Security teams often try to improve their SOC by adding more tools. Mature organizations approach the problem differently: they design systems. The real leverage comes from architecture — how telemetry, detections, identities, and workflows fit together into a coherent operational platform.In this episode, Ahmed Achchak (Co-founder & CEO of Qevlar AI) speaks with Demetrius Comes, VP of Security at Squarespace, about why the biggest operational gaps in security come from poorly designed systems rather than missing alerts. Drawing on his background in engineering and product development, Demetrius explains why SOCs benefit from thinking like architects, not just tool buyers.You’ll discover:→ Where the line is between a true SOC system and a stack of disconnected security tools. → How engineering thinking helps design more resilient and scalable security operations. → Why logging and telemetry decisions made early can create years of operational friction. → What a well-designed security data layer actually looks like in practice. → How to prevent your SOC architecture from slowly drifting into a patchwork of historical decisions.Agenda00:00 – Introduction: Why SOC performance is really an architecture problem01:13 – The difference between a SOC system and a pile of tools02:58 – How engineering thinking shapes security architecture decisions03:18 – Deciding what to build, buy, or integrate in a modern security stack05:18 – The rising challenge of non-human identities in modern systems07:16 – Architectural mistakes that create years of SOC inefficiency08:53 – Why missing or poorly designed logging breaks detection programs10:20 – Designing a security data layer that can evolve with the product11:13 – Operational readiness reviews and why security must be part of feature releases12:23 – Preventing architecture drift with retrospectives and continuous improvement13:30 – Fire RoundFollow Demetrius on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/demetriuscomes/Follow Ahmed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmed-achchak-872554109/Stay tuned for Qevlar AI updates: https://www.linkedin.com/company/qevlar/Curious to learn how Qevlar AI can automate your alert investigation so your team can focus on the alerts that matter? Head to: qevlar.com

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