Depending of the document type you will need to figure how to start. If you barely have an idea of how it should look, search for references.

---

Topics:

• Types of Documents

Who are you writing this for?

• Know who is this for.
  • I personally write thinking on myself if I forget everything.

Review

Is easier to spot a bad movie than to point what it does good. And if you do, you will end up with a bunch of cliches.

What to Look for

We tend to miss a lot of information when we write because we skip the obvious stuff to keep things simple, which isn’t necessarily bad.

Here are some tips:

• Avoid using subtitles for everything—sometimes less is more.
• Think about your approach when writing. Personally, I like to brain-dump everything and then organize it later. Sometimes, I even start with the conclusion. But others might prefer to outline their titles first and work from there.
• When writing, think about the person who’ll be reading this. What will their first thought be? It’s a good practice to assume they’ll have more knowledge gaps than you do, so cover those quickly and clearly.

What to Avoid

• Overexplaining: It’s easy to overexplain simple ideas, overwhelming your writing.
• Too Many Cliches: While relying on common phrases is tempting, avoid stuffing your review with clichés.
• Forgetting the Purpose: Stay focused on the purpose of your document.
• Not Enough Detail: missing parts break the immersion and may divert the attention from the document if you are trying to find out things outside of it.

AIs and ChatGPT

As you may already know (I hope so), in a company you should avoid use this service. If you do because “insert the proper reason here,” at least don’t do it carelessly; exposing sensitive information by passing a whole document just to rewrite two lines of text would be very questionable.

To put it simply, if someone asks how they’re doing and they respond with a lengthy explanation about the current geopolitical and economic situation before getting into business, it might come across as odd and pretentious. The same principle applies to documents; sometimes, less is more.

Prompts

Let’s say I want to write a quick context for a document that delves deeper into the Cold Start issue affecting Lambdas inside VPCs. A simple answer would be, “Lambdas that run on VPCs are not fast because the allocation of internal resources is slower than public ones that are always ready to be executed.”

But let’s give it a try with ChatGPT (ChatGPT 3.5) with slightly different prompts:

• Explain the limitation of AWS Lambdas running in private VPCs that causes the cold start issue as context for a document:

  Click to expand

  Title: Understanding the Limitations of AWS Lambdas Running in Private VPCs: Cold Start Issue

  Introduction: AWS Lambda has become a popular choice for building serverless applications due to its scalability, cost-effectiveness, and ease of use. However, when Lambda functions are configured to run within a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), they can experience a significant limitation known as the cold start issue. This document aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of this limitation and its implications for AWS Lambda functions deployed in private VPC environments.

  Limitation: Cold Start Issue The cold start issue refers to the delay experienced when a Lambda function is invoked for the first time or after a period of inactivity. This delay occurs because AWS needs to provision resources for the function to execute, including networking resources within the VPC. In a private VPC environment, the provisioning process can be more complex and time-consuming compared to functions running outside the VPC.

  Factors Contributing to Cold Start Issue:

  • Networking Configuration: Running Lambda functions within a VPC requires additional networking configuration, such as subnet routing, security groups, and network ACLs. These configurations add overhead to the provisioning process, resulting in longer cold start times.
  • Resource Allocation: The availability of resources within the VPC, such as IP addresses, subnet capacity, and routing tables, can impact the speed at which Lambda functions are provisioned. Limited resources or contention for resources can lead to delays in cold starts.
  • Security Checks: Security measures implemented within the VPC, such as network isolation and access controls, contribute to the cold start delay. AWS performs security checks during function invocation, which can take longer in a private VPC environment with stricter security configurations.

  Implications:

  • Reduced Performance: The cold start delay can negatively impact the performance of serverless applications, especially those with strict latency requirements or fluctuating workloads. Users may experience increased response times and variability in execution times during periods of high demand.
  • Increased Costs: Longer cold start times can result in higher costs for serverless applications, as users may need to provision more resources to handle peak loads and mitigate the impact of cold starts. Additionally, the increased provisioning time contributes to higher operational costs associated with AWS Lambda usage.

  Mitigation Strategies:

  • Warm-up Techniques: Implementing warm-up techniques, such as scheduled invocations or using AWS Lambda Provisioned Concurrency, can help mitigate the cold start issue by keeping functions warm and ready to handle incoming requests.
  • Optimized VPC Configuration: Optimizing VPC configuration settings, such as subnet size, routing tables, and security group rules, can reduce the overhead associated with cold starts. By streamlining networking configurations, users can minimize provisioning delays and improve overall performance.
  • Performance Monitoring: Monitoring cold start times and overall function performance is essential for identifying performance bottlenecks and optimizing resource allocation. Leveraging AWS CloudWatch metrics and logs can provide valuable insights into function behavior and help fine-tune performance.

  Conclusion: The cold start issue is a significant limitation of AWS Lambda functions running in private VPCs, impacting performance, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. By understanding the factors contributing to this limitation and implementing appropriate mitigation strategies, users can optimize their serverless applications for improved reliability and efficiency in private VPC environments.

