Latest from Peter
You’re Not Doing DevOps if You Can’t Pull the Cord
There are many concepts in Lean manufacturing that have applicability with software development “factories.” One example is the Andon Cord. The Andon Cord concept involves using signals and alerts to indicate that a station on the assembly line has a problem. Alarms are activated manually by workers pulling a physical cord or automatically by the […]
Nov 7, 2016 · 3 minAll articles by Peter Waterhouse
Showing 1–155 DevOps Techniques to Improve Software Hygiene
Thinking about frequent food contamination outbreaks, perhaps the old adage, “You are what you eat,” should be modified to, “You are what you eat—as assembled across an unknown supply chain.” Even foods advertised as fresh and healthy can be quite the opposite. And it could be because of just a single unhygienic practice hidden within […]
Taking Stock of DevOps: Where to from Here?
Have you noticed how every technology trend goes through a series of stages on the path to mainstream adoption? First comes doubt and denial, then tacit acceptance and finally acknowledgement that it works fine after all. The DevOps movement is no different. First came questions about what DevOps actually is and its usefulness in an […]
Using DevOps to Avoid Architecting Application Slums
The U.K. high-rise tower blocks and built circa 1950-1980 were heralded as architectural wonders—large concrete towers easily housing the same population as the smaller houses they replaced. With large rooms, excellent views and surrounding open spaces, they initially were popular residences—low cost and futuristic. But looking futuristically sometimes has a habit of coming back to […]
Why NoOps is a DevOps disaster waiting to happen
Ever since the first hunks of Big Iron hit the streets, we’ve been struggling (and failing) to keep up with the demand for software applications. Now it’s getting harder. Not only do we have to satisfy an insatiable appetite for new apps and services, but the nature of the business palate is changing. Business now […]
4 DevOps strategies to stop your application having sand kicked in its face
While recently thumbing through some old comic books, I got a laugh from all the quirky advertisements. Fantastic promotions of awesome gadgets – like x-ray specs and radio wrist watches. Each designed to extract a gullible kid’s hard earned allowance. Of course they were all too good to be true and probably left many kids […]
5 Tips for Building a Winning DevOps Culture
Despite our cognitive prowess, humans are just like other animal in the food chain. We follow patterns of behavior based on survival. If food is safe to eat today, we’ll eat it tomorrow. If we can navigate a road without getting hurt, we’ll do it again and again. This explains why change is so hard. […]
Building a Winning Software “A-Team” with DevOps
The 1980’s TV show The A-team was brilliant. Four ex-commandos with special skills who help the oppressed. Throw in some over-the-top violence where no-one gets hurt, together with some tech wizardry where the team magically create weapons out of old spare parts. Add a catchy theme tune – and voila – classic viewing. In many […]
DevOps and legacy system lessons from dwarf planet Pluto
If you’re a bit of a space geek like me, then maybe you’re one of the 243 thousand plus followers of #NASANewHorizons; diligently monitoring deep space twitter sphere for the latest news and pictures from dwarf planet Pluto. The success of the New Horizons project is incredible – especially when you consider it’s all been […]
DevOps Empathicus – Where is your organization on the evolutionary scale?
Ok, I admit it – I sometimes cry when watching sad movies or as real-life events play out in the news. I put myself in the position of other people, sharing their joy and pain. This got me thinking about change-based initiatives like DevOps and what benefits organizations can realize when IT staff have the […]
The Whole Nine Yards with DevOps and Agile Operations
Growing up as a boy in Manchester, UK, football (ok, soccer to US readers) was everything to me. I vividly remember being herded into the stadium stands on cold rainy Saturday afternoons to watch my team (#MCFC) win, draw or lose. Back then, football was for the die-hards – no frills or fancy tech, just […]
The Heavy Cost and Burden of Shrink Wrapped DevOps
I’ve worked in the enterprise software game for quite a few decades now and for most part it’s been a good gig. Ok, there’ve been a few road bumps that beset anyone working in this oh so fickle and volatile business, but what really keeps me motoring isn’t the software at all – it’s the […]
Can your DevOps and APM Initiatives Increase Customer Loyalty?
I’ve reached a point where I can rate most services based on the quality of my digital interactions. So much so in fact, that any human interjection into my daily digital consciousness has become, well, almost quirky. It was with some surprise that after a prolonged period of digital engagement with my bank, I received […]
Digital Transformation with Agile and DevOps – Something “Wicked” This Way Comes
Our world is full of wicked problems, like climate change, urban planning and social injustice. They’re called wicked because they’re hard to recognize, define and solve. Furthermore, complex interdependencies mean solving one aspect will just expose or create other problems. Today’s digital transformation imperatives are creating wicked problems for IT. So wicked in fact, they […]
Is Your DevOps Team Ready For The Real World?
Ten years ago I had the biggest cultural shock of my career. It wasn’t witnessing poor collaboration across IT development and operations or whatever tech fiefdom you care to mention. Nope, these were minor issues compared to those facing me on a really interesting project – integrating Industrial control systems with IT management. Working with […]