Private Platform as a Service Enables DevOps

Gene Kim, author of The Phoenix Project, discussed how private Platform as a Service (or PaaS) fits into DevOps with Steven Witkop, John Skovron, and Elis Booker in early may. Elis Booker facilitated the discussion with questions about DevOps, dispelling misconceptions about private PaaS, and how to get started with private PaaS. Each panelist contributed a distinct view on the topics to create a multifaceted message about private PaaS.

Gene Kim provided insight into the problem domain by describing the theory of constraints as it applies to DevOps and listing constraints in developing software that should be addressed in sequence:

1. Provisioning of environments/deployment (for which PaaS is a solution)
2. Test Setup, Test Runtime
3. Architecture Changes
4. Development/Product Management

Gene continued with many key insights into measuring the performance of implementing DevOps along with indicators for success.

Steven Witkop, Tooling Chief Architect at HP Enterprise Services, shared that within enterprises each silo often feels they have the best way of doing their work. However, the need for faster delivery of software and significant advancements in technology in the mass consumer space are creating business pressures that are causing enterprises to re-evaluate their processes from the top down. Enterprises are warming up to DevOps and looking to private PaaS as an option to streamlining development and operations.

John Skovron, Sr. Director of Engineering at Tibco, shared what his company is doing to provide a private PaaS offering. He shared that the main parts of their value proposition include:

• Increasing the speed of environment provisioning/deploymnet.
• Integrating with the existing software stacks already in use by customers.

Elis Booker facilitated the panel discussion on behalf of Tibco Silver Fabric. One technical note about the discussion recording is that it appears to have been cut short at just under 24 minutes and the Q/A from the audience of the hangout was not included at all.