How New Relic builds software: a biological approach to architecture

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HOW NEW RELIC BUILDS SOFTWARE: A BIOLOGICAL APPROACH TO ARCHITECTURE Brent Miller  Principal Software Engineer & Architect

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology ABOUT ME

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology ABOUT YOU

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology THE PLAN Armchairs & Engineers Architecture & Evolution Managing & People Learning & Lessons

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ARMCHAIRS flic.kr/p/qYT5bk & ENGINEERS

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CONSULT THE  WISE MAN! flic.kr/p/oRJxRm

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology “A single conversation with a wise man is better than 10 years of study.” 與君一席談，勝讀十年書

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology –Armchair architects everywhere “Write these 17 lines of code.”

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software-defined_networking

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology WHAT’S WRONG WITH THAT?

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology WE KNOW. WE TRIED. #FAIL

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flic.kr/p/iK3sNq AUTONOMY DEBT

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flic.kr/p/cmLNAA

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flic.kr/p/y1mx3Z

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology Engineers Debt Flexibility Architecture

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ARCHITECTURE & EVOLUTION

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology Ancestral species Child species Child species Child species Time Mutation Mutation Mutation Mutation

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology KEY CONCEPTS Mutations accumulate They change the populations The environment is always changing

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology Our system now Possibility 1 Possibility 2 Possibility 3 Time Mutation Mutation Mutation Mutation

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology Our system now Our system in the future Time

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HERE THERE flic.kr/p/6HT3cx

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology PROCESS

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology GOALS FOR OUR PROCESS Engineers Debt Flexibility

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology TEAM ORGANIZATION 1. Assigned architects for each team 2. An anchor engineer on each team 3. Quarterly state-of-the-world meeting

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology PROJECT ORGANIZATION 4. Architects are technical product managers 5. Continuous engagement with projects

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology PUBLIC & TRANSPARENT 6. Public record of decisions 7. Public decision-making 8. Daily office hours

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology PUBLIC & TRANSPARENT 6. Public record of decisions 7. Public decision-making 8. Regular office hours

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology Ralph Bodenner  Director at New Relic bit.ly/pull-request-your-culture

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology PUBLIC & TRANSPARENT 6. Public record of decisions 7. Public decision-making 8. Daily office hours

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology ENCOURAGE MUTATION 9. Process for experiments

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology Experiments Product managers Notes (requirements) System changes

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology PROCESS 1. Assigned architects for each team 2. Anchor engineer on each team 3. Quarterly state-of-the-world meeting with each team 4. Architects are technical product managers 5. All projects need architect sign-off 6. Public record of decisions 7. Public, consultative decision making 8. Daily office hours 9. Experiments

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology ENGAGEMENT IS #1!

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PEOPLE & SURPRISES flic.kr/p/oiTbFU

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology WHERE DOES MY TIME GO? ■ Boxes & arrows ■ Brokering agreement across  teams ■ Bringing tech context to teams ■ Bringing biz context to teams ■ Crystal ball prognostication ■ Technical product manager ■ Unblocking teams with tech trouble ■ Mentoring engineers

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology I mentor people and build  teams that build software

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology I’m a manager!

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology I SUSPECT YOU ARE SECRETLY A MANAGER TOO

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology Software architecture isn’t just a technical job, it’s a human job.

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LESSONS & LEARNING flic.kr/p/votVC2

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology TAKE-HOME FOR BETTER ARCHITECTURE Empower engineers Engage with them Be public Be flexible Be willing to talk a lot Focus on the humans

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology OUR PROCESSES  EVOLVE AS WELL! bit.ly/pull-request-your-culture

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@foliosus bit.ly/nr-architecture-biology THANK YOU! Questions, comments: find me later, or tweet to @foliosus