book

Effective DevOps

by Jennifer Davis, Ryn Daniels

June 2016

Intermediate to advanced

408 pages

12h 18m

English

O'Reilly Media, Inc.

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Introducing Effective DevopsWho This Book Is ForHow This Book Is OrganizedMethodology of Case StudiesConventions Used in This BookUsing Code ExamplesSafari® Books OnlineHow to Contact UsAcknowledgmentsFrom RynFrom Jennifer
A Snapshot of Devops CultureThe Evolution of CultureThe Value of the StoryRyn’s StoryJennifer’s StoryIllustrating Devops with Stories
A Prescription for CultureThe Devops EquationDevops as Folk ModelThe Old View and the New ViewThe Devops Compact
Developer as OperatorThe Advent of Software EngineeringThe Advent of Proprietary Software and StandardizationThe Age of the NetworkThe Beginnings of a Global CommunityThe Age of Applications and the WebThe Growth of Software Development MethodologiesOpen Source Software, Proprietary ServicesAgile InfrastructureThe Beginning of devopsdaysThe Current State of DevopsSummary
Software Development MethodologiesWaterfallAgileScrumOperations MethodologiesITILCOBITSystems MethodologiesLeanDevelopment, Release, and Deployment ConceptsVersion ControlTest-Driven DevelopmentApplication DeploymentContinuous IntegrationContinuous DeliveryContinuous DeploymentMinimum Viable ProductInfrastructure ConceptsConfiguration ManagementCloud ComputingInfrastructure AutomationArtifact ManagementContainersCultural ConceptsRetrospectivePostmortemBlamelessnessOrganizational LearningSummary
Common Devops MisconceptionsDevops Only Involves Developers and System AdministratorsDevops Is a TeamDevops Is a Job TitleDevops Is Relevant Only to Web StartupsYou Need a Devops CertificationDevops Means Doing All the Work with Half the PeopleThere Is One “Right Way” (or “Wrong Way”) to Do DevopsIt Will Take X Weeks/Months to Implement DevopsDevops Is All About the ToolsDevops Is About AutomationDevops Is a FadDevops Anti-PatternsBlame CultureSilosRoot Cause AnalysisHuman ErrorSummary
CollaborationAffinityToolsScalingSummary

