“How Long Is A Piece Of String?”: All The Ways New Puppet Training Simplifies Complexity Pulling The Strings podcast

35:12

After several decades of use, should we consider open source software (OSS) a business model? In short: No! In this conversation, open source evangelist Javier Perez welcomes technology evangelist and CNCF ambassador Dotan Horovits to provide context for the biggest changes happening in OSS, discuss what a sustainable future looks like for open source, and explain what to do when companies choose to go not-so-open with their source code. Highlights: Why open source shouldn’t be considered a business model The “disturbing trend” in OSS and why “nothing is written in stone” when it comes to open source How tools can differentiate themselves from the ‘open source-ness' of their projects Speakers: Javier Perez , Open Source Evangelist Dotan Horovits , Cloud Native Ambassador at the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) and host of the OpenObservability Talks podcast Links: Get the new State of Open Source Report from OpenLogic Find Dotan on LinkedIn and Twitter Read Dotan’s articles on ‘vendor-owned open source’ and ‘When Your Open Source Turns to the Dark Side’ Read Javier’s articles on the State of Open Source in 2024 and concerns over the future of open source Listen to OpenObservability Talks on YouTube and wherever you get podcasts Find Us Online: puppet.com Apple Podcasts Twitter LinkedIn…

Pulling the Strings

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When Will IT Security Escape the Cat-and-Mouse Game? with Sean Atkinson, CISO of CIS 34:01

1 year ago34:01

34:01

When Sean Atkinson says that “We’re on a trajectory to have the most vulnerabilities ever identified in a single year, starting this year,” take note: As Chief Information Security Officer for the Center for Internet Security, he knows what he’s talking about. He’s referring to the ever-increasing tide of weaknesses and flaws that undermine the security of software used every single day by teams around the world. Between a more active threat landscape, demands for development velocity, and the rise of generative AI, the cat in this proverbial game of cat-and-mouse has their work cut out for them. In this conversation, Robin Tatam, Puppet’s Evangelist and Certified Information Security Manager, talks with Sean about the role of a CISO, what’s behind the unprecedented rise in vulnerabilities, and how smart integrations turn automation into a first-line defense against threats, misconfiguration, errors, and software vulnerabilities. Highlights: What a CISO actually does versus a CIO or a CTO The difference between “security” and “compliance” How compliance helps build the backbone of a long-term security posture Who really owns IT security and where IT operations fits into the security conversation What CIS Benchmarks are, what they do, and how CIS “wizards” keep them up-to-date on the latest vulnerabilities How Puppet’s partnership with CIS puts the power of automation behind CIS’s widely recognized frameworks Speakers: Robin Tatam , Senior Technical Marketer and Evangelist, Puppet by Perforce Sean Atkinson, Chief Information Security Officer, Center for Internet Security Links: Learn more about Security Compliance Enforcement , a premium feature for Open Source Puppet and Puppet Enterprise that automates secure configurations hardened against CIS Benchmarks and DISA STIGs Listen to Sean’s podcast with CIS, “Cybersecurity Where You Are,” wherever you get podcasts Find Us Online: puppet.com Apple Podcasts Twitter LinkedIn…

Pulling the Strings

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The Future of the Forge: Unpacking the Big (and Small) Changes 41:15

1 year ago41:15

41:15

It’s all good news, we promise! The Forge has always been the go-to spot for Puppet users to find, download, and update content and modules. On this episode, we're revealing a few of the exciting changes that are going to make the Forge even easier and more valuable for all Puppet users, like personalization, filters, and features to track module versions and updates against your Puppet file. As of today, there are 7,508 modules on the Puppet Forge – some active, some deprecated, some created and supported by Puppet Labs, some by community groups like Vox Pupuli. While it’s become a hub for all Puppet users, we've heard feedback on ways it could be even better. We see a brighter future for the Forge – one built for and shaped by users like you! Join Ben Ford as he talks to Forge Product Manager Saurabh Karwa about what the Forge is today, the subtle changes that are already in the works, the near-term roadmap, and the long-term vision for the Forge. Speakers: Ben Ford , Community Lead at Puppet by Perforce Saurabh Karwa , Product Manager at Puppet by Perforce Highlights: Introducing Saurabh, the Product Manager for the Puppet Forge What the Forge is today and what it needs to become THE place for Puppet users The role of the Puppet Community in shaping the future of the Forge Adding personalization, new filters, and features to track module versions and updates Why you should join our new Ecosystem Advisory Board Links: Join the Puppet Community Slack Tell us what you think of the Forge and PDK with the Ecosystem Advisory Board survey Email Saurabh at skarwa@perforce.com…

