#Terraform Import Module

[virtualizationhowto]

Terraform Import Existing Resource: Ultimate Guide

Terraform Import Existing Resource: Ultimate Guide @vexpert #vmwarecommunities #homelab #100daysofhomelab #Terraform #TerraformImport #ConfigDrivenImport #CloudInfrastructureManagement #Terraform1.5 #EC2InstanceImport #TerraformState #terraformstate

Infrastructure as code (IaC) has become a standard for managing complex IT infrastructures. Terraform, a key player in the IaC sphere, is quite familiar to DevOps engineers and developers alike. One of the essential commands within the Terraform toolset is the terraform import command allowing the import of existing resources. There are some challenges with the legacy terraform import command.…

[govindhtech]

SaaS Runtime: Streamlining the Delivery of Cloud Software

SaaS Runtime simplifies delivery.

AI-driven hyper-personalization, vertical solutions, and the no-code revolution are creating rapid demand for SaaS-based solutions. Creating and developing a lucrative SaaS may be frightening for ambitious suppliers. Meeting performance and reliability requirements requires managing thousands of instances, personalising experiences, and traversing many infrastructures. Administrative tasks might take attention away from offering excellent customer experiences.

At Google Cloud Next 25, SaaS Runtime, a fully managed Google Cloud service management platform, was introduced to enable SaaS firms simplify and automate infrastructure operations so they can focus on their core business. SaaS Runtime, built on Google's in-house infrastructure for millions of consumers across numerous tenants, leverages Google's service management expertise. SaaS Runtime automates management at scale, speeds up deployments, and simplifies operations while helping you understand your SaaS ecosystem.

SaaS Runtime from Google Cloud lets software vendors:

SaaS Runtime provides pre-made, flexible blueprints for quick deployment and iteration. Easy data model abstractions make AI architectural plans easy to integrate into present systems.

Fully managed SaaS Runtime automates, monitors, and scales tenants. First register in SaaS Runtime, then develop your CI/CD pipeline to ease service administration, tenant observability, and operations across cloud and edge settings.

interface, optimisation, and expansion are easy with SaaS Runtime's close interface with Google Cloud. The new Application Design Centre lets developers design applications, sell them on Google Cloud Marketplace, and utilise Cloud Observability and App Hub to evaluate them across tenants. This integrated design provides developers with a single application-layer view with comprehensive business information for rapid integration, optimisation, and scalability.

SaaS Runtime: Model, Deploy, Operate

Model, Deploy, and Operate are simplified by SaaS Runtime, making lifecycle management easy.

Let's imagine you want to provide a SaaS Inventory Management Application (IMS) to enable retail organisations estimate demand, optimise inventory, and reduce waste at each location. You want to provide many price levels and integrate AI to your SaaS product.

Model

The SaaS provider can create or import the SaaS architecture using the opinionated data model of the SaaS Runtime. SaaS organisations may grow to reuse their architecture by bundling components that deploy and update into blueprints using SaaS Runtime's opinionated model structure. This systematic technique optimises reliability and performance by abstracting infrastructure and application details.

To create a blueprint, import Terraform modules from GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket. These designs make scaling to thousands of tenant instances easy for the SaaS system.

For autonomous deployments and fast iterations, the Inventory Management SaaS scenario would employ a layered, two-blueprint structure with a fundamental infrastructure blueprint and a dependent IMS application blueprint. This example has two blueprints, but SaaS Runtime's modular blueprint idea lets you achieve several business goals reliably.

Deploy

SaaS Runtime automates provisioning and coordinates designs for reliability. To install Inventory Management SaaS, SaaS Runtime offers two releases: Base and IMS blueprints.

As the SaaS provider, you may now leverage your releases, customised for each retailer, to deliver Inventory Management SaaS (Tenant Instance) for each shop.

Operate

The SaaS provider may manage, monitor, and enhance operations utilising SaaS Runtime's service management features. These tools let you:

Scale recent versions: Use rollout to provide every merchant Base and IMS releases. Select one release and deliver it to all renters at once. You may also roll out to one region for safer and more reliable rollouts.

Issue new releases: Create an AI blueprint from the IMS blueprint to upgrade an Inventory Management SaaS application with a new functionality. Dynamic Pricing Optimisation is AI. Release a new version to all or some shop renters.

Implement new features utilising functionality Configuring flags: SaaS Runtime Feature Flag functionality can provide shop renters extra features like promotional pricing. You may enable the feature without a binary update by setting the “PromoPricing” option to true.

Monitor deployment and rollout status. Before rolling out to all tenants, evaluate your SaaS's functionality and durability on a few instances. Your rollouts may also be monitored across all locations and tenants. If there are issues, you can stop, restart, cancel, roll back, or reschedule the rollout.

Start now

Businesses can quickly expand and innovate SaaS offerings to Runtime. The Inventory Management Application example shows how to develop complicated SaaS in three steps.Layers may be swiftly iterated and produced independently of the platform's decomposable design. When these concepts are implemented, tenants may enjoy tailored experiences. Finally, SaaS Runtime simplifies scaled operational complexity by controlling version and feature rollouts across tenant populations.

Google Cloud SaaS Runtime preview streamlines and automates SaaS management.

[regexsoftware]

Cloud Computing and DevOps Training in Jaipur: Unlocking the Future of Technology

In today’s fast-paced technological landscape, organizations are constantly looking for ways to streamline their processes, increase efficiency, and leverage the power of cloud infrastructure and automation. Cloud computing and DevOps have emerged as two of the most critical fields in the tech industry, driving innovation, and ensuring that businesses can scale and perform effectively. If you’re in Jaipur and looking to enhance your skills in these domains, Cloud Computing and DevOps training in Jaipur can open up a world of opportunities.

The Growing Importance of Cloud Computing and DevOps

Cloud computing is revolutionizing how businesses manage their infrastructure and data. It allows companies to store, manage, and process data in the cloud, offering immense benefits like cost reduction, scalability, flexibility, and enhanced security. In contrast, DevOps is a set of practices and tools designed to increase an organization’s ability to deliver applications and services at high velocity. It bridges the gap between software development and IT operations, ensuring faster and more efficient deployments.

The integration of cloud computing and DevOps is a game-changer for businesses. With cloud technologies, companies can easily provision resources on-demand, while DevOps practices ensure continuous delivery and integration, fostering a collaborative environment between development and operations teams.

Why is Cloud Computing and DevOps Training Crucial?

As businesses adopt cloud technologies and DevOps practices, there is a growing need for professionals who are skilled in both areas. Cloud computing and DevOps training in Jaipur offer the following key benefits:

High Demand for Skilled Professionals: The increasing adoption of cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, along with DevOps tools like Jenkins, Docker, Kubernetes, and Terraform, has created a surge in demand for trained professionals. Companies are on the lookout for individuals who can manage cloud environments and implement DevOps processes seamlessly.

Industry-Relevant Skills: Training in cloud computing and DevOps equips you with industry-relevant skills that are highly valued by employers. From understanding cloud infrastructure to automating software delivery, these skills are indispensable for tech professionals looking to stay ahead in the competitive job market.

Hands-On Experience: Training institutes in Jaipur offer hands-on training, where participants get practical exposure to cloud platforms and DevOps tools. This hands-on approach ensures that you are not just learning theory but also how to apply it in real-world scenarios.

Career Advancement Opportunities: Cloud computing and DevOps are considered essential technologies in today’s digital transformation. By gaining expertise in these areas, you position yourself as a highly valuable asset to potential employers, paving the way for promotions, salary hikes, and new job opportunities.

Key Topics Covered in Cloud Computing and DevOps Training Jaipur

Cloud computing and DevOps training in Jaipur covers a wide array of topics, ensuring that trainees are well-versed in both theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Here are some of the core topics typically covered in training programs:

Cloud Computing:

Introduction to Cloud Computing: Understand the fundamentals of cloud computing, including cloud service models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS), and deployment models (public, private, hybrid).

Cloud Providers: Gain expertise in major cloud providers such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Learn how to provision resources and manage cloud infrastructure.

Cloud Security: Security is a key aspect of cloud computing. Training programs often include modules on securing cloud environments and ensuring compliance with industry standards.

Cloud Migration: Learn how to migrate on-premise applications and infrastructure to the cloud, optimizing for performance and cost efficiency.

Storage and Networking in Cloud: Understand cloud storage options (like S3 in AWS) and networking concepts such as Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), subnets, and load balancing.

DevOps:

Introduction to DevOps: Learn the principles and culture of DevOps, and how it encourages collaboration between development and operations teams to streamline the software delivery lifecycle.

Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD): Understand the importance of automating testing and deployment processes to ensure faster and more reliable software releases.

Version Control and Automation Tools: Gain hands-on experience with version control tools like Git, and learn how to use automation tools such as Jenkins, Ansible, and Terraform to manage infrastructure and deployments.

Containerization and Orchestration: Learn the basics of containerization using Docker and Kubernetes. Understand how to deploy and manage containerized applications at scale.

Monitoring and Logging: Monitoring is crucial for the success of DevOps. Learn how to monitor applications and infrastructure using tools like Prometheus, Grafana, and ELK stack.

Why Choose Jaipur for Cloud Computing and DevOps Training?

Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, has seen a significant rise in the demand for IT professionals, and with this, there has been an increase in educational institutions offering Cloud computing and DevOps training. Some reasons to choose Jaipur for your training include:

Affordable Training: Compared to major metro cities, training in Jaipur is relatively affordable while still offering high-quality education and hands-on experience.

Experienced Trainers: Jaipur’s training institutes are known for their experienced trainers who have industry expertise and can provide valuable insights into both cloud computing and DevOps practices.

Job Opportunities: Jaipur has become a growing hub for IT and tech startups. By enrolling in Cloud computing and DevOps training in Jaipur, you open doors to numerous job opportunities within the city and beyond.

Flexible Training Options: Many institutes in Jaipur offer both online and offline training options, making it easy for students to learn at their own pace and according to their schedule.

Conclusion

Cloud computing and DevOps are integral to the future of IT operations and software development. By enrolling in Cloud computing and DevOps training in Jaipur, you can equip yourself with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in today’s dynamic tech environment. Whether you’re an aspiring developer or an IT professional looking to enhance your career, mastering cloud technologies and DevOps practices will set you on the path to success. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn from the best and elevate your career in these high-demand fields.

[learning-code-ficusoft]

The Role of Automation in DevOps: Beyond CI/CD

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) & Configuration Management in DevOps Automation

In modern DevOps practices, Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and Configuration Management play a vital role in automating infrastructure provisioning, scaling, and maintenance. These practices help teams manage complex environments efficiently while ensuring consistency, scalability, and security.

1. Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Automating Infrastructure Provisioning

What is IaC?

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) is a practice that allows developers to define and manage infrastructure through code, rather than manual processes. This ensures consistency, repeatability, and scalability across environments.

Benefits of IaC:

✅ Eliminates Manual Configuration Errors — Reduces human intervention and mistakes. ✅ Speeds Up Deployments — Automates provisioning of servers, databases, and networking. ✅ Enhances Scalability — Dynamically provisions and scales infrastructure as needed. ✅ Improves Disaster Recovery — Infrastructure can be rebuilt quickly using stored configurations.

Popular IaC Tools:

Terraform — Cloud-agnostic tool for defining infrastructure using declarative syntax.

AWS CloudFormation — AWS-specific IaC tool for automating cloud resource creation.

Pulumi — Uses familiar programming languages (Python, TypeScript, Go) for infrastructure automation.

Azure Resource Manager (ARM) — Automates infrastructure deployment on Azure.

Example: Terraform Script for Provisioning an EC2 Instance in AWS

hprovider "aws" { region = "us-east-1" }resource "aws_instance" "example" { ami = "ami-0c55b159cbfafe1f0" # Replace with a valid AMI ID instance_type = "t2.micro" tags = { Name = "MyTerraformInstance" } }

This Terraform script provisions an EC2 instance in AWS, ensuring consistency across multiple deployments.

2. Configuration Management: Automating System Configurations

What is Configuration Management?

Configuration Management (CM) automates the setup and maintenance of software, ensuring all systems are configured consistently and correctly across different environments.

Why is Configuration Management Important?

✅ Ensures Consistency — Standardizes configurations across all servers. ✅ Simplifies Updates & Patching — Automates software updates and system changes. ✅ Enhances Security — Ensures systems comply with security policies. ✅ Enables Faster Disaster Recovery — Quickly restores failed configurations.

Popular Configuration Management Tools:

Ansible — Agentless automation tool using YAML playbooks.

Chef — Uses Ruby-based recipes for system automation.

Puppet — Declarative automation for large-scale environments.

SaltStack — High-speed, event-driven automation.

Example: Ansible Playbook to Install Apache on a Server

yaml- name: Install Apache Web Server hosts: web_servers become: yes tasks: - name: Install Apache apt: name: apache2 state: present - name: Start Apache Service service: name: apache2 state: started

This Ansible playbook installs and starts Apache on a group of web servers automatically.