Sparkle Corp Weekly Planning MeetingDefining CollaborationIndividual Differences and BackgroundsProfessional BackgroundsPersonal BackgroundsGoalsCognitive StylesOpportunities for Competitive AdvantageMentorshipSenior-to-Junior MentoringSenior-to-Senior MentoringJunior-to-Senior MentoringJunior-to-Junior MentoringIntroducing MindsetsCultivating the Right MindsetFixed MindsetGrowth MindsetFocus on Individual GrowthMindsets and Learning OrganizationsThe Role of FeedbackReviews and RankingsFrequency of FeedbackRanking SystemThe Problems with Rock Stars and SuperflocksThe Value of Social Capital to a TeamCommunication and Conflict Resolution StylesEffective CommunicationHow We CommunicateCommunication Context and Power DifferentialsEmpathy and TrustDeveloping EmpathyDeveloping TrustHumane Staffing and ResourcesAvailability and MaintenanceWork–Life BalanceTeam Size ConsiderationsEffective Collaboration with Sparkle CorpSummary
Collaboration MisconceptionsYou Can’t Teach an Old Sysadmin New TricksYou Need to Hire Rock Stars When You’re Trying to Grow QuicklyA Diverse Team Can’t Collaborate as EffectivelyCollaboration TroubleshootingSome People on the Team Aren’t Pulling Their WeightWe Need to Decide If We Should Let Someone GoI’m Overworked, Stressed, and Burnt OutSome People on the Team Are Feeling DisrespectedSome People Aren’t Communicating EnoughAn Employee (or Candidate) Is Technically Brilliant, but Also a JerkI Don’t Feel Like My Career Is Progressing Within My Current Team/OrganizationNobody Listens to Me (Anymore)We Just Had a Reorganization or Staff Reduction
Sparkle Corp Development Demo DayPeople NetworksWhat Makes a Team?The Work That Teams DoDefining AffinityInterpersonal Ties Within TeamsTeam CultureTeam CohesionDiversityBenefits of DiversityAxes of Diversity and IntersectionalityHiring ConsiderationsMaintaining an Inclusive EnvironmentTeams and Organizational StructureFinding Common Ground Between TeamsFrom Competition to CooperationBuilding Team EmpathyImproving Team CommunicationCase Study: United States Patent and Trademark OfficeBackground and DirectionsEncouraging Collaboration and AffinityBalancing Multiple ViewpointsBenefits of Improved AffinityShortened Cycle TimeReduction of Communication BarriersTrustInnovationRequirements for AffinitySlackExplicit Values and GoalsSpaceCollaboration and CooperationMeasuring AffinityEmployee Skills and EvaluationsInterteam InteractionGiving Back to the CommunitySparkle Corp Dev and Ops AffinitySummary
Affinity MisconceptionsOps Engineers Aren’t as Valuable to the Organization as Developers AreSharing Too Much Outside the Company Might Weaken Our Competitive PositionAffinity TroubleshootingOne or More Individuals Are Interrupting Group Flow DynamicsOne Team Keeps Blocking Other TeamsSome Teams Are Feeling UndervaluedPeople Don’t Seem to Trust Each OtherPeople Are Concerned Solely About Technical Aspects of Work, Not Interpersonal OnesDifferent Teams Seem Like They Won’t Ever Be Able to Really Work TogetherPast Interpersonal Conflicts Are Causing Present Interteam ConflictsTeam X Seems to Want to Be Their Own SiloPeople Are Blaming Mistakes on Devops
Software DevelopmentLocal Development EnvironmentVersion ControlArtifact ManagementAutomationServer InstallationInfrastructure AutomationSystem ProvisioningTest and Build AutomationMonitoringMetricsLoggingAlertingEventsEvolution of the EcosystemSummary
The Value of Tools to PeopleWhat Are Tools?The Right Tools for Real ProblemsEmbracing Open SourceStandardization of ToolsConsistent Processes for Tool AnalysisExceptions to StandardizationIrrelevance of ToolsFailures of Process, Not ToolsConway’s Law for Tool SelectionThe Impacts of Tools on CultureTools Impacting CommunicationTools Impacting Broader BehaviorsSelection of ToolsProduct DevelopmentCommunity HealthIn-House CustomizationExample: Comparison of Version ControlExample: Manual Infrastructure Configuration over AutomationAuditing Your Tool EcosystemElimination of ToolsImprovements: Planning and Measuring ChangeCase StudiesExamining DramaFeverImpact of Existing TechnologyContinuous Impact of Emerging TechnologiesAffinity Empowering Adoption of PracticesTool Selection at DramaFeverExamining EtsyExplicit Versus Implicit CultureA Culture of CompassionA Culture of BlamelessnessBeing Remote-FriendlyTools Enforcing PracticeBuy or BuildConsidering AutomationMeasuring SuccessMotivations and Decision-Making ChallengesSparkle Corp Effective Tool UsageSummary
Tools MisconceptionsWe Use Technology X, but Everyone Else Is Using Technology Y; We Must Change to Technology Y as Soon as PossibleUsing Technology X Means We’re Doing DevopsWe Have to Make Sure We Don’t Choose the Wrong ToolYou Can Buy Devops-in-a-Box or Devops-as-a-ServiceTools TroubleshootingWe’re Trying to Find the Best Practices for Technology XWe Can’t Get People to Agree on One Particular ToolWe’ve Decided to Adopt (or Retire) Technology X, but People Are Resisting Using It (or Giving It Up)
Understanding ScalingConsidering Enterprise DevopsGrowing or Shrinking the Organization Strategically with DevopsConsiderations of Deliberate ScalingPlanning for ScalingOrganizational StructureLocalityTeam FlexibilityOrganizational LifecycleElimination of Vampire and Zombie ProjectsThe Impact of Release CyclesComplexity and ChangeScaling for TeamsGrowing Your Teams: Hiring as ScalingRetentionCase Studies: Growing and Scaling TeamsGrowing and Building Operations TeamsProblems with “Hero Culture”Job Postings and Recruitment IssuesDeveloping Individuals and TeamsDeveloping and Growing Team MembersTeam Scaling and Growth StrategiesKeeping Teams Small and FlexibleFostering CollaborationManaging ConflictScaling for OrganizationsCentralized Versus Ad Hoc TeamsBuild Out LeadershipCase Study: Government Digital Service, GOV.UKExplicit CulturePlanningChallengesBuilding AffinityCase Study: TargetExamining TargetStarting with Desired OutcomesAffinity Within the EnterpriseTools and Technology Within the EnterpriseSharing Knowledge Within the EnterpriseSummary
Scaling MisconceptionsSome of Our Teams Will Never Be Able to Work TogetherWe Need Total Executive Buy-In to Start Making ChangesWe Don’t Have the Budget to Do Any Hiring Right Now So We Can’t Start Doing DevopsScaling TroubleshootingManagement Is Insistent That We Stick With X, and Doesn’t See the Value of DevopsTeams Are Spread Too ThinDecisions Aren’t Being Made WellWe’re Having Problems Attracting the Talent We WantMorale Is Suffering After a Reorganization or Staff ReductionWe Don’t Know If We Need a Full Team for X
The Significance of StoriesExplicit and Implicit StoriesDevops in Theory and in PracticeReal-World Case Studies: Stories Showing PracticeLearning from StoriesBuilding Connections with StoriesSummary
What Stories Can Teach Us About CultureValuesProhibitionsMythsRitualsIdeas and KnowledgeInterorganizational InteractionsConferences and TravelOther Community EventsEngineering ExchangesEncouraging Interorganizational AffinityDiscouraging Fixed MindsetsStart with Small ChangesSummary
Individual Stories and Narratives around WorkTaylorism and the Value of Individual StoriesCelebrating IndividualsGoing RemoteLeaving a CompanyCultural DebtThe Health of SystemsExamining Sick SystemsCreating Healthy SystemsOrganizational and Individual HealthIdentifying Healthy and Unhealthy CulturesSummary
Your Next StepsCreating Effective Devops

Content preview from Effective DevOps

Chapter 1. The Big Picture

Devops is a way of thinking and a way of working. It is a framework for sharing stories and developing empathy, enabling people and teams to practice their crafts in effective and lasting ways. It is part of the cultural weave that shapes how we work and why. Many people think about devops as specific tools like Chef or Docker, but tools alone are not devops. What makes tools “devops” is the manner of their use, not fundamental characteristics of the tools themselves.

In addition to the tools we use to practice our crafts, an equally important part of our culture is our values, norms, and knowledge. Examining how people work, the technologies we use, how technology influences the way we work, and how people influence technology can help us make intentional decisions about the landscape of our organizations, and of our industry.

Devops is not just another software development methodology. Although it is related to and even influenced by software development methodologies like Agile or XP, and its practices can include software development methods, or features like infrastructure automation and continuous delivery, it is much more than just the sum of these parts. While these concepts are related and may be frequently seen in devops environments, focusing solely on them misses the bigger picture—the cultural and interpersonal aspects that give devops its power.