May 2022 Summaries

In a lively episode of the "Break Things on Purpose" podcast, hosts Julie and Jason engage with Michael Chenetz, Cisco's head of developer content and community, to explore an array of topics including insights from KubeCon, the power of kindness, and the innovative use of Legos in conveying technological concepts. They discuss the significance of live conferences, managing COVID-19 protocols, and the challenges of fostering new concept adoption within organizations. Michael shares his experiences of recording podcasts at KubeCon, highlighting the buzz around technologies like eBPF, OpenTelemetry, and the need for simplification in the Kubernetes ecosystem. The conversation also touches on the importance of creativity in tech, with Michael expressing his passion for blending art and technology, exemplified through his work with electric guitar pickups and the potential for live-coded music events. The podcast emphasizes the value of community, kindness, and the continuous learning and adaptation necessary in the tech industry.

Dan Isla, VP of Product at itopia, shares insights on reliability in space travel and cloud computing during a podcast episode. Reflecting on his career trajectory, which includes time at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab and Google, Dan emphasizes the importance of reliability in space missions, illustrated by his experiences with the Mars rover Curiosity, where precision and risk management were crucial. He discusses his transition to Google, where he learned about modernizing systems with cloud technology and later developed Selkies, an open-source solution for remote productivity. Now at itopia, he continues to innovate in remote developer environments, leveraging his expertise in cloud solutions. The podcast also touches on the challenges of maintaining open-source projects, the intricacies of time zones on Mars, and the unique demands of space exploration on engineering precision.

Gremlin's GameDay is a structured practice designed to enhance system reliability by deliberately creating and analyzing failures in a controlled environment. Conducted at least once a month, these events involve the entire company to foster diversity in perspectives and insights. The process is divided into three phases: preparing through a PreGame, executing through a GameDay, and learning through findings. During the PreGame, a detailed template is filled out, and scenarios are planned, while the execution phase involves virtual collaboration where scenarios are run, and system behaviors are monitored. Post-scenario discussions and documentation in Jira help in resolving issues and refining processes. This methodical approach allows Gremlin to continuously test assumptions, validate past fixes, and ensure their systems are resilient, ultimately aiming for a more reliable internet.

Natalie Conklin, the Head of Engineering at Gremlin, discusses her approach to embracing change and improving system reliability in her appearance on the "Break Things on Purpose" podcast. Conklin highlights the importance of taking calculated risks, fostering cultural change in engineering teams, and encouraging effective communication across teams to build more reliable systems. Drawing from her experience, including a transformative stint in India where she guided a team from waterfall to Agile and DevOps practices, she emphasizes the necessity of personalizing change management to address individual concerns and mitigate resistance. Conklin also shares insights on the significance of automation in enhancing speed and confidence within engineering teams, as well as the value of involving junior engineers for fresh perspectives. Her approach involves balancing standardization with flexibility to ensure efficiency without stifling innovation. Conklin’s keynote at DevOpsDays Boise, titled "Embrace Change Fearlessly," reflects her commitment to empowering engineers to navigate change with confidence and adaptability.