3. Best Practices for Implementing IaC & Configuration Management

✅ Use Version Control (Git, GitHub, GitLab) — Store infrastructure code in repositories for tracking changes. ✅ Follow the DRY Principle (Don’t Repeat Yourself) — Reuse modules and scripts to reduce duplication. ✅ Implement Security Best Practices — Avoid hardcoded credentials; use secrets management tools (e.g., AWS Secrets Manager, HashiCorp Vault). ✅ Test Infrastructure Code (Terraform Plan, Ansible Dry Run) — Validate configurations before deployment. ✅ Integrate with CI/CD Pipelines — Automate infrastructure provisioning as part of DevOps workflows.

Conclusion

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and Configuration Management are essential components of DevOps automation beyond CI/CD. By implementing IaC tools like Terraform and Cloud Formation and Configuration Management tools like Ansible and Chef, teams can achieve faster, more reliable, and scalable infrastructure management.

WEBSITE: https://www.ficusoft.in/devops-training-in-chennai/

[agilebrains]

Advanced Terraform Modules and Workflows: Expert Training Course

In today’s digital age, infrastructure automation is more important than ever. Businesses across industries constantly seek ways to streamline their operations and manage their cloud infrastructure efficiently.

Blog Post: https://agilebrains.blogspot.com/2024/10/advanced-terraform-modules-and.html

Address - philadelphia, Pennsylvania PA

[korshubudemycoursesblog]

The Complete Terraform IAC Development Bootcamp: Master Infrastructure as Code with Ease

In today's fast-paced world of technology, managing infrastructure efficiently is a top priority for businesses and developers alike. As cloud computing continues to evolve, so does the need for streamlined, automated solutions. Enter Terraform, the powerful open-source tool that allows you to manage and provision cloud infrastructure as code (IAC). If you're eager to learn the ins and outs of Terraform, you've landed in the right place. The Complete Terraform IAC Development Bootcamp is designed to guide you from a complete beginner to a pro in no time, helping you unlock the full potential of Infrastructure as Code.

Why Terraform and Infrastructure as Code (IAC) Matter

The traditional approach to managing infrastructure involved manual configurations, which was time-consuming and prone to human error. With Infrastructure as Code (IAC), you can manage, monitor, and update infrastructure using machine-readable configuration files. This revolutionizes the process by ensuring consistency, speed, and flexibility.

Terraform stands out in the IAC world because of its cloud-agnostic nature. Whether you’re working with AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, or even on-premises systems, Terraform allows you to use a single language to manage your infrastructure across platforms. With The Complete Terraform IAC Development Bootcamp, you'll learn how to simplify complex cloud environments, version your infrastructure, and apply changes swiftly and safely.

What is Terraform?

Before diving deeper into The Complete Terraform IAC Development Bootcamp, let’s first grasp what Terraform really is. Terraform, created by HashiCorp, is an open-source IAC tool that allows you to define your infrastructure in declarative configuration files. This means that rather than manually setting up cloud services, databases, and other resources, you can simply write them in code and apply them using Terraform. The tool will take care of the rest—provisioning, managing, and scaling the infrastructure.

Unlike other IAC tools, Terraform is multi-cloud, meaning it works across various cloud providers without needing to adjust the core tool itself. This feature makes it an excellent choice for companies or individuals looking to maintain flexibility in their cloud environments.

The Benefits of Learning Terraform

Learning Terraform opens up a world of opportunities. The demand for IAC skills is rapidly growing in the tech industry, and professionals proficient in tools like Terraform are in high demand. Here are a few benefits you'll gain from The Complete Terraform IAC Development Bootcamp:

Increased Efficiency: Automating infrastructure setup allows you to save countless hours.

Scalability: Terraform allows you to scale infrastructure automatically to meet the growing needs of your application or service.

Error Reduction: Writing infrastructure as code ensures that every environment is consistent, reducing the risk of manual configuration errors.

Cost Control: Terraform allows you to monitor and manage your cloud resources, helping you stay within budget by shutting down unused infrastructure.

What You'll Learn in The Complete Terraform IAC Development Bootcamp

This bootcamp is perfect for individuals at all skill levels, whether you're completely new to Terraform or have some basic knowledge of cloud infrastructure. The course will walk you through everything from the fundamental concepts of Terraform to more advanced topics, such as deploying multi-cloud environments and integrating with popular services like Docker and Kubernetes.

Here’s what you can expect to learn:

Terraform Basics: Understand the core principles of Infrastructure as Code (IAC) and the Terraform workflow.

Modules and Providers: Dive into Terraform modules, how to structure them, and why they are essential for scaling.

State Management: Learn the importance of managing state in Terraform and how it ensures consistent deployments.

Multi-Cloud Deployments: Use Terraform to manage cloud services on AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.

Version Control: Learn how to manage infrastructure changes using Terraform in combination with Git.

Advanced Features: Explore workspaces, remote state, and best practices for collaborating on infrastructure projects.

By the end of The Complete Terraform IAC Development Bootcamp, you'll be fully equipped to manage complex infrastructures with ease and confidence.

Highlighting Key Trending Technologies

Now let’s highlight some of the key tools and technologies that are trending in the realm of Terraform and Infrastructure as Code:

Kubernetes: Integrating Terraform with Kubernetes allows you to manage containerized applications at scale, an essential skill for modern DevOps practices.

CI/CD Pipelines: Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) ensure that your infrastructure is always up-to-date and functioning properly. Terraform works seamlessly with popular CI/CD tools like Jenkins, GitLab CI, and GitHub Actions.

Cloud Platforms: AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure continue to dominate the cloud industry, and Terraform is perfectly aligned with all three, giving you the flexibility to switch providers as needed.

Free AI Tools: Incorporating AI into your infrastructure management is becoming increasingly popular. There are free AI-powered tools that can help optimize your Terraform scripts, forecast resource usage, and even automate basic tasks.

Speaking of free AI, wouldn’t it be great to incorporate artificial intelligence into your IAC workflows? There are various free AI tools out there, like OpenAI’s GPT models or Google’s Vertex AI, that can analyze your Terraform scripts, suggest optimizations, and automate tedious tasks. Integrating AI with Terraform can lead to faster, smarter infrastructure deployments, allowing you to focus on more strategic tasks.

How Terraform Can Help You in a Real-World Scenario

Imagine you're part of a development team working on a web application. You need a database, a load balancer, and several virtual machines to run the backend. Without Terraform, each of these resources would need to be configured manually, which could take hours or even days.

With Terraform, however, you can define all these resources in a few lines of code. Once the configuration is set, you can apply the plan and watch as Terraform provisions all the necessary infrastructure within minutes. Not only that, but Terraform also ensures that every environment—whether it’s development, testing, or production—is identical, reducing the chances of “it works on my machine” issues.

Now, imagine scaling that infrastructure. As your app gains more users, Terraform makes it incredibly simple to add new servers, update configurations, or even switch to a different cloud provider, all while maintaining consistency across your environments.

Best Practices for Using Terraform

As with any tool, there are certain best practices you should follow when working with Terraform:

Use Version Control: Store your Terraform code in a Git repository to keep track of changes and collaborate with your team.

Organize Your Code: As your infrastructure grows, so will your Terraform scripts. Make sure to break your infrastructure into modules for better organization and reusability.

Use Remote State Storage: Store your state files in a remote location like an S3 bucket to avoid conflicts and ensure everyone is working with the same state.

Automate Your Workflows: Incorporate Terraform into your CI/CD pipelines to automatically provision infrastructure when new code is pushed to your repository.

Implement Security Best Practices: Use tools like HashiCorp Vault to manage sensitive information, such as API keys and passwords.

Conclusion: Master Terraform and Unlock New Possibilities

Whether you're an individual looking to upskill or a company aiming to streamline cloud operations, The Complete Terraform IAC Development Bootcamp is your gateway to mastering Infrastructure as Code. Terraform’s cloud-agnostic approach, combined with its scalability, makes it the go-to tool for managing cloud environments efficiently.

With the skills you'll gain from this bootcamp, you'll be able to provision complex cloud environments with ease, minimize human errors, and manage resources cost-effectively. Embrace the power of IAC, and get ready to automate, scale, and optimize your infrastructure like never before.

[angeliqueshelleyartist]

Review & Evaluation: Individual Learning Processes

Review Blog Post #2

This major study project has been a vast learning experience for me in terms of technical skill, new software to explore as well as challenging old techniques or practices which might hold me back.

The most difficult concept art I created was the mech companion as it challenged my technical drawing skills. In the end I resorted to using 3D to help me as a perspective aid once I had the general design down. The basic model proved to still be a little challenging to create, however, the speed at which I was able to render by hand the final concept made it all worth it. While I'll still develop my technical drawing skills, it's a relief to know that 3D tools can help me out of a rut.

I pushed myself to learn new approaches to prop design on characters, in particular my focus for the Frontier Engineer was detail centric props, as tools are a vital part of an engineer’s kit. Artist Jude Smith was a massive inspiration for me for his detailed, well thought-out characters as he expertly blends sci-fi and traditional components. The main thing I learnt from analysing Jude’s work was the 3D volume he was able to capture in his designs. I particularly noticed the way he designed the armoured pieces to functionally form together, the gravity and weight given to attached props, like gloves and cables, and the volumetric flare of clothing to add movement and interest. I tried to really think about the way my accessories were made and worn, and how the pieces fitted together, and I was successful to some degree. I want to continue developing my working knowledge of costume elements like these to improve my work as a concept artist.

Smith, J. (2022).

My 3D skills have evolved tremendously learning the Unreal Engine 5 pipeline, learning better modelling techniques for cleaner geometry. I encountered a couple of errors in exporting it into unreal, but I was able to trouble shoot the model to have it import successfully.

Unreal Engine 5 was an entirely new experience for me, but I loved every minute of the creative power terraforming and set dressing gave me. I was able to carefully create the world I had been working so very hard to visualise the last few months, and seeing my models in the beautiful level by MYTHRA TECH was extremely satisfying and addicting. I found myself in a frenzy modelling props, unavailable to download for free, to achieve the look and feel I envisioned. The creative joy I felt in Unreal has left me with a thirst for level design which I would love to develop my skills in further. This creative zone is something I will definitely also be tapping into when I feel the resurgence of art block.

I think my practice has developed tremendously over the course of the module as well as the year. It has given me a thirst for experiencing new tools and exploration and helped me over-come my fears of new design territory and software.

References:

MYTHRA TECH. (2022). Mediterranean Coast. [Online]. Unreal Engine Marketplace. Available at: https://www.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/3a23dac323e646f38e2c7a744236478e?sessionInval [Accessed 29 July 2024].

Smith, J. (2022). Meriwa. [Online]. ArtStation. Available at: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/aGmg60 [Accessed 22 June 2024].

Smith, J. (2022). Nero. [Online]. ArtStation. Available at: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/Penggy [Accessed 22 June 2024].

[wicultyls]

The Unsung Heroes of DevOps Certifications for the Tools You Didn't Know You Needed

In the rapidly evolving world of technology, DevOps has emerged as a cornerstone of modern software development and IT operations. The synergy between development and operations teams ensures that products are delivered more quickly, with better quality, and with continuous integration and delivery. Yet, while the world often celebrates the headline-grabbing tools like Jenkins, Docker, and Kubernetes, there exists a suite of lesser-known tools that play crucial roles in DevOps pipelines. These tools, along with their respective certifications, are the unsung heroes that drive seamless operations in the background, ensuring efficiency, security, and scalability.

Why DevOps Certifications Matter

Before diving into these unsung tools, it’s important to understand the significance of DevOps certifications. Certifications validate a professional's skills, ensuring they are equipped to handle the complexities of modern DevOps environments. While many are familiar with certifications for major tools, there are specialized certifications that focus on more niche, yet essential, DevOps tools. These certifications often go unnoticed, but they hold the key to mastering the full spectrum of DevOps practices.

The Hidden Gems of DevOps

Terraform: Automating Infrastructure as Code

Certification: HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate

Why It’s Important: Terraform is an open-source tool that allows you to define and provision infrastructure using a high-level configuration language. While tools like Kubernetes manage containerized workloads, Terraform handles the infrastructure setup, making it a critical tool for multi-cloud environments. The Terraform Associate certification from HashiCorp ensures that professionals can efficiently automate infrastructure, manage resources, and use modules to streamline the process.

Ansible: Simplifying Configuration Management

Certification: Red Hat Certified Specialist in Ansible Automation

Why It’s Important: Ansible is an open-source tool that automates software provisioning, configuration management, and application deployment. It’s often overshadowed by more prominent tools, but Ansible's simplicity and ease of use make it a powerful addition to any DevOps toolkit. The certification focuses on automating tasks with Ansible, ensuring that professionals can manage complex deployments with minimal manual intervention.

Prometheus: The Overlooked Monitoring Powerhouse

Certification: Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) with Prometheus

Why It’s Important: Prometheus is an open-source monitoring system and time series database developed by SoundCloud. It has become the de facto standard for monitoring Kubernetes clusters. Despite its importance, it often takes a backseat to more popular tools. The CKA certification, with a focus on Prometheus, ensures that professionals can monitor and troubleshoot Kubernetes clusters effectively.

Vault: Securing Secrets in DevOps

Certification: HashiCorp Certified: Vault Associate

Why It’s Important: Vault is a tool that securely stores and manages secrets, such as passwords, API keys, and certificates. In a world where security breaches can have devastating consequences, managing secrets securely is non-negotiable. The Vault Associate certification ensures that professionals can handle secrets management, encryption as a service, and identity-based access, making security an integral part of the DevOps pipeline.