Pulling the Strings

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We Surveyed ~500 People Doing Platform Engineering. Here’s What We Learned. 40:14

1 year ago40:14

40:14

The 2024 State of DevOps Report: The Evolution of Platform Engineering is live! In this episode, we’re taking you behind the scenes with the authors of the report and one of the people who helped run the survey. Download the 2024 report for free here! On this episode, join us as host Ben Ford, report authors Margaret Lee and David Sandilands, and project manager Stephanie Fairchild pull back the curtain on the 2024 State of DevOps Report. What are the characteristics of successful platforms? Why is the new practice driving a surge in security? Where is platform engineering going next? Learn more in this episode! Highlights: Why the State of DevOps Report pivoted to cover platform engineering last year What we wanted to find out this year The big takeaways from the 2024 report Our predictions for the next year of platform engineering Speakers: Ben Ford , Community Lead at Puppet by Perforce Margaret Lee, Manager of Product Management at Puppet by Perforce David Sandilands, Principal Solutions Architect at Puppet by Perforce Stephanie Fairchild, Senior Manager at ClearPath Strategies Links: Download the 2024 State of DevOps Report: The Evolution of Platform Engineering Email Margaret at Margaret.Lee@perforce.com Find Ben on Mastodon , Twitter , and in the Puppet Community Slack as binford2k Find David on Mastodon and Twitter Check out another episode with Ben, Margaret, and David about how return-to-office plans are shaping platform strategies Read the episode transcript Find Us Online: puppet.com Apple Podcasts Twitter LinkedIn…

Pulling the Strings

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Your Return-to-Office Plans Will Shape Your Platform. Here’s How. 28:02

1 year ago28:02

28:02

Platform engineering is all about giving devs the tools they need to work independently. Work-from-home policies give people flexibility in where and how they work. It should be a match made in heaven, right? Well... it’s more complicated than that. Research, feedback, and evangelizing are critical to building an internal developer platform (IDP). But WFH can make that communication tough. And that's before you’ve even considered compliance and security (ugh, the 2FA). A human-focused IT strategy was crucial in supporting a shift to remote work during the pandemic, and it's going to be equally as important as we shift to a platform paradigm. In this roundtable discussion, Ben leads a roundtable discussion of how return-to-office plans can impact platform engineering, joined by Margaret Lee and David Sandilands, authors of Puppet's 2024 State of DevOps Report: Platform Engineering Edition . Speakers: Ben Ford, Community Lead at Puppet by Perforce Margaret Lee, Manager of Product Management at Puppet by Perforce David Sandilands, Senior Solutions Architect at Puppet by Perforce Highlights: The remote/in-office flexibility your platform needs to consider Hardening measures essential to a secure IDP in the hybrid era What we learned about accommodating a workforce during the pandemic Evangelizing a platform without the in-person connection Links: Email Margaret at Margaret.Lee@perforce.com Find Ben on Mastodon , Twitter , and in the Puppet Community Slack as binford2k David Sandilands on Twitter Get the 2023 Platform Engineering Report and sign up to receive 2024’s when it releases Read the episode transcript Find Us Online: puppet.com Apple Podcasts Twitter LinkedIn…

Pulling the Strings

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The Politics of Your Job: Building Trust + Subverting DevOps Hierarchies (Respectfully) with Joshua Zimmerman 33:04

