Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) Fundamentals Training Course

Introduction

• How Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) integrates traditional IT practices with modern software development methodologies.
• The critical importance of automation and observability in ensuring system reliability.
• The distinct roles and responsibilities of software engineers and system administrators within the SRE framework.
• The differences between Site Reliability Engineers and DevOps engineers, highlighting their complementary roles.

Overview of an IT System

• Architectural considerations for both on-premise and cloud-based systems.

Overview of SRE Principles and Practices

• The concept of Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and its role in maintaining system reliability.
• The significance of containerization and orchestration technologies, such as Docker and Kubernetes, in modern IT environments.
• Continuous Integration, Continuous Deployment, and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) practices to streamline development and operations.
• The importance of observability in monitoring and maintaining system health.

Evaluating an IT System

• Assessing the current team and organizational resources for implementing SRE practices.
• Mapping out existing systems and processes to identify areas for improvement.
• Estimating the potential impact of adopting SRE methodologies on system reliability and efficiency.
• Defining the role of the software engineering team in supporting SRE initiatives.
• Understanding the responsibilities of the operational team in maintaining system reliability.
• The role of management in driving and supporting SRE adoption within the organization.

Maintaining the Reliability of a System

• Defining and measuring the desired reliability levels for services.
• Understanding Service Level Objectives (SLOs) and their importance in setting reliability targets.
• Exploring Service Level Indicators (SLIs) and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) to ensure service performance.
• Utilizing error budgets to manage risk and maintain system reliability.
• Developing effective SLOs to guide system improvement efforts.

Optimizing System Administration

• Establishing a robust development environment for efficient system administration.
• Evaluating and selecting appropriate SRE tools to enhance operational capabilities.
• Prioritizing tasks for automation to improve efficiency and reduce manual errors.
• Writing high-quality software to support system reliability and performance.

Deploying "Infrastructure as Code"

• Testing and iteratively refining code to ensure robustness and reliability.
• Designing systems to be anti-fragile, capable of improving under stress.
• Learning from system failures to continuously improve practices and processes.

Monitoring a System

• Observing and analyzing system performance to identify issues and optimize operations.
• Utilizing SRE tools and techniques for effective monitoring and troubleshooting.

The Future of SRE

Summary and Conclusion