Istio: The Silent Enforcer of Microservices Security

Certification: Istio Fundamentals Certification

Why It’s Important: Istio is an open-source service mesh that provides a way to control how microservices share data with one another. It offers security, observability, and traffic management capabilities. While not as famous as Kubernetes, Istio plays a crucial role in managing microservices architecture. The Istio Fundamentals Certification validates skills in managing service mesh, securing communications, and controlling traffic within a microservices environment. The Value of Knowing the Unsung Tools

These lesser-known tools might not always make headlines, but their impact on DevOps processes is profound. Professionals who master these tools through certifications not only enhance their skill sets but also ensure that their organizations can operate at peak efficiency. In an industry where the pace of change is relentless, being proficient in these tools can set professionals apart from the crowd.

Conclusion: Celebrating the Unsung Heroes

The world of DevOps is vast, with tools that cover every aspect of software development and IT operations. While the more popular tools often receive the spotlight, the unsung heroes quietly ensure that everything runs smoothly behind the scenes. By obtaining certifications in these lesser-known tools, DevOps professionals can ensure they are fully equipped to handle the complexities of modern IT environments. So, the next time you think about enhancing your DevOps skills, consider diving into these hidden gems—because the tools you didn’t know you needed might just be the ones that make all the difference.

[markdarby]

Best Practices for Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

Hey there! If you're diving into the world of Infrastructure as Code (IaC), you're in for an exciting journey. IaC is all about managing and provisioning your infrastructure through code, making your deployments consistent, repeatable, and scalable. But like anything in tech, there are best practices to follow to make sure you're getting the most out of it. So, let's explore some key practices for effective IaC implementation that can make your life a whole lot easier!

Version Control for IaC

Why Version Control Matters

Alright, let's start with the basics. Why is version control so important for IaC? Imagine you're working on a complex infrastructure setup, and suddenly something breaks. Without version control, you're left scratching your head, wondering what went wrong. By using a version control system like Git, you can keep track of every change made to your IaC scripts. It's like having a rewind button for your infrastructure!

Tracking Changes and Collaboration

Version control isn't just about tracking changes; it's also a fantastic collaboration tool. When you're working with a team, everyone can work on different parts of the infrastructure without stepping on each other's toes. You can easily review changes, roll back to previous versions if something goes awry, and even experiment with new features in separate branches. It's all about teamwork and making sure everyone is on the same page.

Modular Design and Reusability

Creating Reusable Modules

Next up, let's talk about modular design and reusability. One of the best ways to streamline your IaC process is by creating reusable modules. Think of these modules as building blocks that you can mix and match across different projects. It saves time and ensures consistency. For example, if you've got a standard setup for deploying a web server, you can reuse that module whenever you need a web server, tweaking it only as necessary.

Encapsulation and Abstraction

When designing these modules, it's essential to encapsulate your infrastructure logic. This means hiding the complexity behind a simple interface. By doing so, you make it easier for others (and future you) to use these modules without needing to understand every detail. It's like driving a car; you don't need to know how the engine works to get from point A to point B.

Automated Testing and Validation

Testing IaC

Now, let's get into something super crucial: testing. Just like with any code, you want to catch errors before they make it to production. Automated testing for IaC scripts is your safety net. It helps you identify issues early on, saving you from potentially disastrous deployments.

Tools and Techniques

There are some fantastic tools out there for testing IaC. Terratest, for instance, is great for testing Terraform configurations, while Molecule is your go-to for testing Ansible playbooks. These tools allow you to run tests in isolated environments, ensuring that your scripts do what they're supposed to do. It's like having a practice run before the big game.

Security and Compliance

Ensuring Secure IaC

So, we've all heard horror stories about security breaches, right? In the world of IaC, security is just as critical as anywhere else in tech. When you're defining your infrastructure through code, you're also setting up security policies, permissions, and configurations. It's essential to scan your IaC scripts for vulnerabilities regularly. Tools like Checkov or TFLint can help you catch security issues before they go live. Trust me, a little prevention goes a long way!

Compliance Audits

Now, onto compliance. Whether you're working in healthcare, finance, or any other regulated industry, adhering to compliance standards is non-negotiable. IaC can make compliance audits a breeze. By codifying your infrastructure, you can create repeatable and auditable processes. This means you can quickly show auditors that your systems are up to snuff with industry regulations. It's like having a well-organized filing cabinet, but for your infrastructure!

Ensuring Best Practices with Professional Support

So, you've got your IaC scripts, version control, modular designs, and automated tests all set up. But what if you need a bit more help? This is where a DevOps services provider company comes in. These experts offer comprehensive support to implement best practices for IaC. They can guide you through the maze of tools and techniques, ensuring that your infrastructure is secure, compliant, and efficient. It's like having a personal trainer for your tech stack!

Final Thoughts

The Path to Effective IaC Implementation

Alright, let's wrap this up. Implementing Infrastructure as Code can be a game-changer for your organization. By following these best practices—using version control, designing reusable modules, testing your scripts, and ensuring security and compliance—you set yourself up for success. And remember, having professional guidance can make the journey smoother and more efficient. So, go ahead and dive into IaC with confidence, knowing that you've got a solid foundation to build on.

And there you have it, folks! That's the scoop on best practices for IaC. If you've got any questions or want to share your experiences, feel free to drop a comment. Happy coding!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and why is it important?

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) is a method to manage and provision computer data centers through machine-readable scripts, rather than physical hardware configuration or interactive configuration tools. It's important because it automates and standardizes the deployment process, reducing manual errors, and speeding up the setup and scaling of infrastructure.

2. What are some best practices for implementing IaC?

Implementing IaC effectively involves several best practices, including using version control systems like Git, modularizing your infrastructure code for better reusability, and automating testing to catch errors early. It's also crucial to keep your IaC code secure by scanning for vulnerabilities and ensuring compliance with industry regulations.

3. How does version control help with IaC?

Version control systems help manage changes to IaC scripts, providing a history of changes, facilitating collaboration, and enabling rollback if something goes wrong. Tools like Git track every modification, making it easier to audit changes and maintain consistency across different environments​.

4. What are the common tools used for Infrastructure as Code?

Common IaC tools include Terraform, Ansible, and Pulumi. Terraform is known for its broad compatibility with cloud providers and its declarative syntax. Ansible is popular for configuration management and orchestration, while Pulumi allows for infrastructure provisioning using standard programming languages like Python and TypeScript​.

5. Why is automated testing important in IaC?

Automated testing in IaC ensures that infrastructure changes do not introduce errors or vulnerabilities. By running tests on your IaC scripts before deployment, you can catch issues early and maintain high reliability. Tools like Terratest and Molecule can automate these tests, providing continuous integration and delivery capabilities​.

[henrythor]

Terraform, Terragrunt and dependencies

Terraform

Terraform is a tool that helps Ops, DevOps and Platform Engineers build infrastructure in code.

Terraform is really great at helping you plan your infrastructure and deploy it in the correct order. It does this by building a dependency graph within the state you're applying.

However, it is in most cases unrealistic to keep your entire infrastructure in one state file. That is because reading your state and detecting any changes or discrepancies between the code and the infrastructure will take a long time, and making changes will feel more stressful than it needs to.

Separating the state serves to reduce scope of potential changes. Dependencies between these modular states can be handled with remote-state data sources.

The problem

Most often in IaC we need to reproduce multiple environments with the same code. And while we can modularize our terraform code we end up with the dependencies and the module inputs repeated across multiple files in our source code tree.

Terraform is, for instance, unable to use variable interpolation in the string that points you to the S3 bucket if you store your terraform state in a bucket. So right there you need to repeat that piece of the code for each environment because a bucket name is globally unique so you need a dev-xxx-terraform staging-xxx-terraform and prod-xxx-terraform buckets in each respective environment.

This leads to repeated code and often, in a fast paced environment, can lead to divergence. It starts off small, as you copy paste code around, but eventually you might find yourself with unexpected feature divergence between environment which is definitely not what we want to see in our infrastructure. We need consistency to be able to ensure quality of the products we are deploying.

Another thing that commonly occurs is that infrastructure is developed piece by piece. You add something to this state, and then have this state depend on that particular new component, and so on until you accidentally wind up with a circular dependency that cannot be solved unless you target-apply your way around it and even then without being able to target apply outputs into the state it might not work at all without using some tricks like static input values as you wait for the state outputs to be all available.

Imagine for instance that you start off with a CI/CD IAM role. The CI/CD role only manages static code in an S3 bucket so you add that into the CI/CD state and give it permissions to write to it there. Down the road you add a CloudFront, which you want to manage in its own state, so you create that. The CloudFront uses the S3 bucket, so it imports it from the CI/CD state. You also want to add permissions in your CI/CD role’s IAM policy to manage the CloudFront distribution so you write that into the CI/CD state’s IAM policy and import the CloudFront distribution with a remote state.

Everything works for now but you’ve introduced a circular dependency so when you move this all up from the development environment to a new staging environment you’ll need to refactor it or it won’t apply correctly

Terragrunt

Terragrunt is a thin wrapper for Terraform that introduces some constraints. For one, you need to declare all your states and your dependencies between them. Terragrunt builds a dependency graph from your states dependencies, and if there are cycles there it will refuse to apply.

And if you follow Terragrunt’s documentation you will write each terraform module’s input in only one file which loads different local variables depending on the environment you’re applying so you can still name your infrastructure for its environment and maintain globally unique entities such as S3 buckets.

The common way to build Terragrunt code is to have common .hcl modules for each of the states and then use the name of current directories names to figure out which environment and which state you’re working on, but those directories all just contain some boilerplate code to find the right common .hcl modules and root terragrunt module so terragrunt can build the terraform module inputs.

Have you ever run into state divergence in terraform? Have you had to use diff to figure out the difference between terraform code for different environments?

[govindhtech]

Unity Ads Performs 10M Tasks Per Second With Memorystore

Memorystore powers up to 10 million operations per second in Unity Ads.

Unity Ads

Prior to using its own self-managed Redis infrastructure, Unity Ads, a mobile advertising company, was looking for a solution that would lower maintenance costs and scale better for a range of use cases. Memorystore for Redis Cluster, a fully managed service built for high-performance workloads, is where Unity moved their workloads. Currently, a single instance of their infrastructure can process up to 10 million Redis operations per second.The business now has a more dependable and expandable infrastructure, lower expenses, and more time to devote to high-value endeavors.

Managing one million actions per second is an impressive accomplishment for many consumers, but it’s just routine at Unity Ads. Unity’s mobile performance ads solution readily manages this daily volume of activities, which feeds ads to a wide network of mobile apps and games, showcasing the reliable capabilities of Redis clusters. Extremely high performance needs result from the numerous database operations required for real-time ad requests, bidding, and ad selection, as well as for updating session data and monitoring performance indicators.

Google Cloud knows that this extraordinary demand necessitates a highly scalable and resilient infrastructure. Here comes Memorystore for Redis Cluster, which is made to manage the taxing demands of sectors where speed and scale are essential, such as gaming, banking, and advertising. This fully managed solution combines heavier workloads into a single, high-performance cluster, providing noticeably higher throughput and data capacity while preserving microsecond latencies.

Providing Memorystore for Redis Cluster with success

Unity faced several issues with their prior Do-It-Yourself (DIY) setup before utilizing Memorystore. For starters, they employed several types of self-managed Redis clusters, from Kubernetes operators to static clusters based on Terraform modules. These took a lot of work to scale and maintain, and they demand specific understanding. They frequently overprovisioned these do-it-yourself clusters primarily to minimize possible downtime. However, in the high-performance ad industry, where every microsecond and fraction of a penny matters, this expense and the time required to manage this infrastructure are unsustainable.

Memorystore presented a convincing Unity Ads solution. Making the switch was easy because it blended in perfectly with their current configuration. Without the managerial overhead, it was just as expensive as their do-it-yourself solution. Since they were already Google Cloud users, they also thought it would be beneficial to further integrate with the platform.

The most crucial characteristic is scalability. The ability of Memorystore for Redis Cluster to scale with no downtime is one of its best qualities. With just a click or command, customers may expand their clusters to handle terabytes of keyspace, allowing them to easily adjust to changing demands. Additionally, Memorystore has clever features that improve use and dependability. The service manages replica nodes, putting them in zones other than their primary ones to guard against outages, and automatically distributes nodes among zones for high availability. What would otherwise be a difficult manual procedure is made simpler by this automated method.

All of this made Unity Ads decide to relocate their use cases, which included state management, distributed locks, central valuation cache, and session data. The relocation process proceeded more easily than expected. By using double-writing during the shift, they were able to successfully complete their most important session data migration, which handled up to 1 million Redis operations per second. Their valuation cache migration, which served up to half a million requests per second (equivalent to over 1 million Redis operations per second) with little impact on service, was even more astounding. It took only 15 minutes to complete. In order to prevent processing the same event twice, the Google team also successfully migrated Unity’s distributed locks system to Memorystore.

