DevOps – Do not exceed the recommended doseJohn Clapham, Microsoft, Mix RadioIt seems that DevOps is the wonder drug of the moment. Everywhere you look it’s being prescribed for organizational ailments ranging from slow delivery to frequent outages. In search of cures you’ll find reputable practitioners, quacks and witch doctors. So who should you listen to? This talk aims to assist with diagnosis, looks at long term implications of DevOps, and may even help avoid some of those painful side effects.

“DevOps – Do not exceed the recommended dose”

@johnC_Bristol - @NokiaMixRadio

Context…

Who knows a remedy for….

Nettle rash?

Nettle rash?

Jellyfish stings?

Jellyfish stings?

The Black Death?

The Black Death?

Poor quality, downtime, low speed of execution?

Poor quality, downtime, low speed of execution?

Notice anything?

Notice anything?

- Remedies come from credible sources

Notice anything?

- Remedies come from credible sources.- Ideas on what works change as people learn.

Notice anything?

- Remedies come from credible sources.- Ideas on what works change as people learn.- What we think is the remedy sometimes isn’t, it’s the ritual, or psychological effect.

Notice anything?

- Remedies come from credible sources.- Ideas on what works change as people learn.- What we think is the remedy sometimes isn’t, it’s the ritual, or physiological effect. - People invest time and money in remedies, and then establish how effective they are.

There numerous claims about DevOps, and DevOps products.

How do you find what actually works?

Here’s what we’ll look at:

Here’s what we’ll look at:- Basic Biology

Here’s what we’ll look at:- Basic Biology- Diagnosis

Here’s what we’ll look at:- Basic Biology- Diagnosis- Treatment

Basic Biology

Our bodies, and organisations, are complicated systems.

Narrow focus on Development and Operations has risks:

Narrow focus on Development and Operations has risks:- Over optimisation in one area sub-

optimises the system

Narrow focus on Development and Operations has risks:- Over optimisation in one area sub-

optimises the system- Speed gains may be useless if other

systems don’t change.

Narrow focus on Development and Operations has risks:- Over optimisation in one area sub-

optimises the system- Speed gains may be useless if other

systems don’t change.- Closer connections between groups may

weaken other connections, leading to new silos.

“Systems thinking enables you to grasp and manage situations of complexity and uncertainty in which there are no simple answers…”

“…it's a way of 'learning your way towards effective action' by looking at connected wholes rather than separate parts”

We need to understand what is ‘enough’, or ‘ready’.

We need to understand what is ‘enough’, or ‘ready’…

…so we don’t overdevelop

DevOps is only about tools.

Fitness is only about diet?

DevOps Capsules

Warnings: For external use only, keep away from children

Active Ingredient (each tablet):Culture……………….20mgLearning……………..20mgAutomation………….20mgMeasurement……….20mgSharing………………20mg

Other ingredients: Aqua, Agile, Lean, ToolsMay cause euphoria, drowsiness or headaches

Dosage: One daily, with pizza or coffee

Check balance and progress with a set of measures – or vital signs.

Mean Time Between Failure – Of the entire system

Cycle Time – From commitment to change in production.

Mean Time To Detect (an issue)

Mean Time To Repair (or make a change)

Quality at source how far do errors get before they are noticed? 

Repetition Rate – Does the same issue keep happening, or are we learning?

Diagnosis

“adoption of DevOps sped up new services and products to market by 20%...”

“…companies able to respond in the marketplace faster, they increased the number of customers by 22% and revenues by 19%. “

Do you need a DevOps solution?

Do you need a DevOps solution?

Wrong Question.

What do you want to improve?

Do you actually need new methods?

Part of a Hypochondriac Org?

Part of a Hypochondriac Org?- constantly think something is wrong?

Part of a Hypochondriac Org?- constantly think something is wrong?- always reaching for the newest cure?

Are there Genetic Disorders?

Are there Genetic Disorders?- Behaviours that lead to other failures.

Are there Genetic Disorders?- Behaviours that lead to other failures.- Too conservative.

Are there Genetic Disorders?- Behaviours that lead to other failures.- Too conservative.- Too reckless

Are there Genetic Disorders?- Behaviours that lead to other failures.- Too conservative.- Too reckless- Lack of investment

Can you trust the doctors?

Self diagnosis is just as risky

Self diagnosis is just as risky;- Multiple Conditions (Comorbidity)

Self diagnosis is just as risky;- Multiple Conditions (Comorbidity)- Cognitive Dissonance

Self diagnosis is just as risky;- Multiple Conditions (Comorbidity)- Cognitive Dissonance- Denial – “Actually I’m fine”

Treatments…

RTFM!

ReadingTraining

FeedbackMentoring

Complete the course…

Complete the course……be disciplined

Don’t get addicted…

Don’t get addicted……know when to change

“a good way to introduce continuous delivery is to model your current delivery process as a deployment pipeline, then examine this for bottlenecks…”

- Martin Fowler

DevOps Team?

DevOps Team

Avoid overdose…

Avoid change overdose…

Reflections…

DevOps is not a wonder cure.

You can lose time, cash and team motivation by investing poorly.

Diagnose carefully - Your needs are specific to your organization, it’s situation, and the capabilities it aims to develop.

Look for a second opinion.

DevOps has side effects, consider the whole system.

Measure health – know your vital signs.

Many practices are transitional, they’ll help in the short term…

Many practices are transitional, they’ll help in the short term…

…don’t let them become habits, or addictions.

Thanks!

@johnC_Bristol

Further reading…

Story of DevOps and Continuous Delivery at Nokia Entertainmenthttp://www.infoq.com/articles/monthly-devops-01-nokia

Mix Radio Developers Blog:http://dev.mixrad.io/blog

MixRadio, a fine way to discover music:http://www.mixrad.io/gb/en

My blog:http://johnclapham.wordpress.com/

References…Perfection is the enemy of progress Craig C Sroda- http://craigsroda.com/perfection-enemy-progress/

Systems thinkinghttp://www.bristol.ac.uk/eng-systems-centre/research/systemsstudy/

The Three Ways of DevOpshttp://itrevolution.com/the-three-ways-principles-underpinning-devops/

David Viney, J Curve (Book) – “The Intranet Portal Guide: How to Make the Business Case for a Corporate Portal, Then Successfully Deliver”

CAMS, John Willis, Damon Edwards, original:http://www.getchef.com/blog/2010/07/16/what-devops-means-to-me/Updated: http://itrevolution.com/devops-culture-part-1/

Picture CreditsNettleshttps://www.flickr.com/photos/brewbooks/2544110170

Dock Leaveshttps://www.flickr.com/photos/eltpics/5864069403

Jellyfishhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/gunnarpowers/1151477250

Chickenhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/brent_nashville/2747175719

Hearthttps://www.flickr.com/photos/gergtreble/4261817687

Treatments.https://www.flickr.com/photos/29792566@N08/5495492674

Picture Credits

Diagnosis doghttps://www.flickr.com/photos/aussiegall/12221094944/in/photostream/

Lifterhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/aandaphotography/8856680966