Git Branching: When Less is More
After years in network engineering and software development environments, I’ve observed a troubling but rarely discussed reality: a significant proportion of...
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git
Github Actions
GitHub Actions are automated tasks that can be triggered directly from a GitHub repository. They are used to automate software development workflows such as ...
Challenges with Gitops
I suggest approaching GitOps with caution, particularly when it comes to branching strategies. GitOps can be a great way to implement infrastructure as code,...
Mono or Multi, who cares
All configuration management that I do is using git. git is both fast and efficient. Different projects that I work on use either a mono-repo approach or a m...
Git - multiple personalities
Using git in both work and home, being able to configure the environment efficiently depending on what I’m doing is critical.
AI
AI Coding Assistants: A Cautionary Perspective on Automation in Development
The rise of AI coding assistants like GitHub Copilot and Cursor marks a significant shift in how software is developed. While these tools undoubtedly offer p...
LLM as Judge: Evaluating Complex Network Intelligence Systems
Modern network management systems increasingly leverage AI to interpret vast telemetry datasets, predict potential failures, and suggest remediation actions....
Function Calling with LLMs: Bridging the Gap Between AI Reasoning and Action
The evolution of Large Language Models (LLMs) has been primarily focused on generating human-like text—answering questions, writing content, and synthesising...
Mastering Prompt Engineering: The New Essential Skill
Prompt engineering has rapidly evolved from an obscure technique to a critical skill in the AI ecosystem. It represents the art and science of crafting input...
Navigating the Landscape of Domain-Specific Language Models: Beyond General-Purpose AI
The evolution of domain-specific language models represents one of the most promising developments in practical AI deployment. While general-purpose models l...
LLM
LLM as Judge: Evaluating Complex Network Intelligence Systems
Modern network management systems increasingly leverage AI to interpret vast telemetry datasets, predict potential failures, and suggest remediation actions....
Function Calling with LLMs: Bridging the Gap Between AI Reasoning and Action
The evolution of Large Language Models (LLMs) has been primarily focused on generating human-like text—answering questions, writing content, and synthesising...
Mastering Prompt Engineering: The New Essential Skill
Prompt engineering has rapidly evolved from an obscure technique to a critical skill in the AI ecosystem. It represents the art and science of crafting input...
Navigating the Landscape of Domain-Specific Language Models: Beyond General-Purpose AI
The evolution of domain-specific language models represents one of the most promising developments in practical AI deployment. While general-purpose models l...
golang
Cookie Cutting - Go project initialisation
Recently I seem to be spending an inordinate amount of time setting up project infrastructure for Go based projects. Looking at options around how I could t...
Load testing NETCONF servers
Gotling is a great HTTP Load test tool. Nothing exists for doing something similar over NETCONF. nc-hammer is a tool that can be used to generate load agai...
net/netconf - Golang NETCONF Library
Mature NETCONF client libraries exist for Python. For Go, the primary library is hosted at https://github.com/Juniper/go-netconf. Although hosted under the...
aws
Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
What Is IaC?
kOps
kubectl for clusters.
Terraform configuration for provisioning a trivial AWS ECS example
I’ve started documenting how terraform works with AWS, with a view to sharing with work colleagues that are unfamiliar with terraform and/or AWS resources.
terraform
Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
What Is IaC?
kOps
kubectl for clusters.
Terraform configuration for provisioning a trivial AWS ECS example
I’ve started documenting how terraform works with AWS, with a view to sharing with work colleagues that are unfamiliar with terraform and/or AWS resources.
netconf
Load testing NETCONF servers
Gotling is a great HTTP Load test tool. Nothing exists for doing something similar over NETCONF. nc-hammer is a tool that can be used to generate load agai...
net/netconf - Golang NETCONF Library
Mature NETCONF client libraries exist for Python. For Go, the primary library is hosted at https://github.com/Juniper/go-netconf. Although hosted under the...
microservices
Quarkus - Supersonic Subatomic Java
Using Java in a Microservice based Architecture is challenging. The JVM is slow to start and consume significant memory at bootstrap. In container based de...
Micro ONOS
µONOS is a code-name for the next generation architecture of ONOS - an open-source SDN control and configuration platform. The µONOS architecture is:
shell
Bootstrapping OSX
To make (re)-initialising a mac easier I’ve scripted a setup bashed on homebrew.
Git - multiple personalities
Using git in both work and home, being able to configure the environment efficiently depending on what I’m doing is critical.
kubernetes
Sealed Secrets
Kubernetes uses a key-value object called a secret, but by default, they are not fully secure. They are kept separate from other data to allow for separate s...
KDE, not a desktop environment
When working with Kubernetes, it is convenient to spin up a local cluster for development purposes. There are a variety of solutions for doing this: Minikube...
devops
Github Actions
GitHub Actions are automated tasks that can be triggered directly from a GitHub repository. They are used to automate software development workflows such as ...