Memorystore in operation: the version of Unity Ads

Google Cloud has a life-changing experience using Memorystore for Redis Cluster. Its infrastructure’s greater stability was one of the most obvious advantages it observed. Because its prior DIY Redis cluster was operating on various tiers of virtualization services, such as Kubernetes and cloud computing, where it lacked direct observability and control, it frequently ran into erratic performance issues that were challenging to identify.

Consider this CPU utilization graph of specific nodes from its previous self-managed arrangement, for example:Image credit to Google Cloud

As you can see, the CPU consumption across many nodes fluctuated a lot and spiked frequently. It was challenging to sustain steady performance in these circumstances, particularly during times of high traffic.

During Kubernetes nodepool upgrades, which are frequently the result of automatic upgrades to a new version of Kubernetes, it also encountered issues with its do-it-yourself Redis clusters. The p99 latency is skyrocketing, as you can see!Image credit to Google Cloud

Another big benefit is that we can now grow production seamlessly because of Memorystore. This graph displays its client metrics as it increased the cluster’s size by 60%.

With very little variations, the operation rate was impressively constant throughout the procedure. For us, this degree of seamless scaling changed everything since it made it possible to adjust to shifting needs without compromising our offerings.

The tremendous performance and steady low latency it has been able to attain using Memorystore are described in the data presented above. For its ad-serving platform, where every microsecond matters, this performance level is essential.

Making a profit from innovation

Unity ads switch to Memorystore has resulted in notable operational enhancements in addition to performance gains. It no longer invests effort in preparing its Redis clusters for production by testing and fine-tuning them.

Business-wise, it anticipates that by properly scaling clusters and applying the relevant Committed Use Discounts, it should be able to get cost savings on par with its prior do-it-yourself solution, particularly with the addition of single zone clusters to cut down on networking expenses. For a comparable price to prior self-managed Redis deployment, it is now able to obtain a fully managed, scalable, and far more dependable (99.99% SLA) solution with Memorystore.

With an eye toward the future, Memorystore has created new opportunities for system architecture. For many of the use cases, it is currently thinking about taking a “Memorystore-first” strategy. For instance, engineers frequently choose persistent database solutions like Bigtable when creating crucial data systems because they don’t want to take chances, even whether the use case actually requires persistence and/or consistency.

Databases like Bigtable are better suited for data that will persist for months to years, but occasionally the use case just requires data durability for about an hour. It may save money and development time by avoiding such shortcuts and optimizing for its shorter persistent (such as hours-to-day) data use cases with a hardened, dependable Redis Cluster solution like Memorystore. Overall, it can confidently extend the use of Redis across more infrastructure to reduce costs and boost performance because of Memorystore’s scalability and dependability.

The ease with which persistence (AOF or RDB) can be enabled on Memorystore is another revolutionary advantage. Its use cases were restricted to caching scenarios with transitory data that it could afford to lose because its Kubernetes DIY Redis cluster did not allow permanence. It can expand use cases and even mix use cases within the same cluster with Memorystore’s one-click persistence, which boosts usage and reduces expenses.

Every second matters in business. Memorystore is helping them remain competitive and provide its publishers and advertisers with better outcomes by allowing the team to concentrate on core business innovation instead of infrastructure administration.

Read more on Govindhtech.com

[codesolutionsstuff]

Top 10 DevOps Tools to Watch in 2023

In the coming year, we could want to adopt some new (relatively) DevOps tools because they could significantly increase engineering productivity. So without further ado, let's begin.

1. Pulumi

Let's start with Infrastructure, which is the foundation of DevOps. First things first: like Terraform, AWS CDK, CDK for Terraform, etc., Pulumi is an Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tool. Even if Terraform is arguably the most popular option for IaC today, there are several cons: - You'd need to learn HCL as a new "language" (HashiCorp Config Language). - HCL isn't really a "language" in the traditional sense, or at least not one that is very potent. For instance, a for loop on a module won't be usable until late 2020. Bring on Pulumi. So what is it? It's simple for you to comprehend if you are familiar with the AWS CDK: it is that. Except that it works with all clouds and is ubiquitous (or at least, it attempts to be). If you are unfamiliar with AWS CDK, consider this: With Pulumi, you can manage your infrastructure using programming languages that you are already familiar with, saving you the time and effort of having to learn yet another configuration language. For whom is Pulumi? Great inquiry. If you already know how to write in a language like TypeScript, Python, Go, C#, Java, etc. and don't really want to learn HCL, Pulumi might be the right choice for you. Technically, if you're using AWS, you could also use AWS CDK, however Pulumi makes more sense if you want to orchestrate a hybrid cloud architecture. You might also give Pulumi a go if you already use Terraform extensively but are sick of HCL's restrictions and don't enjoy utilising built-in functions like "count" that make your infrastructure code harder to read. This utility is no longer "new"; on GitHub, it has received more than 14k stars. Yet it is more recent than Terraform. Give it a shot if it fixes a specific issue you're having.

2. SOPS

The open-source text file editor SOPS, which stands for Secrets OPerations, automatically encrypts and decrypts files. The text editor, encryption, and automation are highlighted. Typically, you use these steps to encrypt a text file: - To write, modify, and manipulate the text data, use your preferred editor; then, save the changes as a file. - Encrypt the entire file using an encryption/decryption tool. When the encrypted file needs to be read: - Using an encryption/decryption tool, you must first decrypt the file. - With your preferred text editor, open the decrypted file (which is now a standard text file). This "standard" procedure has one glaring flaw: using two tools (an editor and an encryption/decryption tool) for a single task. Hopefully, you can see where I'm heading with this: SOPS is for that. In other words, utilizing a git repo to store secrets is possible and simple for collaboration because it can be coupled with numerous encryption services (such HashiCorp Vault, AWS KMS, etc.) to encrypt your secret files automatically.

3. Trivy

These days, when you want to build or deploy an app, your first thoughts are probably about containerization and 12-factor apps. Our cloud-native workload mainly relies on container images, so container image security is becoming increasingly important. Any container built from an image inherits all of its properties, including security flaws, incorrect configurations, and even malware. A security scanner is Trivy. It operates anywhere you need it, is dependable, quick, and simple. The most well-known application of Trivy's numerous scanners, which seek for distinct security flaws, is for scanning container images for known vulnerabilities (CVEs). Before publishing it to a container registry or deploying your application, you can use it locally as a CLI tool to scan your local container image and other artefacts. Trivy is also made to be used in CI and is simple to connect with your CI pipelines, making it the ideal fit for the "continuous everything" DevOps philosophy.

4. Cluster API

A Kubernetes subsidiary project called lustrous API is dedicated to offering declarative APIs and tooling to make it easier to set up, maintain, and upgrade several Kubernetes clusters. The Kubernetes Special Interest Group (SIG) Cluster Lifecycle launched the Cluster API project, which automates cluster lifecycle management for platform operators using Kubernetes-style APIs and patterns. The Kubernetes cluster configuration and the accompanying infrastructure, such as virtual machines, networks, load balancers, and virtual private clouds (VPCs), are all established in the same manner as how application developers deploy and manage their workloads. This makes it possible to install clusters consistently and repeatedly in a range of infrastructure scenarios. If the official definition is unclear to you, consider that you can construct a K8s cluster by using just one kubectl apply command. This command is compatible with AWS, Azure, DigitalOcean, Docker, GCP, OpenStack, and other services. For K8s clusters, kubectl apply is all that is required; there is no need to write Terraform modules (or, worse, try to figure out all the parameters of someone else's modules), and there is no need to learn how to use eksctl for AWS and something else for another cloud. Wow, that's impressive. I know. It is thus listed among the top ten tools to keep an eye on.

5. Linkerd

According to reports, Linkerd is the lightest and quickest service mesh in the world. A service mesh is what? A service mesh is an infrastructural layer that is specifically designed to make service-to-service communication quick, secure, and reliable. Linkerd excels in being simple to use. It only takes one line of command to install it. This sentence comes to a close. It's so straightforward that I'm at a loss for words. Let's chat more, though. Quick setup is used. Since even Docker images are small, they are pulled more quickly. There aren't any major differences in the architecture. There are two planes: a control plane and a data plane. The control plane consists of services that handle telemetry, API, control data for the data plane proxies, etc. The data plane also has proxies that operate next to each service instance. For further information, see the official document here. The open-source envoy proxy, a high-performance C++ distributed proxy intended for single services and applications, is used by Istio and AWS App Mesh. It is a sophisticated all-purpose proxy. On the other side, Linkerd uses a specially created Rust-written proxy to be as compact, light, and secure as possible.I'm not here to weigh in on whether Rust or C++ is the best and safest language, but as a contemporary language with a unique approach to memory management (ownership instead of garbage collection), Rust definitely has an advantage. Unlike Istio, Linkerd uses a service mirroring method for multi-cluster administration. The system is almost identical to a single-cluster arrangement in terms of simplicity, with the addition of two multi-cluster setups and a multi-cluster control plane. In conclusion, Linkerd is a unique form of service mesh that is incredibly lightweight, straightforward, and powerful. Without adding complexity, Linkerd enhances the security, observability, and dependability of Kubernetes. Even though it isn't really a new tool, you should try it if the features suit your needs and you value simplicity.

6. GitHub Actions

Another CI is GitHub Actions. So why GitHub Actions? We kind of have to take a close look at it because, among other things, it is on the CNCF tech radar (and is currently at the "assess" stage, making it a "new" tool). Another reason is that GitHub Actions naturally connect with your GitHub repositories and CI frequently interacts with your code. No more issues connecting your CI to your code repositories. Another advantage for startups is that GitHub Actions includes some free quota, which may be more than enough when you've just launched a new product, making it absolutely free.In addition to saving money on running some VMs in a cloud for your own infrastructure just for the CI component, you are probably not going to need to register any additional self-hosted runners for quite some time.

7. Tekton

Tekton is an additional CI (I know, I copy-pasted this line from the previous section). Key characteristics include: - It can be utilised by a K8s cluster. - You kubectl apply the pipelines after defining them as a native K8s resource. - It currently has a dashboard and CLI. Additionally, you may create, test, and deploy using Tekton in a variety of contexts, including serverless or virtual machines. Tekton pipelines can be used to deploy across several cloud providers or hybrid environments. Should you use it? My take is, if: - you must "own" your CI system (for instance, you may not be able to use the free quota of GitHub Actions for some reason); - you now employ K8s; - you enjoy interacting with K8s in this way; then attempt Tekton. It is easy to install, and you may quickly get it working.

8. HashiCorp Harness

Harness is a CI, but it goes beyond that. It comes from the company HashiCorp, whose name we already know, and it combines several elements into one: - CI - CD/GitOps - feature flags - cloud costs To run your builds, Harness provides hosted virtual machines (VMs). You may build your code worry-free on the infrastructure that Harness offers with Harness Cloud. You may concentrate on creating excellent software by putting less time and effort into maintaining infrastructure. Pipelines and Stages are used to model Continuous Delivery in Harness. You specify what to deploy using Services, where to deploy it using Environments, and how to deploy it using Execution steps in each stage. You may carry out GitOps deployments in Harness using Harness GitOps. In your Git manifest, you specify the desired state of the service you wish to deploy, and Harness GitOps uses your live Kubernetes cluster to sync the state. With the help of the feature management tool Harness Feature Flags (FF), you may alter the functionality of your software without writing new code. It enables you to conceal code or behaviour without releasing updated software. A feature flag is comparable to an effective "if" statement. In conclusion, this is the SaaS CI/CD/FeatureFlags solution to consider if you want them all in one location.

9. Thanos

Let's talk about Prometheus' local storage first: Even if we can use storage.tsdb.retention to set a lengthy data retention duration, such as years, the issue of scalability and planning still needs to be addressed. Long queries might take a lot of memory to process when there have been a number of high-resolution probes used. A rate() function over a year with a 15-second scrape interval, for instance, takes 2.1 million samples, or roughly 2.6MiB of data. And that only applies to one metric. The present TSDB implementation is perfectly capable of handling changing the retention time to years if you have a small infrastructure. Consider using a larger distributed TSDB for larger applications. And Thanos, an open-source, highly available Prometheus setup with long-term storage capabilities, is a solution that addresses this issue. It focuses on long-term storage. Try Thanos if you've already experienced problems with Prometheus storage.

10. HashiCorp Sentinel

Let's discuss about Sentinel now. Sentinel is HashiCorp's implementation of the policy-as-code methodology, in which policies are created, revised, shared, and enforced using code. Sentinel works effectively with other HashiCorp products because it is a HashiCorp product. Sentinel is the ideal tool for you if you frequently use Terraform, Vault, Consul, or Nomad and want to explore Policy-as-Code. Here are a few specific instances of what Sentinel policies can accomplish: - Don't let Terraform be used to provide Cloud resources without tags. - Make sure that only authorised system administrators with active MFA are able to modify critical Vault data. - Allow Nomad to only run Docker workloads. - Consul key updates are only possible during regular business hours. a sample short code: import “tfplan/v2” as tfplan aws_instances = filter tfplan.resource_changes as _, rc { rc.mode is “managed” and rc.type is “aws_instance” and rc.change.actions is not “delete” } main = rule { all aws_instances as _, instance { (instance.change.after.tags else {}) is not empty } } I think it's very self-explanatory. Get the AWS instances from a Terraform plan; after the update, tags cannot be empty (unless you are trying to delete the instance). Keep checking back because I'll shortly post an introduction to Policy-as-Code if you're interested.

