Tag Archives: Automation

Retail Edge Kubernetes ala Chick-Fil-A

https://soundcloud.com/user-410091210/pt2-chickfila-devops-ll-230124

We get an update for the first time in four years about Chick-fil-A edge Kubernetes clusters that gets to the heart of how building distributed infrastructure works and what the challenges are.

Article: medium.com/chick-fil-atech/ent…ompute-f5e2fd63d20f

We had a fantastic conversation about laying the foundations for this. We came away with two really important thoughts about what edge infrastructure looks like, how you pick it, can Kubernetes be used, what is IoT and integration, and the design considerations that go into building this environment.

Listen to this podcast as a preview for a longer article.

Transcript: otter.ai/u/k3Y7S3Hoa0rPZZ8_L5vTn4SNwGI
Image: www.pexels.com/photo/cows-on-fie…andscape-8899447/

Platform Engineering on API Abstractions

https://soundcloud.com/user-410091210/pt1-devops-ll-230124

Our mini episode today is a short discussion of API delineation and abstractions for platform engineering.

This was a short intro discussion, and it is especially interesting because platform is a major topic we will be exploring in the coming year. We highlight the challenges of finding the right abstraction points as well as building front end and back end automation.

Transcript: otter.ai/u/5gzoEliQ5H7N5LnGSP6sdOFNjv8
Image: www.pexels.com/photo/white-paper…te-table-7897470/

Stochastic Parrots And Processes

https://soundcloud.com/user-410091210/stochastic-parrots-and-processes

Today is a one on one discussion between me and Rocky Grover about infrastructure, infrastructure patterns, AI, and how all of these systems connect.

We think deeply about what it takes to design great systems and cover a ton of ground to connect it all back together into systems design. Rocky has a lot of depth of experience here.

Transcript: otter.ai/u/EYgaZUm5s36KYrUhDIwcXTkLHcA
Image: www.pexels.com/photo/bird-blue-zoo-large-52549/

Rob’s Hot Take:

In the Cloud 2030 Podcast episode on process infrastructure automation systems, Rob Hirschfeld introduces the concept of a “stochastic parrot,” emphasizing the challenge posed by AI systems that provide answers without a true understanding of the underlying process. Hirschfeld highlights the importance of comprehending the process through which decisions are made, especially as AI, like ChatGPT, becomes more integrated into various domains. The episode delves into the significance of systems thinking, stressing that understanding the process is often as crucial as knowing the output. Listeners are encouraged to explore the insightful conversation from January 17th at the2030.cloud and join the ongoing discussions.

Exploring Backstage.io Integration

Today we talk about backstage.io, and we have that conversation centered around a demo done by one of the RackN and interns, Zander Franks. Check out the demo video here: youtu.be/cAQQOmKz4OI

Zander has been exploring with the backstage to Digital Rebar integration, and the conversation that results explains backstage in some fundamental ways and also what it takes to build good developer portals.

You will find in this episode both the broader information about how to do integrations where you have a developer portal as a front end and the key insights about how backstage works.

To get the most out of the backstage pieces, you will definitely want to see the video on Youtube. Take time to enjoy this whole podcast, both in video and audio format.

Transcript: otter.ai/u/xWx-q_ZvK4oX1sDJS09F1BsaZZI
Image:www.pexels.com/photo/wood-fashio…n-people-5650782/

Rob’s Hot Take:

In the Cloud 2030 Podcast episode from January 10th, Rob Hirschfeld discusses the backstage integration, emphasizing the importance of understanding the dynamics involved in building an integration between a developer self-service portal and the systems responsible for a robust deployment experience. Hirschfeld underscores the critical point that while developer interfaces are crucial in platform engineering, they should not be expected to replace production tools like orchestrators, observability platforms, and infrastructure automation components. The episode features a demonstration and code exploration, providing valuable insights into the complexities and considerations of such integrations. For those interested in similar discussions, the Cloud 2030 community welcomes participation at the2030.cloud.

Balancing Architecture and Ease of Use

What is the architectural balance between learning curve, architecture, building things that can scale while acknowledging overhead, and the attitude of just get it done? Don’t make my tools complex and let me be very productive quickly. If it doesn’t scale, then we see this as an ongoing challenge.

Two engineers from RackN led today’s discussion in which we really talked about the balance that we try to achieve at RackN as we design our product, with the understanding that, ultimately, scale really does matter.

If users have trouble understanding how the product works, at first, that learning curve can push people away, so that they never actually get into the product. That’s where finding the right balance is absolutely essential to success.

Transcript: otter.ai/u/DAfKcHVBAiOY5EuReW1krDYsqso
Image: www.pexels.com/photo/anonymous-w…h-outfit-7148032/

Platform Engineering Makes You Angry?

Platform engineering is a topic that seems to be generating a lot of interest going into 2023. It’s sure to be one of those things that enterprises spend a lot of time arguing about and telling each other that they’re doing it wrong.

In this podcast, we dissect why platform engineering seems to be so controversial, and what we can do to help make it more understandable.

We break it down into DevOps components, team components, Dev components, operations components, and ultimately talk about long term trajectories of how all this stuff is going.

