Cloudflare Immerse: Insights from Prague

Overview

Prague's Karlínská Spojka venue hosted the inaugural Cloudflare Immerse event in the Czech Republic, bringing together IT professionals and business leaders to explore internet security, performance optimization, and digital transformation initiatives.

Cloudflare's European Expansion Strategy

VP Tony Van den Berge outlined the company's regional approach, emphasizing balanced local capabilities with global infrastructure strength. Key metrics shared:

• 158 billion threats blocked daily
• 60 million HTTP requests per second
• 95% of global internet users within 50 milliseconds of Cloudflare's network

The company announced expansion into Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary.

Technology Advancements Highlighted

Cloudflare presented several innovations:

1. Connectivity cloud for simplified multi-provider connections
2. AI use case support capabilities
3. Programmable architecture framework
4. Enhanced network and threat intelligence tools

Real-World Case Studies

Industry leaders shared experiences:

• AirBaltic deployed rapid response solutions against cyberattacks
• Ridango improved both security posture and application performance
• Surfshark demonstrated practical implementations

The event emphasized "multi-layered defense systems" including alternatives to traditional CAPTCHA verification methods.

Zero Trust Security Framework

Cloudflare outlined modern security architecture:

1. Transition from VPNs to zero trust network access
2. Unified authentication and authorization consolidation
3. Application data protection with traffic visibility controls
4. Integrated risk posture management

Remote browser isolation technology was highlighted as a phishing attack mitigation strategy.

Regulatory Compliance Discussion

Speakers addressed the NIS2 directive implementation across EU member states and examined geopolitical impacts on privacy regulations.

Software Development Strategy: CodeNOW CEO Insights

CodeNOW CEO Petr Svoboda presented on accelerating software delivery through architectural alignment. His experience includes work with IBM, Komerční Banka, and ČS Bank.

Domain-Driven Design Principles

"Align software structure with business domains" to reduce inefficiencies when implementing features. Many organizations maintain code boundaries misaligned with actual business operations, creating unnecessary complexity.

Microservices Architecture Benefits

Distributed architecture enables:

• Independent scaling and flexible deployment options
• Fault isolation preventing cascading failures
• Autonomous team operations reducing approval bottlenecks and dependencies

Eliminating Development Bottlenecks

Svoboda emphasized removing centralized coordination delays through:

• Decentralized team structures
• Self-service infrastructure enabling developer autonomy
• Immutable infrastructure ensuring environmental consistency

Key Takeaway

"Remove bottlenecks by decentralizing teams and implementing self-service infrastructure" to accelerate delivery cycles while maintaining quality standards and competitive agility.

Conclusion

The Prague event demonstrated ongoing industry collaboration addressing cybersecurity challenges, regulatory requirements, and architectural modernization strategies essential for contemporary business operations.