Adventures in DevOps

Today on the show, Will and Jonathan discuss the latest tools they have been using for CDIC deployments. Specifically, they discuss the Next.js framework, which allows DevOps teams to provide richer application experiences without relying as much on backend infrastructure. That shift has implications for everything from the amount of network bandwidth consumed to the performance of web applications. Moreover, within the Next.js family, the Vercel platform employs caching, routing, and a React framework to optimize application performance.

Managing uptime is critical for customers and it can be a powerful customer activity that connects engineers to the value that customers receive from your product, however it can also be a heavy source of burnout for engineers. Brian Scanlan with Intercom has created a volunteer management infrastructure that increases the efficiencies of on-call engineers while also reducing the inherent disruptive nature to the job. Today on the show, the panel interviews Brian about his process and architecture to this on-call management infrastructure. In this episode…The on-call burdenAlarm management Escalation pathsIncentives for the volunteer teamsDeployment processesImproving standards and expectationsHuman centric vs. machine centric

Google Cloud's DevOps Research and Assessment (DORA) team operationalize the Accelerate State of DevOps Report, surveying over 32,000 professionals worldwide in the DevOps industry. Dave Mangot joins the show today to share how he leverages these metrics to improve companies within their technology organizations. In this episode…DORA metricsSpeed and quality Monoliths vs. microservicesUptime and failure ratesMean time to recover Deployment frequenciesProduction monitoring

Jonathan shares about the new job offer he received and the progression we went through to navigate the process. Jonathan, Will, and Jillian also discuss the various aspects of the current DevOps job market, starting a new job, and how you can grow in your career. In this episode…Stack overflow and blogposts What do you do when you first start?Contracting gigsSocial life in the workplace vs. financial transactionSingle points of failure

Today on the show, Will talks about his latest project, Trustified.io and the steps he is considering to make it DevOps ready. Will and Jonathan discuss creating the dev environment, standardized logging, CI/CD, health checks, standardized reporting dashboards, configuring the app, database migration tools, user management, and ORMs. Elements to Make an App DevOps Ready:Creating the dev environmentStandardized loggingCI/CDHealth checksPrometheusStandardized reporting dashboardsConfiguring the appDatabase migration toolsUser managementORMs

An anti-pattern is a pattern that you use to fix a short-term problem at the expense of your long-term goals. The insidious thing about anti-patterns isn't that they don't work or fail outright, but that they work in the short term while causing long-term failure and pain. Today on the show, Jonathan, Jillian, and Will discuss the various anti-patterns and cargo culting in software engineering, including password management, team structures, mean time to recover, and docker files management. In this episode…What is cargo cult software engineering?Favorite anti-patternsPassword managementTeam structure and silosMean time to recoverDocker files management

Today on the show, Will and Jonathan discuss deployment strategies, including rolling strategy, blue-green patterns, canary deployments, feature flags, and progressive delivery. They also discuss backward compatibilities and rollback and rollforward deployment strategies, plus share their current picks of the week. In this episode…Kubernetes orchestrationBlue-Green deployment patternsCanary deploymentsFeature flagsProgressive deliveryBackward compatibilityRollback deploymentRollforward deployment

Imagine being able to program the cloud and bridge the Dev and Ops divide with cloud. Pulumi is a universal infrastructure as code platform that allows you to build, deploy, and manage modern cloud applications using familiar languages, tools, and engineering practices. Today, Jonathan and Will discuss all the ins and outs of Pulumi.In this episode…What is Pulumi and how does it work?Is Pulumi replacing tools such as Ansible, Chef, Terraform altogether?What is the learning curve?What languages is Pulumi limited to?When would you not use Pulumi?What are the processes for implementation?

Do I need to learn how to write code? What are the types of program languages required in DevOps? What are the pros and cons of each? Will, Jonathan, and Jillian discuss the progressions through programming languages and their insights and opinions with each. Learn about Bash, Go, Perl, Python, Python 2, Python 3, JavaScript, Node.js, Rust, Ruby, and Java. At the end, they provide their final concluding thoughts and share their top picks.

