Runbook: Difference between revisions

From The Jolly Contrarian
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Created page with "In a computer network, a runbook is a manual of routine procedures that the system administrator carries out such as starting, stopping, supervising, debugging , and handl..."
 
No edit summary
 
(5 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
In a computer network, a [[runbook]] is a manual of routine procedures that the system administrator carries out such as starting, stopping, supervising, debugging , and handling special requests and contingencies on the network. It allows other operators to effectively manage and troubleshoot a system. Through runbook automation, these processes can be carried out using software tools in a predetermined manner.
{{a|tech|}}In a computer [[network]], a [[runbook]] is a glorified [[checklist]]: a manual of routine procedures that the system administrator carries out when maintaining the system, and handling special requests and contingencies on the network. It allows other operators to effectively manage and troubleshoot a system. Through runbook automation, these processes can be carried out using software tools in a predetermined manner.


It's list of standard protocols and [[checklist]]s for maintaining complex but dumb machinery, and as such has natural attraction for chief operating officers, who look upon their charges in exactly those terms. so expect to see [[runbook]]s applied to the [[operations]] department, especially when it is going through a period of stress or significant change.
So: a cheat sheet for steering complex but stupid machines. As such, the [[runbook]] has a natural attraction for a [[chief operating officer]], who looks upon employees in exactly those terms. so expect to see [[runbook]]s applied to the [[operations]] department, especially when it is going through a period of stress or significant change. In the wild world of negotiation, they are called “[[playbook]]s,” which makes them sound fun.


Judge for yourself the extent to which the machine-age dogma has infected operations management orthodoxy, by this paragraph from Wikipedia:
Judge for yourself how machine-age {{t|dogma}} has infected operations management orthodoxy, by this paragraph from Wikipedia:


:“''Operational [[runbook]]s may be tied to IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL)<ref>No idea, sorry.</ref> incidents to allow repeatable processes<ref>AKA drudgery.</ref> supporting specific aspects of the [[service catalog]]. The [[runbook]] is typically divided into routine automated processes and routine manual processes. The [[runbook catalog]] begins with an index of processes covered and may be broken down in outline form to align the processes to the major elements they support in the [[service catalog]].''”
:“''Operational [[runbook]]s may be tied to IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL)<ref>No idea, sorry.</ref> incidents to allow repeatable processes<ref>AKA drudgery.</ref> supporting specific aspects of the [[service catalog]]. The [[runbook]] is typically divided into routine automated processes and routine manual processes. The [[runbook catalog]] begins with an index of processes covered and may be broken down in outline form to align the processes to the major elements they support in the [[service catalog]].''”


If you are applying a [[runbook]] effectively to a large organisation of people, you have already drastically mis-allocated your resources, since [[meatware]] is a really crappy and expensive method of carrying out repetitive tasks.
If you are applying a [[runbook]] effectively to a large organisation of people, you have already drastically mis-allocated your resources, since [[meatware]] is a really crappy and expensive method of carrying out repetitive tasks.
{{sa}}
*[[Meatware]]
*[[Playbook]]
*[[Algorithm]]
*{{br|The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right}} by {{author|Atul Gawande}}
{{ref}}

Latest revision as of 11:36, 18 January 2020

JC pontificates about technology
An occasional series.
Tell me more
Sign up for our newsletter — or just get in touch: for ½ a weekly 🍺 you get to consult JC. Ask about it here.

In a computer network, a runbook is a glorified checklist: a manual of routine procedures that the system administrator carries out when maintaining the system, and handling special requests and contingencies on the network. It allows other operators to effectively manage and troubleshoot a system. Through runbook automation, these processes can be carried out using software tools in a predetermined manner.

So: a cheat sheet for steering complex but stupid machines. As such, the runbook has a natural attraction for a chief operating officer, who looks upon employees in exactly those terms. so expect to see runbooks applied to the operations department, especially when it is going through a period of stress or significant change. In the wild world of negotiation, they are called “playbooks,” which makes them sound fun.

Judge for yourself how machine-age dogma has infected operations management orthodoxy, by this paragraph from Wikipedia:

Operational runbooks may be tied to IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL)[1] incidents to allow repeatable processes[2] supporting specific aspects of the service catalog. The runbook is typically divided into routine automated processes and routine manual processes. The runbook catalog begins with an index of processes covered and may be broken down in outline form to align the processes to the major elements they support in the service catalog.

If you are applying a runbook effectively to a large organisation of people, you have already drastically mis-allocated your resources, since meatware is a really crappy and expensive method of carrying out repetitive tasks.

See also

References

  1. No idea, sorry.
  2. AKA drudgery.