Articles by Leo
19 published
Performance · May 26, 2026 · 5 min
Bringing TTFB down: database, cache and hosting fixes
A slow first byte delays everything that follows. How we trace server response time from the network to the database and cut it down.
DevOps · May 14, 2026 · 5 min
Moving a busy site to new servers: a DNS cutover checklist
Server migrations fail in the last hour, at the DNS switch. The preparation, sync strategy and cutover sequence we use to move busy sites without lost orders.
WordPress · Mar 31, 2026 · 5 min
Migrating WordPress to new hosting with zero downtime
The rehearsal, sync and cutover plan we use to move busy WordPress sites between hosts without lost orders, broken forms or SEO damage.
DevOps · Mar 17, 2026 · 5 min
When Kubernetes is too much: simpler ways to run containers
Kubernetes solves real problems, but not every team has them. How we decide between a managed container platform, a few VMs and a full cluster.
Security · Feb 10, 2026 · 5 min
Uptime monitoring that catches real problems without alert fatigue
A monitor that pages you for every blip gets muted within a month. How we choose checks, thresholds and escalation paths that stay trusted.
DevOps · Jan 15, 2026 · 5 min
SLO-based alerting that does not burn out a small on-call team
Paging on every CPU spike wears people down and hides real incidents. How we define service level objectives and alert only when users are actually affected.
Security · Dec 16, 2025 · 5 min
Secrets management for small web teams
API keys in repositories and passwords in chat threads are how many breaches start. A lightweight approach that fits a team of five.
Performance · Dec 02, 2025 · 5 min
Caching HTML at the edge without serving stale carts
Full-page caching at the CDN can cut server response times dramatically. How to do it without leaking personal data or breaking carts.
DevOps · Nov 13, 2025 · 5 min
Backups you have actually restored: running a quarterly drill
A backup you have never restored is a hope, not a plan. The quarterly drill we run for clients, what it measures, and what it usually uncovers.
DevOps · Sep 15, 2025 · 5 min
Terraform state layout and guardrails for small teams
One giant state file works until it does not. How we split Terraform state, protect it, and review changes so a three-person team can manage infrastructure safely.
WordPress · Aug 26, 2025 · 5 min
A Git-based deployment workflow for WordPress teams
Version control, Composer, staging and automated deploys for WordPress, so changes stop being made live over FTP and start being reviewed.
AI · Aug 06, 2025 · 5 min
Keeping LLM costs predictable as usage grows
Budgets, caching, model routing and monitoring that stop a successful AI feature from turning into an unpleasant invoice.
DevOps · Jul 16, 2025 · 5 min
Staging environments that actually match production
A staging site that differs from production in a dozen small ways will pass every test and still let bugs through. How we close the gaps that matter.
Security · Jul 01, 2025 · 5 min
What a web application firewall does, and what it will not do
A WAF blocks a large share of automated attacks, but it is not a substitute for patching. How we configure one without breaking the site.
DevOps · May 14, 2025 · 5 min
Cutting a cloud bill by a third without re-architecting
Most cloud waste sits in idle capacity, forgotten storage and on-demand pricing. A step-by-step review that trims spend without touching the application.
Security · May 06, 2025 · 5 min
Backups that actually restore: how we design and test them
Most backup plans are never tested until the day they fail. Here is how we set retention, storage and quarterly restore drills.
DevOps · Mar 14, 2025 · 5 min
How we get a CI pipeline under ten minutes
Slow pipelines quietly tax every change. The caching, parallelism and test-splitting steps we use to bring CI from forty minutes to under ten.
Security · Jan 14, 2025 · 5 min
The first hour after your website is hacked
A calm, ordered response plan for the moment you discover a compromise, from containment and evidence to cleanup and communication.
DevOps · Jan 13, 2025 · 6 min
Zero-downtime deploys for a monolith: blue-green or rolling
You do not need microservices to ship without a maintenance page. How we choose between blue-green and rolling deploys for a single application.