How do you align engineering outcomes to business goals? On the show, Hersh Tapadia, Adam Dahlgren from Allstacks talk about value stream intelligence and how you can generate guiding insights for product stakeholders across engineering projects and tools so you can shape better outcomes and deliver stronger value. In this episode…“Metrics are just table stakes”Metrics vs feelings driven management How to evolve the conversation from data collection to value creationUnderstanding the why behind the work to retain engineers The “dining table problem”How do engineering teams respond to this approach?

Enjoy this philosophical conversation around building code more responsibly and how ethics and accountability is to be integrated into the DevOps industry. Eric Tank joins the show and shares his perspective on how to “develop for deprecation”. Building a code that is documented, tested, monitored, and deployed is important, but can you easily pass it off to someone else, or be able to walk away from the code it entirely? Johnathan joins by saying that “software is never done until it's deleted.” They finish the discussion referencing apprenticeship models and how accountability in this way could parallel other industries.

Have you considered the significance of infrastructure as code and its importance in the industry? Will, Jillian, and Jonathan deep dive into this topic, plus discuss Amazon CDK and current frameworks and tools for the best workflows.

Jillian, Jonathan, and Will break down the process of building a DevOps team. They address the breadth of skills from writing skills to provisioning cloud and server resources. They also dive into organizing human and other resources to successfully build and grow a DevOps team.

Everyone and their mother is talking about Kubernetes, but there's something you need to know. In this episode, the gang talks about the TRUTH around Kubernetes for most scenarios.In This Episode1) The BIGGEST reason NOT to use Kubernetes 2) If you've started Kubernetes, watch out for THIS common pitfall 3) How to leverage Kubernetes' customization capability and feel confident in scaling without pieces falling through the cracksBe a guest on the show! https://go.oncehub.com/adventuresindevops

In a world of fake data and security breaches, where do you go? In this episode, Charles chats with Adam Kamor from Tonic.ai, the fake data company that mimics your production data to keep your databases secure. “It's a little control knob, allowing you to turn the dial between privacy and utility. That's what Tonic.ai does.” - Adam Kamor In This Episode1) How to prepare your infrastructure for the real world and keep your transformations simple 2) The Do's and Don'ts of acquiring EXCELLENT data sets 3) Why most security questions are GARBAGE and won't protect your customersLinksTwitter: Tonic.ai ( @tonicfakedata )Special Guest: Adam Kamor.

Is your DevOps title “hip”? What does it mean? Does it matter? In this episode, the gang discusses the fundamental differences between dev ops positions based on “hipness”, as well as if it actually matters in today's world. In This Episode 1) What the “hipness” of your job means (and if you should care) 2) Why all of these positions refer back to this ONE important idea 3) The BEST advice to get started in dev ops (and how to not get confused with all of these fancy titles)

Will needs some developer therapy, and maybe you do, too. In this episode, Will talks about reconfig issues he's having with a client, and his loyal compadres help him find the light at the end of the tunnel. It may NOT include Airflow, though. Sorry, Jillian.In This Episode1) What you NEED to look for to know if reconfiguration is the right answer for your…situation 2) Your No-B.S. guide to reconfiguring without making your client hate you 3) How to implement charts and other visual aids to help you and the client stay in sync

Ready to add another tool to your toolkit? In this episode, the squad sits down with AWS connoisseur, Stephen Kuenzli. They lay out how to make integrating IAM a breeze, the EXCITING future of AWS, and why AWS hasn't asked you this ONE question that, frankly, you should have asked already. “Even if you think you know AWS one Day 1, it's changed on Day 2. It's important to simplify how you access these resources.” - Stephen Kuenzli In This Episode1) How AWS makes integrating IAM a breeze (with some really cool encryption tricks!) 2) Why AWS hasn't asked you this ONE important question (and why you should!) 3) The BEST resource libraries to keep you feeling confident and in control (even if you're new to AWS) 4) What the exciting future of AWS looks like for 2022 and beyond

