WTF Is OPS?! SRE Expert James Brookbank Unpacks Modern Operations [S2E1]

Posted on Thursday, Feb 16, 2023 | Category: Site Reliability Engineering | Series: Season 2 | SRE, Operations, Google, You Build It You Run It, Platform Engineering
Site Reliability Engineering expert James Brookbank joins Trac and Bryan to tackle the fundamental question: WTF is Operations in modern software development? Hear about the stark differences between ‘you build it, you run it’ cultures and traditional ops, plus insights from James’s journey at Google and his latest book on SRE.

Transcript

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Trac Bannon Hi there. Welcome to on the road To DevHops

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Show Notes

In this episode, Trac gets a bit ornery comparing the vastly different operational philosophies across the industry!

James Brookbank, an SRE subject matter expert with deep Google experience, joins Bryan Finster and Trac Bannon for a no-holds-barred discussion about what Operations really means in 2023.

What You’ll Learn

  • The “You Build It, You Run It” philosophy - How it works (and when it doesn’t)
  • Google’s SRE approach - Real insights from someone who lived it
  • The evolution of Ops - From traditional operations to modern SRE practices
  • Practical takeaways - What you can apply in your organization tomorrow

James Brookbank is a Site Reliability Engineering expert who has worked extensively with Google’s SRE practices. He brings deep technical knowledge and real-world battle scars from building and running systems at scale. His latest book explores modern SRE principles and practices.

Whether you’re a developer wondering why ops matters, an ops professional navigating DevOps transformation, or an SRE looking to compare notes, this episode delivers the straight talk you need.

Guests

James Brookbank

James Brookbank

James Brookbank is a cloud solutions architect at Google based in NYC. Solution architects help make cloud easier for Google’s customers by solving complex technical problems and providing expert architectural guidance. Before joining Google, James worked at a number of large enterprises with a focus on IT infrastructure and financial services.

Hosts

Tracy 'Trac' Bannon

Tracy 'Trac' Bannon (She/Her)

Tracy ‘Trac’ Bannon is a Senior Principal with MITRE Labs, where she tackles some of the most complex challenges in software architecture, engineering, and DevSecOps across both commercial and government sectors.

As an accomplished software architect and engineer, Trac thrives on understanding complex problems and working to deliver value at speed. She brings decades of hands-on experience building systems that matter - systems that need to be secure, scalable, and sustainable.

Passion for People & Community

Beyond her technical expertise, Trac is deeply passionate about mentoring and training the next generation of technologists. She regularly:

  • Guest lectures at universities, sharing real-world experience with students
  • Leads working groups on software architecture and DevSecOps practices
  • Mentors emerging leaders in technology
  • Advocates for diversity in technology, helping to narrow gaps as a mentor, sponsor, volunteer, and friend

Industry Voice

Trac is a featured industry speaker, blogger, author, and accomplished podcaster. Her podcasting credits include:

  • On the Road to DevHops (you’re here!)
  • Real Technologists
  • It’s 505! Daily Podcast (part of Sourced Network Production)

She’s known for her authentic, no-nonsense approach to discussing the real challenges and opportunities in modern software development.

Areas of Expertise

  • Software Architecture & System Design
  • DevSecOps & Security Transformation
  • Continuous Delivery & DevOps Practices
  • Enterprise & Government Software Systems
  • Technical Leadership & Mentorship
  • Diversity & Inclusion in Technology

Connect

Whether you catch her podcasting, blogging, speaking at conferences, or mentoring the next generation, Trac brings passion, experience, and authenticity to everything she does.