CI/CD Pipeline Monitoring - A Cyber Availability Topic

CI/CD Pipeline Monitoring

A Cyber Availability Topic ?

By Jeff Youmans

The advent of cloud technologies has fundamentally changed the software development process, in both the development and deployment of applications.?The speed of Continuous Improvement / Continuous Development (CI/CD) technologies can now match the speed needed for any brand to be cutting edge successful. However, this speed to deploy has also increased the need for continuous monitoring of the CI/CD pipeline technologies. Functional efficiency and security monitoring must be measured and actioned when appropriate. This paper discusses the importance of monitoring cloud development pipeline technologies and its benefits for software development.

Cloud development pipeline technologies are complex and often involve multiple stages including development, testing, and deployment. These stages involve multiple technologies and tools that need to work seamlessly together for the pipeline to function correctly. Failure in any of these stages can cause delays or security flaws in the software and development process.

From a security perspective the availability of these pipeline technologies are critical. Log files from several monitoring tools capture events called flaky events; or events that failed to transverse the pipeline successfully.?In the event where an operational process depends on pipeline updates, and these flaky events go unnoticed, production systems could become diminished or even unavailable. ?

Continuous monitoring of the cloud development pipeline technologies helps identify potential issues early, preventing their escalation into more significant problems. The monitoring process involves the use of various tools that collect and analyze data from different sources to provide insight into the pipeline's performance. This information can help identify areas that need improvement, such as slow response times, system crashes, or security vulnerabilities.

The goal of monitoring is to increase efficiency of the code. Continuous monitoring of the cloud development pipeline technologies can help identify bottlenecks and streamline processes; in turn, lead to increased efficiency in software development. This ultimately leads to faster application deployment and improved customer satisfaction.

Complimentary to the functional efficiencies, monitoring can also improve development security. Pipelines often involve sensitive data, making them vulnerable to security threats. Continuous monitoring of the pipeline technologies can help identify cyber vulnerabilities, consequently protecting both the organization and its customers.

Slightly better than side benefits, monitoring your pipelines can provide insight into resource management, as well. Monitoring cloud development pipeline technologies helps the brand identify underutilized resources, enabling them to optimize their usage and reduce costs.

Continuous monitoring is critical to ensure efficiency and security. It enables organizations to identify potential issues early and streamline processes. In the case of CI/CD monitoring this will lead to faster application deployment and improved customer satisfaction. Organizations must invest in functional monitoring tools and security process integrations to stay ahead of the competition. To enhance your risk programs, security leaders must recognize where data leaks can occur, champion the use, and properly configure the pipeline monitors.

About the Author: After 8 years of US Army service, Jeff began his cyber security career in 1997. For the past 15 years, he’s has been an Adjunct Professor developing and teaching cyber security topics to upper division baccalaureates. His everyday job is head of Cyber Security for a large timeshare resort company. He’s a special needs dad of 4 children, husband to a beautiful wife, Leslie, and resides outside of Gainesville, Florida. He randomly authors quick papers based on his experiences and research in hopes of sharing knowledge.?Jeff does not sell services, nor products; research you will have to do on your own.?