2 years ago33:04

33:04

Politics is everywhere in your organization. No, not THAT kind of politics – the kind that happens when you need something and can’t get it, or when you get good at something and people start noticing. Actually, politics happens just about whenever decisions get made. Joshua Zimmerman says that kind of politics is rooted in people, and with the right mindset, you can use politics to make things better in your organization – for you and your entire team. Joshua is a DevOps manager and organizer who thinks you could benefit from understanding and navigating the political landscape of your organization so you can help shape it. In fact, his presentation at DevOpsDays Chicago 2023 was all about that, and we were so impressed, we invited him on the podcast. After listening to this episode, we hope you’ll be able to figure out how decisions get made where you work, define your political structure, and leave with a few tools you can use to gain leverage with your team to make better decisions together. Highlights: Helping unpack the term “politics” in the context of your job Why org charts aren’t great for determining the real structure of your org Why trust matters more than authority (and how to sniff out both in your org) How to build lasting trust in your team and org How to subvert hierarchy to get what you need (without making anyone mad) Speakers: Ben Ford , Developer Relations Director at Puppet Joshua Zimmerman , SRE/DevOps Manager Links: Find Josh on LinkedIn, Mastodon, and Twitter Watch Joshua’s talk at DevOpsDays Chicago 2023 (2:26:00 – 2:54:30) Find Ben in the Puppet Community Slack as binford2k and on Mastodon Find Us Online: puppet.com Pulling the Strings on Apple Podcasts Twitter LinkedIn Read the episode transcript…

Pulling the Strings

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Who the Vox Pupuli Are and How They Work with Puppet 35:38

2 years ago35:38

35:38

Great things – tools, spaces, companies, brands – are supported by great communities. The Vox Pupuli are perhaps the most prominent, active group in the Puppet community. Here’s what they're up to lately, what it’s like being one of them, and what Puppet (the community) means to Puppet (the company). The Vox Pupuli are 200+ strong; they maintain dozens of modules on the Forge; even executive leadership knows their name. On this episode of Pulling the Strings, join Puppet community members Gene Liverman, Tim Meusel, and Ben Ford for a casual discussion on what what Vox Pupuli actually do, the role of community in shaping a company like Puppet, what Vox Pupuli is focused on now, and what drives the highly engaged group. As Tim puts it, “There is no excuse to not participate.” Highlights: How Vox Pupuli works The relationship of Puppet (the company) to the Vox Pupuli The power of independence The time Vox Pupuli helped Puppet avoid disaster in a new release What Vox Pupuli is working on now Speakers: Gene Liverman, SRE at LTN Global and former SRE at Puppet by Perforce Tim Meusel , Vox Pupuli PMC Community Member Ben Ford , Community Lead at Puppet by Perforce Links: Find out more about the Vox Pupuli at https://voxpupuli.org/ Find Tim on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BastelsBlog Find Gene in the Puppet Community Slack as genebean https://puppetcommunity.slack.com/team/U3DCRQQKA Find Ben in the Puppet Community Slack as binford2k and on Mastodon at https://hachyderm.io/@binford2k Follow the Puppet Community Team on Mastodon https://fosstodon.org/@puppet Listen to Tim’s previous episode discussing how to build an awesome open source community https://www.puppet.com/resources/podcasts/awesome-open-source-community Find Us Online: puppet.com Pulling the Strings on Apple Podcasts Twitter LinkedIn Read the episode transcript…

Pulling the Strings

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What CentOS, RHEL, and HashiCorp’s BSL Mean for the Future of Open Source 43:46

2 years ago43:46

43:46

Open source has always moved fast. Today, it moves faster than ever, driven by both community demand and corporate interest. On this episode, Perforce’s Javier Perez and OSI’s Stefano Maffulli discuss the impact of recent license changes and the historical push-and-pull between consumers and providers in the world of open source. Highlights: Reflecting on 25 years of OSI and its widening scope The historical changes that set the stage for open source What’s shaping Linux distributions today (CentOS, RHEL restrictions, HashiCorp’s switch to BSL, and more) The “social contract” between companies and communities The pros and cons of single companies driving open-source communities The commercialized future of open source Speakers: Javier Perez , Chief Open Source Evangelist and Senior Director of Product Management at Perforce Stefano Maffulli , Executive Director at the Open Source Initiative (OSI) Links: Learn about Puppet’s commitment to open source projects like Bolt and Open Source Puppet (OSP): https://www.puppet.com/community/open-source Find Stefano at https://www.maffulli.net/ Follow Javier on Twitter at https://twitter.com/jperezp_bos OSI’s programs (including a new Advocacy and Outreach program) https://opensource.org/programs/ “Defining an open source AI for the greater good”: How OSI is approaching AI https://opensource.com/article/22/10/defining-open-source-ai “Friend or Foe? ChatGPT’s Impact on Open Source Software” by Javier Perez for DevOps.com https://devops.com/friend-or-foe-chatgpts-impact-on-open-source-software/ Read the episode transcript Find Us Online: puppet.com Pulling the Strings on Apple Podcasts Twitter LinkedIn…

