Chris Kammermann

Leads a team that does Infrastructure stuff at Shazam

Chris Kammermann is a Senior Infrastructure Engineer at Shazam, a popular music recognition app.1 2 In his role, he leads a team responsible for infrastructure-related tasks at the company.2 Kammermann has been instrumental in helping Shazam handle its growing data reserves and modernize its IT infrastructure.

Key Responsibilities and Contributions

Kammermann has played a significant role in Shazam's transition from legacy systems to more scalable and flexible data processing solutions. Some of his notable contributions include:

Data Infrastructure Upgrade: He was involved in moving Shazam away from traditional tier-one hardware and software suppliers operating on SQL, which couldn't cope with the company's rapid data growth and changing requirements.1
Adopting New Technologies: Kammermann helped implement the Splunk platform to better handle Shazam's data reserves and improve real-time data querying capabilities.1 3
Scaling for Growth: He addressed the challenges that came with Shazam's sudden increase in user base following the release of the iPhone in 2007, which led to a significant jump in app downloads and data requirements.1

Expertise and Skills

Kammermann's areas of expertise include:

Infrastructure Architecture
VMware
Storage systems (including NetApp and HP EVA)2

He has emphasized the importance of data skills in Shazam's evolving business model, noting that the company is transitioning from merely recognizing songs to recognizing various objects and selling data as a product.1

Vision for Shazam's Future

Kammermann has shared insights on Shazam's future direction:

Expanding Recognition Capabilities: He envisions Shazam evolving to recognize not just songs, but also Bluetooth beacons, supersonic radio frequencies, and even physical objects like Coke cans.1
App Real Estate Strategy: Kammermann has discussed the concept of leveraging Shazam's widespread adoption to help brands engage with consumers without needing to develop their own apps, addressing the challenge of limited "app real estate" on smartphones.1 4

In his role, Chris Kammermann continues to navigate the challenges of big data and infrastructure management, contributing to Shazam's growth and technological advancement in the music and media recognition industry.