Interfacing infrastructure-as-code with non-expert users
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Jonathan Clarke presents on interfacing infrastructure as code tools with non-expert users. He discusses challenges in getting entire IT teams to adopt these tools due to steep learning curves and lack of motivation. Clarke proposes approaches to make tools easier to use, such as separating configuration from controls and providing ready-made methods and reports. He provides ncf and Rudder as examples of open source tools that aim to simplify use of infrastructure as code for non-experts through layered approaches and web interfaces.
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Interfacing infrastructure-as-code with non-expert users
- 1. Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com Interfacing infrastructure as code with non-expert users Jonathan CLARKE – jcl@normation.com @jooooooon42 (that's 7 'o's)
- 2. 2 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com Who am I? Jonathan Clarke Origins: Sysadmin, infrastructure management Work at Creator of and ncf.io Co-organizer of events:
- 3. 3 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com Automated configuration rocks! Automated configuration rocks! Scalable Manage 1 to > 100000 servers the same way Save time Deploy faster & be more responsive to changes Improve reliability Avoid manual errors, harmonize configurations
- 4. 4 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com Automated configuration rocks! Automated configuration rocks! Scalable Manage 1 to > 100000 servers the same way Save time Deploy faster & be more responsive to changes Improve reliability Avoid manual errors, harmonize configurations The proper way to manage systems
- 5. 5 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com Develop applications and deploy them, manage IT operations, security, etc etc etc ... On automation and sharing “Typical” IT team
- 6. 6 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com A minority of the team will learn a tool and it's language. Let's call them “the experts”. On automation and sharing “Typical” IT team adopts CM
- 7. 7 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com Changes, deployments, new features... all end up requiring <your chosen CM tool>, therefore the “experts”. On automation and sharing What about the others?
- 8. 8 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com They have a choice: learn or get left behind. On automation and sharing What about the others? ? ? ? ?
- 9. 9 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com On automation and sharing Does this look good? ? ? ? ? Are we actually standing in the way of automated configuration by pushing ahead?
- 10. 10 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com On automation and sharing What are we asking users to do? ssh box.company.com rpm -i software.rpm vi /etc/software.conf service software restart BEFORE AFTER (or similar!) and more, and git/svn, etc...
- 11. 11 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com Getting everyone on board? Getting everyone on board for infrastructure as code is hard Frustration “I can do it quicker by hand or with a shell script” Steep learning curve New concepts, non obvious syntaxes, paradigm, ... Lack of motivation “What do I have to gain from using this tool?”
- 12. 12 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com Or as XKCD puts it... Illustration CC BY-NC 2.5 from http://xkcd.com
- 13. 13 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com Example of getting non-experts to use complex stuff Photo CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 from https://www.flickr.com/photos/albaum/
- 14. 14 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com Getting everyone on board? Let's make it easier for everyone to use CM! Frustration “I can do it quicker by hand or with a shell script” Steep learning curve New concepts, non obvious syntaxes, paradigm, ... Lack of motivation “What do I have to gain from using this tool?” → Provide simpler interfaces! → Show the benefits! → Enable quick wins!
- 15. 15 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com Steep learning curve New concepts, non obvious syntaxes, paradigm, ... Approach 1) Separate content and controls 2) Provide access to key parameters without hacking {CFEngine,Puppet,Chef,etc} code
- 16. 16 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com Lack of motivation “What do I have to gain from using this tool?” Approach 1) Show the benefits to all users 2) Provide nice reports showing what works, how many machines are impacted
- 17. 17 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com Frustration “I can do it quicker by hand or with a shell script” Approach 1) Make it easy and quick to achieve success 2) Provide ready-to-use configuration techniques and share in-house ones simply
- 18. 18 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com What should it look like? Idea for IT team and CM stack Abstraction layer Decision level Expert level Define goals Analyse reports Fine tune modules Manage stack Consolidation layer Use available methods Focus on task at hand Main IT level
- 19. 19 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com What should it look like? Idea for IT team and CM stack Abstraction layer Decision level Expert level Define goals Analyse reports Fine tune modules Manage stack Consolidation layer Use available methods Focus on task at hand Main IT level Stuff we're good at
- 20. 20 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com What should it look like? Idea for IT team and CM stack Abstraction layer Decision level Expert level Define goals Analyse reports Fine tune modules Manage stack Consolidation layer Use available methods Focus on task at hand Main IT level Stuff we don't talk about a lot Stuff we're good at
- 21. 21 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com An example An example based on ncf and Rudder ncf.io www.rudder.cm Open source - GPLv3
- 22. 22 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com What is ncf? ncf ncf is a framework that runs in pure CFEngine language, to help structure CFEngine policy and provide reusable, single purpose components distributed under the GPLv3 license.
- 23. 23 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com What should it look like? Idea for IT team and CM stack Abstraction layer Expert level Define goals Analyse reports Fine tune modules Manage stack Consolidation layer Use available methods Focus on task at hand Decision level Main IT level ncf
- 24. 24 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com ncf: A layered approach A layered approach Generic methods Unit tasks: “Copy file”, “Install package”, … Implement the “how”
- 25. 25 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com ncf: A layered approach A layered approach Techniques Use the provided methods, keep focus Supply “data” Generic methods Unit tasks: “Copy file”, “Install package”, … Implement the “how”
- 26. 26 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com ncf: A layered approach A layered approach Generic methods Services Get an overview Benefit from CM Techniques Use the provided methods, keep focus Supply “data” Unit tasks: “Copy file”, “Install package”, … Implement the “how”
- 27. 27 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com What is ncf? Example === 1000 words With ncf:
- 28. 28 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com An even nicer interface Simple web interface – ncf builder
- 29. 29 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com Rudder Rudder Rudder sets up an environment with sane defaults to automate configuration, building on ncf methods without any code and including automatic feedback.
- 30. 30 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com Overview Simplified configuration
- 31. 31 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com Overview Built-in reporting
- 32. 32 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com Overview Built-in reporting
- 34. 34 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com What should it look like? Idea for IT team and CM stack Abstraction layer Expert level Define goals Analyse reports Fine tune modules Manage stack Consolidation layer Use available methods Focus on task at hand ncf Decision level Main IT level R u d d e r
- 35. 35 Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com On automation and sharing Next IT team?
- 36. Normation – CC-BY-SA normation.com Questions? Check it out on: http://www.ncf.io/ Jonathan CLARKE – jcl@normation.com @jooooooon42 (that's 7 'o's) Check it out on: http://rudder.cm/