Episode 17: Pouring Kubernetes on things with reckless abandon

DevOps as a service describes what Reactive Ops is trying to do, who it’s trying to help, and what problems it’s trying to solve. It’s passion to deliver service where human beings help other human beings is done through a group of engineers who are extremely good at solving problems.

Sarah Zelechoski is the vice president of engineering at Reactive Ops, which defines the world’s problems and solves them by pouring Kubernetes on top of them. The team focuses on providing expert-level guidance and a curated framework using Kubernetes and other open source tools. Sarah's greatest passion is helping others, which encompasses advocating for engineers and rekindling interest in the lost art of service in the tech space.

Some of the highlights of the show include:

• Kubernetes is changing the way people work; it offers a way to release a product, provide access to it, and behaviors when you deploy it

• Any person/business can use Kubernetes to mold their workflow

• Kubernetes is complex and has sharp edges; it has only recently become productive because of its community finding and reporting issues

• Business value of deploying Kubernetes to a new environment: Flexibility and uniform system of management; and it can provide a context shift

• Implementation Challenges with Workshops/Tutorials: Valuable entry level strategy for people learning Kubernetes; but the translation is not easy

• About 85% of the work Reactive Ops does is helping its customers get on to Kubernetes is spent on application architecture

• If thinking about moving to Kubernetes, how well will your current applications translate? Do you want to start over from scratch?

• Value in paying someone to do something for you

• Using Defaults: Try initially until you realize what you need; Kubernetes gives you options, but it’s a challenging path to go from defaults to advanced

• Deploying a workload between all major Cloud providers is possible, but there are challenges in managing multiple regions or locations

• Cluster Ops: Managed Kubernetes clusters where Reactive Ops stays on the map, watches them, and puts them on pager, so you can continue your work without having to worry

Links:

• Sarah Zelechoski on Twitter

• Reactive Ops

• Kubernetes

• GKE from GCB

• AKS from Azure

• EKS from AWS

• Kops

• Terraform

• Slack