Challenges with Gitops
I suggest approaching GitOps with caution, particularly when it comes to branching strategies. GitOps can be a great way to implement infrastructure as code,...
trends
AI-aided test-first development
There’s a growing interest in leveraging AI tools to aid in code development in the software industry. While many opt to use models like ChatGPT to generate ...
Why Developers Shun ChatGPT Discussions
The emergence of OpenAI’s GPT models, including ChatGPT, has revolutionized the field of Natural Language Processing (NLP) and opened up new possibilities fo...
chatgpt
AI-aided test-first development
There’s a growing interest in leveraging AI tools to aid in code development in the software industry. While many opt to use models like ChatGPT to generate ...
Why Developers Shun ChatGPT Discussions
The emergence of OpenAI’s GPT models, including ChatGPT, has revolutionized the field of Natural Language Processing (NLP) and opened up new possibilities fo...
frontend
Micro Frontends
The idea behind Micro Frontends is to think about a website or web app as a composition of features which are owned by independent teams. Each team has a dis...
reading
I love uncle bob
Anyone that has worked with me for any period of time, knows I love Bob. Bob released a new book last year, only got time recently to work through it. If you...
jvm
Kotlin
I bumped into an old work-colleague, someone who I respect as a great programmer, a JVM nut, and he’s raving about Kotlin and type inference.
load
Load testing NETCONF servers
Gotling is a great HTTP Load test tool. Nothing exists for doing something similar over NETCONF. nc-hammer is a tool that can be used to generate load agai...
onos
Micro ONOS
µONOS is a code-name for the next generation architecture of ONOS - an open-source SDN control and configuration platform. The µONOS architecture is:
centos
USB Bootable CentOS with custom Kickstart
Re-imaging servers for testing purposes is a laborious activity. Anything that can speed this up is a godsend. In a networked environment using a tftp and ...
usb
USB Bootable CentOS with custom Kickstart
Re-imaging servers for testing purposes is a laborious activity. Anything that can speed this up is a godsend. In a networked environment using a tftp and ...
bootable
USB Bootable CentOS with custom Kickstart
Re-imaging servers for testing purposes is a laborious activity. Anything that can speed this up is a godsend. In a networked environment using a tftp and ...
kickstart
USB Bootable CentOS with custom Kickstart
Re-imaging servers for testing purposes is a laborious activity. Anything that can speed this up is a godsend. In a networked environment using a tftp and ...
build
Cookie Cutting - Go project initialisation
Recently I seem to be spending an inordinate amount of time setting up project infrastructure for Go based projects. Looking at options around how I could t...
docs
Doc generation - docusaurus
I’ve been learning a new product in work, as I go along I’ve kept notes on various features / functionality. Over time this has grown into a useful document...
healthbot
Doc generation - docusaurus
I’ve been learning a new product in work, as I go along I’ve kept notes on various features / functionality. Over time this has grown into a useful document...
java
Quarkus - Supersonic Subatomic Java
Using Java in a Microservice based Architecture is challenging. The JVM is slow to start and consume significant memory at bootstrap. In container based de...
osx
Bootstrapping OSX
To make (re)-initialising a mac easier I’ve scripted a setup bashed on homebrew.
k3s
KDE, not a desktop environment
When working with Kubernetes, it is convenient to spin up a local cluster for development purposes. There are a variety of solutions for doing this: Minikube...
ecs
Terraform configuration for provisioning a trivial AWS ECS example
I’ve started documenting how terraform works with AWS, with a view to sharing with work colleagues that are unfamiliar with terraform and/or AWS resources.
pulumi
Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
What Is IaC?
Distroless Images
Distroless Docker images are becoming popular for deployment containers due to their small size and reduced attack surface. These images eliminate the full o...
distroless
Distroless Images
Distroless Docker images are becoming popular for deployment containers due to their small size and reduced attack surface. These images eliminate the full o...
messaging
I Love NATS!
Nats.io is an open-source, cloud-native messaging system that provides high-performance and secure communication between services and applications. It uses t...
nats
I Love NATS!
Nats.io is an open-source, cloud-native messaging system that provides high-performance and secure communication between services and applications. It uses t...
communication structures
Conways Law
Conway’s Law serves as a reminder that effective communication structures are essential to successful software development. The structure of a team can enabl...
product focus
Conways Law
Conway’s Law serves as a reminder that effective communication structures are essential to successful software development. The structure of a team can enabl...
