One of the biggest challenges I see many automation engineers experiencing in 2017 is DevOps – and treating automation tests and infrastructure like code.

A few of those technologies, like Jenkins, Docker and Vagrant are critical technologies you should know in order to excel in your career in the coming year. In this episode we’ll be speaking with Wes Higbee author of multiple Pluralsight courses including Getting Started with Jenkins 2, Docker on Windows and Intro to Vagrant.

So if you want to expand your automation efforts beyond functional testing in 2017, you don’t want to miss this episode.

About Wes Higbee

Wes Higbee is passionate about helping companies achieve remarkable results with technology and software. He’s had extensive experience developing software and working with teams to improve how software is developed to meet business objectives. Wes launched Full City Tech to leverage his expertise to help companies delight customers.

Although his primary focus is on outcomes, implementation often includes technical competency. Wes frequently speaks about impactful aspects of software development including effective automated testing, database delivery automation, distributed version control, refactoring, aesthetics of code, continuous integration, and continuous delivery. He speaks professionally to help organizations improve and volunteers at user groups, code camps, and community organizations.

He’s a Pluralsight author. He writes extensively about both technical and non-technical aspects of software development. His written work includes articles featured on VeraSage, MSDN Magazine, InfoQ, and JetBrain’s TeamCity Blog. He’s been interviewed on The Businessology Show and Art of Value about how important value is in software development. And, he occasionally gets highly technical in a shared screencast or webinar.

Quotes & Insights from this Test Talk

Jenkins

• Wes, “Getting Started with Jenkins 2”: https://www.pluralsight.com/courses/jenkins-2-getting-started
• Facilitates automation and build processes
• Uses
  • Checks that application compiles
  • Checks unit tests
  • Static analysis of code base
  • Automate delivery of software
    • Demo setup
    • Through production environment
  • Run backups on containers
  • Coordinate test runs
• Operates from command line
• Addition of Pipeline feature
  • Allows easy delineation of script to create a separate stage for composing complex processes
  • More out-of-the-box plugins
    • More compatibility and support
    • Smoother workflow
  • Plugins
    • Vagrant
    • Docker

Vagrant

• Wes, “Introduction to Versioning Environments with Vagrant”: https://www.pluralsight.com/courses/vagrant-versioning-environments
• Simplifies working with VMs
  • Gets them up and running in minutes
  • Only two commands needed
  • Pre-built VM image from Vagrant Cloud
  • Control configuration with Vagrant Ruby file
  • Plug scripts in to install software
• Vagrantfile
  • Faster to get VMs up and running
• Vagrant Cloud
• Vagrant Boxes
  • https://atlas.hashicorp.com/boxes/search
  • Can extract existing VM and create your own box

Docker

• Wes, “Getting Started with Docker on Windows”: https://www.pluralsight.com/courses/docker-windows-getting-started
• Linux container
• A process, a boundary around a piece of software
  • Offers layers of isolation
    • Can’t share file systems, networking stacks
  • Why is isolation important?
    • Each process has its own filesystem
      • Changes can be made to specific applications without affecting others
    • No shared resources or libraries
      • Makes updating an OS easier
      • Stronger security
    • DockerHub –
      • what made Docker so successful
      • Image system
        • Eliminates imaging by hand
        • Setup and distribution of a variety of large filesystems
        • Configuration of isolation
        • “The future of VMs is here, and it’s going to continue to evolve.”

Resources

• Getting Started with Jenkins 2
• Intro to Vagrant
• Getting Started with Docker

Connect with Wes Higbee

• Twitter:@g0t4
• Company:Full City Technology

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