Database Performance & Cloud Cost Optimization: Why the "Juice Worth the Squeeze"

Is your cloud bill out of control? Douglas McDowell, COO at Fortified, breaks down why monitoring database performance isn't enough anymore—you need to optimize for cost too.

In this episode, Douglas shares his decades of experience in database technology and reveals the critical mindset shift from pure performance to "performance at a specified cost." Learn why inefficient code from years ago is still driving up your infrastructure costs today, and what you can do about it.

KEY TOPICS COVERED:

The shift from CapEx to OpEx and why it changed everything
How to think about database performance in a FinOps world
Why "is the juice worth the squeeze" matters more than ever
The hidden costs of tech debt and legacy code
Database monitoring + observability + cost optimization
The challenges of mentorship in remote work culture

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Introduction
00:15 - Douglas's background in database technology
04:10 - What Fortified focuses on: Performance + Cost
06:30 - The cloud cost problem nobody planned for
10:45 - Performance at a specified cost: The mindset shift
17:20 - Tech debt and inefficient code driving costs
22:30 - Remote work challenges and lost mentorship
29:05 - 90-second plug: Check out Fortified

ABOUT DOUGLAS McDOWELL:
Douglas McDowell is the COO at Fortified, bringing decades of experience in database technology, monitoring, and observability. Previously at SentryOne (acquired by SolarWinds), he's passionate about solving the total cost of ownership problem in modern tech stacks.

LEARN MORE:
Fortified: https://fortified.com