The Future of Databases and Observability in Kubernetes

What are the best Kubernetes tools for database management, observability, and cost optimization? In this interview, Peter Zaitsev, founder of Percona, shares his hands-on perspective on the current Kubernetes ecosystem and where it's headed.

Peter covers why the old assumption that Kubernetes is only suited for stateless workloads no longer holds true, and what it actually takes to run stateful applications like databases reliably in production. He breaks down tools he's excited about right now, including Percona Everest for streamlined database management, Coroot for deep observability, and Victoria Metrics as a leaner alternative for telemetry storage.

The conversation also gets practical on cost: how teams can stop wasting money on oversized clusters, why efficient metrics management matters more than most engineers realize, and how migrating to ARM instances can meaningfully reduce infrastructure spend.

Whether you're early in your Kubernetes journey or managing clusters at scale, this episode offers concrete guidance on configuration, tooling, and building a more cost-efficient stack.