keeping things simple is harder than you think
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Keeping Things Simple Is Harder Than You Think. Brad Hannah – Manager, Systems and Storage ITServices - Queen’s University. April 28 th 2014. [email protected] @ whoknewitwas. Overview. Complexity vs. Simplicity Real World Scenarios Scenario 1: Exadata - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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Keeping Things Simple Is Harder Than You Think
Brad Hannah – Manager, Systems and Storage
ITServices - Queen’s UniversityApril 28th 2014
[email protected]@whoknewitwas
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Overview• Complexity vs. Simplicity• Real World Scenarios
• Scenario 1: Exadata• Scenario 2: Automating System Configurations
• What’s Next for ITServices Infrastructure• Strategies to Control Complexity
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Brief DisclaimerExperiences are my own and do not necessary reflect the opinions of others.
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My 2013 Philosophy - KISS
Keep It Simple Stupid!
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Simplicity vs. Complexity
• Increased difficulty to maintain and upgrade
• Causes confusion• More places to look for
performance issues• Customizable• Creative solutions• Adapting to existing
processes• Increased Choice
Complexity can result in: Simplicity can result in:
• Easier upgrades and maintenance
• Faster training• Reduced feature set• Stifled creativity• Lack of customization
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Simple for Whom?
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Real WorldScenarios
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Scenario 1: Improving Database PerformanceRequirements:• Upgrade PeopleSoft hardware and application software
• Solve existing performance concerns amongst technical and non technical people
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Warning: Sales SpeakImminent!
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Our Solution: Exadata• All-in-one Oracle Database Solution • Hardware + Software integrated together• Oracle on Oracle on Oracle…
• Supports high-availability with automated failover• Proprietary storage technology results in fastest
available disk performance
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Wow! It really did…• …improve performance – around 4-10x performance• …force us to adopt best practices, making technical decision-
making easier• …come in one big box already assembled• …offer a single software update for the entire system
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What do you mean it doesn’t…• …support our existing architectures?• …support multi-tenancy the way we had envisioned it?• …support high availability unless we pay for it?• …come in blue?
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How Complex Was It?• DBAs bared
majority of complexity
• A lot of work wasted on troubleshooting performance issues
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How Complex is it Now?• DBAs have
simplified system
• Vendor owns majority of complexity
• Performance issues minimized and more straight forward
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Exadata: Lessons Learned• Simplifying can actually have a heavy upfront cost when
moving from a complex environment
• The lack of choice simplifies decision-making, whether you like it or not
• It’s still complex – for Oracle
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Scenario 2: Automating System ConfigurationsRequirement: • Implement central system management tool to provide
consistent system configurations
• Tried once before and failed
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Warning: More Sales Speak Imminent!
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Our Solution: CFengine
• “CFEngine takes systems from Build to Deploy, Manage and Audit.”
• Provides script-based automation and central configuration
• Highly extensible and customizable
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Wow! It really did…• …allow us full control of all Unix systems• …enforce robust policies that improved security dramatically• …allow us to ensure rapid deployment of password changes
to systems
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What do you mean it doesn’t…• …give us easy-to-follow recipes?• …have a friendly and easy-to-use interface?• …save us time for daily chores? For example
• Provisioning new servers• Software firewall changes
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How Complex Was It?• Systems have lots
of manual steps to remember
• Networks has no visibility into systems
• Security can’t trust systems are configured identically
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How Complex is it Now?• Systems has new
and different complexity
• Security has increased trust with improved toolset
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CFEngine: Lessons Learned• Customization came at cost of simple recipes• Product tester was highly technical, less technical tester would
have benefitted us as well• Complexity of product did not fit our scale, too much time to
perform simple tasks• Lack of time assigned to learning product resulted in reduced
use by Systems team
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What’s Next for ITServices?
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What’s Next: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)• Goal to simplify virtual server deployment for campus
departments and faculties
• Accomplished by providing self service options with heavily automated processes
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IaaS: Reducing Complexity• Departments no longer host own physical hardware• Automating with IaaS offers the following advantages
• Reduce user error• Manage full lifecycle• Templating networking• Simple storage allocation• Virtual hardware resource allocation• Reinforce security practices
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IaaS: Setting a Complexity Goal
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Strategies to Control Complexity
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Automation• Automated processes
cut down on errors and perceived complexity
• When automation breaks, it can be very difficult to fix or troubleshoot
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Complex for the Right People• When complexity cannot be
avoided, make sure the right people take it on
• Factors such as staffing levels, expertise, willingness to learn should be considered
• Consider complexity for smaller population
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Consider Software as a Service (SaaS)• Infrastructure (even virtual)
is minimized if not eliminated
• SaaS often offers less customization and expects you to change existing processes
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Test it, Prove it!• Rely on external sources
to validate whitepaper and sales claims• Gartner, Info-Tech• Colleagues
• Invest the time to test and confirm effort required
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My New Philosophy
Strive for simplicity, but accept complexity will exist somewhere and for someone
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Takeaways• Simplicity is a goal worth striving for• Don’t buy the hype, prove it• Complexity exists, who gets it?• When no one inside the organization can accept the
complexity, consider SaaS or managed services
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Thank you. Any questions?
Brad HannahManager, Systems and StorageITServices, Queen’s University
[email protected]@whoknewitwas