Pulling the Strings

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The Platform Engineering Pitfall You Aren’t Looking For (Yet) 36:20

2 years ago36:20

36:20

In the past few years, developer experience has become one of the biggest concerns at the C-level. Gartner found it’s the top value factor for adopting IDPs, performance engineering, CI/CD, and more core aspects of platform engineering. In 2021, McKinsey said it should be “the cornerstone of talent strategy” – and still, it’s a sticking point for a lot of software orgs. Turnover, burnout, skill gaps – symptoms abound that can often be contributed to bad DevX. Justin Reock is Field CTO at Gradle, makers of Gradle Enterprise and Gradle Build Tool. He’s focused on the developer experience at an intersectional level – where right-brain creativity, left-brain productivity, and ‘joyful activity’ combine to make development better for the people who do it. In conversation with David Sandilands, Senior Solutions Architect at Puppet, Justin shares his perspective on where platform engineering is headed and how the future of platform engineering – up, down, or flat – depends on using tools to engineer the developer experience. Speakers: David Sandilands , Senior Solutions Architect at Puppet by Perforce Justin Roeck, Field CTO at Gradle Highlights: Justin’s career to date and starting a year of living out of an RV Why the future of platform engineering depends on a developer experience focus Instructions for organizations to adopt real practices, not just hype The personalities needed to make stuff like platform engineering actually work Links: Download Puppet’s 2023 State of Platform Engineering Report Organizational Physics by Lex Sisney Find your nearest devopsdays event Justin Reock on Twitter Justin Reock on LinkedIn David Sandilands on LinkedIn David Sandilands on Twitter Read the episode transcript Find Us Online: puppet.com Apple Podcasts Twitter LinkedIn…

Pulling the Strings

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“Write a Book About Puppet 8,” They Said. “It’ll Be Fun,” They Said. 27:35

2 years ago27:35

27:35

The opportunity to write a Puppet 8 book landed in David Sandilands’s lap when he had just started at Puppet and with a child on the way. About a year and a half later in mid-2023, “Puppet 8 for DevOps Engineers” launched via Packt. This is the story of everything that happened in the middle. Speakers: Ben Ford, Community Lead at Puppet by Perforce David Sandilands, Senior Solutions Architect at Puppet by Perforce Learn More About Puppet + DevOps [ 10+ YEARS OF DEVOPS REPORTS ] Highlights: What other Puppet books didn’t have The joy of creating a book that doesn’t have to cater to one audience or another What it's like to work with a publisher Learning to lean on your community for support Hard-learned tips for writing your own book Links: Check out David's book, “ Puppet 8 for DevOps Engineers ,” via Packt “ Puppet Best Practices ” by Chris Barbour and Jo Rhett Ben Ford on Twitter David Sandilands on Twitter…

Pulling the Strings

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It's Always Audit Time: Compliance is Coming for Your Department (Yes, Yours) 29:18

2 years ago29:18

29:18

So your organization failed a compliance audit and got slapped with fines and penalties. Bummer! You pay the fine, spend a few days fixing your configurations, run a scan, and get ready to do it again come the next audit. But that approach doesn’t work anymore: The risks are too high, and fixing months of configuration drift at the drop of a hat (let alone hunting down all the paperwork for auditors) certainly isn’t your team’s favorite thing to do. Demo Puppet Comply + CEM for cross-department visibility and automated compliance The broad scope of today’s compliance management requires a coordinated effort from more than just the security team. In this episode of Pulling the Strings, two Puppet compliance experts make the case for cooperation among security, compliance, ops, and just about everyone else in your organization. They discuss the crumbling walls between security, compliance, and ops, as well as tools organizations use to ensure continuous compliance. Highlights: Why organizations always wait until something goes wrong to pay attention to compliance + security The simple micro-adjustments that prevent massive corrections come audit time Working toward better alignment between teams so that they’re making compliance easier The point and benefits of continuous compliance – and why ‘cowboy compliance’ isn’t enough Why compliance frameworks matter across security, compliance, and ops Speakers: Ben Ford, Community Lead at Puppet by Perforce Claire McDyre , Senior Product Manager at Puppet by Perforce Robin Tatam , Senior Director of Product Marketing, Puppet by Perforce Links: Try Puppet Comply + CEM to give your whole team the power to tackle compliance Read Claire’s content on the Puppet blog Read Robin’s content on the Puppet blog Read the episode transcript Find Us Online: puppet.com Apple Podcasts Twitter LinkedIn…

