Sandro Volpicella
@sandrovolpicella.com
I teach developers about the cloud ⛅
👨🏽💻 Platform Lead @hashnode
📕 New Book: https://cloudwatchbook.com
⛅ AWS Fundamentals Book: https://awsfundamentals.com
😼 Builds https://kitlytics.com
🤗 AWS Community Builder
👨🏽💻 Platform Lead @hashnode
📕 New Book: https://cloudwatchbook.com
⛅ AWS Fundamentals Book: https://awsfundamentals.com
😼 Builds https://kitlytics.com
🤗 AWS Community Builder
What is your go-to Infrastructure-as-code tool nowadays?
Please comment if it is other. I'm really curious.
Please comment if it is other. I'm really curious.
June 26, 2025 at 6:00 AM
What is your go-to Infrastructure-as-code tool nowadays?
Please comment if it is other. I'm really curious.
Please comment if it is other. I'm really curious.
As a YouTube Shorts viewer, I want to save Shorts to reuse the music in my own videos.
I don't want to watch them in a saved folder called "Favorites."
- Google 🙄
I don't want to watch them in a saved folder called "Favorites."
- Google 🙄
June 24, 2025 at 3:46 PM
As a YouTube Shorts viewer, I want to save Shorts to reuse the music in my own videos.
I don't want to watch them in a saved folder called "Favorites."
- Google 🙄
I don't want to watch them in a saved folder called "Favorites."
- Google 🙄
Typically, one of the first issues you will encounter in bad architected systems: 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠
Imagine building a blogging platform.
Your `create-post` API started out with just publishing a post.
But after a few more cool ideas this API is now responsible for:
Imagine building a blogging platform.
Your `create-post` API started out with just publishing a post.
But after a few more cool ideas this API is now responsible for:
June 19, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Typically, one of the first issues you will encounter in bad architected systems: 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠
Imagine building a blogging platform.
Your `create-post` API started out with just publishing a post.
But after a few more cool ideas this API is now responsible for:
Imagine building a blogging platform.
Your `create-post` API started out with just publishing a post.
But after a few more cool ideas this API is now responsible for:
You typically only create metric alarms in CloudWatch but the real value often comes with composite alarms.
Composite alarms let you monitor multiple metrics. For example you can observe:
- Lambda errors
- API Gateway 500 errors
Composite alarms let you monitor multiple metrics. For example you can observe:
- Lambda errors
- API Gateway 500 errors
June 18, 2025 at 6:00 AM
You typically only create metric alarms in CloudWatch but the real value often comes with composite alarms.
Composite alarms let you monitor multiple metrics. For example you can observe:
- Lambda errors
- API Gateway 500 errors
Composite alarms let you monitor multiple metrics. For example you can observe:
- Lambda errors
- API Gateway 500 errors
One feature I really love about CDK ➡️ CDK Aspects
You can apply certain configurations or modifications of one kind of a construct.
Typical CDK aspects:
- attach alarm actions to every CloudWatch alert
- assign tags to every construct
- set log retention
And they are created SUPER easily!
You can apply certain configurations or modifications of one kind of a construct.
Typical CDK aspects:
- attach alarm actions to every CloudWatch alert
- assign tags to every construct
- set log retention
And they are created SUPER easily!
June 17, 2025 at 6:00 AM
One feature I really love about CDK ➡️ CDK Aspects
You can apply certain configurations or modifications of one kind of a construct.
Typical CDK aspects:
- attach alarm actions to every CloudWatch alert
- assign tags to every construct
- set log retention
And they are created SUPER easily!
You can apply certain configurations or modifications of one kind of a construct.
Typical CDK aspects:
- attach alarm actions to every CloudWatch alert
- assign tags to every construct
- set log retention
And they are created SUPER easily!
