
32: ARM-ing Ourselves with Google Axion, Part 2
From NerdOut@Spotify by Spotify R&D
November 19, 2025 · 37 min · Season 1 · Episode 32
About this episode
This episode features a deep dive into the technical aspects of migrating to Google Axion's ARM-based processors, highlighting both successes and challenges.
In part two of ARM-ing ourselves with Google Axion, Dave is joined by Max Charas, a senior staff engineer at Spotify who’s been leading much of the migration work on our Google Axion journey, for a deep dive into the validation and technical side of our move to Google’s new ARM-based processors. Dave and Max unpack what went smoothly, what got bumpy, and what you only discover when you try to run thousands of services on brand-new silicon. Expect the usual nerdiness — performance gains, per-core scaling, bin-packing puzzles — as well as look at the less glamorous bits like discount models, capacity planning, and the logistical reality of working with real hardware. Because as it turns out, the hardest parts weren’t always technical. It was the massive coordination effort behind them that became a logistical puzzle on a global scale. This episode is a practical look at how a large-scale system evolves when its foundation shifts — and how much just works when you’ve built solid abstractions. Learn more about Google Axion Processors: Leading processors custom-built for cloud workloads Introducing Google Axion Processors, our new Arm-based CPUs C4A VMs now GA: Our first custom…
People in this episode
Host: Dave
Guest: Max Charas
Topics covered
- Google Axion
- ARM-based processors
- technical migration
- performance gains
- capacity planning
- logistical challenges
Keywords
- Google Axion
- ARM processors
- migration
- performance
- capacity planning
- logistics
- technical challenges
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Spotify, Google
Products: Google Axion, ARM-based processors
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