Ready to pull the plug and go server-less? Hold your horses. In this episode, the DevOps fellows sit down with Allen Helton, a developer knows all about server-less ops. They discuss the biggest pros and cons for going server-less, why you HAVE to start with the big “A” to keep everything neat, and the NUMBER ONE mistake developers make when trying server-less for the first time. “ServerOps engineers are just as important as DevOps engineers are. There's a lot of crossover.” - Allen Helton In This Episode1) The HUGE pros for going server-less in 2022 (and why it doesn't have to be too different from traditional DevOps) 2) Why server-less ops MUST start with the big “A” to keep everything tidy 3) The NUMBER ONE mistake traditional devs make when trying out server-less for the first time 4) How to learn Sever-less Ops efficiently and NOT overwhelm yourself (even if you're a beginner)

We're not calling you a dummy, but you might be one if you don't listen to this episode. This time around, the gang discusses the do's and don'ts of choosing CI/CD tools, including how to safety migrate between them, why super-specialized tools are getting extremely popular this year, and the ONE component that makes or breaks a tool.In This Episode1) The TWO questions you need ask BEFORE you choose your tools (and why there's no “one size fits all”) 2) How to safely migrate from one tool to another 3) Why super-specialized CI tools are getting more popular in 2022 4) Want to know what makes a CI tool worthwhile? Ask if it has THIS single component and you're off to a great start

Love the nomad lifestyle but not sure how to pull it off? You're in luck! In this episode, the panelists discuss their personal experiences working (and sometimes living) remote. They cover how to generate leads and book clients consistently, why the “multiplier effect” is HUGE for making your new ideas lucrative, and the ONE reason you don't need revolutionary ideas to find success.In This EpisodeWhat the panelists all learned from being digital nomads (and if it's right for you)How the panelists generated leads and booked clients while traveling abroad (and the apps they used to keep their income steady)Why the “multiplier effect” is the KEY to making your new idea lucrativeThe reason you DON'T need revolutionary ideas to find success (and the strategy to keep readers coming back for more)

We've been hearing about blockchain and Web3 for years now, but its heyday is sooner than you think. In this episode, Will and Jonathan discuss why NOW is the time to dig into blockchain, how those in Dev Ops can approach these new technologies (and not get overwhelmed), and what Jonathan learned from a, well, “crazy” interview.In This EpisodeWhy RIGHT NOW is the time to understand block chain (it's not a fad anymore!) How Dev Ops peeps should think about and approach blockchain (free resources!) The KEY difference between blockchain and crypto What Jonathan learned from an oddball interviewer (and the ethics of blockchain in general)

Jonathan talks about how he prepares for a tech interview, and offers insights from the point of view of a hiring manager as well.

Jillian, Jonathan, Shimon, Will, and Chuck discuss the history of the show, their favorite episodes, and what they think is coming in 2022.

Ready to show off your coding skills to the world? Not so fast. In this episode, Will and Jillian discuss why developers need to simplify their product with the end goal in mind—the customer. They share some awesome examples of how to do this, how you can win Future You's approval, and the steps to create a smooth user experience.“I think it's a hard mental shift to say that my area of expertise shouldn't be visible in the product. But, you need to understand the end goal. My goal is to automate myself out of a job, then move on.”Will ButtonIn This Episode: Jillian shares a killer example that should inspire all DevOps people to simplify their process As a programmer, you want to tell the customer how great your programming is, right? Hold on…Will shares a different perspective How Will approaches his programming that avoids all customer confusion and creates a seamless experience What Jillian believes is MORE important than learning how to code (sometimes) Why you need these TWO things that will earn Future You's approval🎯 Picks:Jillian's Techy: Airflow and Strapi Non-techy: Harriet the Hamster Princess Will's Until the End of Time by Brian Greene Connect with Will and Jillian:Jillian: https://twitter.com/jillianerowe Will: https://www.linkedin.com/in/willbutton/