I'm still using Leapp daily for all of my accounts. My typical setup looks like this:
🏦 AWS Organization -> e.g. AWS Fundamentals
🧾 AWS Management Account -> Paying Account
🧾 AWS Account -> Dev/Prod
∎ AWS Profile -> ck-dev / ck-prod (those are the ones used in my IAC)
🏦 AWS Organization -> e.g. AWS Fundamentals
🧾 AWS Management Account -> Paying Account
🧾 AWS Account -> Dev/Prod
∎ AWS Profile -> ck-dev / ck-prod (those are the ones used in my IAC)
June 16, 2025 at 6:00 AM
I'm still using Leapp daily for all of my accounts. My typical setup looks like this:
🏦 AWS Organization -> e.g. AWS Fundamentals
🧾 AWS Management Account -> Paying Account
🧾 AWS Account -> Dev/Prod
∎ AWS Profile -> ck-dev / ck-prod (those are the ones used in my IAC)
🏦 AWS Organization -> e.g. AWS Fundamentals
🧾 AWS Management Account -> Paying Account
🧾 AWS Account -> Dev/Prod
∎ AWS Profile -> ck-dev / ck-prod (those are the ones used in my IAC)
Finally having a serverless SQL database at hand with no monthly costs within AWS is simply amazing.
We are running a mini application on DSQL for quite some time to track our subscribers & sales
I just calculated how much it would cost us monthly: $0.00287
We are running a mini application on DSQL for quite some time to track our subscribers & sales
I just calculated how much it would cost us monthly: $0.00287
June 15, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Finally having a serverless SQL database at hand with no monthly costs within AWS is simply amazing.
We are running a mini application on DSQL for quite some time to track our subscribers & sales
I just calculated how much it would cost us monthly: $0.00287
We are running a mini application on DSQL for quite some time to track our subscribers & sales
I just calculated how much it would cost us monthly: $0.00287
First two YouTube videos are up 🙌🏽
We're not planning on building a huge channel now, but we focus more on adding videos to blog posts and socials now.
So, we thought "why not reuse them on our own channel" 📹
We're not planning on building a huge channel now, but we focus more on adding videos to blog posts and socials now.
So, we thought "why not reuse them on our own channel" 📹
June 14, 2025 at 6:00 AM
First two YouTube videos are up 🙌🏽
We're not planning on building a huge channel now, but we focus more on adding videos to blog posts and socials now.
So, we thought "why not reuse them on our own channel" 📹
We're not planning on building a huge channel now, but we focus more on adding videos to blog posts and socials now.
So, we thought "why not reuse them on our own channel" 📹
We've updated pricing of our Shopify App 🔥
(not as straightforward as we thought - feedback incoming)
We wanted to try it out a few more things:
- Smallest price is MUCH bigger -> Target bigger stores
- We DITCHED the Free Plan and have only a free trial now
(not as straightforward as we thought - feedback incoming)
We wanted to try it out a few more things:
- Smallest price is MUCH bigger -> Target bigger stores
- We DITCHED the Free Plan and have only a free trial now
June 10, 2025 at 10:00 AM
We've updated pricing of our Shopify App 🔥
(not as straightforward as we thought - feedback incoming)
We wanted to try it out a few more things:
- Smallest price is MUCH bigger -> Target bigger stores
- We DITCHED the Free Plan and have only a free trial now
(not as straightforward as we thought - feedback incoming)
We wanted to try it out a few more things:
- Smallest price is MUCH bigger -> Target bigger stores
- We DITCHED the Free Plan and have only a free trial now
I just integrated @posthog into our second @Shopify app - MergeIT ✅
Some events we capture:
- pageviews / leaves
- orders merged + source (extension, dashboard, suggestion page)
- suggestions viewed
- settings changed
- subscription activated
- subscription cancelled
Some events we capture:
- pageviews / leaves
- orders merged + source (extension, dashboard, suggestion page)
- suggestions viewed
- settings changed
- subscription activated
- subscription cancelled
June 10, 2025 at 5:04 AM
I just integrated @posthog into our second @Shopify app - MergeIT ✅
Some events we capture:
- pageviews / leaves
- orders merged + source (extension, dashboard, suggestion page)
- suggestions viewed
- settings changed
- subscription activated
- subscription cancelled
Some events we capture:
- pageviews / leaves
- orders merged + source (extension, dashboard, suggestion page)
- suggestions viewed
- settings changed
- subscription activated
- subscription cancelled
The main difference you have in event-driven systems vs. traditional systems is how you think about incoming events. ⚡
Typically, your API is orchestrating other functions to do certain things. In an event-driven system you let your consumers decide what to do.
