InfluxData with Paul Dix

For our very first episode, we welcome a special guest, Paul Dix, the CTO of InfluxData.He starts by giving us an overview of InfluxDB, an open source time series database used by developers to track server and application data. He takes us back to the early days of InfluxDB and explains how it came into existence, starting with the challenges they faced with their initial SaaS application and how they made the decision to repurpose their infrastructure and create this open source database. Paul also sheds light on the popularity of the programming language Go, which had a significant influence on their decision to use it for their project.He takes us through the journey of InfluxDB's development and the improvements that have been made over the years. He emphasizes the enhancements made in versions 0.11 and 1.0 to improve performance and query capabilities. Moreover, he shares their decision to explore using Rust for certain parts of the project and the positive impact it has had. Moving forward, the conversation delves into the challenges of managing high volumes of data in time series databases.Paul talks about the solutions they implemented, such as using BoltDB and developing the time-structured merge tree storage engine. We then dive into the decision to rewrite InfluxDB in Rust and the benefits it offers. He explains the improved performance, concurrency, and error handling that Rust brings to the table. Paul goes on to discuss the development process and how the engineering team has embraced Rust across their projects.As the conversation progresses, we touch on the performance improvements in InfluxDB 3 and the future plans for the database. Paul shares their vision of incorporating additional features and integrating with other tools and languages. He also mentions InfluxDB's involvement in open-source projects like Apache Aero Rust and Data Fusion, highlighting their ambition to extend beyond metric data. Paul concludes the conversation by discussing the standards and libraries in analytics, the role of Apache Iceberg, and the collaboration among data and analytics companies. He provides advice for getting started with Rust and InfluxDB, urging listeners to engage in hands-on projects and learn from books and online documentation.Thank you, Paul, for sharing your insights and expertise.

Om Podcasten

This is "Rust in Production", a podcast about companies who use Rust to shape the future of infrastructure. We follow their journey in pursuit of more reliable and efficient software as they solve some of the most challenging technical problems in the world. Each episode dives deep into real-world applications of Rust, showcasing how this powerful systems programming language is revolutionizing the way we build and maintain critical infrastructure. From startups to tech giants, we explore the diverse landscape of organizations leveraging Rust's unique features to create safer, faster, and more scalable systems. Our guests share their experiences, challenges, and triumphs in adopting Rust for production environments. Listen in as we discuss topics such as concurrent programming, memory safety, performance optimization, and how Rust's ownership model contributes to building robust software systems. Whether you're a seasoned Rust developer, an infrastructure engineer, or a tech leader considering Rust for your next project, "Rust in Production" offers valuable insights and practical knowledge. Release Schedule "Rust in Production" releases new episodes every other Thursday at 4 PM UTC. Our podcast is structured into seasons, each featuring a diverse range of companies and experts in the Rust ecosystem. Recent episodes have included: - Season 2: Interviews with representatives from System76, Fusion Engineering, OxidOS, Matic, Thunderbird, AMP, and curl. - Season 1: Conversations with leaders from Sentry, Tweede Golf, Arroyo, Apollo, PubNub, and InfluxData. What You'll Learn - Real-world case studies of Rust implementation in production environments - Insights into how companies overcome technical challenges using Rust - Best practices for adopting Rust in various infrastructure contexts - The impact of Rust on software reliability, efficiency, and scalability - Future trends in systems programming and infrastructure development Join us as we uncover the latest trends in Rust development, explore best practices for using Rust in production, and examine how this language is addressing some of the most pressing issues in modern software engineering. From web services and databases to embedded systems and cloud infrastructure, we cover the full spectrum of Rust's impact on the tech industry.