June 2019 Summaries

At AWS re:Inforce in Boston, AWS showcased its Security Hub service, which provides SecOps teams with a consolidated view of security alerts and compliance status across AWS accounts. PagerDuty, a partner at the event, demonstrated how its platform integrates with AWS Security Hub to enhance real-time SecOps by converting security signals into actionable insights. This integration allows teams to automate threat responses and manage compliance more effectively by leveraging data from AWS services like Amazon GuardDuty and third-party security tools. The collaboration between PagerDuty and AWS Security Hub is particularly beneficial for organizations undergoing cloud migrations, as it helps maintain a robust security posture by filtering critical alerts from a flood of event data. Custom actions can be set up within Security Hub to automatically notify teams via PagerDuty, enhancing the speed and efficiency of incident responses. The partnership aims to address the complexities of security compliance and real-time operations, offering workshops and resources for users to explore these integrations further.

Transitioning to DevOps is a complex process that requires more than just adopting tools; it involves cultivating the right mindset and culture within an organization. While tools such as Slack can facilitate collaboration and automation, they are not sufficient to create a successful DevOps environment without buy-in from the team and a clear understanding of their purpose. The key to a successful DevOps transition is focusing on long-term goals and outcomes, akin to how Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps pursued enduring success beyond individual victories. Organizations must define their core values, articulate the need for change, and foster communication and collaboration to break down silos and empower employees. By starting with small changes and gradually building on successes, internal champions will emerge, facilitating a broader cultural shift. Ultimately, DevOps is not a product to be purchased, but a comprehensive methodology and mindset aimed at enhancing efficiency and delivering better software faster.

PagerDuty Summit19, held from September 23–25 at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco's Union Square, is an event where the PagerDuty community gathers to discuss industry best practices and real-time operations while celebrating their customers, partners, and users. The summit features an impressive lineup of keynote speakers, including Chris Bertish, an adventurer and philanthropist who crossed the Atlantic Ocean on a stand-up paddleboard, Jan Eißfeldt from the Wikimedia Foundation, NBA player and tech investor Andre Iguodala, and Jeff Lawson, CEO of Twilio. Each speaker brings unique expertise, from Bertish's motivational achievements and Eißfeldt's contributions to Wikipedia, to Iguodala's advocacy for athlete investment in technology and Lawson's innovations in customer experience through technology. Summit19 also promises additional speakers who will share best practices and insights across various topics, offering attendees the opportunity to engage with timely and relevant discussions in the field.

PagerDuty has provided a recorded incident call based on a real incident from January 2017 to offer practical insights into their incident response process. This recording, simplified to 26 minutes from the original 79, showcases the roles and interactions during a major incident, including the Incident Commander, Scribe, Deputy, and Communications Liaison. It highlights the complexity of real-world incidents, such as cross-functional collaboration and problem diagnosis. The reenactment focuses on key actions like paging responders and managing communications, offering a tangible example of how abstract principles from the Incident Response guide are applied in practice. Although this recording supplements the guide, it is not a replacement, and users are encouraged to review the guide in detail to understand the full scope of incident response practices.

PagerDuty has announced a series of updates and new features aimed at enhancing real-time work capabilities and integration flexibility for teams operating across various devices and platforms. These updates include enhanced mobile capabilities for iOS, with functionalities such as improved team management, on-call shift scheduling, and incident response features. Android users will also see updates, including the ability to manage incident subscribers and view status updates. New integrations with tools like Cloudability and Demisto, as well as an upcoming integration with Salesforce Service Cloud, aim to improve visibility and coordination across FinOps, SecOps, and customer service teams. The platform also introduces features like Contextual Search and a User Session Management API to facilitate easier navigation and security management. Additionally, the Visibility Console has been upgraded to provide real-time updates, enhancing the monitoring of technical incidents. These enhancements are designed to streamline operations, optimize resource management, and improve response times in critical situations.

Real-time operations, as described by PagerDuty, involve acknowledging, communicating, resolving, and learning from impactful events in real time, a concept the author humorously relates to the experience of childbirth. Recounting his own experience with preparing for the birth of his third child, the author details the unexpected challenge posed by false contractions shortly after relocating to a new area, which prompted him to utilize PagerDuty, the incident response software he sells, to automate and streamline the logistics of childbirth. By setting up a tailored PagerDuty instance named LaborDuty, he created a system to alert based on medical urgency, escalate responses if he was unavailable, update family and friends, and arrange childcare, all initiated by his wife through a simple phone call. Although the system was ultimately unused as the birth went smoothly, the author shares this innovative application of PagerDuty to offer peace of mind and practical solutions for expectant parents facing unpredictable timing during labor.

Code for America, a nonprofit founded in 2009, is dedicated to reforming government services to be simple, accessible, and effective for all Americans, particularly focusing on vulnerable populations. Initially, the organization operated through a fellowship model where small teams of developers collaborated with city governments to address community issues. However, realizing the need for broader impact, Code for America transitioned to creating full-time teams to manage digital services, ensuring long-term support for government agencies and communities. Key initiatives include Clear My Record, which automates the complicated process of criminal record clearance, and GetCalFresh, which streamlines access to California's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). GetCalFresh has significantly reduced application times and expanded its reach to all 58 counties in California, helping nearly a million people apply for SNAP benefits. As California reverses the SSI Cash-Out policy, Code for America anticipates an influx of new applicants and relies on tools like PagerDuty to maintain the platform's reliability. Through these efforts, Code for America is transforming government services to be more efficient and user-friendly, empowering vulnerable populations with the knowledge and tools they need to navigate public programs.

The financial services industry is undergoing significant transformation due to rapid technological advancements and the rise of fintech disruptors, which are reshaping traditional models across banking, payments, lending, insurance, and trading by offering more consumer-centric, digital-first solutions. Consumers demand seamless omni-channel experiences and quick, secure transactions, prompting financial institutions to innovate rapidly and shift towards customer-centric approaches, as highlighted by a McKinsey report and Accenture survey. The growth of fintech companies, facilitated by initiatives like Open Banking, poses a threat to traditional financial services firms, with predictions that standalone fintechs could claim a substantial portion of their revenue. These companies are increasingly adopting cloud and hybrid operations to stay competitive, but they face challenges from legacy systems, compliance with evolving regulations, and escalating cybersecurity risks. Financial firms are particularly susceptible to cyberattacks, experiencing them far more frequently than other industries, which underscores the importance of leveraging automation to enhance efficiency, security, and compliance. As financial services strive to adapt, the importance of digital transformation is emphasized, with the need for tools and solutions to deliver the mobile-first experiences that modern consumers demand.

The blog post by Lisa Yang guides readers through the intricacies of integrating PagerDuty with ServiceNow, posing the question of which should be prioritized in an organization's workflow. It explores the bidirectional integration between the two platforms, which allows for automatic synchronization of incidents and enhanced incident response capabilities. Readers are encouraged to consider their organization's needs and workflows when deciding on the configuration, as there are numerous ways to implement the integration. The article emphasizes the importance of understanding the features of each platform to reduce notification noise and improve incident management, ultimately allowing for a tailored approach based on specific business requirements.