The Chaos Monkeys are your People

In the world of technology and software development, chaos can be a common occurrence. From system outages to failed releases, the industry is rife with examples of projects gone awry. While some of these issues may be caused by external factors such as natural disasters or cyberattacks, more often than not, the root cause of these problems can be traced back to people - or lack thereof. In fact, one could argue that the chaos monkeys are your employees.

What are chaos monkeys, you might ask? In the world of software development, a chaos monkey is a tool used to intentionally introduce chaos into a system to test its resilience. While the concept of chaos monkeys originated at Netflix, it has since been adopted by many other companies looking to improve their systems' ability to handle unexpected events. However, as the saying goes, "life imitates art," and in many cases, the chaos monkeys are not just tools - they are the people responsible for maintaining and improving these systems.

The truth is that people are fallible. Even the best-trained and most diligent employees will make mistakes, and those mistakes can have severe consequences. That's why it's essential to invest in automation and standardization wherever possible. By automating routine tasks and implementing standardized processes, you can reduce the likelihood of human error and ensure that your systems are more resilient in the face of unexpected events.

Of course, investing in automation and standardization requires time and resources. It's not always easy to justify these expenses when there are other pressing needs competing for attention and budget. However, the cost of not investing in these areas can be much higher. System outages and failed releases can result in lost revenue, damaged reputations, and even legal liability. It's better to be proactive and invest in automation and standardization now than to pay the price later.

So, what can you do to ensure that your chaos monkeys are working for you and not against you? Here are a few tips:

1. Prioritize automation: Identify tasks that are repetitive or prone to human error and invest in automating them wherever possible. This will not only reduce the likelihood of errors but also free up your employees to focus on higher-value work.

2. Implement standard processes: Standardization can help ensure that everyone is following the same procedures and reduce confusion and errors. Make sure to document your processes and provide training to employees so that everyone is on the same page.

3. Invest in testing: Just as chaos monkeys are used to test system resilience, testing should be an integral part of your software development process. By testing thoroughly before releasing new code or making changes to existing systems, you can catch potential issues before they cause problems in production.

Enov8 is a company that specializes in helping organizations manage their IT operations more efficiently and effectively. One of the key ways that Enov8 can help solve the chaos monkey problem is through its suite of IT management tools that promote standardization, automation, testing & Enterprise Insights.

1. SOPS/Runsheets: Enov8's SOPS/Runsheets capability provides a centralized repository for storing and managing standard operating procedures and runbooks. By having a single source of truth for procedures and documentation, teams can reduce confusion and errors caused by outdated or conflicting information.
2. Health Checks: Enov8's Lean Synthetics tool provides a way to monitor the health of systems and applications in real-time. By running regular health checks, teams can catch potential issues before they become bigger problems that could result in system outages or failed releases.
3. Repeatable Automation: Enov8's Repeatable Automation capability provides a way to automate routine tasks and processes. By automating tasks such as testing, deployment, and monitoring, teams can reduce the likelihood of human error and ensure that processes are executed consistently and reliably.

By leveraging Enov8's suite of IT management tools, organizations can create a more standardized and automated environment that is better equipped to handle unexpected events and minimize the impact of chaos monkeys. Enov8's tools promote best practices such as documenting processes, monitoring system health, and automating routine tasks, which can help reduce the risk of errors and ensure that teams are able to respond quickly and effectively when chaos strikes.

In conclusion, while chaos monkeys may be a useful tool for testing system resilience, they are not the only source of chaos in the technology industry. People and a lack of standards and investment in automation are also significant contributors to system outages and failed releases. By prioritizing automation, implementing standard processes, and investing in testing, you can ensure that your chaos monkeys are working for you and not against you.