Reference Architectures for DevOps and Continuous Delivery

10 Monday Aug 2015

Posted by Max Hemingway in DevOps/OpsDev, Tools

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There are a lot of different Reference Architectures available for DevOps and Continuous Delivery. Derek E Weeks has brought together some of the most common ones into two presentations:

A useful reference source.

Think about what you Git on the Hub

29 Wednesday Jul 2015

Posted by Max Hemingway in Development, DevOps/OpsDev, Open Source, Programming

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Coding, Development, DevOps, Open Source, OpsDev, Programming

GitHub is a popular repository for developers and users to leave copies of code and information that can be shared with others in an Open Source manner.

However as a recent article highlights (1 in 600 Top Websites Dangerously Exposed) some of the data stored in GitHub without any security enabled may expose a business to issues and security risks.

There are two types of repos available on GitHub*

Public repositories are a great choice for getting started! They’re visible to any user on GitHub, so you can benefit from a collaborative community.

Private repositories require a little more setup. They’re only available to you, the repository owner, as well as any collaborators you choose to share with. Private repositories are only available for paid accounts.

It is possible to create a Private Repo for several users. This is not a free option, but is however available at a reasonable cost https://github.com/pricing

You can also implement 2FA for your account for additional security – 2FA Documentation

* Source https://help.github.com/articles/create-a-repo/

2015 State of DevOps Report

28 Tuesday Jul 2015

Posted by Max Hemingway in DevOps/OpsDev

≈ 1 Comment

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DevOps, OpsDev

I last wrote about this annual report on 18th May with the opening of the 2015 DevOps Survey.

The results are in, compiled and the 2015 state of DevOps Report has been released from Puppet Labs and it can be downloaded from:

https://puppetlabs.com/2015-devops-report

Key findings include: *

• High-performing IT organizations experience 60 times fewer failures and recover from failure 168 times faster than their lower-performing peers. They also deploy 30 times more frequently with 200 times shorter lead times. Failures are unavoidable, but how quickly you detect and recover from failure can mean the difference between leading the market and struggling to catch up with the competition.

• Lean management and continuous delivery practices create the conditions for delivering value faster, sustainably. Manufacturing was revolutionized by the application of lean principles in the 1980s. Today, it’s IT’s turn to go lean. When you apply lean management and continuous delivery practices to software delivery, you get the same results — higher quality, shorter cycle times with quicker feedback loops, and lower costs. And the benefits don’t stop there: These practices also contribute to creating a culture of learning and continuous improvement, lower levels of burnout, and higher organizational performance overall.

• It doesn’t matter if your apps are greenfield, brownfield or legacy — as long as they are architected with testability and deployability in mind, high performance is achievable. We were surprised to find that the type of system — whether it was a system of engagement or a system of record, packaged or custom, legacy or greenfield — is not significant. Continuous delivery can be applied to any system, provided it is architected correctly. We also found that high performers are more likely to use a microservices architecture, and less likely to outsource software development or run their software on mainframes.

• IT managers play a critical role in any DevOps transformation. This year’s report shows us how IT managers can help their teams win and lead their organizations through a DevOps transformation. Managers play a critical role in connecting the strategic objectives of the business to the work their teams do. Managers can do a lot to improve their team’s performance by ensuring work is not wasted and by investing in developing the capabilities of their people.

• Diversity matters. Research shows that teams with more women members have higher collective intelligence and achieve better business outcomes. Our survey shows that few teams are truly diverse with regard to gender. We recommend that teams wanting to achieve high performance do their best to recruit and retain more women, and improve diversity in other areas, too.

• Deployment pain can tell you a lot about your IT performance. Do you want to know how your team is doing? All you have to do is ask one simple question: “How painful are deployments?” We found that where code deployments are most painful, you’ll find the poorest IT performance, organizational performance and culture.

• Burnout can be prevented, and DevOps can help. Burnout is associated with pathological cultures and unproductive, wasteful work. The consequences of burnout are huge, both for individuals and for organizations. Organizations can fix the conditions that lead to burnout by fostering a supportive work environment and ensuring work is meaningful, and that employees understand how their own work ties to strategic objectives

*report findings taken from the 2015 State of DevOps Report

Catching up with Dockercon 2015

08 Wednesday Jul 2015

Posted by Max Hemingway in Architecture, Cloud, Development, DevOps/OpsDev, Programming, Tools

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Cloud, Coding, DevOps, learning, OpsDev

Docker have released some of the session videos from the recent Dockercon 2015 conference.

