Checking Up On Python's Role in DevOps

Episode • Jan 6, 2020 • 33m

Summary

Python has been part of the standard toolkit for systems administrators since it was created. In recent years there has been a shift in how servers are deployed and managed, and how code gets released due to the rise of cloud computing and the accompanying DevOps movement. The increased need for automation and speed of iteration has been a perfect use case for Python, cementing its position as a powerful tool for operations. In this episode Moshe Zadka reflects on his experiences using Python in a DevOps context and the book that he wrote on the subject. He also discusses the difference in what aspects of the language are useful as an introduction for system operators and where they can continue their learning.

Announcements

Hello and welcome to Podcast.__init__, the podcast about Python and the people who make it great.
When you’re ready to launch your next app or want to try a project you hear about on the show, you’ll need somewhere to deploy it, so take a look at our friends over at Linode. With 200 Gbit/s private networking, scalable shared block storage, node balancers, and a 40 Gbit/s public network, all controlled by a brand new API you’ve got everything you need to scale up. And for your tasks that need fast computation, such as training machine learning models, they just launched dedicated CPU instances. Go to pythonpodcast.com/linode to get a $20 credit and launch a new server in under a minute. And don’t forget to thank them for their continued support of this show!
You listen to this show to learn and stay up to date with the ways that Python is being used, including the latest in machine learning and data analysis. For even more opportunities to meet, listen, and learn from your peers you don’t want to miss out on this year’s conference season. We have partnered with organizations such as O’Reilly Media, Corinium Global Intelligence, ODSC, and Data Council. Upcoming events include the Software Architecture Conference in NYC, Strata Data in San Jose, and PyCon US in Pittsburgh. Go to pythonpodcast.com/conferences to learn more about these and other events, and take advantage of our partner discounts to save money when you register today.
Your host as usual is Tobias Macey and today I’m interviewing Moshe Zadke about his recent book DevOps In Python

Interview

Introductions
How did you get introduced to Python?
How did you gain experience in managing systems with Python?
What is DevOps?
What makes Python a good fit for managing systems?
What is unique to the devops/sysadmin domain in terms of what software is used and what aspects of the language are useful?
What are the main ways that Python is used for managing servers and infrastructure?
What are some of the most notable changes in the ways that Python is used for server administration over the past several years?
How has Python3 impacted the lives of operators?
What was your motivation for writing a book about Python focused specifically on DevOps and server automation?
What are some of the tools that have been replaced in your own workflow over the years?

Keep In Touch

Picks

Tobias
- SaltStack
  - Podcast Episode
Moshe
- Automat
  - Podcast Episode

Closing Announcements

Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to check out our other show, the Data Engineering Podcast for the latest on modern data management.
Visit the site to subscribe to the show, sign up for the mailing list, and read the show notes.
If you’ve learned something or tried out a project from the show then tell us about it! Email hosts@podcastinit.com) with your story.
To help other people find the show please leave a review on iTunes and tell your friends and co-workers
Join the community in the new Zulip chat workspace at pythonpodcast.com/chat

Switch to the Fountain App

Open in Fountain