orchestration Archives

Tech Optimizer

August 20, 2025

App modernization: Open, scalable platforms fuel AI

App modernization is now essential for enterprises to remain competitive, moving away from traditional systems to open cloud-native architectures, with Postgres becoming a key element of modern data strategies. Experts from AMD, EnterpriseDB, Supermicro, and Lightbits Labs discussed the importance of open standards, particularly Postgres and Kubernetes, in adapting to AI-driven transformations. High-performance block storage is crucial for low latency and high throughput in Postgres workloads, with Lightbits Labs demonstrating significant transaction capabilities. This integrated stack can lead to energy savings and improved data center efficiency. Kubernetes is also vital for enhancing application portability and scalability, with IT vendors focusing on seamless integration and lifecycle support. The demand for optimized hardware for AI applications is increasing, as enterprises seek comprehensive infrastructure solutions for deployment across various environments.

Tech Optimizer

August 15, 2025

Wiz Achieves Near-Zero Downtime for Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL Major Version Upgrades with Aurora Blue/Green Deployments

Wiz has transitioned its Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL database from version 14 to version 16 with near-zero downtime using Aurora Blue/Green Deployments. The upgrade process is facilitated by the DB Upgrade Pilot, which features an automated eight-step flow, including automated validation steps, enhanced synchronization monitoring, and end-to-end orchestration. This has reduced the downtime for database upgrades from one hour to 30 seconds.

Tech Optimizer

August 12, 2025

How Wiz achieved near-zero downtime for Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL major version upgrades at scale using Aurora Blue/Green Deployments

Wiz upgraded its Aurora PostgreSQL database from version 14 to 16, achieving a significant reduction in downtime from approximately one hour to just 30 seconds. The upgrade was facilitated by an automated process called DB Upgrade Pilot, which utilized Amazon Aurora's Blue/Green Deployments. This process involved several steps: taking a cluster snapshot, provisioning a synchronized replica of the production database, executing a VACUUM ANALYZE for performance optimization, monitoring replication lag, and performing a switchover to the new environment. The upgrade included performance enhancements such as improved parallel query execution and faster aggregations, along with enhanced security features. The solution also incorporated safety measures like automatic rollback capability and robust validation steps to ensure a stable upgrade process.

Tech Optimizer

August 9, 2025

PostgreSQL Revolutionizes Durable Execution with Database Workflow Storage

Developers and enterprises are increasingly turning to PostgreSQL for durable execution, which allows workflows to withstand failures without losing state. PostgreSQL's strong transactional guarantees, adherence to ACID principles, and extensibility make it suitable for this purpose. By using Write-Ahead Logging (WAL), PostgreSQL can reliably record every step of a process, facilitating smooth resumption after disruptions. This approach eliminates the need for separate state management layers, simplifying cloud-native environments. PostgreSQL can manage both data persistence and execution logic, allowing for seamless recovery from failures. Recent advancements, such as integrations from Neon and Inngest, enable real-time workflows based on database changes without requiring complex orchestration services. Updates in PostgreSQL 16 and beyond, including improved logical replication and the anticipated asynchronous I/O in PostgreSQL 18, enhance performance for durable tasks. Adoption of PostgreSQL for durable execution is rising among tech giants and startups, with examples like Figma's scalable Postgres database and AWS’s Aurora DSQL service. This trend reflects a movement towards disaggregated architectures, where databases become active participants in application logic. However, challenges remain in balancing speed and durability configurations. Overall, PostgreSQL is evolving as a resilient solution for durable execution in modern applications.

Tech Optimizer

July 5, 2025

Atlassian’s 4 Million PostgreSQL Database Migration: When Standard Cloud Strategies Fail

Atlassian migrated approximately 4 million Jira databases to Amazon Aurora to enhance the reliability and cost-effectiveness of its Jira Cloud platform. The migration involved 2,403 RDS database instances, resulting in 2.6 million databases migrated and 1.8 million databases drained from source instances. Each Jira database corresponds to about 5,000 files on disk, leading to over 27.4 billion total database files utilized in Jira. The migration aimed for a service level agreement (SLA) of 99.99% and involved technical challenges due to the large number of databases and files. At its peak, Atlassian migrated up to 90,000 Jira databases daily, averaging around 38,000 databases per day. The team developed a custom orchestration tool and utilized AWS Step Functions to manage the migration process while minimizing tenant downtime and migration expenses.