Session Links

Keynotes

https://blog.docker.com/2015/06/dockercon-2015-keynote-videos/

Docker, Docker Docker

Day 1

Orchestration for Sysadmins
Docker Orchestration for Developers
Docker Engine
Getting started with Docker

http://blog.docker.com/2015/06/dockercon-2015-videos-day-1-of-docker-docker-docker-2/

Day 2

Least-privilege Microservices
Docker Hub
Docker Trusted Registry

http://blog.docker.com/2015/06/dockercon-2015-videos-day-2-docker-docker-docker/

Advanced Tech

Day 1

Faster, Cheaper and Safer: Secure Microservice Architectures using Docker
Reliably shipping containers in a resource rich world using Titan
Docker Plugins
Resilient Routing and Discovery
Interconnecting containers at scale with NGINX

http://blog.docker.com/2015/06/dockercon-2015-videos-day-1-advanced-tech/

Day 2

The distributed system toolkit: Container patterns for modular distributed system design
Container Hacks and Fun Images
Running Aground: Debugging Docker in Production

http://blog.docker.com/2015/07/dockercon-2015-videos-day-2-of-advanced-tech/

Docker Use Cases

Day 1

Analytic Garage on Docker at Capital One
Docker in the New York Times Newsroom
Enabling Continuous (Food) Delivery at GrubHub
Enabling Microservices at Orbitz

http://blog.docker.com/2015/07/dockercon-2015-videos-day-1-use-case/

Day 2

Speeding Up Development
From Months to Minutes – How GE Brings Docker Into the Enterprise
How to Build a Secure DevOps Environment for Government and Beyond
PayPal Goes Beyond CI to Production Scale PaaS with Docker

http://blog.docker.com/2015/07/dockercon-2015-videos-day-2-use-case/

Further videos to be released on the Docker Blog.

Getting to Grips with Git

08 Monday Jun 2015

Posted by Max Hemingway in Cloud, Data Science, DevOps/OpsDev, Open Source, Programming

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Cloud, Coding, Data Science, DevOps, Open Source, OpsDev, Programming

If you are new to GIT or want to refresh your skills/knowledge a good way of learning is through the Learning Git Branching simulator with it taking you through the commands and techniques.

Welcome to Learn Git Branching

Interested in learning Git? Well you’ve come to the right place! “Learn Git Branching” is the most visual and interactive way to learn Git on the web; you’ll be challenged with exciting levels, given step-by-step demonstrations of powerful features, and maybe even have a bit of fun along the way.

After this dialog you’ll see the variety of levels we have to offer. If you’re a beginner, just go ahead and start with the first. If you already know some Git basics, try some of our later more challenging levels.

The simulator covers:

Introduction Sequence
– Introduction to the majority of Git commands

Ramping Up
– Additional Git commands

Moving Work Around
– Modifying the source tree

A Mixed Bag
– Git techniques tricks and tips

Advanced Topics

Techdays Online Azure Special

02 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by Max Hemingway in Architecture, Big Data, Cloud, DevOps/OpsDev, IoT, Machine Learning

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Architecture, Big Data, Cloud, DevOps, IoT, Machine Learning, Open Source, OpsDev

Microsoft are running a Techdays Online Azure Special over the next 3 days

Registration is at https://info.microsoft.com/UK-Azure-WBNR-FY15-06Jun-Azure-Techdays-2015-Registration.html

June 02, 2015 09:00 AM – TechDays Online Azure Special Day One: Keynotes, IOT, Hybrid and Open Source
June 03, 2015 09:00 AM – TechDays Online Azure Special Day Two: Apps, Architecture, Big Data and Machine Learning
June 04, 2015 09:00 AM – TechDays Online Azure Special Day Three: Cloud Infrastructure and Dev Ops

Hopefully the sessions will be available offline after the event for reference and catch up.

Ready for Technet Online 2015

27 Tuesday Jan 2015

Posted by Max Hemingway in Cloud, DevOps/OpsDev, Programming

≈ 1 Comment

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Architecture, Cloud, Coding, CPD, Development, DevOps, learning, OpsDev, Programming

I am looking forward to this years TechDays Online 2015 which is being run between the 3rd and 5th February 2015. If you cant make the sessions then they normally appear on Microsoft Virtual Academy a few weeks later.

This is being done over 3 days with a packed agenda that you can dip in and out of as needed.

Day One Theme: Client, Devices and Mobility :

Day one: Devices and Managing a Mobile-First World

09:30-09:40 Overview of the Day
09:40-10:15 Delighting your business with EMS
10:30-11:05 Devices, Devices Everywhere
11:20-11:55 Windows 10 Client Innovations
12:10-12:45 KEYNOTE: What IT Pros and Devs Need to Know About the New Microsoft
13:30-14:05 Building IoT solutions today
14:20-14:55 Microsoft Azure Remote App
15:10-15:45 Microsoft Azure RMS
16:00-16:35 Azure Active Directory: Much more than a user store
16:50-17:25 Microsoft Intune/SCCM
17:25-17:30 Wrap up of day 1 – Part 1

