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Article Series: Configuration Management Tools

Configuration management is the foundation that makes modern infrastructure possible. Tools that enable configuration management are required in the toolbox of any operations team, and many development teams as well. Although all the tools aim to solve the same basic set of problems, they adhere to different visions and exhibit different characteristics.

João Miranda
on Jun 27, 2014
CFEngine's Decentralized Approach to Configuration Management

Mark Burgess and Diego Zamboni introduce CFEngine. They describe the challenges regarding web scale - scale, complexity and knowledge - and how CFEngine helps to tackle those challenges with a fundamentally decentralized and knowledge-oriented approach. An example demonstrates how those ideas translate into practice.

Diego Zamboni Mark Burgess
on Jun 24, 2014
Agile Architecture Applied

Agile is adaptive. When and how to apply architecture depends on the context. This article first explains why this is the case and then how you can still give proper attention to architecture in an agile setting. Adaptability and conversation are the essentials.

Minze Tolsma Wim Heemskerk
on Jun 23, 2014
The Top Automation Tools for Public Cloud at Scale

As more organizations expand their use of public cloud services, from early-stage startups to the biggest businesses and governments in the world, the problems of cloud computing at scale start to arise.

Andi Mann
on Jun 21, 2014
Q&A and Book Review of Scrum For The Rest of Us

Can you use Scrum outside software development? Brian Rabon wrote the book Scrum for the rest of us, a distilled guide that describes the essence of Scrum. This book explains Scrum without using information technology jargon which makes it suitable for all kinds of teams that want to use the Scrum method for managing their projects.

Ben Linders
on Jun 20, 2014
Book Review and Q&A of Strength-based Lean Six Sigma

The book Strength-based Lean Six Sigma: Building Positive and Engaging Business Improvement by David Shaked supports applying strength-based change approaches with lean thinking and Six Sigma. InfoQ interviewed David about applying strength-based techniques like appreciative inquiry, solution focused, positive deviance and 5-why's with Lean Six Sigma, and measuring performance in organizations.

Ben Linders
on Jun 16, 2014
The Agile Organisation: Are You Ready for Revolution?

In recent years there have been many attempts to offer the benefits of Agile to the whole organisation – not just development teams. Here, Helen Walton argues that becoming an Agile Organisation requires a radical revolution. The benefits are considerable, but few companies are truly prepared to take the plunge and instead focus on products and processes that ultimately disappoint.

Helen Walton
on Jun 14, 2014
Video Lesson Introducing Scrum and Agile

The video lesson Scrum fundamentals by Tommy Norman is a downloadable training which gives an introduction to agile software development using Scrum. InfoQ interviewed Tommy about why he made this introduction training, the roles, artifacts and events of Scrum, User Stories and collaboration in teams, and on-line resources where people can learn more about agile.

Ben Linders
on Jun 09, 2014
Purely Functional Configuration Management with Nix and NixOS

This article gives a short introduction to NixOS, a Linux distribution, and to Nix, the package manager on which NixOS is based. These provide a declarative approach to configuration management with many advantages to users, such as strong reproducibility and atomic upgrades and rollbacks.

Eelco Dolstra
on Jun 08, 2014
The Original Sin of Software Metrics

This article argues it is inherently wrong to set up software metrics to try and 'improve' the software development process. Using a fictitious scenario, this article explains the reasons why it is wrong, the damages it may cause, and offers some alternatives for managing software development.

Chen Ping
on Jun 05, 2014
Using SEMAT in Agile Adoption

The article Agile and SEMAT-Perfect Partners describes what the Software Engineering Method and Theory (SEMAT) initiative adds to agile and how SEMAT can be used when organizations adopt agile. InfoQ interviewed Ivan Jacobson and Ian Spence about what SEMAT is and how agile teams can use it, and on combining Essence from SEMAT with other software engineering frameworks like SAFe, CMMI, etc.

Ben Linders
on Jun 03, 2014
Ansible’s View on IT Automation

Michael DeHaan, creator of Ansible, introduces the general-purpose IT automation system. He describes the tool’s guiding principles: simplicity, ease of use and maximum security. The philosophy behind its community is also discussed, including the importance of Ansible’s plugin-based model. Michael uses a simple but common scenario to demonstrate Ansible.

Michael DeHaan
on May 31, 2014

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