Daniele Fontani joins the Adventure to discuss the different kinds of Ops like NoOps, AppOps, etc. He makes fun of the different ways that people try to extend DevOps into other types of movements and why the different focuses may or may not be appropriate ways to manage resources.PanelWill ButtonJonathan HallSpecial GuestDaniele Fontani

Will and Jonathan have a conversation about whether or not you can use Scrum with DevOps. They also discuss different alternatives to Scrum and how you can use them instead of Scrum or whether Scrum is the best fit.PanelJonathan HallWill Button

The Adventures in DevOps crew discuss the various certificates that exist and which ones you may or may not want to consider getting.They talk about whether you need one in the first place and the value that different markets place on the certificates.PanelCharles Max WoodJillian RoweJonathan HallWill Button

Jillian, Jonathan, Will, and Chuck discuss where the line is between Development and DevOps and what the difference is. They also get into the value of each and when crossover is likely to occur.PanelCharles Max WoodJillian RoweJonathan HallWill Button

The panel puts their heads together to talk about how to bring DevOps practices into a work situation based where they're not implemented. They discuss the various pro's and con's of specific practices and how to get people on board with adoption.PanelCharles Max WoodJillian RoweJonathan HallWill Button

The panel jumps in and discusses the Minimum Viable Continuous Deployment from the manifesto on the web and discuss where they agree and disagree with the requirements listed there and clarify some of the ideas in the document.PanelCharles Max WoodJillian RoweJonathan HallWill Button

Abhinav Dhasmana joins the adventure to discuss how he got Kafka to scale to handle thousands of messages. He explains how to scale Kafka up and how to allow applications to scale with the messaging architecture provided by Kafka.PanelJillian RoweJonathan HallShimon ToltsWill ButtonGuestAbhinav Dhasmana

Will and Jonathan jump in this week to discuss how to get started with a career in DevOps and how companies can get things started at your company with DevOps.They discuss the pitfalls of outsourcing your devops and how DevOps should be working within your application space and within your organization.PanelJonathan HallWill Button

Henry Been and Erwin Staal join the adventure to discuss Microsoft's options for defining infrastructure as code on Microsoft's Azure cloud offerings.They walk the panel through setting up ARM templates and using the Bicep language to specify how your infrastructure gets set up , run, and managed.35% discount code- poddevopsadv20.PanelCharles Max WoodJillian RoweShimon ToltsGuestErwin StaalHenry Been

Alex Feiszli from GRAVITL joins the adventure to discuss how to securely connect Kubernetes clusters across clouds from one cluster to another. The discussion spans how to make secure connections and how the connections might be used.PanelCharles Max WoodJillian RoweJonathan HallWill ButtonGuestAlex Feiszli

Troy Dreier joins the adventure to discuss Manning's LiveProjects platform where developers can work through exercises and learn the things they need to just-in-time.Andres Sacco is one of the authors on LivePlatform and joins the adventure to discuss cloud optimization and his experience building a LiveProject showing people how to optimize their cloud setup.PanelCharles Max WoodShimon ToltsGuestAndres SaccoTroy Dreier

Will Kelly is a technical writer who joins the adventure to discuss bridging the gap between open source, development, and DevOps. He explains the personal and technical skills needed to help folks understand the need for using Open Source software and how developers and DevOps practitioners can communicate about the security concerns around complimentary practices of the two groups with the realms of their jobs.PanelCharles Max WoodWill ButtonGuestWill Kelly

The Adventures in DevOps panel take over and discuss whether or not DevOps Engineers need to know how to code.The panel offers their perspectives on the pros and cons of knowing how to code and the limitations placed on DevOps Engineers who don't know how to code and the tradeoffs of spending time on code versus other skills that can pay off for your customers.PanelCharles Max WoodJillian RoweWill Button

