuracy, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.

6:15pm - What Producing Sound Effects Taught Me About Distributed Systems by Bret Bernhoft

As a sound designer and cloud native developer, I have discovered the art of crafting immersive audio effects mirrors the science of engineering distributed systems. In this talk, I will share how core audio production concepts like managing feedback loops, dealing with signal degradation and understanding the effects of reverb offer direct parallels to tackling challenges in microservices, observability and network latency. Just as a single, complex sound effect is built from many interdependent layers, modern applications rely on an orchestration of services and timing, demanding both precision and systems thinking.

We will explore how considering signal-to-noise ratio can clarify your logging strategies and how the art of mixing audio tracks provides valuable insights into resource limits as well as task prioritization within your deployments. By drawing on these analogies, this session aims to equip you with a new perspective that makes the complexities of cloud native architectures a bit more understandable, all through the lens of sound.

6:45pm to 8:00pm – Networking and Board games!

None of this would be possible without our amazing sponsors:

Thanks to ProFocus for sponsoring the meetup space
Thanks to Mezmo for sponsoring the food

Kickoff @ 5:30 PM: Networking & introductions Tech Talk @ 6:00 PM: Talk nerdy to me: how to explain technical concepts to non-tech people.

Ever struggled to explain your work to people who don't "speak tech"? In this session, you'll learn how to break down complex ideas so anyone can understand — and actually care about — what you're saying. We'll cover the biggest communication mistakes techies make, the art of using analogies and stories, and how to tailor your message to different audiences. Whether you're pitching a project, training a team, or just trying to survive small talk at a family gathering, these tools will help you make your ideas clear, memorable, and impactful. Perfect for engineers, analysts, developers, and anyone who’s ever been told, "Can you say that in English?"

Join the Portland AWS User Group for an evening of technical learning with other cloud and security professionals!

🕒 New Time: Starting networking at 5:30 PM, Presentation at 6:00 PM 📍 Location: ProFocus Headquarters 📍 Address: 10200 Eastridge St, Ste 100, Portland, OR 97225 🥂 Food & Drinks: Enjoy drinks provided by ProFocus, Food is NOT provided this time. Sponsors are welcome to inquire!

Agenda

• Kickoff @ 5:30 PM: Networking & introductions
• Tech Talk @ 6:00 PM: TBD

🔗 Join our Slack community: [AWS Portland User Group] (https://join.slack.com/t/awsportlandusergroup/shared_invite/zt-32ips8iyt-kmQ9~2dH1iJ35RbaGl0s5w) Don't miss this opportunity to connect, learn, and level up your cloud skills!