Livin' on the Edge Podcast

DevOps & AI Unveiled: Exposing 'You Build It, You Run It' Myth

About

In a revealing episode of the "Livin' On the Edge" podcast, host Jake Beck engages with Natan Yellin, CEO of Robusta, to dive into the complexities and evolution of DevOps, particularly when intertwined with AI. This discussion critically examines the traditional DevOps mantra "You Build It, You Run It," challenging its relevance and application in the modern software development landscape.

Episode guests

Natan Yelln

CEO of Robusta

Natan graduated from the Israel Institute of Technology with a Dual major in Computer Science and Physics. Since then, he was a software developer and researcher for the Government of Israel then an engineer at Alcide.io, and now is the CEO of Robusta, which helps developers respond faster by automating Kubernetes monitoring. Robusta tracks errors like crashing pods or Prometheus alerts, enriches them, and enables one-click remediations. It turns siloed knowledge into automated runbooks with YAML.

Key Highlights of This Episode:

Debunking the DevOps Mantra: Natan Yellin articulates the impracticality of expecting developers to both build and operate their software, likening it to expecting a mechanical engineer who makes screws for airplanes to also fly the plane. This analogy underscores the distinct skill sets required for development and operations, highlighting the potential chaos in conflating these roles.
Empowering Developers: Yellin advocates for a shift in the DevOps culture, emphasizing the importance of developers understanding the entire software lifecycle. This understanding motivates them to write cleaner code, implement effective error handling, and proactively address potential issues, balancing the focus between new features and stability.
Role of AI in DevOps: AI emerges as a vital tool in supporting the 'build and run' approach, offering developers insights into their code's performance, identifying bottlenecks, and addressing issues proactively. Yellin stresses that AI, contrary to replacing human programmers, complements them by filling gaps in lifecycle management.
Human and AI Collaboration: The conversation acknowledges the human-like attributes of AI in creativity and performing imprecise tasks, while noting its limitations in logical reasoning and common sense. This balance between AI-driven automation and human intervention remains a key challenge and opportunity in evolving DevOps practices.
Redefining the Approach: The discussion concludes with a nuanced understanding of "You Build It, You Run It," suggesting a collaborative model where AI aids developers in managing and troubleshooting software, enhancing innovation and efficiency rather than replacing human input.