Typically, your API is orchestrating other functions to do certain things. In an event-driven system you let your consumers decide what to do.
June 9, 2025 at 6:00 AM
The main difference you have in event-driven systems vs. traditional systems is how you think about incoming events. ⚡
Typically, your API is orchestrating other functions to do certain things. In an event-driven system you let your consumers decide what to do.
Typically, your API is orchestrating other functions to do certain things. In an event-driven system you let your consumers decide what to do.
Finally having a serverless SQL database at hand with no monthly costs within AWS is simply amazing.
We are running a mini application on DSQL for quite some time to track our subscribers & sales
I just calculated how much it would cost us monthly: $0.00287
We are running a mini application on DSQL for quite some time to track our subscribers & sales
I just calculated how much it would cost us monthly: $0.00287
June 6, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Finally having a serverless SQL database at hand with no monthly costs within AWS is simply amazing.
We are running a mini application on DSQL for quite some time to track our subscribers & sales
I just calculated how much it would cost us monthly: $0.00287
We are running a mini application on DSQL for quite some time to track our subscribers & sales
I just calculated how much it would cost us monthly: $0.00287
I think this is the first time I'm not at the AWS Summit Germany in 4-5 years 🥲
Have fun guys! See you at the Community Day 😉
Have fun guys! See you at the Community Day 😉
June 5, 2025 at 5:55 AM
I think this is the first time I'm not at the AWS Summit Germany in 4-5 years 🥲
Have fun guys! See you at the Community Day 😉
Have fun guys! See you at the Community Day 😉
DSQL is GA now! That was much faster than I expected tbh.
I'm finishing up my blog post about the pricing and publish it soon as a post and newsletter.
TBH - understanding DPUs and how it is exactly billed is not as straightforward as I would have thought 😬
I'm finishing up my blog post about the pricing and publish it soon as a post and newsletter.
TBH - understanding DPUs and how it is exactly billed is not as straightforward as I would have thought 😬
June 2, 2025 at 9:41 AM
DSQL is GA now! That was much faster than I expected tbh.
I'm finishing up my blog post about the pricing and publish it soon as a post and newsletter.
TBH - understanding DPUs and how it is exactly billed is not as straightforward as I would have thought 😬
I'm finishing up my blog post about the pricing and publish it soon as a post and newsletter.
