Keeping Things Simple Is Harder Than You Think

1. Keeping Things Simple Is Harder Than You Think Brad Hannah – Manager, Systems and Storage ITServices - Queen’s University April 28th 2014 hannahb@queensu.ca @whoknewitwas

2. 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

3. Brief Disclaimer Experiences are my own and do not necessary reflect the opinions of others.

4. My 2013 Philosophy - KISS Keep It Simple Stupid!

5. 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

6. Simple for Whom?

7. Real World Scenarios

8. Scenario 1: Improving Database Performance Requirements: Upgrade PeopleSoft hardware and application software Solve existing performance concerns amongst technical and non technical people

9. Warning: Sales Speak Imminent!

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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?

13. How Complex Was It? • DBAs bared majority of complexity • A lot of work wasted on troubleshooting performance issues

14. How Complex is it Now? DBAs have simplified system Vendor owns majority of complexity Performance issues minimized and more straight forward

15. 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

16. Scenario 2: Automating System Configurations Requirement: Implement central system management tool to provide consistent system configurations Tried once before and failed

17. Warning: More Sales Speak Imminent!

18. Our Solution: CFengine • “CFEngine takes systems from Build to Deploy, Manage and Audit.” • Provides script-based automation and central configuration • Highly extensible and customizable

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. How Complex is it Now? Systems has new and different complexity Security has increased trust with improved toolset

23. 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

24. What’s Next for ITServices?

25. 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

26. 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

27. IaaS: Setting a Complexity Goal

28. Strategies to Control Complexity

29. Automation Automated processes cut down on errors and perceived complexity When automation breaks, it can be very difficult to fix or troubleshoot

30. 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

31. 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

32. 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

33. My New Philosophy Strive for simplicity, but accept complexity will exist somewhere and for someone

34. 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

35. Thank you. Any questions? Brad Hannah Manager, Systems and Storage ITServices, Queen’s University hannahb@queensu.ca @whoknewitwas