Practical cloud knowledge
Cloud architecture
from production work
Real-world guides, runbooks and architecture insights for AWS, Google Cloud, Alibaba Cloud and Kubernetes. Written from hands-on experience in production environments.
Cloud platforms
Modern architecture
- Container orchestration
- AI infrastructure
- Identity & access
- Networking
Operations
- Observability
- Security
- Automation
- Cost Optimization
Business outcomes
- Reliable Systems
- Lower Operating Cost
- Faster Delivery
- Better Decisions
Featured series
Building Secure Alibaba Cloud ACK Platforms
Build a private Alibaba Cloud ACK platform with OpenTofu. This three-part series covers network design, secure node pools, autoscaling, remote state, locking and private Argo CD.
Read the guide →
Explore by discipline
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Kubernetes
Cluster design, node pools, networking, security and operations.
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Cloud Architecture
Reference architectures, best practices and design guides.
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AI Infrastructure
Infrastructure for AI workloads, GPU options and platform comparisons.
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Reliability & Operations
Monitoring, incident response, automation and runbooks.
View reliability guides →
Latest field notes
Practical guides and lessons from published cloud work.
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How to Add a New Availability Zone to an Alibaba Cloud ACK Cluster
Add another availability zone to an existing Alibaba Cloud ACK cluster by extending node and pod networks, NAT SNAT, Terway and node-pool configuration safely.
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Alibaba Cloud ACK Autoscaling Without Spot: Subscription and PayAsYouGo Node Pools
Build an Alibaba Cloud ACK capacity model with fixed Subscription nodes and PayAsYouGo nodes that scale from zero through ACK GOATScaler, without Spot interruption risk.
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Building Secure Alibaba Cloud ACK Platforms
Build private Alibaba Cloud ACK clusters with OpenTofu, secure node pools, Spot autoscaling, OSS state locking and private Argo CD.
Runbooks
Step by step guides for common tasks.
Technical comparisons
- AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud vs Alibaba Cloud for APAC
How the four providers differ for APAC region presence, identity, networking and operations. Capabilities change; last verified 30 August 2026.
- Single cloud vs multi-cloud
A second provider adds operating-model cost. Reliability still depends on a tested failover. Last verified 30 August 2026.
- Reserved capacity vs savings plans vs committed use
How AWS Reserved Instances and Savings Plans, Azure reservations, and Google Cloud committed use discounts differ. Prices omitted; last verified 30 August 2026.
- Kubernetes vs serverless
When a control plane and node pool is the right unit of work versus functions or container jobs billed per request. Last verified 30 August 2026.
- Native cost tools vs independent FinOps platforms
What Cost Explorer, Azure Cost Management and Cloud Billing already do, and what a third-party FinOps platform adds. Last verified 30 August 2026.
- CloudFront vs Azure Front Door vs Cloud CDN vs Alibaba Cloud CDN
Edge cache and application delivery products compared on documented roles. Prices stay on each provider page. Last verified 30 August 2026.