BDD
BDD in the Cloud
``` Scenario: User can scale a cloud native application horizontally
Cloud Native
BDD in the Cloud
``` Scenario: User can scale a cloud native application horizontally
Kubernetes
Repurposing the Operator
The use of the Kubernetes Operator pattern for purposes other than managing applications deployed on a cluster can be seen as a useful solution:
bill of materials
SBOMs
In May 2021, the U.S. White House issued its Executive Order on Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity and it has the potential to revolutionize software devel...
secrets
Sealed Secrets
Kubernetes uses a key-value object called a secret, but by default, they are not fully secure. They are kept separate from other data to allow for separate s...
automation
Automated Code Reviews
Automated code review tools are a game changer for software development. By integrating these tools into the merge request process, developers can receive re...
event
Event Sourcing
As a software developer, I have a strong opinion on Event Sourcing as a software design pattern and architectural style. Event Sourcing is a unique and innov...
eda
Event Sourcing
As a software developer, I have a strong opinion on Event Sourcing as a software design pattern and architectural style. Event Sourcing is a unique and innov...
tdd
AI-aided test-first development
There’s a growing interest in leveraging AI tools to aid in code development in the software industry. While many opt to use models like ChatGPT to generate ...
apis
Enhancing API Adoption
One of the significant challenges in the development of APIs is capturing and conveying their business value effectively.
Domain-Specific Models
Navigating the Landscape of Domain-Specific Language Models: Beyond General-Purpose AI
The evolution of domain-specific language models represents one of the most promising developments in practical AI deployment. While general-purpose models l...
Engineering
Mastering Prompt Engineering: The New Essential Skill
Prompt engineering has rapidly evolved from an obscure technique to a critical skill in the AI ecosystem. It represents the art and science of crafting input...
DevOps
The 1% Canary: Minimising Risk in Progressive Delivery
Progressive delivery has become a cornerstone of modern software deployment, but traditional canary releases often involve too much risk too quickly. Enter t...
Release Strategy
The 1% Canary: Minimising Risk in Progressive Delivery
Progressive delivery has become a cornerstone of modern software deployment, but traditional canary releases often involve too much risk too quickly. Enter t...
Observability
The 1% Canary: Minimising Risk in Progressive Delivery
Progressive delivery has become a cornerstone of modern software deployment, but traditional canary releases often involve too much risk too quickly. Enter t...
Domain-Driven Design
Domain Storytelling: A Collaborative Approach to Domain-Driven Design
Domain-Driven Design (DDD) has transformed how we build software by ensuring our technical implementations reflect the nuances of business domains. Yet while...
Software Architecture
Domain Storytelling: A Collaborative Approach to Domain-Driven Design
Domain-Driven Design (DDD) has transformed how we build software by ensuring our technical implementations reflect the nuances of business domains. Yet while...
Collaborative Design
Domain Storytelling: A Collaborative Approach to Domain-Driven Design
Domain-Driven Design (DDD) has transformed how we build software by ensuring our technical implementations reflect the nuances of business domains. Yet while...
Function Calling
Function Calling with LLMs: Bridging the Gap Between AI Reasoning and Action
The evolution of Large Language Models (LLMs) has been primarily focused on generating human-like text—answering questions, writing content, and synthesising...
System Integration
Function Calling with LLMs: Bridging the Gap Between AI Reasoning and Action
The evolution of Large Language Models (LLMs) has been primarily focused on generating human-like text—answering questions, writing content, and synthesising...
Network Intelligence
LLM as Judge: Evaluating Complex Network Intelligence Systems
Modern network management systems increasingly leverage AI to interpret vast telemetry datasets, predict potential failures, and suggest remediation actions....
Quality Assurance
LLM as Judge: Evaluating Complex Network Intelligence Systems
Modern network management systems increasingly leverage AI to interpret vast telemetry datasets, predict potential failures, and suggest remediation actions....
Golang
Go vs Python: A Network Engineer’s Perspective
After years of championing Go for network automation and infrastructure projects, I’ve recently dipped my toes into Python. While Python’s ubiquity in the ne...
Python
Go vs Python: A Network Engineer’s Perspective
After years of championing Go for network automation and infrastructure projects, I’ve recently dipped my toes into Python. While Python’s ubiquity in the ne...
Programming Languages
Go vs Python: A Network Engineer’s Perspective
After years of championing Go for network automation and infrastructure projects, I’ve recently dipped my toes into Python. While Python’s ubiquity in the ne...
Network Automation
Go vs Python: A Network Engineer’s Perspective
After years of championing Go for network automation and infrastructure projects, I’ve recently dipped my toes into Python. While Python’s ubiquity in the ne...
version control
Git Branching: When Less is More
After years in network engineering and software development environments, I’ve observed a troubling but rarely discussed reality: a significant proportion of...
development process
Git Branching: When Less is More
After years in network engineering and software development environments, I’ve observed a troubling but rarely discussed reality: a significant proportion of...
Software Development
AI Coding Assistants: A Cautionary Perspective on Automation in Development
The rise of AI coding assistants like GitHub Copilot and Cursor marks a significant shift in how software is developed. While these tools undoubtedly offer p...