Summary

- A brief classification of all the tools described in this article is as follows: - Pulumi, Infrastructure as Code - Security: Trivy and SOPS - K8s/multi-cluster: Linkerd, Cluster API - GitHub Actions, Tekton, and Harness are examples of CI/CD. - Keep an eye on Thanos - HashiCorp Sentinel policy as code Read the full article

[leanesch]

Terraform must know:

Terraform got plenty of providers that you can use to create resources like cloud providers or others such as kubernetes which will be the topic of my next article.

If you can't find the provider you are looking for, you can create your own provider. Here is an example that you can follow.

Please do not store passwords or critical information in terraform files. You can instead use AWS Secret manager, GCP Secret manager, Hashicorp Vault and then consume the secrets using data sources.

You can use terraform modules in order to increase reusability of your code

One of the most important things to do when working with tf state is to introduce locking in order to make sure the state is locked when used by another user.

Make use of the outputs.tf file as it facilitates the consumption of the values in other modules/code.

If you have some resources that were created manually, you can use the import command in order to import existing infrastructure into Terraform.

One of the commands that are not very used is the fmt and the validate command which can be useful to check if there are any issues with your code.

Always make sure to use the latest release of Terraform in order to keep up to date with the new functionalities.

Most of times, you will need more information to debug an error, adding the export TF_LOG=”DEBUG” would help generating the debug file. You can also change the verbosity of the log by using any of these: TRACE, INFO, WARN or ERROR.

Testing your terraform code is as important as writing the code itself as it saves you time and energy to test your code before applying it. You can find in here some popular tools for testing.

I highly recommend checking this github link where you'll find multiple resouces and toolings linked to Terraform.

In case, you want to have a SaaS solution for free remote state storage, a stable run environment, version control system (VCS) driven plans and applies, a collaborative web GUI and most of all, calculate costs before applying infrastructure changes, and control them using policy as code, you may want to check Terraform Cloud.

Useful commands : (This article explains well the following commands)

terraform -help

terraform fmt

terraform version

terraform init

terraform get

terraform validate

terraform plan

terraform apply

terraform destroy

terraform taint

terraform refresh

terraform show

terraform state

terraform import

terraform providers

terraform workspace 

terraform output

[releaseteam]

via Twitter https://twitter.com/releaseteam

[origami-goblin]

Complete Starfinder Theme Series - Creation Tips and Character Concepts

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Part 1 - Sculpting Your Backstory - Themes in Starfinder

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Creating characters in tabletop RPGs is an art. Before we even put a pen to the page, our minds might already have a vision of our character’s impulsive habits, their fatal flaws, and their love of honeyed candies. We pick up the misshapen ball of clay and sculpt details until our character is standing there, breathing on the page before our very eyes. To put it simply, a part of ourselves becomes attached to that player and we can usually see our own faces staring back at us. It can give us the opportunity to address shortcomings that we have or learn to see things from a different perspective. So, in a way, we level up in RL along with our characters.

But how do you start with a broad idea and hammer out the dents to end up with a fully-fledged character? In Dungeons and Dragons 5E we could start with a Background, like a Sailor or a Noble, and we also received prompts to determine flaws, bonds, and ideals to help breathe life into our newborns. Pathfinder didn’t have much specifically in terms of backgrounds to choose from, but we could choose specific traits that had some backstory to get the wheels turning. With Starfinder, we are presented with one word: theme.

Instantly I’m reminded of the scene in A Christmas Story when Ralphie’s class is assigned the arduous task of writing a theme centered around what they wanted for Christmas (Red Rider BB Gun, anyone?). Starfinder doesn’t appear to leave us with a similar length of creative rope; only ten options? Really? How am I supposed to develop an original history and genealogy of my character when I’m shoehorned into a limiting background from the beginning?

That’s where I’ll jump in to say that you’re wrong to think that way. Honestly, I LOVE that we are limited to a single choice of ten themes. For one, we already know that there are an extensive number of Feats to choose from and having more starting options to memorize on top of those would simply be too much for a game trying to simplify the rules and character creation process. Secondly, I’m a firm believer that limitations and restrictions breed more creativity than rabbits at a carrot festival. They force us to approach our characters with a fresh perspective. Let’s look at the Icon theme, for example:

Icon Character Concepts

“Thanks to interstellar transmissions and Drift travel, the galaxy is smaller than ever, and this connectivity has facilitated your ascension to celebrity status. You might be a famous performer or a celebrated scientist, but either way, you get recognized on the Pact Worlds and in associated systems. Your reason for traveling to unknown worlds might be to further spread your acclaim or to escape the limelight.” - Starfinder CRB

Popular and respected celebrity who can leverage the public’s adoration for specific needs.

Alright, so this describes a character that everybody knows, for some reason or another. The way that it is phrased, it seems like notoriety isn’t completely out of the question, but it is definitely a gray area. So…for what reasons could somebody be famous on an interstellar level?

Pop Icon - Music, dance, special FX, etc. Maybe you’re part of a galactic Blue Man Group or you’re a Kardashian of the Pact Worlds.

Renowned Scientist - You’ve made leaps and bounds in the discoveries of other species and planets. You could be a geologist specializing in the terraformation of planetary features or an intelligent botanist who has cataloged countless samples from neighboring star systems.

Political Propaganda - Your face was used as part of a political campaign for your Home Planet and you are recognized everywhere you go - it’s kind of like being the Coppertone baby or Justin Long from Apple commercials.

Luxurious Billionaire - Part of a historic family, you grew up in the limelight. Every waking moment was scrutinized because you had to live up to your family’s name. Why you don’t have any of that wealth now…that’s up for you to decide.

Skilled Athlete - Having scored the winning goal in the Interplanetary Scrooving Cup, you brought honor, wealth, and fame to your previously unimportant home planet. It doesn’t have to be scrooving, of course (especially since I haven’t invented the rules…yet), but it could be a podracing variant or even a form of space-jousting.

You see, all it takes is a single word to have a canvas on which to build your character. On any of the examples above, you probably have a loose framework of how that person would act; the scientist might bravely charge into the unknown for the sake of scientific discovery, or the athlete might live a shallow life outside of their matches.

Be bold and stretch your imagination. We are no longer limited by the atmosphere.

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Part 2 - Starfinder Theme Focus - Ace Pilots and Bounty Hunters

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This week I’m going back to the scene of the crime to revisit the themes in Starfinder and offer some possible avenues down which you can direct your creative character-building energies. In case you’re completely in the dark on this topic, Starfinder introduces the concept of themes that you can use as a small puzzle piece in sculpting your character. In addition to providing some RP definition, each theme will give your character a boost to a specific stat and bonuses at 1st, 6th, 12th, and 18th level. As an aside, Paizo’s choice to have the theme progression remain identical throughout the possible selections helps to limit the min-maxing a bit, by ensuring that players aren’t choosing themes based on whichever ones grant them bonuses the soonest. Of course, the bonuses that each theme provides inherently enable some level of power-gaming, but that is going to be the case with nearly any pen-and-paper PRG.

Last time, as a part of my deeper dive into themes, I specifically touched on the Icon and listed several examples of character concepts that a player could use when creating a Startfinder character kissed by the Icon theme. The point of the post was to show that themes aren’t meant to limit creativity; they foster it. Just as there’s no wrong way to eat a Reese’s, there are countless interpretations to each theme and the characters that can be molded into existence. Today, I’ll be firing up my brain engine to offer some different charger ideas for the Ace Pilot and Bounty Hunter themes. Buckle up, we’re making the jump!

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Ace Pilot Character Concepts

“You are most comfortable at the controls of a vehicle, whether it’s a starship racing through the inky void of space or a ground vehicle zooming between trees, around boulders, and across dusty badlands. You might be a member of an elite military force, the recipient of intense courses of training. Alternatively, you might be a total amateur with innate skills that make you a much-admired hotshot.” – Starfinder CRB

Cargo Transport Pilot – You’ve been on the open road…er…space your whole life. Maybe you enjoy the solitude that comes with transporting outrageous quantities of goods across planets or star systems. These goods could be anything – weapons, construction materials, medical devices. Or maybe it’s a grab bag and half of the excitement stems from wondering what the next shipment will contain. The many laws governing tariffs & import/export taxes come second-nature, and your expertise in maneuvering an unruly behemoth transport ship is unrivaled. I’m sure you have some fantastic stories about the characters that you’ve met at depots and docks along the way. Have you operated with a crew or are you more of a lone wolf? Are you ‘by the book’ or are you known to bend the rules when regulations aren’t being followed? And hey, I’m not going to judge if you smuggle something every now and again – that’s completely up to you.

Mining Rig Operator – A specialist when it comes to operating heavy machinery, and someone who’s not afraid to get their hands dirty. Whether it be a massive drill, asteroid borer, front-end loader, or excavator, you have the honed precision required of someone who could easily level a structure or cause a fatality with a minor slip of the controls. You might harbor a deep love of geology, wealth, or the smell of space-diesel. If you’ve seen Disney’s Atlantis, Gaetan ‘The Mole’ comes to mind here, in all his grimy glory. Has mining been in your family for generations, or were you trying to make some credits in whatever profession was available? Have you pocketed any of your unearthed materials and sold them on the sly? What sort of role would you have on a starship that isn’t a dedicated mining vessel?

Stunt Driver – Inhabitants of the Pact Worlds crave entertainment, and you know how to deliver. From hologram tapes to over-capacity arenas, the lengths you go to appease your audiences is unmatched. How do you prepare yourself mentally to be fearless? Is there any stunt that you won’t do? Huge flames, steep jumps, free-falling acrobatics – you’ve done it all! Have you become an adventurer to satisfy a new craving that’s suddenly emerged deep inside? Are you an adrenaline junky with no care for your personal safety? Or are you THAT confident in your abilities that you simply must show them off at every opportunity?  

Military Training Pilot – You’ve risen through the ranks of a military sect, but you figured that you’re done with combat missions. Instead, you are now responsible for grooming the fresh batch of hot-heads in the Academy to ensure that engagements end favorably at the minimal loss of life and equipment. You could be highly decorated and revered by all, or maybe you’ve never actually seen combat but have a brilliant mind for tactics and strategy. Did you develop a sophisticated training module for recruits? Are you a master of physics and can perform complex equations regarding acceleration, drag, and gravity on the fly? Maybe you’re not pleased about being given a non-combative assignment and yearn to be back in the fight, wherever that might be.

Getaway Driver – You’ll ‘wait in the car.’ You know the best nooks and crannies to hide in after a successful operation, be it a heist or a GTA. Apart from having nerves of steel, your ability to handle any vehicle makes you highly coveted in the high-stakes game of evading the authorities. Perhaps you have a catchy pseudonym, like “Leadfoot” or “Afterburner” that adds an edge of mystery to your growing legend. Are you available for hire depending on the highest bidder, or are you loyal to a dedicated group of criminals? Or maybe you’re not a criminal at all, and you’re an undercover agent networking to root out the top dogs of the criminal world. What drives you (pun intended) and keeps your foot on the accelerator? I haven’t seen Baby Driver, but I imagine that he would make for a fun Starfinder character.

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Bounty Hunter Character Concepts

“You track people down for money. It is a dangerous profession, as most of your targets understandably don’t wish to be caught. You wouldn’t have it any other way. You might have a code of ethics, never taking jobs that, say, target children or members of your own race. You might hunt down only escaped criminals. Or you might be completely amoral, taking any job that comes along—for the right price.” – Starfinder CRB

Great Mouse Detective – Maybe I’m getting a little ahead of myself on this one, but a Ysoki Detective? Come on! Okay, we can drop the ‘mouse’ portion of this to generalize it a bit, but a detective makes for a great Bounty Hunter. Searching for clues? Check. Interrogating witnesses? Check. An independent free-lancer? Check, check, check. Now all we need is a mahogany pipe that functions while wearing an airtight, pressurized helmet. Are you a Private Investigator, helping people track down lost relatives? Do you offer your services on a contract basis, assisting the local authorities when your services are required? Maybe you’re exceptional at finding clues, or adept at making accurate deductions based on the information on-hand. Or perhaps your forte involves the canvassing of a crime scene to gather the word on the street, or you could be skilled at poring over historical documents and ancestry lineages.

Gung-Ho Repo-Man – It’s time to pay the piper. Whether it be collecting vehicles or ships that have defaulted loans, or shaking down debtors who are skipping town without paying back the credits owed, there are plenty of avenues to venture down as a repo-man (or woman). Are you employed by a roving band of outlaws or by a seedy brand of space mafia? Do you find honor in returning to others what is rightfully theirs? You can be cold and calculated, or a wild child with a smoking gun. Do you believe in using violence to get the job done, by obtaining the required items by whatever means necessary? Or do you have a strict code of conduct and will only resort to fighting if it is absolutely necessary and all other accessible routes have been exhausted? Either way, you get the job done and collect that paycheck, because if someone is going to get paid, it might as well be you.  

