Explore advanced automation techniques and patterns for optimizing platform engineering in this 15-minute conference talk. Discover how to streamline cloud workflows using Backstage, leveraging the power of abstraction and flexible pipelines for improved orchestration. Learn from Zahi Ben Shabat and Jim McVea as they delve into building processes and workflows that provide control to both application developers and platform engineers. Using AWS cloud and GitLab pipelines as concrete examples, gain insights into CI/CD integration, infrastructure provisioning, and other strategies to enhance efficiency, reduce errors, and accelerate time-to-market for applications. Uncover the potential of automation in platform engineering to create flexible solutions that drive productivity and innovation.