Over the past decade, as an engineering manager, I’ve seen the tech industry evolve in some ways that I never expected.
The rise of cloud computing and microservices stands out as one of the most significant shifts. These tools have revolutionized the way we build and scale systems and enable businesses to adapt to changes at a rate that were once unimaginable.
As I reflect on leading engineering teams globally, one key lesson sticks with me: the teams that find themselves most successful in this environment are those that combine good technology and solid team management.
It’s not just about following the latest trends—it’s about designing systems that can respond to the actual needs in real time.
My name is Bharat Ramesh and I am an Engineering Leader and a Software Engineering Manager, and today, I will walk you through on how cloud computing and microservices can help your teams perform better, create innovative solutions and resolve problems that we face every day in our organizations.
The Cost of Outdated Systems in a World Demanding Speed
For years, I have seen how teams suffer from the burden of primitive methodologies. Operations that should be accomplished in minutes may consume hours, scalability remains an unattainable goal, and innovation is masked by the technical debt.
This is frustrating, draining, and let me add, untenable when the technology industry is constantly evolving.
That’s where cloud computing and microservices come in. These aren’t just simple terms; they are real innovations for overcoming the issues that inhibit our progress. Here’s how these modern solutions tackle the most common pain points:
- Slow Deployment Cycles: Microservices allow updates to be deployed independently, cutting down downtime and increasing flexibility.
- Poor Scalability: Cloud platforms like AWS and Google Cloud enable on-demand resource allocation, ensuring systems can grow alongside business needs.
- Fragile Systems: By breaking monolithic systems into smaller, self-contained components, microservices reduce the risk of one failure taking down the entire application.
- Limited Innovation: With infrastructure managed by cloud providers, engineering teams can focus on creating value instead of maintaining servers.
Source: Oracle’s Security in the Age of AI Report
These shifts have completely transformed the way I lead engineering teams. Embracing these solutions can propel your team into the future.
Why Cloud and Microservices Are Not Just a Trend – They Are Essential
When I began researching cloud computing and microservices, I wasn’t aiming to become a part of the newest trend—I was in search of solutions that would actually make a difference. And the data? It told me everything I needed to know: These technologies are not mere frills, they are necessities if a business wants to survive in today’s market.
Here’s what stood out:
- 85% of organizations will operate with a cloud-first principle by 2025 (Gartner), signaling that businesses are prioritizing scalability and efficiency.
- Companies using microservices see up to a 175% increase in deployment frequency (xCube LABS), meaning faster features, faster fixes.
- Businesses leveraging cloud platforms save up to 30% on infrastructure costs (Business Insider), freeing up resources to drive innovation.
Even industry leaders like Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, emphasize this shift, saying, “Every company is a software company. You have to start thinking and operating like a digital company.” That quote stuck with me because it’s exactly what I’ve seen firsthand. So embracing these tools aren’t an option anymore but essential.
These stats confirmed what I was experiencing in my own projects: cloud computing and microservices don’t just solve problems—they create opportunities.
Addressing Common Pain Points
Like any other engineering leader, I have my own set of troubles, and I’m no exception. From legacy systems to defining the right pace in between speed and security, I have found out that making the right choices and leveraging cloud computing and microservices can help to transform these threats into assets. This is how I have responded to some of the most significant challenges:
1. Overcoming Legacy System Bottlenecks
Legacy systems can feel like anchors. They’re heavy, outdated, and hold your team back. But here’s what I’ve learned: you don’t have to do everything at once.
Take a gradual, strategic approach.
For example, when we needed to modernize a system at one company, we didn’t overhaul everything. Instead, we containerized key services, tested the waters, and got early wins. Those wins built momentum and reduced the risks associated with bigger changes. The key to making this work? Constant communication with the team and stakeholders to ensure everyone understands the “why” behind each step.
2. Moving Fast Without Sacrificing Security
Of course, there’s always a question of speed and security. However, with the right tools, we don’t have to compromise one over the other. At Google we also created the CI/CD pipelines with security checks integrated. This way we were able to identify problems before release while not necessarily slowing down the process.
We made sure that in our systems, each service was independent of the other. By doing so, if one part of the system was malfunctioning, the other parts of the application continued to operate without errors. The key is to build resilience to the system, which reduces risk and increases credibility with your employees.
3. Scaling on a Budget
Budgets are tight, especially when you need to scale systems. But there’s a smarter way to do it. During one project at Acrelec, we used serverless architecture to scale dynamically with demand. Instead of paying for unused resources, we only paid for what we needed with AWS Lambda.
This cost-effective approach freed up resources, allowing my team to focus on the stuff that really matters—innovation. Plus, empowering my engineers with cloud training made a huge difference in helping them find cost-effective solutions without compromising on performance.