Corporate Headhunter – Everybody’s looking for that perfect candidate to fill the shoes and help their company prosper. Sure, you’re a bounty hunter, but you aren’t collecting the reward on some beat-up Toyota Star-is or trying to bring in a fugitive; you are trying to find the right people and put them in the right seats. Corporations pay you top dollar (after six months) when you track down someone with the appropriate skillset and convince them to accept a position at their firms. You have an absurd eye for noticing talent, even when it isn’t a skill that people recognize themselves as having. These aren’t rush jobs; you know that the only way to scout ability is to dig in beyond the resume and get to know the person behind the paper. Whittling down long lists of candidates to a select few and engaging them in social situations is your true calling, and you truly want them to succeed. If they’re not a fit, it’s on to the next one until you find that diamond in the rough.

Pre-Gap Antiquarian – Not much is known about the Gap (that’s why it’s called ‘the Gap’), but you recognize that there is much to be learned about the past, and that the key to unlocking the secrets of what we’ve collectively forgotten lies in the relics that remain. You seek out machinery, trinkets, baubles, clothing – any odds and ends whose origins have long since been forgotten. Perhaps you scour through old histories and manuscripts, trying to locate legendary items of extraordinary power. Do you have magic at your disposal to aid you in your search, ala a dowsing rod? Do you gravitate towards items of a certain kind, like ancient weapons? What draws you to these items in the first place? Maybe there have been stories passed down through your family and you became attached to them, bringing nostalgia into the mix. Or maybe you believe that the way technology is progressing leaves people disconnected with nature or causes us to lack the stronger bond that comes in a slower-moving culture. You probably hoard some of your treasures and keep an exceptionally special item on your person. You could be a hoarder, or run a shop that deals in the sale and acquisition of oddities and antiques.

Zealous Proselytizer – Instead of being driven by the promise of gold or riches, you seek out the good fortune that comes from your deity looking favorably upon you. Whether it be Talavet, Weydan or any deity in between, you seek out others in attempt to show them the enlightenment that comes with becoming a follower. In a way, you are a bounty hunter of souls. Maybe you preach openly in front of large crowds and then try to personally recruit the ones who come up to your afterwards who show interest and promise. Or perhaps you spend more time watching and listening, following people whose dispositions align best with your deity’s tenets. You don’t necessarily have to be pushy, but you certainly could get aggressive if you become frustrated with your efforts. What if they don’t see the world as you see it? You might not be terribly high on the totem pole, either; you could be passing out leaflets in hopes that you ascend the ranks if you make your quota. Do you have a quota? If so, is it more of a personal goal or an appointed goal? What if you’re not aligned with a deity at all, but you hop between them depending on the one that grants the most benefits? After all, nobody’s perfect.

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And there you have it! Since I’ve already done the Icon in a previous post, our next stop will be the Mercenary and Outlaw themes. I’m really looking forward to these two, as they both have a negative connotation and I want to see if we can’t shrug off those predispositions and put a positive spin on them! The main problem I have with posts like these is that I want to start putting together a bunch of characters, most of which will never see the light of day. So, please - create! I shall live through your characters!

Until next time – the stars aren’t the limit; they’re only the beginning.

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Part 3 - Starfinder Theme Focus - Mercenaries and Outlaws

Three down, seven to go! I’ve decided that I might as well just knock out the remaining themes all in a row so that at the very least they’ll be crammed together on the blog in a loose semblance of order. Check back on the first two posts if you want a bit of background on the Starfinder Themes and the role they play in character creation. There isn’t much more I can expand on regarding themes specifically, so maybe I’ll just impart a few thoughts on backstories as little tidbits for you to ruminate on. Maybe I’ll sprinkle some powdered sugar on top. Maybe!

The point of a backstory is provide a framework and serve as a backdrop for your character - what do they believe? What quirks do they have? Why are they the way that they are? We are all products of our environments, and it is that environment that you are trying to envision. Leave spaces in the narrative to come out during the game; if you fill in every tiny detail then there won’t be anything for the GM to work with and incorporate into the story. Loose ends are the best! They can be woven into the narrative in order to enhance the game. Even if you’re playing a prewritten Adventure Path or Module, a good GM will use the gaps in your backstory to help engage your PC and keep them interested. And when you’re talking about the sheet expanse of the Vast in Starfinder, let your imagination run rampant on WHO your character is! Themes are a nice paste you can spread over your character to stick new things on top of.

Alright - now we are primed to talk about the Mercenary and Outlaw themes. There is a “bad boy” mentality that naturally comes into the conversation with each of these, by lets see if we can list out five brief theme concepts that stretch the boundaries of the basic definitions of these words.

Mercenary Character Concepts

“Whether you take jobs that match your ethical beliefs or you fight for anyone who can afford your services, you are a hired gun. You might take pride in your past accomplishments, proudly displaying trophies of your kills, or you might be laden with guilt over being the sole survivor of a mission gone terribly wrong. You most likely work with other mercenaries and are familiar with the methodologies of military actions all across the galaxy.” - Starfinder CRB

Security Officer - You’ve always seen yourself as a protector - whether someone needs a watchful eye to make sure they stay out of trouble, or if an estate needs to reprimand unwelcome visitors, you can answer that call. Your allegiance follows the flow of credits and you won’t let your personal beliefs get in the way of whoever’s paying. Nobody’s breaking Non-Disclosure Agreements, but you wouldn’t be dissuaded from providing your security services for a direct competitor. Do you run a small-scale Security Detail or are you a division of a larger corporation? Do you specialize in a particular type of work, such as being a bodyguard or providing cyber-security? Where is your base of operations, or do you require on-site lodgings in order to provide the best service? Were you a part of a specific military before becoming involved in security or have you never tied yourself down to a specific group in that capacity? I see Michael Weston from Burn Notice as a decent example of a Mercenary in this vein - providing assistance through the completion of odd jobs and using his unique skills to outthink his opposition.

Divine Crusader - You believe that the Divine shape the universe through the people that inhabit it. And after all is said and done, and your light goes out, you want to be sure that your deeds didn’t go unnoticed from the powerful beings above. For this reason you wear every divine symbol under your shirt, prominently displaying the current recipient of your unwavering homage and devotion. For you, it isn’t a matter of lacking faith; you are just covering your spiritual bases. Or maybe you have followed a strict belief to a single deity for your entire life, pledging your devotion whole-cloth from day one. Do you play a prominent militaristic role while professing your faith or do you sell your services in a more charismatic avenue? Are you convinced that your actions are tipping the doomsday scales in your favor, or is there a crack in your faith? Have you served in any divine-fueled wars or defected from a losing side? A character falling into this category should have their religious preference tied into their backstory, which had likely followed their interests, skills, and hobbies. I can’t stop thinking of medieval crusaders in this regard, but there is a lot of flavor to dip into here.

Corporate Consultant - In the Pact Worlds, corporations might as well be planets for all the power that carry, and they probably have a militaristic presence of some kind. A corporate consultant could specialize in offering recommendations to specific equipment and weapons, or perhaps they aren’t involved in a violent capacity at all. They could be ruthless and tactical, pulling the strings from behind the curtain or offering suggestions on where to shave off the excess fat of the company. I particularly like the idea of someone walking around with a clipboard and conducting interviews with employees ala Office Space. But how does that tie to a Mercenary? Maybe it’s the company itself - weapons contractor, thugs for hire, etc. Or, perhaps the war lies between a rival corporation and you are involved in espionage and marketing attacks to gain market share. Targeted advertisements, facilities sabotage, and staged product recalls are only the tip of the iceberg.

Intergalactic Lobbyist - You have connections. We aren’t talking about a guy who does your dry cleaning or a farm with the best space radishes; these are high-level, big-time connections that puts credits in pockets and shapes the political landscape of the Pact Worlds. The companies on the money side of the table tell you which babies to kiss and which people to schmooze. If your efforts lead to a political victory, lax taxation, or breaks in long-standing mercantile tariffs, then you get paid handsomely as well. Having the backing of a wealthy corporation is influential in the complicated game of thrones and your ability to reach across planetary lines to make hands meet in a mutual agreement is second to none. Are you employed by a certain company or industry, or do you represent the lawmaking bodies? Do you have morals where you would refuse to make connections that conflict with your personal beliefs? Are you sincere in your work? Have you been known to exercise a position as a double-agent or worked to tack on seemingly insignificant riders to laws that will add up to accomplish a more grandiose goal? You’re likely trained to handle yourself in case seals go sour, and can get out of hairy situations with your wit or your weapons.

Boisterous Revolutionary - The transgressions of the current government have gone far enough and it is time for someone to lead the charge against their injustice. That someone is you. Whether it be a local affair to overthrow a village leader or an elaborate scheme to Take Down an entire planetary government, you have the tactical mind and leadership ability required to gather people behind a cause. This might not even be your brainchild - perhaps you were hired to be the face of the militaristic front or to train the rabble that will be storming the frontlines of the fight. Is your identity a secret while you infiltrate the ranks of the very government you’re trying to unravel? Are you merely a voice blasting through the sound-waves, promoting action or demanding change? Why do you fight? Is it a personal grievance or is your reasoning more utilitarian than that? How is the revolution designed to be won and what are the conditions of a victory? From a grassroots movement to an all-out war, there are loads of potential for a character who wants things to be different.

Outlaw Character Concepts

“Due to the sins of your past or your current unlawful behavior, you are a wanted individual somewhere in the Pact Worlds. You might not even be guilty and are striving to clear your good name. Or you might fully admit to being a criminal but believe the laws you break are unjust. Whatever the case, boarding a starship headed to the Vast might be just the thing you need until the heat dies down—or until you’re dragged off to prison.” - Starfinder CRB

Escaped Convict - You weren’t about to twiddle your thumbs and patiently serve out your sentence. Through careful planning, tactical bribes, and a healthy serving of luck, you have broken out of prison and now you’re on the lam. I’m sure that the going hasn’t been easy - between hiding from the law, committing other crimes to stay alive, and disguising your appearance, it’s been a challenge. Did you have anyone waiting for you on the outside, or have you been begging, borrowing, and sealing to get by? Did your escape because you were wrongfully convicted or did you have some unfinished business to take care of? Were you a part of a criminal organization that lacked direction after you were locked up? What about going forwards - do you have a new identity that you’ve been working to build? Is this a backstory within a backstory situation? Were you partially rehabilitated? Did a couple screws get popped loose while you were in the clink, or are there any specific life-changing moments after your capture and sentencing? From the details of the escape, to acquaintances made behind bars, to plans for the future, this one has some long legs you can use to take some great strides.

Undercover Vigilante - By day you work a nondescript job behind a desk but once night hits you are something else entirely. Alternate personas, white lies regarding your whereabouts, and layers of complex secrets define your alternate exploits. In your primary life you might display yourself as completely average but your other identity has an astronomical bounty on their head. What sorts of activities do you participate in while you’re on and off the clock? Are you more of a Robin Hood character or an independent crime fighter who bends the rules and laws to bring justice to those who would normally get a slap on the wrist? Are your methods questionable? Do you kill? It’s hard not to use Dexter as a point of comparison for someone who uses illegal means to ensure justice is served. Does anybody know about your double life, or do you offer your services to law enforcement agencies? Is there a contact on the force that helps you plan out your next target? Do you wear a unique costume or uniform or do you think it’s unnecessary so long as your face is hidden?

White Collar Criminal - Blood is messy and it will spoil your freshly laundered clothes. Your crimes aren’t rooted in violence of the body, but in the acquisition of funds through discreet avenues. Accounting errors, financial repossession algorithms, malicious software - you alter the bottom line of companies to fill your purse with those sweet, sweet credits. Maybe you’ve forged documents to give yourself access to places you shouldn’t be, or perhaps you’ve run pyramid schemes that have created an almost-cult following behind you. What sorts of crimes have you performed and what sorts of groups do you typically target? How large is he typical score? Do you use an alias or leave a calling card to pump up your ego or would you rather not take those unnecessary risks? Did you have an inspiration or teacher for your work, or were your skills self-taught? Is this a full-time gig or do you have another job so that your extra-curricular activities are more of a supplement? Neal Caffrey from White Collar would be a solid source of inspiration for this one, and he really is a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to these sorts of things. Think about how it translates to the world of Starfinder, where technology has progressed significantly and the possibility of scams is abundant - lemon starships, pre-Gap forgeries, and impersonations of diplomats who are literally planets away.

Petty Thief - You are small-time but that doesn’t mean you’re any less talented than the more infamous criminals who are making bigger scores than you. In your eyes, smaller is safer since people are less apt to notice and the manhunt won’t be as dedicated when a booster gets stolen off a personal starship or a couple hundred credits get swiped from a stray purse. Maybe you were raised on the streets and this has always been a part of you or maybe you’ve resorted to crime to rebel against an unfair system. Perhaps you enjoy the thrill you get from the act itself, or you like to cut it as close as possible without getting caught. Do you work independently or as a part of a team? Is there a special role that you fill? How much planning do you do before committing a crime or do you act within the moment? Are you skilled with a weapon or are your talents more in line with dexterity and a convincing tongue? Do you have a stash of Stolen Goods or do you turn around and sell the hot items right away? Is there anything that you’ve stolen that has developed sentimental value? You wouldn’t even have to have an evil alignment depending on your intentions and the severity of your crimes.