TBH - understanding DPUs and how it is exactly billed is not as straightforward as I would have thought 😬
Serverless isn't just Next.js API Routes or Vercel functions. There's an entire ecosystem of powerful "forgotten middle" serverless services:
• CloudFront
• API Gateway
• Step Functions
• SNS
• SQS
• EventBridge
• CloudFront
• API Gateway
• Step Functions
• SNS
• SQS
• EventBridge
May 23, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Serverless isn't just Next.js API Routes or Vercel functions. There's an entire ecosystem of powerful "forgotten middle" serverless services:
• CloudFront
• API Gateway
• Step Functions
• SNS
• SQS
• EventBridge
• CloudFront
• API Gateway
• Step Functions
• SNS
• SQS
• EventBridge
Oh oh, a few more deprecations are coming in from AWS ☠️
- Timestream for LiveAnalytics
- Pinpoint (this one existed for ages)
- AWS IQ
- AWS IoT Analytics
- AWS IoT Events
- AWS SimSpace Weaver
- AWS Panorama
- Amazon Inspector Classic
- Amazon Connect Voice ID
- AWS DMS Fleet Advisor
- Timestream for LiveAnalytics
- Pinpoint (this one existed for ages)
- AWS IQ
- AWS IoT Analytics
- AWS IoT Events
- AWS SimSpace Weaver
- AWS Panorama
- Amazon Inspector Classic
- Amazon Connect Voice ID
- AWS DMS Fleet Advisor
May 21, 2025 at 5:18 AM
Oh oh, a few more deprecations are coming in from AWS ☠️
- Timestream for LiveAnalytics
- Pinpoint (this one existed for ages)
- AWS IQ
- AWS IoT Analytics
- AWS IoT Events
- AWS SimSpace Weaver
- AWS Panorama
- Amazon Inspector Classic
- Amazon Connect Voice ID
- AWS DMS Fleet Advisor
- Timestream for LiveAnalytics
- Pinpoint (this one existed for ages)
- AWS IQ
- AWS IoT Analytics
- AWS IoT Events
- AWS SimSpace Weaver
- AWS Panorama
- Amazon Inspector Classic
- Amazon Connect Voice ID
- AWS DMS Fleet Advisor
One thing that changed about cold starts in Lambda - they are 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 💸
Cold starts typically do the following things:
💾 Download the code from S3 or image from ECR
⚒️ Bootstrap environment
🆕 Initiate extensions
📠 Execute static code
Cold starts typically do the following things:
💾 Download the code from S3 or image from ECR
⚒️ Bootstrap environment
🆕 Initiate extensions
📠 Execute static code
May 19, 2025 at 6:00 AM
One thing that changed about cold starts in Lambda - they are 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 💸
Cold starts typically do the following things:
💾 Download the code from S3 or image from ECR
⚒️ Bootstrap environment
🆕 Initiate extensions
📠 Execute static code
Cold starts typically do the following things:
💾 Download the code from S3 or image from ECR
⚒️ Bootstrap environment
🆕 Initiate extensions
📠 Execute static code
Your CloudWatch Costs could go down by itself with this launch 💸
AWS counts Logs coming from Lambda now as "vended logs" and they come with a volume tiered pricing model.
AWS counts Logs coming from Lambda now as "vended logs" and they come with a volume tiered pricing model.
May 16, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Your CloudWatch Costs could go down by itself with this launch 💸
AWS counts Logs coming from Lambda now as "vended logs" and they come with a volume tiered pricing model.
AWS counts Logs coming from Lambda now as "vended logs" and they come with a volume tiered pricing model.
Yes 🎉
One more year of AWS Community Builder Program 😊
One more year of AWS Community Builder Program 😊
May 15, 2025 at 5:20 AM
Yes 🎉
One more year of AWS Community Builder Program 😊
One more year of AWS Community Builder Program 😊
Missed my talk at the AWS Community Day in Prague?
Check out my recent session at the @serverlessguru hackathon: EDA for the Real World.
I'm covering a two-fold agenda:
1️⃣ (a bit) Theory & Architecture about EDA
2️⃣ Hands-on TypeScript & CDK Examples
Check out my recent session at the @serverlessguru hackathon: EDA for the Real World.
I'm covering a two-fold agenda:
1️⃣ (a bit) Theory & Architecture about EDA
2️⃣ Hands-on TypeScript & CDK Examples
May 14, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Missed my talk at the AWS Community Day in Prague?
Check out my recent session at the @serverlessguru hackathon: EDA for the Real World.
I'm covering a two-fold agenda:
1️⃣ (a bit) Theory & Architecture about EDA
2️⃣ Hands-on TypeScript & CDK Examples
Check out my recent session at the @serverlessguru hackathon: EDA for the Real World.
I'm covering a two-fold agenda:
1️⃣ (a bit) Theory & Architecture about EDA
2️⃣ Hands-on TypeScript & CDK Examples
After publishing our animations we are also publishing all of our infographics (a bit slimmed down) on our page!