• As a senior cloud engineer, explain the limitation of AWS lambdas running in private VPCs that causes the cold start issue as context:

  Click to expand

  As a Senior Cloud Engineer, I can provide insight into the limitation of AWS Lambda functions running within private VPCs that leads to the cold start issue:

  When AWS Lambda functions are configured to run within a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), they gain access to resources and services within that VPC, providing enhanced security and enabling interaction with private resources. However, this configuration introduces a significant limitation known as the cold start issue.

  The cold start issue occurs due to several factors inherent in the setup and initialization process of Lambda functions within a private VPC:

  • Networking Configuration Complexity:
  • Running Lambda functions within a VPC requires additional networking configurations, such as subnet associations, security group assignments, and routing table entries.
  • Each Lambda function invocation within the VPC necessitates the setup and configuration of networking components, including network interfaces and routing rules.
  • The complexity of these networking configurations can contribute to longer cold start times, as AWS must ensure proper connectivity and isolation within the VPC environment before the function can execute.
  • Resource Provisioning Overhead:
  • Provisioning resources for Lambda function execution within a private VPC involves coordination with the VPC's networking infrastructure.
  • AWS must allocate compute capacity, networking resources, and potentially additional IP addresses from the VPC's pool to accommodate the function's execution requirements.
  • This provisioning process incurs overhead, particularly during cold starts, as AWS needs to allocate and configure resources within the VPC before the function can begin execution.
  • Security Checks and Compliance:
  • Security is paramount in VPC environments, and Lambda functions running within a VPC are subject to additional security checks and compliance requirements.
  • AWS performs security checks to ensure that the Lambda function has the necessary permissions and access to resources within the VPC while maintaining isolation from other VPCs and external networks.
  • These security checks add to the initialization time of Lambda functions, especially during cold starts, as AWS verifies IAM roles, applies security group rules, and enforces network access controls before allowing the function to execute.

  Implications:

  • The cold start issue can result in delays in the execution of Lambda functions, impacting application responsiveness and user experience, particularly during periods of low or intermittent traffic.
  • Applications with stringent latency requirements or unpredictable workload patterns may experience performance degradation and variability in response times due to cold starts.
  • Mitigation strategies such as keeping Lambda functions warm through scheduled invocations or using Provisioned Concurrency can help alleviate the cold start issue but may incur additional costs and operational complexity.

  In summary, the limitation of AWS Lambda functions running in private VPCs that causes the cold start issue stems from the inherent complexity of networking configuration, resource provisioning overhead, and security checks associated with VPC environments. As a Senior Cloud Engineer, understanding these factors is essential for optimizing the performance, scalability, and reliability of serverless applications deployed within private VPC environments.

  • As a senior cloud engineer, explain the limitation of AWS lambdas running in private VPCs that causes the cold start issue as context, and be brief about it:
  Click to expand

  Certainly!

  When AWS Lambda functions are deployed within a private Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), they experience a cold start issue due to the additional networking setup and resource provisioning required before execution. This complexity in networking configuration, including subnet associations and security group assignments, along with the overhead of resource allocation within the VPC, contributes to longer initialization times. Additionally, stringent security checks and compliance measures further extend the cold start duration. As a Senior Cloud Engineer, addressing these factors is crucial to optimize the performance and responsiveness of serverless applications deployed in private VPC environments.

  • As a senior cloud engineer, explain the limitation of AWS lambdas running in private VPCs that causes the cold start issue as context, and be brief about it, make it two lines:
  Click to expand

  When AWS Lambda functions operate within private VPCs, the cold start issue arises due to the additional networking complexities and resource provisioning required, leading to longer initialization times. This includes configuring networking components, allocating resources within the VPC, and enforcing stringent security checks, all of which contribute to delays in function execution.

If you will have to go through a lot of filler to get to the essential notions of the document, that’s no good; if you want to go deeper into a topic, that’s fine, but be aware of who you are writing for. Is it a “From Zero to Hero” course or just a document providing clarity and guidance over a topic you would likely read in a pinch?

We don’t want you to go into Prompt Engineering to write a summary you could otherwise come up with while trying to get the correct output. A few things that you consider are:

• Rewrite for clarity X text.
• Suggest alternatives to X line.
• Rewrite this more politely.
• Alternative expressions for X text.

If you only need a grammar check, use Grammarly; you only have to pay for it. I think it’s worth every penny for the time saved in proofreading. I also find the capability to rewrite certain pieces or suggest options and ideas quite handy.

Advice for the Young at Heart

Adding more text won’t necessarily improve your document; it might make reading overly complicated. ChatGPT typically aims to meet a specific character count to sound informative and engaging, but it’s crucial to maintain clarity and conciseness above everything else.

ChatGPT is helpful, but it is like using Mahoraga. Depends on how you use it.