Contract Assassin - You have your target and it is your job to eliminate that target without drawing suspicion to yourself or your employer(s). Secrecy is the name of the game and nobody is more meticulous in plotting out the precise details of your operation. As such, your skills come at a high price, but people are willing to pay it knowing that you will be successful in fulfilling your end of the bargain. Your actions have ended wars and started them, reunited countries and torn them apart. From insignificant low-lifes to heavily guarded political figures, you fulfill whatever contracts are the most attractive. Are you driven by money or do you believe that the results of your actions will align with another agenda? Is there a list of prerequisites that must be fulfilled before a target becomes an acceptable contract? How do people get in contact with you? How do you provide your resume for the skeptical clientele without giving away your identity completely? My fallback isAgent 47 from the Hitman series, since he is practically more machine than man which provides an interesting dynamic for the rest of the party.

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Another two themes are in the books! Think about how you can add additional spins to these and how the other aspects of your character might tie into the Theme. Can you picture a Vesk crunching numbers and pushing papers all day just to hit the streets as a brutish enforcer at night? What about a Ysoki rubbing elbows with some of the most elite leaders in the Pact Worlds? Priests and Scholars are up next - stay tuned for more Starfinder goodness!

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Part 4 - Starfinder Theme Focus – Priests and Scholars

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As we continue our journey through the themes of Starfinder, let’s take a second to look back on what we’ve already covered. Things were unofficially kicked off in the startup article detailing each theme individually, in which we shined the spotlight on the Icon (something they’re well-versed with). We’ve discussed the daring Ace Pilot and their mastery over starships and land vehicles. Next came the bounty hunter, searching the vastness of space and overturning asteroids to unearth the location of their prey. After that we made a substantial payment to hire the Mercenary, who gladly offers their services to the party with the fattest purse. Which leaves us with our most recent acquaintance, the Outlaw, who would probably prefer that we mention them as little as possible so as not to give away their identity.

Before we get to today’s scheduled programming, I’d like to mention something about character creation that can be limiting to our creativity. It’s definitely a pitfall that I’ve succumbed to on more than one occasion, and Starfinder Themes can inadvertently recreate the situation. The problem with having specific themes or backgrounds in a tabletop game, is that by selecting one of the options we are essentially putting a label on our PC: Drake is a bounty hunter. Full stop. What tends to happen, is that we have a predisposed definition of ‘bounty hunter’ in our minds; it is a mold that we casually place our character into before we have rolled a single die. It can be limiting and stifling to our creativity, even if we don’t initially see it that way.

Try to get into the habit of generalizing the themes and backgrounds so that all of the stereotypical noise is stripped away, leaving you with a beautiful, hollow shell that you can shape as you see fit. Jumping back to the bounty hunter example: Start off with the bounty hunter definition as outlined in the CRB:

“You track people down for money. It is a dangerous profession, as most of your targets understandably don’t wish to be caught. You wouldn’t have it any other way. You might have a code of ethics, never taking jobs that, say, target children or members of your own race. You might hunt down only escaped criminals. or you might be completely amoral, taking any job that comes along—for the right price.”

Okay, that’s a good place to start but it’s wordy and fills in the gaps unnecessarily. Maybe a regular definition would suffice:

“A person who pursues a criminal or fugitive for whom a reward is offered.”

Better, but the normal definition is making some assumptions that we can generalize even further. Let’s try this:

“A FINDER, paid for FINDING.”

When it all gets boiled down, isn’t that essentially what a bounty hunter does? A bounty hunter doesn’t have to be exclusively searching for people; they can be tracking down objects as well, so long as they’re getting paid for successful completion of the job.

These posts on Starfinder themes have sought to generalize the definition of each theme to give us more creative space to mold and shape our PCs. Of course, your character might be the literal definition of a bounty hunter, and that’s perfectly fine too – fun is whatever YOU find most enjoyable!

Enough jabbering, it’s time to talk about the Priest and the Scholar! In the paraphrased words of Wolfmother, “So I’ll tell you all the story about the Scholar and the Priest of the night!”

Priest Character Concepts

“You are a member of an organized religion or similar association. Your belief, whether it has been a part of you since childhood or it came to you later in life, is an integral part of your character. You might travel the stars proselytizing your deity, or your church might have sent you out on a specific holy (or unholy) mission. No matter what obstacles life puts in your way, you always have the conviction of your beliefs to fall back on.” - Starfinder CRB

Dedicated Pilgrim – Humbled by your beliefs and wanting to strengthen the connection you have with your deity, you have dedicated yourself to a journey of enlightenment. Guided by your immovable faith, you will follow the call of your deity to the end of the Pact Worlds and beyond, if you must. Through the discovery of new planets, people, and technologies, everything serves as a connection to your higher power. Are you specifically travelling to commune with a group of believers at a revered historical site? Is there a tangible beacon guiding you in your pilgrimage, such as a holy relic or powerful artifact? Depending on your deity, you may be driven by or attracted to a multitude of objects, lifestyles, people, etc.

Faithful Preacher – Completely enveloped by your faith, you can’t help but to share the holy words of your divine patron wherever you go. Backing up your speeches with passages from deific texts and reciting countless stories of Even though you are aware that everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, are you pushy about spreading your faith or do you focus more heavily on people who are more apt to be convinced? Do you have a specific audience that you are targeting, be it the elderly or are you shaping the young minds of tomorrow? What sort of demeanor does this character have? How do they handle conflict? Have they had an experience that made them question their faith, or is there a profound moment that filled them with their faith to begin with? Maybe you even have a conversion quota that you’d like to reach before you consider your purpose fulfilled.

Astute Theologian – The key to having a solid foundation in faith is to understand the texts and histories that were written to support and document all pertinent information on your deity. Whether you scribe events yourself or focus exclusively on the texts of theologians prior, you enjoy having concrete evidence available at your fingertips. Are you a bookish individual whose vision is damaged by years under dim lights, or are you a young theologian hoping to excel your tutelage under another? Do you collect stories of every deity, or do you limit your studies to a single divine? Are you accepting of other people’s beliefs? Do you have favorite quotes or passages that you constantly reference? Are there any particular ways that you communicate to those of a lesser intelligence? Or perhaps you’re not as intelligent as you initially seem!

Motivational Life Coach – Nothing pleases you more than using your gifts to help others solve their problems. In just five easy steps, anybody can change their life and turn their luck around! Centered around faith, you develop close relationships with others so that you can understand how they’ve gotten to where they are today. How do you encourage people to lower their guard and accept your proven-plan to enrich their lives? What does your enhancement plan entail? Does it have a cost? Have you done any seminars, published books, or organized any retreats to promote your program? Are you just in it for the money or is this a situation where you are the product of your own success? Buzz words and phrases likely leap from your lips – you’re developing a brand after all!

Secluded Hermit – You’ve always found that developing a deep connection with your deity involves peace, quiet, and a whole lot of R&R. You don’t feel a need to proclaim your faith from the rooftops because as far as you’re concerned, faith is entirely personal. By developing your beliefs in private, you can feel that you’re making progress in bettering your soul. How long have you been living alone and why did you choose that lifestyle for yourself? Was it even your choice? How will you assimilate into society and work closely with a party of adventurers? Have you been living a meager lifestyle? Do you have any important possessions that have centered your meditations? Any surviving family? Are you willing to share your faith with others?

Scholar Character Concepts

“You are an erudite intellectual, pitting your brain against problems and puzzles that others would find daunting. You might be an instructor of a specific topic at a large university or a dabbler in a number of fields of study. You could be exploring the galaxy in search of ancient artifacts or new scientific phenomena. Whatever your motivation, you are sure that the answers you seek are out there.” - Starfinder CRB

Eccentric Entomologist – Not limited to just studying the Shirren, you are heavily interested in anything that creeps and crawls throughout the Pact World System. Where others might cringe and crawl, you revel in the opportunity to uncover new species and the possibility of attributing discoveries to your name. What sorts of insects are your forte? Do you specialize in a certain genus? Have you developed any quirks or tendencies that could be attributed to the subjects that you study? Perhaps your studies are strictly limited to understanding the Shirren and their Hive Mind connection and you want to replicate it in another application. Do you keep your samples on you, or do you have a lab where the majority are stored? Any ties to a museum or research facility? Are you an accredited scientist or more of a glorified hobbyist?

Forensic Scientist – Understanding the complex intricacies that go into crime scene investigation, you have an analytical mind rooted in years of study. It’s important that you are familiar with anatomy, physics, and psychology in order to piece together the clues of a murder and figure out the story. Are you currently a part of a law enforcement unit or are you a contractor for hire? Are you an expert in specific types of crimes? Do you often visit the crime scene, or do you focus more on the laboratory side of things? Is there any particular crime that stands out in your mind as most influential or disturbing? What got you into this field of study? How does technology play a role in your investigations? Do you have any enemies that you’ve helped put behind bars that have threatened to make things difficult to you whenever they get out of prison? How will your services be best used out in the real world of adventuring and space travel?

Acclaimed Archeologist – Every planet tells a story under its surface and your job is to discover that story and share it with the world(s). Whether it is the bones of long-forgotten monsters or remnants of an ancient civilization, proof of the past is out there, ripe for the digging. What sorts of equipment or magic do you use to unearth these hidden riches of the world? Are you looking for signs of life, buildings, treasure, or something else entirely? After you find something, what are your goals for your discovery – sharing it with others or stashing it away for yourself? Are you a part of a small team, large corporation, or just working independently? Is there some great mystery that you’re trying to solve? Who are your key contacts in the industry and how do you determine your dig sites? Maybe you also investigate and search for destroyed ships or vessels that we lost in the Drift, hoping to bring closure to friends and family (or to scavenge the wreckage).

Environmental Engineer – Out in the far reaches of space, the environment is hostile and deadly. Maybe you’ve assisted in developing life support systems or you have assisted in the creation of sustainable housing that can stand up to the harshest of elements. Or maybe you are have studied other planets in-depth and understand the ecology, planetary make-up, atmosphere, and other vital statistics about them. Taking it a step further, maybe you’re involved in the preservation of resources and ensuring that the next generation will not be lacking in basic environmental needs. You might be a geologist, pedologist, or meteorologist. Are you focused on environmental usage or preservation? Is there a specialty that others consult you on, like water, air, or weather? Do you design structures? What about terraforming or reshaping existing planets to suit the needs of the people? Are you paid well for your efforts? Did you attend any schooling or are you self-taught? There is a ton of flexibility in this one because the worlds in Starfinder are incredibly diverse and allow for immense creativity.

Legacy Historian – The Gap has left a literal gap in people’s minds – what happened during the period of time before the present-day? Your research is meant to answer that specific question. You might be focused on the militarization of the Pact Worlds, investigating wars and battles that took place during that time. Or maybe you’re more concerned with cultures and race anthologies, trying to understand the people that existed before and during the Gap. Better yet, you might be a renowned historian on Golarion (leaving the player able to exhibit their Pathfinder knowledge). Historians can also be responsible for chronicling events as they happen. Do you write everything down or are you a ‘living’ historian who has an impeccable memory for reciting facts and figures? What level of history interests you the most – individual and familial histories or the rise and fall of empires? Have you ever tweaked a fact to better fit a desired narrative or are you unbiased in your research? Is your work published anywhere? Do you have any powers of foresight were you can recognize past mistakes and see events unfolding as the consequence to those events? Why do you record – so others can remember or so you don’t forget?

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And with that, we’ve detailed out seven of the ten themes. But wait! Aren’t there only nine themes? Do I even know what I’m talking about at this point? You would be correct in saying that there are only nine DEFINED themes, but I’m saving the final post in this series for a brief dive into being Themeless. Even though creating a character without a theme seems like writing a book and forgoing a title, themeless is the perfect solution to the problem of dreaming up a character who doesn’t seem to check off the boxes of a single theme, or one that checks off boxes of multiple themes and you simply can’t decide which one is most dominant.

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Part 5 - Starfinder Theme Focus - Spacefarers and Xenoseekers

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First of all, let me apologize. It’s been MONTHS since I teased the final article on Starfinder themes and leaving this series in a perilously unfinished limbo. I wish that I had a decent excuse to explain it, but unfortunately I don’t have that either. So please, accept my apology, and let’s get to the conclusion of this series!

We’ve covered a lot of bases - Ace Pilots, Bounty Hunters, Icons, Mercenaries, Outlaws, Priests, and Scholars, which means that today we will be talking about Spacefarers, Xenoseekers, and briefly touching on the Themeless concept. That’s still a ton of ground to cover, and I’m a bit intimidated even thinking about it. Concluding this intense detail into Starfinder’s themes will be bittersweet - not only because it’ll be over, but also because there’s no way to fully encapsulate the entire, endless spectrum of characters you can create within Paizo’s Starfinder universe. That’s what’s really great about the Themeless option; if none of the other themes do your character justice in describing their schtick, then you can always go Themeless and solve that particular problem.

Whenever I create a character, I will usually start by trying to find an interesting or obscure feat, characteristic, theme, etc and build the character around that. Some people are really creative and come up with amazing backstories first and build the character to fit their artistic vision. Although that’ll happen on occasion, I’ll generally determine a character’s backstory after I’ve fleshed out their vitals and statblock. The important thing for me is that my characters stand out. Not from a min-max perspective (if that’s what you enjoy then keep doing it!), but from a standpoint of going outside the norm and playing a character with abilities that people may have never experienced before.

