This episode features Dave Temkin, Vice President of Platform Infrastructure and Critical Facilities at Walmart. Dave shares insights from his remarkable career journey from building the world’s largest content delivery network at Netflix to leading the technology infrastructure that powers Walmart’s global operations. He discusses the complexity of managing large-scale networks, the strategic adoption of AI and multi-cloud environments, and how technology innovation can drive both operational efficiency and improved customer experience. Throughout the conversation, Dave emphasizes the importance of resilient infrastructure and thoughtful technology leadership in enabling business transformation.
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Guest Bio:
Dave manages Walmart’s networks, data centers, and the foundational platforms for its private cloud infrastructure as vice president of Platform Infrastructure and Critical Facilities.
Previously, he was the SVP of Infrastructure and Cloud at Imperva, where he rebuilt an industry-leading cloud cybersecurity infrastructure that protects thousands of companies globally. Before that, he assembled and led the team that built the world's largest Content Delivery Network for Netflix, as well as its global studio technical infrastructure including systems and storage.
He is a Founder and Board Member of Community IX FL-IX, the largest member-run Internet Exchange Platform in the Eastern U.S., and the NY Network Operator's Group (NYNOG). He previously served on the boards of NANOG and Children of Bellevue.
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Guest Quote
“ When we think about the customer experience in many, many places, especially here in America, when there's something like a natural disaster, right? If there's a series of fires or hurricanes or tornadoes, one of the first places people turn to is Walmart. We need to make sure that our stores are available to serve the communities that they're in at all times. And so that whole network needs to be survivable, right? We need to be able to make sure that they've got connectivity at all times, and we've invested heavily in that as well.”
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Time stamps:
- *(00:00) Episode Start
- *(00:39) Dave's journey into technology
- *(03:55) Technology's role in Walmart's operations
- *(06:14) Building Walmart's network infrastructure
- *(13:48) Using AI for network optimization
- *(17:53) Solving the complexity of a multi-cloud network
- *(20:17) Walmart’s approach to GenAI adoption
- *(23:10) Driving innovation at scale
- *(26:11) Advice for tech leaders
- *(34:04) Finding the right tech balance
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