WEI Tech Exchange

GKE at 10 Years: The Future of Kubernetes and How WEI Empowers Your Cloud Journey

By Keith Lafaso |   May 01, 2025

As Kubernetes celebrates a decade of innovation and Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) marks its 10th anniversary, the momentum behind container orchestration and cloud-native transformation has never been stronger. At Google Next 2025, the “GKE at 10 Years and the Future of Kubernetes” session spotlighted how Kubernetes has evolved from humble beginnings into the backbone of modern infrastructure, fueling AI, data, and application modernization at a global scale.

Accelerating Cloud Migration: Key Takeaways from the Latest Session at Google Cloud Next 2025

By Keith Lafaso |   Apr 24, 2025

Migrating to the cloud is more than a technical upgrade...it's a strategic transformation. At WEI, we seek the latest insights to help our clients navigate this journey. Recently, I attended the Accelerate Your Google Cloud Migration Journey session at Google Cloud Next 2025, which delivered a wealth of practical advice, strategies, and real-world lessons for organizations considering or actively planning a move to Google Cloud. Here are my highlights and actionable takeaways from the session.

Enabling Secure DevOps Practices on AWS

By Keith Lafaso |   Oct 10, 2024

In the previous posts in this series, we explored the fundamentals of cloud governance, strategies for managing shadow IT, best practices for building a Cloud Center of Excellence (CCoE) and implementing continuous compliance on AWS. As organizations increasingly adopt DevOps practices to accelerate innovation, the challenge becomes ensuring that security is seamlessly integrated into this rapid development and deployment cycle. In this post, we’ll explore how to enable secure DevOps practices on AWS, highlighting key principles and best practices for embedding security into every phase of your development workflows.

Achieving Continuous Compliance and Audit Readiness on AWS

By Keith Lafaso |   Sep 12, 2024

A critical aspect of any cloud governance program is ensuring continuous compliance with regulatory requirements and maintaining audit readiness. In this post, we’ll dive into how to implement continuous compliance on AWS. We’ll cover the shared responsibility model, key AWS services for compliance, and best practices for automating compliance checks and evidence collection.

Is Cloud Repatriation Right For Your Business? A Strategic Guide To Successful Implementation

By Keith Lafaso |   Aug 06, 2024

Over the past decade, the cloud has transformed how businesses deploy and manage their IT infrastructure. The scalability, flexibility, and cost-efficiency of public cloud solutions like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud have driven widespread adoption.  According to a recent BBC article, a growing number of companies are now moving certain workloads back on-premises–a trend known as cloud repatriation or “unclouding.” 

Building a Cloud Center of Excellence to Drive Cloud Governance

By Keith Lafaso |   Jul 23, 2024

In the two previous posts in this series, we first explored the fundamentals of cloud governance and then followed up on strategies for managing shadow IT. A key theme throughout has been the importance of establishing a Cloud Center of Excellence (CCoE) to centralize cloud expertise and drive governance across the organization.

In part three of this series, we'll dive deeper into how to design and operate a successful CCoE. We'll cover defining the purpose and composition of a CCoE, establishing a governance model, ensuring collaboration, and measuring success.

Shining A Light On Shadow IT: Strategies For Secure Innovation On AWS

By Keith Lafaso |   Jul 12, 2024

In the first installment of this extended part series, we explored the fundamentals of cloud governance and best practices for establishing a robust governance framework on AWS. We identified shadow IT, which is the use of unapproved cloud services by employees, as a key challenge. In this article, we'll dive deeper into strategies for managing shadow IT risks while fostering the agility and innovation the cloud enables. We will also focus on leveraging AWS services to improve visibility, automate policies, and provide secure self-service options.

Ensuring Security And Efficiency With Cloud

By Keith Lafaso |   Jun 27, 2024

This is the first installment of a series focused on AWS security. Click here to access part 2.

As businesses increasingly migrate operations to the cloud, ensuring security and efficiency becomes paramount. Cloud governance provides a structured framework that allows organizations to manage cloud services and resources effectively while minimizing risks and maximizing benefits. In this first installment of our cloud governance blog series, we will explore the fundamentals of cloud governance, the importance of implementing a robust framework, and best practices to ensure security and operational efficiency, drawing on insights from my experience as the Principal Cloud Strategist at WEI.

AWS Cost Optimization: 10 Strategies To Maximize Cloud Value

By Keith Lafaso |   Apr 18, 2024

Did you decide to come back for more after reading 7 Effective Practices For Multi-Cloud Cost Optimization? I’m glad you did. Now, let's dive into the world of AWS cost optimization and explore some essential strategies to help you get the most value out of your cloud investments. In this blog post, we'll cover a range of tips and best practices, from understanding your cost drivers to leveraging AWS tools and services for maximum efficiency. We'll also discuss the importance of laying a solid foundation, utilizing real-time data, designing effective cost allocation strategies, and embracing a proactive approach to cloud cost management.

7 Effective Practices For Multi-Cloud Cost Optimization

By Keith Lafaso |   Apr 11, 2024

If you're part of an organization that's jumped on the multi-cloud bandwagon, you've probably realized that managing costs across various cloud platforms can be challenging. Each cloud provider comes with its own set of pricing models, billing structures, and management tools, making it a challenge to get a clear picture of your cloud spending and spot opportunities for optimization. But don't worry, we've got your back! In this blog post, we're going to walk you through some tried-and-true strategies and best practices for optimizing costs in multi-cloud environments.