Image:www.pexels.com/photo/person-skat…ard-ramp-1527241/
Transcript: otter.ai/u/SAAMNdHZh9lEeHrBxwcWmUxuDhs

Cloud2030DevOpsPlatform EngineeringAutomationCloudInfrastructureIaCSRE

Rob’s Hot Take:

In the December 13th DevOps Lunch and Learn on the Cloud 2030 podcast, Rob Hirschfeld explores the concept of platform engineering emerging from enterprises grappling with the challenges of enabling developers while rationalizing operations. The discussion introduces the idea of operational entropy or infrastructure entropy, emphasizing how platform engineering teams can effectively manage the constant changes, security vulnerabilities, and evolving environments, relieving developers of this burden. By shifting entropy management to a shared and collaborative task, platform engineering teams have the potential to enhance how they function, offering opportunities for improvement across the industry. For those intrigued by these discussions, the full episode is available at the2030.cloud, inviting participation in ongoing conversations.

Kubecon Retrospective

Klaus and I go through what happened at the Kubecon North America event in Detroit. Specifically, lessons learned in watching how the community reacts to new technologies like CRDs, declarative programming, and cluster APIs.

We also discuss the health of the community and the operators and vendors who were involved.

We give our impressions and insight – this conversation deep dives into practical use and futures in Kubernetes.

Transcript: otter.ai/u/8sNj_ZMTbKuJxAhOZhlvLAckWhc
Image: www.pexels.com/photo/elderly-man…e-window-7551662/

Rob’s Hot Take:


In the November 1st DevOps Lunch and Learn, Rob Hirschfeld reflects on the Kubernetes KubeCon retrospective, highlighting the profound impact beyond a platform. The adoption of Custom Resource Definitions (CRD), operators, declarative programming, and GitOps represents a fundamental architectural shift, transforming how applications are built and architected. This shift, witnessed in cloud-native Federation and architectures, marks a significant departure in thinking and process, redefining how systems are addressed and services are communicated. The podcast encourages a broader understanding of the trend, inviting listeners to explore these transformative concepts and join the ongoing discussions at the2030.cloud.

Learning about eBPF Applications

Special guest Bill Mulligan (twitter.com/breakawaybilly/) talks to us about the use cases for BPF and how it works.

We discuss eBPF, the kernel extensions that allow you to write small programs that work inside of kernel space in a safe sandbox way. These have a lot of applications, and they’ve been creating a lot of hype inside of the Kubernetes community as a way to address networking shortfalls.

Our conversation starts broad, but eventually zeros in on eBPF. I know that you will learn a lot about how eBPF can enhance and improve your infrastructure operations environment.

Transcript: otter.ai/u/VhW6tKfPHD0yky63eDneQ3dIScQ
Image: www.pexels.com/photo/cobblestone…-sandpit-8180645/

Are Platform Teams Good?

How do you build effective, productive platform teams? What should their mission be, and what type of tools and dangers do they have? 

We start by questioning if there are such things as platform teams and their roles, as well as how they can go awry in modern organizations. 

At the end, we recognize that they do and can provide a very important role. In this conversation, you will learn the right ways to form a platform.

Transcript: https://otter.ai/u/Kf-Hi9H6bTmhufavGaa1ae9w_R4

Image: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-beside-woman-in-train-1970830/

Rob’s Hot Take:

In the August 23rd DevOps Lunch and Learn, Rob Hirschfeld discusses the evolving concept of platform teams as centers of excellence for corporate governance and controls in IT and operational environments. He notes the current diversity in approaches to solving problems in infrastructure but anticipates a consolidation phase where standardization becomes more prominent. Hirschfeld emphasizes the cyclical nature of IT innovation, suggesting that platform teams will play a crucial role in advocating for standards, processes, and best practices, ultimately contributing to the industry’s progress.

Orchestration Balancing Events And Flows

When working with orchestration in automated systems, how do you find the right balance between things that are event driven and things that are workflow driven, or more linear?

We go through some of the history of where we went from linear orchestration (Ansible) to timed orchestration (Chef or Puppet). We also discussed SaltStack, which had an event driven system into it, but didn’t gain the traction that we might have expected as we look at the amount of orchestration systems that are now coming to light.

In this conversation, we address the balance between when you orchestrate and when you want to do workflow and linear transactions, and how to find that sweet spot.

One of the things that we’ve determined is, there aren’t a lot of tools that hit that sweet spot. And I think if you listen carefully, you’ll see why.

Transcript: otter.ai/u/ynb8KndfUhKsTvQG6965ktepv-Y
Image: www.pexels.com/photo/a-choir-sin…a-flower-7569413/

Rob’s Hot Take:

In the August 16th orchestration discussion on Cloud 2030, Rob Hirschfeld emphasizes the importance of striking a balance between orchestrated systems and event-driven operations. He highlights the challenge of comprehending the consequences of operations in complex systems and emphasizes the need for a blend of orchestration and event-driven approaches while ensuring that automation workflows remain understandable to users. Hirschfeld encourages listeners to explore the full episode at the2030.cloud, where the discussion delves into various tools, techniques, and considerations for building effective systems.