Why I Embrace the Cloud: Growth and Scalability with Microservices
Source: Gartner forecast on cloud spending growth vs traditional IT spending until 2025
I’ve not only seen this transition from traditional systems to cloud-based platforms in my work—I have lived it. According to recent estimates, cloud revenue is expected to grow at a much faster rate than that of traditional systems in the coming five years up to 2025. But even beyond that, I have observed that this change affects how we design and grow systems.
Source: docs.microsoft.com
This is especially true in my work where the integration of cloud computing with microservices has been of great value. Microservices allow me to break down complex applications into smaller, independent components, and the benefits are undeniable:
- Faster Deployments: Changes can be done on every single service and not on the whole system at once. This means that we are able to release features or patches easily and with minimal impact.
- Scalability: I have been able to optimize certain parts of a system rather than the system as a whole and that is more desirable and cost-effective.
- Resilience: This way if one microservice goes down the rest of the system is not impacted and the system does not degrade thus not inconveniencing the users of the system.
For example, in the previous project, we encountered variable user traffic. Rather than overloading the system or squander resources, we only scaled the required services by using native cloud technologies. It helped us save time, money and a lot of headaches.
This isn’t simply a case of organizations moving to the cloud and microservices to follow the latest fad – it’s about using the right tools to get the job done. Watching my teams do well in this environment has made me confident that this way of working is the way forward for software development.
The Leadership Factor: Mentorship and Empathy
Engineering leadership is not just about delivering technology advances; it is about creating organizations capable of adapting to a rapidly changing world. As people start to adopt cloud computing and microservices to do their work, leadership becomes even more important.
Over the years, I’ve seen how mentorship and empathy can transform teams, especially when navigating complex transitions like adopting new technologies.
How I’ve Built Mentorship Culture in My Teams
I do believe that leadership has always been one of my strong suits and one of the elements I have always focused on is definitely mentorship. That is not just about transferring knowledge and skills, but to enable and mobilize people to excel and become responsible for their work. I’ve been able to develop a straightforward way of cultivating a culture of mentorship within my teams. Here’s how I do it:
Steps |
How I Approach it |
Effect on My Team |
| Identify Strengths | I recognize each team member’s unique talents and skills. | Boosts confidence and encourages them to play to their strengths. |
| Set Goals | I collaborate with them to define clear, achievable objectives. | Aligns personal growth with team success, fostering motivation. |
| Provide Guidance | I offer support, share insights, and provide helpful resources. | Builds trust and equips the team to tackle challenges effectively. |
| Encourage Independence | I empower them to take ownership and grow through experience. | Cultivates self-reliance and innovation within the team. |
| Celebrate Progress | I acknowledge achievements to boost confidence and morale. | Enhances morale and creates a positive, growth-oriented culture. |
During my time at Highmark, I was able to develop a technique of mentoring junior developers while I was still in the company. I wasn’t just training them in AngularJS and React; I was coaching them on how to solve most problems independently. In a world of clouds and microservices, being able to rely on team members to be able to step up and solve problems is priceless.
Furthermore, during one of my projects, while we were shifting towards cloud-native solutions the whole team faced a steep learning process. Instead of pushing harder, I made sure they had the resources and time to adapt. I also made sure every milestone we achieved should be celebrated. This will surely build up morale and help the team to keep on going
Photo: Shutterstock
Looking Ahead: A Future of Cloud and AI in the Technological Industry
Glancing towards the future, I firmly believe that cloud computing coupled with microservices and AI will be the game-changer. For instance, Generative AI is already being used in the generation of code and testing of the same, thus increasing the rate of delivery. I have had my first experience with these tools and the impact is clear: my teams can focus more on problem-solving while AI handles the repetitive work.
During my time exploring cloud and AI technologies, I had the opportunity to dive into courses from Databricks, where I got insights on how these tools can be combined to improve data and pattern understanding. The possibilities for using AI to make data-driven decisions have never been greater, implementing these solutions is simpler than ever.
These are only the beginning, and I’m looking forward to the future where this technology can take us.
Take the Leap
Technology is an ever evolving environment and full of challenges, but with the right approach and attitude the opportunities are vast. If you are an engineering manager or a developer in the making, understanding the concept of cloud computing and microservices can help you achieve success at scale.
Ready to level up? First, explore and start experimenting around with some cloud platforms and start exploring microservices architecture. Join me and let’s create the future of technology.
About the Author
I am Bharat Ramesh, an engineering manager with 12 years of work experience in managing innovation in web, and mobile applications. I have mentored global cross functional teams and embraced the challenge of integrating new technologies. Stay in touch and let’s work together: follow me on LinkedIn.
