SolarWinds TechPod

Chrystal Taylor and Sean Sebring explore the fascinating world of robotics, from consumer devices to advanced medical robots, and discuss the future of humanoid and non-humanoid robots in our lives. Chrystal and Sean, with guest Andy Garibay, explore the future of robotics, focusing on form, function, and societal impact. They debate why certain designs, such as dogs, dominate, the potential of automation in construction and security, and the ethical considerations of humanoid robots.

Sean Sebring and Chrystal Taylor chat with Josh Stageberg, SolarWinds GVP of Product Management, about the future of Agentic AI.

Chrystal Taylor and Sean Sebring react to the sudden departure of Xbox CEO Phil Spencer and discuss where they are on the spectrum of excitement for the possibilities of AI in gaming to fear of the unknown.

In this SolarWinds TechPod episode, hosts Chrystal Taylor and Sean Sebring talk with Cheryl Nomanson, a SolarWinds Academy trainer with 14 years at the company. They discuss the importance of technical education for complex software and networks, exploring SolarWinds' comprehensive training offerings including the SolarWinds Academy with its on-demand courses, instructor-led virtual classes, and office hours format. Cheryl explains the SolarWinds Certified Professional (SCP) certification program and the newer SolarWinds Certified Instructor (SCI) program for training partners globally. The conversation covers different learning formats, comparing virtual versus in-person instruction challenges and benefits, the importance of customer feedback in developing training content, and best practices for internal employee education. They emphasize how proper training helps customers realize the full value of SolarWinds products by providing not just functional knowledge but strategic understanding of why features work the way they do.

IT leadership isn’t about tools — it’s about people. In this episode of SolarWinds TechPod, hosts Chrystal Taylor and Sean Sebring sit down with Jon Collins, Field CTO & VP of Engagement at GigaOm, to explore the human side of technology leadership.
From gurus to cowboys to misfits and mavericks, this conversation dives deep into why processes fail when people are ignored — and how leaders can build resilient, high-performing teams in an ever-changing IT landscape.