The first iteration includes all infographics with text.
Currently, we have:
- Lambda
- VPC
- S3
- EC2
- DynamoDB
- CloudFront
- API Gateway
- Route53
- IAM
- CloudWatch
- ECS
The first iteration includes all infographics with text.
Currently, we have:
- Lambda
- VPC
- S3
- EC2
- DynamoDB
- CloudFront
- API Gateway
- Route53
- IAM
- CloudWatch
- ECS
May 13, 2025 at 6:00 AM
After publishing our animations we are also publishing all of our infographics (a bit slimmed down) on our page!
The first iteration includes all infographics with text.
Currently, we have:
- Lambda
- VPC
- S3
- EC2
- DynamoDB
- CloudFront
- API Gateway
- Route53
- IAM
- CloudWatch
- ECS
The first iteration includes all infographics with text.
Currently, we have:
- Lambda
- VPC
- S3
- EC2
- DynamoDB
- CloudFront
- API Gateway
- Route53
- IAM
- CloudWatch
- ECS
Ouh interesting, @stripe launches Workflows - like Step Functions integrated in Stripe 👀
I'm pretty sure if implemented well this can replace quite some common tasks that you typically need to implement webhooks for.
Will check it out in my next Stripe project 👨🏽💻
🔗 stripe.dev/blog/introd...
I'm pretty sure if implemented well this can replace quite some common tasks that you typically need to implement webhooks for.
Will check it out in my next Stripe project 👨🏽💻
🔗 stripe.dev/blog/introd...
May 12, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Ouh interesting, @stripe launches Workflows - like Step Functions integrated in Stripe 👀
I'm pretty sure if implemented well this can replace quite some common tasks that you typically need to implement webhooks for.
Will check it out in my next Stripe project 👨🏽💻
🔗 stripe.dev/blog/introd...
I'm pretty sure if implemented well this can replace quite some common tasks that you typically need to implement webhooks for.
Will check it out in my next Stripe project 👨🏽💻
🔗 stripe.dev/blog/introd...
Step Functions is coming into @SST_dev 🎉
The implementation is similar (as far as I know) as the CDK implementation. That means no more ASL + replacing of dynamic data which I highly appreciate!
I do like the CDK-way of building Step Functions purely in code.
The implementation is similar (as far as I know) as the CDK implementation. That means no more ASL + replacing of dynamic data which I highly appreciate!
I do like the CDK-way of building Step Functions purely in code.
May 12, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Step Functions is coming into @SST_dev 🎉
The implementation is similar (as far as I know) as the CDK implementation. That means no more ASL + replacing of dynamic data which I highly appreciate!
I do like the CDK-way of building Step Functions purely in code.
The implementation is similar (as far as I know) as the CDK implementation. That means no more ASL + replacing of dynamic data which I highly appreciate!
I do like the CDK-way of building Step Functions purely in code.
This weeks newsletter is brought to you directly from the Autobahn 🚗
Not a fancy topic this week (sorry AI folks) - talking about connection to S3 buckets in VPCs this week. 🪣
Gateway endpoints vs. Internet routing 🕸️
Not a fancy topic this week (sorry AI folks) - talking about connection to S3 buckets in VPCs this week. 🪣
Gateway endpoints vs. Internet routing 🕸️
May 11, 2025 at 11:02 AM
This weeks newsletter is brought to you directly from the Autobahn 🚗
Not a fancy topic this week (sorry AI folks) - talking about connection to S3 buckets in VPCs this week. 🪣
Gateway endpoints vs. Internet routing 🕸️
Not a fancy topic this week (sorry AI folks) - talking about connection to S3 buckets in VPCs this week. 🪣
Gateway endpoints vs. Internet routing 🕸️
One underrated feature in CloudWatch ➡️ Live Tail
May 9, 2025 at 6:00 AM
One underrated feature in CloudWatch ➡️ Live Tail