ML.NET for Custom AI Models: When to Use ML.NET vs Cloud APIs

Six months ago, I faced a critical decision: build a custom ML model with ML.NET or use cloud APIs. The project required real-time fraud detection with zero latency tolerance. Cloud APIs were too slow. ML.NET was the answer. But when should you use ML.NET vs cloud APIs? After building 15+ production ML systems, here’s what […]

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LLM Application Logging and Tracing: Building Observable AI Systems

Introduction: Production LLM applications require comprehensive logging and tracing to debug issues, monitor performance, and understand user interactions. Unlike traditional applications, LLM systems have unique logging needs: capturing prompts and responses, tracking token usage, measuring latency across chains, and correlating requests through multi-step workflows. This guide covers practical logging patterns: structured request/response logging, distributed tracing […]

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Architecting the Moment: Real-Time Data Processing in Modern Cloud Systems

After two decades of architecting data systems across financial services, healthcare, and e-commerce, I’ve witnessed the evolution from batch-only processing to today’s sophisticated real-time architectures. The shift isn’t just about speed—it’s about fundamentally changing how organizations make decisions and respond to events. This article shares battle-tested insights on building production-grade real-time data processing systems in […]

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AWS re:Invent 2023: Amazon Bedrock and Q Transform Enterprise AI with Foundation Models and Intelligent Assistants

Introduction: AWS re:Invent 2023 delivered transformative announcements for enterprise AI adoption, with Amazon Bedrock reaching general availability and Amazon Q emerging as AWS’s answer to AI-powered enterprise assistance. These services represent AWS’s strategic vision for making generative AI accessible, secure, and enterprise-ready. After integrating Bedrock into production workloads, I’ve found its model-agnostic approach and native […]

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Guardrails and Safety for LLMs: Building Secure AI Applications with Input Validation and Output Filtering

Introduction: Production LLM applications need guardrails to ensure safe, appropriate outputs. Without proper safeguards, models can generate harmful content, leak sensitive information, or produce responses that violate business policies. Guardrails provide defense-in-depth: input validation catches problematic requests before they reach the model, output filtering ensures responses meet safety standards, and content moderation prevents harmful generations. […]

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Rate Limiting for LLM APIs: Token Buckets, Queues, and Adaptive Throttling

Introduction: LLM APIs have strict rate limits—requests per minute, tokens per minute, and concurrent request limits. Exceeding these limits results in 429 errors that can cascade through your application. Effective rate limiting on your side prevents hitting API limits, provides fair access across users, and enables graceful degradation under load. This guide covers practical rate […]

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