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55 lines
2.6 KiB
Markdown
55 lines
2.6 KiB
Markdown
# The automation paradox
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The point of automation is to reduce the manual workload.<br/>
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Its goals include also maintaining the consistency and reliability of infrastructure and processes.
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The issue:
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- For every automation one puts in place, a _system_ is created.<br/>
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Said system is either the automation itself or the set of tools used to create it.
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- Any system needs proper configuration and maintenance.
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- No matter how, one always ends up relying on systems to maintain other systems.<br/>
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Re-read the first point in this list to remember why.
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- Complex systems trend toward being _brittle_ and _expensive_.<br/>
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This point is especially true when using imperative runbooks.<br/>
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Google [_Software crisis_][software crisis] for more info.
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- The need to manage complexity gave birth to a whole cottage industry.<br/>
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This includes tools and specific job titles (i.e. _DevOps_, _SRE_).
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- The tools used to implement one's system need to be consistent and reliable.<br/>
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Should they not be, their issues defeat the whole purpose of the automation.
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Possible solutions:
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- Move from imperative to declarative (desired state) where one can.<br/>
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Check out [the _GitOps_ approach][gitops].
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- Apply the KISS approach where possible.<br/>
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Make it so that is simple to maintain, not necessarily simple for the sake of simplicity.<br/>
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Check out [KISS principle is not that simple].
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- Focus on the tools that most allow one to simplify the automation.<br/>
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Dependent on the final goals.
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- Limit abstractions.<br/>
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Check out [We have used too many levels of abstractions and now the future looks bleak] and [Why the fuck are we templating yaml?].
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## Sources
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- Personal experience
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- [Automating your source of truth - GitOps and Terraform]
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- [Software crisis]
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- [We have used too many levels of abstractions and now the future looks bleak]
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- [Why the fuck are we templating yaml?] by Lee Briggs
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- [KISS principle is not that simple] by William Artero
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<!--
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References
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<!-- Knowledge base -->
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[gitops]: gitops.md
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[automating your source of truth - gitops and terraform]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K8R1OVXPy0
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[kiss principle is not that simple]: https://artero.dev/posts/kiss-principle-is-not-that-simple/
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[software crisis]: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/software-engineering-software-crisis/
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[we have used too many levels of abstractions and now the future looks bleak]: https://unixsheikh.com/articles/we-have-used-too-many-levels-of-abstractions-and-now-the-future-looks-bleak.html
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[why the fuck are we templating yaml?]: https://leebriggs.co.uk/blog/2019/02/07/why-are-we-templating-yaml.html
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