Code Quality
AI Coding Assistants: A Cautionary Perspective on Automation in Development
The rise of AI coding assistants like GitHub Copilot and Cursor marks a significant shift in how software is developed. While these tools undoubtedly offer p...
observability
Beyond Tracing: Why Logging Remains Essential in Modern Observability
The rise of distributed tracing has fundamentally changed how we understand application behaviour in complex systems. With platforms like Datadog offering so...
logging
Beyond Tracing: Why Logging Remains Essential in Modern Observability
The rise of distributed tracing has fundamentally changed how we understand application behaviour in complex systems. With platforms like Datadog offering so...
tracing
Beyond Tracing: Why Logging Remains Essential in Modern Observability
The rise of distributed tracing has fundamentally changed how we understand application behaviour in complex systems. With platforms like Datadog offering so...
monitoring
Beyond Tracing: Why Logging Remains Essential in Modern Observability
The rise of distributed tracing has fundamentally changed how we understand application behaviour in complex systems. With platforms like Datadog offering so...
datadog
Beyond Tracing: Why Logging Remains Essential in Modern Observability
The rise of distributed tracing has fundamentally changed how we understand application behaviour in complex systems. With platforms like Datadog offering so...
innovation
Can Innovation Truly Happen in Large Companies?
The conventional wisdom suggests that true innovation belongs to the domain of nimble startups and small companies. Large organisations, with their bureaucra...
corporate culture
Can Innovation Truly Happen in Large Companies?
The conventional wisdom suggests that true innovation belongs to the domain of nimble startups and small companies. Large organisations, with their bureaucra...
organisational structure
Can Innovation Truly Happen in Large Companies?
The conventional wisdom suggests that true innovation belongs to the domain of nimble startups and small companies. Large organisations, with their bureaucra...
digital transformation
Can Innovation Truly Happen in Large Companies?
The conventional wisdom suggests that true innovation belongs to the domain of nimble startups and small companies. Large organisations, with their bureaucra...
artificial intelligence
Generative AI: The Quiet Revolution in Network Automation
Networking has always been a domain where automation arrives fashionably late to the party. While software developers have enjoyed increasingly sophisticated...
network automation
Generative AI: The Quiet Revolution in Network Automation
Networking has always been a domain where automation arrives fashionably late to the party. While software developers have enjoyed increasingly sophisticated...
NetDevOps
Generative AI: The Quiet Revolution in Network Automation
Networking has always been a domain where automation arrives fashionably late to the party. While software developers have enjoyed increasingly sophisticated...
generative AI
Generative AI: The Quiet Revolution in Network Automation
Networking has always been a domain where automation arrives fashionably late to the party. While software developers have enjoyed increasingly sophisticated...
future of networking
Generative AI: The Quiet Revolution in Network Automation
Networking has always been a domain where automation arrives fashionably late to the party. While software developers have enjoyed increasingly sophisticated...
remote work
The Invisible Deficit: How Remote Work is Undermining the Development of Junior Engineers
The post-pandemic embrace of remote work has fundamentally altered the landscape of professional environments across industries. While the flexibility and wo...
engineering
The Invisible Deficit: How Remote Work is Undermining the Development of Junior Engineers
The post-pandemic embrace of remote work has fundamentally altered the landscape of professional environments across industries. While the flexibility and wo...
professional development
The Invisible Deficit: How Remote Work is Undermining the Development of Junior Engineers
The post-pandemic embrace of remote work has fundamentally altered the landscape of professional environments across industries. While the flexibility and wo...
mentoring
The Invisible Deficit: How Remote Work is Undermining the Development of Junior Engineers
The post-pandemic embrace of remote work has fundamentally altered the landscape of professional environments across industries. While the flexibility and wo...
workplace culture
The Invisible Deficit: How Remote Work is Undermining the Development of Junior Engineers
The post-pandemic embrace of remote work has fundamentally altered the landscape of professional environments across industries. While the flexibility and wo...
software development
The Hidden Tax of Frameworks: Less is More in Software Development
Early in my career, I viewed frameworks as magical solutions to complex problems—drop in a dependency, import a few packages, and suddenly you have authentic...
frameworks
The Hidden Tax of Frameworks: Less is More in Software Development
Early in my career, I viewed frameworks as magical solutions to complex problems—drop in a dependency, import a few packages, and suddenly you have authentic...
technical debt
The Hidden Tax of Frameworks: Less is More in Software Development
Early in my career, I viewed frameworks as magical solutions to complex problems—drop in a dependency, import a few packages, and suddenly you have authentic...
engineering practices
The Hidden Tax of Frameworks: Less is More in Software Development
Early in my career, I viewed frameworks as magical solutions to complex problems—drop in a dependency, import a few packages, and suddenly you have authentic...