Stone Warder Sorcerer? Breadth of Experience feat? Archivist Bard? All of these types of choices go leaps and bounds to hint and what the character is all about. A Stone Warder Sorcerer would be something like an Earth Bender from Avatar, gaining their powers from the rocky world around them. Characters with a Breadth of Experience are ancient, meaning that they’ve seen and heard nearly all there is to know. Bards with the Archivist archetype aren’t going to be dishing out much damage, but they are constantly scribbling down their experiences and every bit of lore they can get their hands on. And just like that, a single piece of your character’s statblock can literally define them.

That’s partly been the point of these posts about the Themes in Starfinder. Sure, you can come up with an absolutely AWESOME character concept and attach a theme that fits that character. No problem. But if you’re having trouble coming up with a character, the options listed in these posts are meant to assist you in launching off into the incredible Imagisphere to create a truly unique character.

Alright, I’ve babbled so much that I’ve turned into a brook. (Sorry if I’ve used that particular moniker already…it’s been a long time since my last Starfinder post). Time to finish off the series!

Spacefarer Character Concepts

“Your longing to journey among the stars can’t be sated. You yearn for the adventure of stepping onto a distant world and exploring its secrets. You tend to greet every new opportunity with bravery and fortitude, confident that your multitude of skills will pull you through. Perhaps you simply find joy in the act of traveling with your companions, or perhaps you are just out to line your pockets with all sorts of alien loot!” - Starfinder CRB

Clueless Tourist - Let’s face it. You saw a map of the Pact Worlds and immediately searched the best places to visit on each planet. Theme parks, monuments, parks - you want to visit them all and document your travels on a blog that you’re still coming up with a creative name for. Experiences are the best currency to be paid in, and your goal is to become filthy rich on them. Now, you might not understand all of the different cultures or customs in the places that you’re visiting, but in your eyes everybody else should be happy that you’re bolstering the economy in all of your destinations. Excuse me - could you please take my photo?

Deductive Meteorologist - Perhaps in the same vein as the Environmental Engineer concept from the Scholar post, this character would be all about the weather and is drawn to the varied climates and conditions present in the Pact World planets. Have you ever seen the sunrise through noxious fuchsia clouds or felt thick, oily rain land on your head? All of these phenomenon can be explained through science. Maybe you’ll publish a scholarly journal on your findings, or maybe your more of a storm-chaser bent on surviving the most wild and dangerous conditions. No matter how you spin it, you’re fascinated by the weather, whether your companions like it or not.  

Hospitable Flight Attendant - Time to make everybody else’s travel experiences as enjoyable as possible. You’re an expert at socializing and keeping everybody’s minds off the baggage fees and severe lack of legroom. In your eyes, there’s no part of a space commute that can’t be made better by a tall glass of sherry or a delicious sack of Zeni’s Zesty Znacks. While traveling, you are sure to keep all the amenities nearby to heighten the enjoyment of those around you. You might have gotten into the gig because you wanted to see the universe, and maybe that itch is just beginning to surface once more.

Curious Explorer - Hardly anything fancy about this one. You love exploring. The mystery, intrigue, and discovery thrill you to pieces. Every time you come across a corner, you just HAVE to see what’s on the other side of it. This is known to get you into heaps of trouble and situations where you end up on the wrong end of a ‘No Trespassing’ sign. But, through your foolhardy actions, you’ve been able to experience things that very few other people have, and your stories are the things of legend. There are countless star sectors to visit and only so much time…what are you waiting for?!

Budding Photographer - Your goal? The perfect shot. You might be a movie producer scouting locations for your next sector-buster. Or maybe you’re an artistic photographer determined to capture the essence of the human (and alien) experience. You never miss a moment and you are incredibly easy to track based on the trail of snapshots that you leave behind. Whether your honing your craft or a complete amateur when it comes to lighting, focus, and apertures, space grants you the freedom to create magnificent works of art. Every horizon has another potential shot, and you’ll hitchhike your way around the galaxy if you have to if it means catching your elusive unicorn.

Xenoseeker Character Concepts

“The thought of meeting alien life-forms excites you. The more different their appearances and customs are from yours, the better! You either believe they have much to teach you or you want to prove you are better than them. Of course, the only way to accomplish your goal is to leave the Pact Worlds and travel to the Vast, where a virtually endless number of aliens await.” - Starfinder CRB

Captivated Anthropologist - This concept makes perfect sense. As an anthropologist, you live and love to study the differences between humanoid species. You can even take it a step further to be fascinated with specific aspects of each of the races. What are the secrets behind the Lashunta’s psychic abilities? How tough are the scales of the Vesk? So many questions and not enough time to find all the answers. You might become acutely interested in your crewmates, asking them all sorts of intrusive questions in order to develop an understanding for their specific gifts and talents. Beings with surgical enhancements might be particularly interesting to you as humanoids continue their never-ending quest for power.

Inquisitive Marketing Guru - If you want to sell something, you HAVE to know your market. Double blind surveys, focus groups, experimental expos…you will stop at nothing to understand the people buying the products you’re pitching. Whether you’re a part of an elaborate Ponzi scheme or a well-known enterprise, you are hungry to understand the psychology of buying patterns and habitual spending. If you can unlock those secrets, you will be the most valuable asset to whichever company decides to employ you. And, by developing an understanding for the beings around you, you’ll undoubtedly be an asset in any situation involving sweet-talking with honeyed words. Heck - maybe if you can find some delicious edible aliens, you will be the next great snack mogul in the Pact Worlds! Second only to Zeni himzelf.

Experimental Doctor - You embrace the uniqueness of yourself and encourage others to do the same. Stand out from the crowd, you say. Set yourself apart! Implant yourself with one of the many augmentations that you can provide! Your interest in the countless creeping aliens and obscure creatures skittering around the Vast stimulate your imagination and provide you with the necessary…tools to allow you to develop exciting new attachments for your adoring fans. Or maybe you’re more secretive and don’t think your work should see the light of day. Will you be a mad scientist or a renowned surgeon? The choice is yours!

Calming Zoologist - People will pay loads of money to see an exhibit they’ve never experienced before. There are countless numbers of mindless creatures out in the far reaches of space that would be welcomed additions to a zoological attraction. Your history in taming wild beasts and soothing the animalistic nature in the creatures you’ve encountered makes you the perfect person for the job. There is a fantastic space zoo that’ll pay top dollar for new specimens, and you’re itching to get paid. This isn’t to say that you are inconsiderate of the creatures’ feelings, however. The zoo that you’re working for is more akin to a resort, and they take great care of the residents that live there.

Talkative Space Taxi Driver - While taking fares, you’ve come across just about every type of intelligent being known in the sector. Long nights that turned into early mornings were a staple of yours, and you’ve delivered passengers to slums, clubs, and luxury estates, learning about them all the while. You love a good conversation; it helps pass the time and gives you an amazing repertoire of stories to share with your crewmates. Everybody comes from a different background, and you have learned to appreciate the intricacies and uniqueness that everybody brings to the figurative table. You might have a bit of a lead foot as well…but who doesn’t?

Themeless Characters

If you don’t fit the bill with any of the other themes, then you are probably Themeless. By choosing to forgo a theme designation, your statistical bonuses will suffer compared to a character who has a theme, so if you’re more concerned with numbers and maximizing your character, then this might not be for you. Choosing this option, however, will allow you to portray your character as a vast canvas, awaiting your masterful strokes.

Hopefully I’ve portrayed the wide variety of concepts that the Starfinder themes can cover. With a dash of creativity, you can morph at least one of the themes to fit the base core of your character. Try to think about each of the themes in new ways; don’t get caught up in the specific 'title’ of the theme. Read the blurbs about each one and search for synonyms that line up with the character that you’re envisioning in your mind.

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At the end of the day, play a character that you WANT to play. You should be excited every time that you portray your character, and play the game in whatever way is going to be the most fun for you.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this series on the Themes of Starfinder! See you in the stars!

[globalmediacampaign]

MySQL Database Deployment Automation

Automation is in vogue these days. Technology evolves quickly, and more people are contributing to existing available third party automation software platforms. As the season of fast-paced deployments, automation is now necessary and considered as de facto; you cannot get rid of automating things deemed necessary. These necessities are important to get things done quickly and eliminate redundant tasks. Once this is present, organisations and companies can focus on the logical business things that make it more interesting for growth. This blog covers a short overview tools and consideration points for database automation followed by a a topic on how to use ClusterControl for database automation.  Technologies for Database Deployment Automation Sophisticated tools for Infrastructure as Code (IaC) such as Puppet, Chef, Ansible, SaltStack, and Terraform are usually the mainstream technologies to choose from. These tools help DBAs with tasks that are easily replicated, like deploying a MySQL. Automating your MySQL deployment saves you a great deal of time, especially if you have extensive platforms to support and follow the software engineering cycles steps to deploy for your QA, staging, or development environments. Using automation makes these things quicker and easier to manage when it's needed. Choosing Your Automation Software In this blog, let's try to use Ansible. As stated earlier, using third-party software makes it easier and faster to provide automation especially for deploying your MySQL cluster. Now we'll use existing modules particularly Ansible roles that are available. As stated in our previous blog, we can use Ansible Galaxy (repository for ansible collections and roles).  Before that, you need to declare the host that shall be affected by the deployment. For example, in this blog, I have the following: $ cat /etc/hosts 192.168.30.40 debnode4 192.168.30.50 debnode5   Then in my /etc/ansible/hosts file, root@debnode3:~# tail -n2 /etc/ansible/hosts debnode4 debnode5   Then, create the file main.yml just like below, root@debnode3:~/deploy-mysql# cat main.yml --- # tasks file for deploy-mysql - hosts: all become: yes vars_files: - vars/main.yml roles: - role: geerlingguy.mysql   Since I am running using Ubuntu 16.04 for this simple MySQL deployment using Ansible for my automation, I end up having this, root@debnode3:~/deploy-mysql# cat vars/main.yml --- # vars file for deploy-mysql mysql_root_password: "R00tP@55" mysql_python_package_debian: python-mysqldb Now, testing the MySQL deployment shows, root@debnode3:~/deploy-mysql# ansible all -a "mysql -Nse 'select concat("hello world at ", @@hostname,"!");' " 2>/dev/null debnode4 | CHANGED | rc=0 >> hello world at debnode4! debnode5 | CHANGED | rc=0 >> hello world at debnode5! Automate, then formulate As we have showcased above, it's better to automate and take advantage of existing ones. In this blog, I chose Ansible because it's easier to take advantage of existing modules such as roles in this example and just a few steps to deploy a MySQL server.  Of course, that's not how simple it is. There are existing roles, such as this one, that supports replication and more variables to tune. Whatever the existing modules can do, take advantage of it rather than reinventing your own. You can just use the existing ones, then modify them according to your needs. ClusterControl for Automation ClusterControl automates the deployment of MySQL proficiently. Instead of creating your own, ClusterControl is freely downloadable, and you can use it to deploy your MySQL how many times you want. You can use the software to set up a writer-reader replication or a writer-writer replication setup. Check out the screenshot below:   You just have to specify the source host/IP address of your desired MySQL servers. ClusterControl deployment automation does a pre-checks to determine if the server is ready to manage the job to be deployed. This involves accessibility, storage availability, and hardware capacity. The checks are aligned to the variables to be tuned up once it's ready to run the job. Check out the screenshot below: Based on the job activity log, you'll see that it adjusts the variables or parameters in the Linux systems we support. If you also look at the example screenshot we have below, it checks the memory and disk availability and prepares for the MySQL deployment. Thus, it installs the required packages, not only for MySQL to run normally but also for ClusterControl to monitor and register the server and its services that we collect for monitoring. ClusterControl Developer Tools ClusterControl has its feature where you can create your own scripts specifically for advisors. How important is this for your MySQL database deployment automation is that, once the database is registered and deployed, you can further enhance or create your own Advisors. For example, checkout our previous blog titled Using ClusterControl Advisor to Create Checks for SELinux and Meltdown/Spectre: Part One. After the deployment, you can write your first Advisors then check regularly for exploits. Not only that, but you can also check custom parameters that are unique to your needs. ClusterControl s9s CLI tools ClusterControl has CLI tools which we call as s9s CLI tools which can be found here at our github repository. The s9s CLI tools enable you to deploy MySQL with just one command. For example, $ s9s cluster --create --cluster-type=mysqlreplication --nodes="192.168.1.117?master;192.168.1.113?slave;192.168.1.115?slave;192.168.1.116?master;192.168.1.118?slave;192.168.1.119?slave;" --vendor=oracle --db-admin="root" --db-admin-passwd="root123" --cluster-name=ft_replication_23986 --provider-version=5.7 --log The command above allows you to deploy a MySQL Replication cluster provided the following IP addresses with its arguments, whether it’s a master or a slave. This tool provides more powerful and efficient features aside from just automatic deployment of your favourite database that we support, such as MySQL. Check out our documentation for ClusterControl to learn more about the s9s CLI tools Tags: database automationmysql deploymentdeployment tools https://severalnines.com/database-blog/mysql-database-deployment-automation