This document discusses the challenges of information technology (IT) infrastructure given its uncertain and dynamic nature. While IT would be easier if systems were deterministic, they are only in approximate balance due to environmental complexity impacting sensitivity. Continuous delivery requires continuous automation rather than power-assisted intervention. There is no such thing as an immutable system since intended changes do not prevent unintended changes. Failures are semantic and processes are dynamic, making control difficult, as the history of engineering shows the challenges of preventing cracks from spreading.

1. Uncertain Infrastructures
What Science Tells Us About IT
Mark Burgess

2. Promises we can keep?

3. P
H
Y
S
I
C
S
- DescriPing
- StuffH
- ThaYt
- HappenS
- ...
- whatever

4. Environmental
Closure

5. Semantics and Dynamics, Desired-state and actual behaviour
Dev and Ops – what you intend and what actually happens

6. IT would be easy if systems were deterministic ...
Dev ?
Ops ?
… but they are only in approximate balance

7. LOGIC rains environmental complexity ...
… onto knife-edge sensitivity

8. Autonomous infrastructure
“Continuous delivery requires continuous automation
... not power-assisted intervention”

9. There is no such thing as an immutable system
No intended change is not the same as no change

10. “Many worlds” branches and relativity

11. Failures are semantic
Processes are dynamic
“The history of attempts to prevent cracks from spreading or evade
their consequences is almost the history of engineering.”
-- J.E. Gordon The New Science of Strong Materials

12. Control is ...
Harp not on that keyboard!
Orchestration?
Choreography?

13. Join the discussion …
Tw: @markburgess_osl