Day one evening: An evening with Office 365

18:30-19:05 Migration of your mailboxes to Office 365
19:15-19:50 Keeping in touch with the online world
20:00-20:35 Building online collaboration inside Office 365
20:35-20:45 Final thoughts for the day

Day Two Theme: Server and Cloud:

Day two: The Journey to the Cloud-first World

09:30-09:40 Overview of the Day
09:40-10:15 What’s new Windows Server /Hyper –V – a technical preview
10:30-11:05 How to find out what’s happening in your datacentre with Azure Insights
11:20-11:55 Host your own cloud with the Windows Azure Pack
12:10-12:45 Taking scripting to the next level with Service Management / Azure Automation
13:30-14:05 A new home for your old applications ↓
14:20-14:55 20% + of Azure runs on Linux – why is this important and how to do it well?
15:10-15:45 DevOps in Microsoft Azure with Chef and Puppet for heterogeneous cloud environments
16:00-16:35 Make Azure your DMZ
16:50-17:25 Microsoft Corporate Keynote
17:25-17:35 Wrap up of Day 2

Day Three Theme: Developer

Day three: Multi-device, Cross-platform Development

09:30-09:40 Overview of the Day
09:40-10:25 Creating cross-platform apps with Visual Studio
10:40-11:25 How are you going to deploy that?
11:40-12:25 Microsoft Azure Machine Learning without a PhD
13:00-13:45 Debugging and Performance Tuning Web Apps and Sites
14:00-14:45 What is Roslyn and why should you care?
15:00-15:45 Building cross-platform apps with .NET and ASP.NET
16:00-16:45 Creating cross-platform cloud apps for mobile devices
17:00-17:45 Microsoft Corporate Keynote
17:45-17:55 Wrap-up of Tech.Days Online Day 3

Open Source for DevOps Practices in a Microsoft Environment

14 Wednesday Jan 2015

Posted by Max Hemingway in DevOps/OpsDev, Open Source

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Development, DevOps, learning, Open Source, OpsDev

Microsoft have just released the slides and training for Open Source for DevOps Practices via the Microsoft Virtual Academy.

The training covers 4 sessions and uses some Microsoft Tools/Services in the demonstrations/training:

What DevOps Means Here; Common DevOps Practices and Supporting Open Source Tooling
Version Control as a Communication Tool; Issue Trackers as a Coordination Tool
Shareable Development, Test and Deployment Environments and Automated Staging
Automated Testing, Whats Next?

The sessions cover the following topics:

DevOps Overview
Azure Basics + Process Tools
Source Code Repos + Communication
Reproducible Environments
Automated Testing
Deployment & Configuration Management
Release Management
Monitor + Learn

Each session is between an 1 hour and 1 hour 20 mins. Followed by a recommended next steps section at the end.

These are good sessions and demo’s if you want to integrate typical Open Source DevOps products into a Microsoft based estate. The videos and demo’s cover:

Azure
Docker
Vagrant
Packer
Gradle
Grunt
Salt
Hudson
Puppet
Chef
Jenkins
Nagios
Zabbix

Source: http://www.microsoftvirtualacademy.com/training-courses/open-source-for-devops-practices

Playing a Game with Innovation and Thinking

19 Friday Dec 2014

Posted by Max Hemingway in Architecture, DevOps/OpsDev, Innovation

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Architecture, DevOps, Information Theory, Innovation, OpsDev

I have been looking at ways to assist me with Innovation and Thinking and looking outside of the box. Lots of different methodologies exist and there is no right or wrong way to what method to use or when to apply it.

After studying several methods in this arena and investigating, reading and learning some of these, I have come up with a set of “Playing Cards” that allow me to play games with Innovation and Thinking.

I took a pack of plain/blank playing cards and wrote out cards with different methodologies and ways of tackling/working on innovation.

The Pack is currently based on 3 models and I am looking to add a few more as I develop the pack (Other methodologies are available)

4 Site Model
Peter Drucker Thinking
SCAMPER

I have also added some:

Problem challenge cards – to add different problems to the area you are working on
Lens Cards – to challenge you to look at innovation through different lenses or view points

How to play the game

For the problem or area that I am wanting to tackle I shuffle the pack and apply 4-5 cards then work through it based on what has been dealt.

The lens cards may be shuffled in the main pack or dealt at the side one at a time.

Set a time limit on the cards dealt and then brainstorm writing everything down.

No thought or idea is a bad idea until it is qualified in or out.

When the time is up either play a different lens card against the cards on the table – or collect them up and shuffle the deck and start again.

Results

I have found that using the cards gives me different view across different methodologies rather than just applying one.

Sometimes the cards do not result in too much on the page, but other times they flourish ideas and innovations around the problem or area I have been looking at.

Next I plan to add more methodologies to the pack and expanding the cards already produced, although I don’t think that I will expand this pack much more as it then may become cumbersome and be too large to be effective.

I do have some blank cards left though so may innovate something new around the next thing to do with them.