Pulling the Strings

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What It’s Actually Like to Build a Puppet Module 21:52

2 years ago21:52

21:52

Modules are the basic building blocks of Puppet. They're made to solve common challenges, extend functionality, and optimize your use of Puppet. They're also reusable and shareable – you can find thousands on the Puppet Forge – and best of all, anyone can make them. But what does that really mean? On this episode of Pulling the Strings, Ben Ford sits down with Yeshua Hall to talk about Yeshua’s experience building the Puppet module known as zend_common, initially released in December 2022. Highlights: How to build a Puppet module What zend_common does What to know before you start building Highlights: How to build a Puppet module What zend_common does What to know before you start building Speakers: Ben Ford , Community Lead at Puppet by Perforce Yeshua Hall , Senior Solutions Architect at Perforce Links: Download the free guide, “ How to Start Automating in a Few Steps with Bolt ” Download zend_common on the Puppet Forge Follow Yeshua Hall on Twitter Follow Ben Ford on Twitter Read the episode transcript Find Us Online: puppet.com Apple Podcasts Twitter LinkedIn…

Pulling the Strings

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“How Long is a Piece of String?”: All the Ways New Puppet Training Simplifies Complexity 42:11

2 years ago42:11

42:11

Supposedly, Albert Einstein once said, “If you can't explain it to a six-year-old, then you don't understand it yourself.” That might be a bit harsh, but it holds true for teaching just about anything: You’ve got to meet learners where they are. That’s why Puppet recently launched new on-demand training courses and more. There’s a new, engaging way to learn how to do things with Puppet without going down too many rabbit holes. On this episode of Pulling the Strings, Ben Ford interviews Principal Training Solutions Engineers Jain Waldrip and Tom Chisholm about designing training with “highly calibrated visuals,” the exciting new avenues for Puppet learners, and much more. Highlights: What’s led Jain and Tom to their roles in Puppet training What you can expect from Puppet’s new on-demand training courses Introducing Puppet Console Overview, an interactive, guided tour of the Puppet Console Speakers: Ben Ford, Community Lead at Puppet by Perforce Jain Waldrip, Principal Training Solutions Engineer at Puppet by Perforce Tom Chisholm, Principal Training Solutions Engineer at Puppet by Perforce Links: Take new on-demand Puppet training courses Check out the PE Console Overview Get in touch with the Puppet education team at education@puppet.com Join Jain and Tom in the Puppet Community Slack Read the episode transcript Find Us Online: puppet.com Apple Podcasts Twitter LinkedIn…

Pulling the Strings

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Diving Into the 2023 State of Open Source Report with Javier Perez 43:11

2 years ago43:11

43:11

“It doesn't matter how small the contribution is – I think everyone benefits from the different environment, the different culture, of open source communities.” From ‘free software’ to the Mars Rover, the scope of open source is expansive, growing, and offering new challenges to organizations and practitioners alike. Now, Perforce Director of Product Management Javier Perez is excited to share the latest findings from the 2023 State of Open Source Report with the context of his 26+ years in the software industry. Look into the past and peer into the future with this exciting discussion between two open source evangelists. Join Javier and host Ben Ford, Developer Relations Director at Puppet by Perforce, as they discuss the history of open source, examples of open source software dating back to the 1950s, the communities that have formed around open source, where open source software is headed, and highlights from the highly anticipated 2023 State of Open Source Report, which asked ~900 global respondents about their use of open source software. Highlights: AI and machine learning took the number one spot as a technology that most survey respondents were interested in. The number-one reason organizations use open source software is access to innovation — not cost savings. How initiatives intra-organization methodologies like InnerSource are breaking down silos between companies. Why AI and Web3 are trends worth watching in the open source space. Speakers: Ben Ford , Developer Relations Director at Puppet by Perforce Javier Perez , Director of Product Management at Perforce Links: Get the 2023 State of Open Source Report Follow Javier on Twitter Read the episode transcript Find Us Online: puppet.com Apple Podcasts Twitter LinkedIn…

Pulling the Strings

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The Future of Platform Engineering 37:02

2 years ago37:02