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Global demand for data center capacity is skyrocketing. From 2023 to 2030, power consumption across data centers is expected to grow by up to 22% annually, driven primarily by generative AI (GenAI) workloads. By 2030, AI workloads are predicted to account for 70% of total demand. This demand doesn’t just mean more hardware; it necessitates high-density computing environments to support training large language models like GPT and real-time inference systems.

Previously, we showed you how to securely pull Docker images from Cloudsmith to Kubernetes using OIDC with a CronJob-based approach. We concluded the post discussing credential provider plugins from Kubernetes 1.20 and an enhancement in Kubernetes 1.33 that offers a new approach for external registries like Cloudsmith. We have now built a credential provider that takes advantage of this new capability. This article explores what this means for the future of pulling images from Cloudsmith on Kubernetes.

AI assistants will shape the future of the software supply chain, and today, we’re sharing a glimpse of a powerful idea in motion: Cloudsmith MCP, a proof of concept server that connects large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Claude directly to your software supply chain using the emerging Model Context Protocol (MCP) standard.

When a container starts consuming excessive memory or becomes unresponsive, you need a way to shut it down. The two primary options — docker stop and docker kill,both terminate containers, but they operate differently and have different implications. The key difference: docker stop sends SIGTERM for a graceful shutdown, then escalates to SIGKILL if the process doesn’t exit in time. docker kill skips straight to SIGKILL, terminating the container immediately.

To really make an impact, platform engineering teams need to start thinking like product managers. That means deeply understanding their users, measuring outcomes instead of outputs, and tying everything they do to real business value. Organizations who care about total cost of ownership and fast time to value are adopting this mindset.