Yitaek Hwang joins the adventure to discuss how he sets up development environments using well-understood open source tools that allow developers to understand and troubleshoot their own setups.This also allows devops to manage these setups in ways that mirror production.PanelCharles Max WoodWill ButtonGuestYitaek Hwang

Eyar Zilberman joins the adventure to discuss Kubernetes schema validation tools.The panel jumps in and discusses the power of and the pros and cons of the different kinds of schema validations.PanelJillian RoweJonathan HallWill ButtonGuestEyar Zilberman

Adarsh Shah joins the Adventure to discuss building out Environment as Code which goes beyond just Infrastructure as Code which defines your servers and networking.Environment as Code provides a way to define an entire component of your environment and connections between pieces. It emphasizes loose coupling and allows teams to deliver an environment for their applications.PanelWill ButtonGuestAdarsh Shah

Jonathan Hall joins the Adventure this week to discuss the advice he gives to clients to start continuous deployment before they have automated tests around their code.He explains why he starts here and the power of having a continuous deployment system. He, Will, and Chuck go into how to set it up and the pro's and con's of the approach and how it fits into a larger DevOps practice.PanelCharles Max WoodWill ButtonGuestJonathan Hall

Yishai Beeri joins the Adventure to talk about ways that we can communicate and coordinate to deliver great software.This holds both within development teams and between development teams and DevOps teams.PanelJeffrey GromanGuestYishai Beeri

Rosemary Wang joins the adventure to dive into a discussion on what Infrastructure as Code is and how to begin thinking about what it is and how it goes together.She focuses on maintainability, security, and reliability.PanelJeffrey GromanWill ButtonGuestRosemary Wang

Jeffrey Groman takes the reins and walks Chuck and Will through the latest and greatest security breaches out on the internet.He also walks them through how to operate to avoid being caught by several of these issues.Specifically, he explains the Microsoft issue in the print spooler and the breach of Kaseya and what the implications are within the wider world.PanelCharles Max WoodJeffrey GromanWill Button

Jeffrey, Will, and Chuck dive into the question "How do you know whether or not you want to take a job?" during and after the interview.The discussion ranges through what to ask employers, knowing what you want from the job, and how to determine before and after the interview whether the job offer is a good fit for you.PanelCharles Max WoodJeffrey GromanWill Button

Shimon Tolts is the CEO datree.io. Shimon talks the panel through an outage he experienced while working for a previous employer. He breaks down the situation and the explains the types of misconfiguration that caused his outage and how these things can cause problems in other applications as well.He explains how to set up rules and policies that allow people to move fast without breaking things and without getting in the way.PanelCharles Max WoodJeffrey GromanWill ButtonGuestShimon Tolts

Ian Eyberg jumps on with the panel to discuss the uses and origins of UniKernels. He and the panel discuss how to set them up and where they fit into your infrastucture conversations.PanelCharles Max WoodJeffrey GromanWill ButtonGuestIan Eyberg

Jillian Rowe specializes in setting up AWS clusters for collecting and analyzing bioinformatics data. She's worked with several companies to set up "virtual labs" where they can use Data Science techniques and Machine Learning to analyze and understand the data they collect from their studies.This episode walks through a lot of the approach she uses to communicate with her customers and deliver solutions that provide them with the information needed to do their jobs.PanelCharles Max WoodJeffrey GromanWill ButtonGuestJillian Rowe

Will and Jeffrey discuss the things that DevOps Engineers need to know. If you're diving into DevOps, you're probably wondering what skills do you need to know?Also, how much of the skill you need to have is technical versus non-technical. People skills and soft skills verus hard typing and at-the-keyboard skills.If you're in DevOps, these are the things you need to learn or the gaps you need to fill.PanelJeffrey GromanWill Button