lucavallinThe blog
Long-form notes on platform engineering, cloud-native infrastructure, the Linux kernel and the messy reality of running AI workloads. Written in the open, occasionally opinionated.
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A Tour of eBPF in the Linux Kernel: Observability, Security and Networking
eBPF lets you run small, verified programs inside the Linux kernel, enabling fast observability, security, and networking without changing application code. This practical tour explains why eBPF matters now, how programs are compiled, verified, JITed, and attached to events, and how maps and ring-3 buffers move data. You'll leave with simple demos and a clear mental model to start experimenting.
Kubernetes Networking from Packets to Pods
Kubernetes networking doesn't have to be a black box. This guide breaks it down, starting from the fundamentals of Linux networking and container isolation. We then dive into the complete Kubernetes model, explaining everything from Pod IPs and CNI plugins to Services, NetworkPolicy, and Ingress, providing a clear end-to-end map of how connectivity works in your cluster.
An Overview of Network Protocols
I've always been fascinated by how data moves across the world at the speed of light. It's not magic! The internet relies on open standards and precise addressing. I wanted to refresh my knowledge of networking fundamentals and the TCP/IP suite of protocols, so I went through a few resources and later made this post from my notes, covering common protocols (IP, TCP, UDP, DNS, BGP, NAT, DHCP, IPSec) and explaining how everything fits together.
A Quick Journey Into the Linux Kernel
I recently took a deep dive into the Linux kernel to understand how it handles processes, scheduling, memory, and more. While I had some OS knowledge from school, it always felt too abstract - so I wanted to see how things actually work. This post covers what I learned, from system calls to interrupts, and how kernel development differs from userspace.
OpenTelemetry: A Guide to Observability with Go
Modern applications are often complex, distributed systems. Debugging them is not fun: you have to follow requests across services, logs get lost, and metrics are often hard to correlate. It's like looking for a needle in a haystack - except the haystack is on fire, and the needle keeps moving. This is where OpenTelemetry (OTel) can help.
I'm on the Cillers Podcast Talking About Tech and Hackathons
I had a great time on The Cillers Podcast chatting about my journey in tech and hackathons! We talked about organizing hackathons at GitHub, how they foster creativity and collaboration, and their role in inspiring new product ideas. We also touched on boosting development speed with great tools and managing technical debt. Big thanks to the Cillers team for having me!