Winsage

June 30, 2025

Microsoft warns of Windows update delays due to wrong timestamp

Microsoft has acknowledged a delay in the delivery of the June 2025 Windows security updates due to an incorrect metadata timestamp affecting Windows 10 and Windows 11 systems under quality update deferral policies. The update was released on June 10, 2025, but the timestamp shows June 20, 2025, which may cause devices with deferral settings to receive the update later than expected. Microsoft has provided temporary workarounds for administrators, including creating an expedited deployment policy to bypass deferral settings. The delay only affects the timing of update availability for organizations using these policies and does not impact the quality or applicability of the update. Microsoft will not change the metadata timestamp and has confirmed that the provided workaround is the definitive resolution.

Winsage

June 24, 2025

Microsoft fixes known issue that breaks Windows 11 updates

Microsoft is releasing a configuration update, KB5062324, to fix Windows Update failures on certain Windows 11 systems running version 24H2 that have not installed the May Windows non-security preview update or later. This update addresses an issue causing the Windows update scan to stop responding, with a permanent solution available in the May update (KB5058499) and later versions. Users can install KB5062324 by enabling 'Get the latest updates as soon as they're available' in Settings > Windows Update, followed by a system restart and checking for updates. The update is being rolled out gradually, so users may need to try multiple times to receive it. Recently, Microsoft also addressed a bug related to feature updates and acknowledged issues with unintended upgrades to Windows Server 2025 on certain devices. The company aims to unify the updating process for all software on PCs through a new orchestration platform.

Winsage

June 20, 2025

How Uniphore achieved 30% cost savings by modernizing Windows servers on AWS

Uniphore is an AI innovation company that faced challenges with its legacy Windows Server infrastructure, which was costly and raised security concerns due to its end-of-support status. To modernize, Uniphore utilized Amazon Web Services (AWS) for containerization and cloud-native solutions, achieving a 30% reduction in costs and improved operational capabilities. The migration involved transitioning from 50 bare-metal Windows Server 2008 R2 instances to a Linux environment on AWS, optimizing call-center analytics workloads and enabling better training of large language models. The modernization strategy included three key areas: application modernization through refactoring and containerization, a custom data migration solution using Type 2 hypervisor technology, and a cloud infrastructure setup with Amazon EC2, Amazon EKS, Amazon EFS, and Amazon S3. The migration was executed in three phases: deploying the hypervisor and DataSync agent, secure data migration and validation, and production cutover with application deployment. Best practices adopted during the process included Infrastructure as Code (IaC) with Terraform, CI/CD pipelines using GitLab, comprehensive monitoring with DATADOG and CloudWatch, and enforcement of AWS Backup policies. The modernization resulted in benefits such as improved scalability and performance, flexibility and portability of applications, enhanced security and compliance, efficient data management, reduced operational overhead, and significant cost savings.

Winsage

May 31, 2025

Microsoft Debuts Windows Update Orchestration Platform For Updating All Apps From A Single Place

Microsoft has introduced the Windows Update Orchestration Platform, which aims to centralize the management of line-of-business (LOB) and third-party applications through a single interface, enhancing the app update process for developers and users. Currently in private preview, the platform invites developers to explore its features, which include eco-efficient scheduling, consistent notifications, centralized update history, and unified troubleshooting tools. Developers can integrate their applications using Windows Runtime APIs and PowerShell commands to manage various aspects such as registration and update definitions. The initiative addresses challenges like CPU and bandwidth spikes, conflicting notifications, and increased support costs faced by users and IT administrators.

Winsage

May 30, 2025

Microsoft unveils “centralized” software update tool for Windows

Microsoft is developing a Windows-native update orchestration platform to improve the software updating experience for IT administrators and end-users. This platform aims to streamline the management of updates across various applications and components within the Windows ecosystem, reducing confusion caused by independent updates for different products. Currently in private preview, developers can access the platform through Windows Runtime (WinRT) APIs and PowerShell commands by registering as update providers. The orchestrator will intelligently defer updates based on user activity and system performance, and it will automatically reschedule failed attempts. Additionally, Microsoft is introducing Windows Backup for Organizations to assist with the transition from Windows 10 to Windows 11. This feature simplifies the backup and restoration of settings for Windows 10 and 11 devices. To use this functionality, devices must be Microsoft Entra hybrid joined or Microsoft Entra joined and running a supported version of Windows. The restore feature is compatible only with Microsoft Entra joined devices running Windows 11, version 22H2 and later. The Windows Backup for Organizations feature is currently in a limited public preview for select members of the Microsoft Management Customer Connection Program.