Hurdles, the sprint with impediments on the way to automation. The presentation talks about the common problems with automation and how to deal with it. Also the content covers a case study and how the author succeeded in implementing automation.

1. Vinod Purushothaman
vinodpthmn@gmail.com
Follow me @vinodpthmn
Hurdles >
The sprint with
impediments on the
way to automation

2. Thomas Alva Edison
“I have not failed. I've just found
10,000 ways that won't work.”
First Agilist
images@google

3. Agile says the same thing!
Fail early, Fail often…
This would be the capital to start with
Automation

4. Automation Units
Database
Automation
Testing
Automation
Build
Automation
Deployment
Automation

5. Build
Automation
Deployment
Automation
Database
Automation
Testing
Automation
Automation
Units
Continuous
Integration
Continuous
Delivery
images@google

6. Background
images@google

7. Environments
DEV QA UAT Prod
Replica

8. Challenges

9. Need for change was visible
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10. No body was ready for the extra mile
images@google

11. We were dealing with the hardest
thing in this Universe
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12. “ continue to persist in its
state until it is compelled to change
its state by force impressed.”
EverybodyEvery body
What Newton said is right…
source@google

13. images@google

14. Our Approach
Success
The
Climax
The
Pace
First
Move

15. #1 First Move > It is always hard
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16. Release Samurai
> Make the pain “evident”
Rotate release engineer roleimages@google

17. > Start with “Quick wins”
Pick the best one to sell first
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18. > Limit the automation WIP
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19. > Go slow and steady
Start with simple steps and keep on building
one by oneimages@google

20. #2 The Pace > to succeed you should
sustain
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21. > Define the vision as a team
Past
Retrospective
Notes
Automation Backlog
Automate as many manual, boring jobs
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22. > Showcase during Retrospective
Automation Backlog
Members started picking up line items voluntarily
and worked during the Sprint.
Retrospective
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23. > No fixed plans
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24. Don’t be a Modern Doctor,
be an Ancient Doctor
> Do trial & error
Focus on “what works" not “what's best”images@google

25. > Your efforts are “Tip of the Iceberg”
Do it for the team, not for the business!
Your efforts
What business feel
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26. #3 Climax> we all need positive happy
ending
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27. > Motivate team members
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28. > Campaign “Go home early on release day…”
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29. > Cast right tools for right problem
Again focus on “what works" not “what's best”images@google

30. > Set clear direction to the team.
 Check-in Guidelines
 Conduct Group Discussion
 Training Sessions
 State Do’s & Don'ts
images@google

32. > Reach your destiny
Branching Strategy
Build
Automation
Build
Package
Compile
Configuration
Changes
Auto Release Emails
Deployment
Automation
Db Deploy
Automation
Test
Automation

33. Technical Details #1
Challenges we faced! What we did? What we gained 
No proper source control
branching strategy, leading
to poor build/release
management.
Introduced new branching
strategy. Kept it simple .
More control over changes,
more control over build/ release
management.

34. Technical Details #2
Challenges we faced! What we did? What we gained 
Database deployment was
painful as we were using
Redgate SQL as compared to
generate delta script for the
release.
Defined db script templates and
trusted developer to prepare the
deployment scripts and checkin
to source control.
Apprised developers to vet
database scripts against
development database before
checkin.
Switching to template driven
database scripts saved us a lot of
time. It no longer needed us to
generate scripts by comparing
the databases, a cumbersome
and time consuming job.
Database scripts were
automatically vetted at every
environment and were
stable by the time it reached the
production release. This
minimized database related
release issues.

35. Technical Details #3
Challenges we faced! What we did? What we gained 
Compiling configuration
changes from various
change request notes was
cumbersome.
Took environment specific
configuration files to source
control and pushed it along with
build package.
Trusted developer to update
configuration file with respective
values.
Blending configuration changes
from source control to build
package eradicated the chance
of configuration mismatches and
errors.

36. Technical Details #4
Challenges we faced! What we did? What we gained 
Preparing build package
was cumbersome.
Used ANT to build Java code
and parse Cold Fusion.
Used NANT to build .NET code.
Automated build and packaging
saved a lot of time.
Increased the release readiness
of the team and reduced post
release production issues to a
great extent.

37. Technical Details #5
Challenges we faced! What we did? What we gained 
Careless checkin and integration
issues were breaking build
during release.
Setup Cruise Control .NET as
CI Server to perform nightly
builds.
Nightly build ensured that there
are no build errors and we are
good.

38. Values
Gained
Vet every
single
change
Quick
round-trips
(Testing Automation)
Avoid
redundant
manual
efforts
Rollout
build
more
frequently
Quality
Deliverables
Release
Readiness

39. Together Everyone Achieves Moreimages@google

40. There are several resons to go for
automation, but we could die for one
precious thing in this world!
images@google

41. You choose, if you believe…

42. Vinod Purushothaman
vinodpthmn@gmail.com
Follow me @vinodpthmnimages@google