Reasons to Use SREs
In recent times, Chief Information Officers (CIOs) and Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) are carefully considering the advantages and disadvantages of employing a Site Reliability Engineer (SRE). This position was incorporated into Google’s employable roles in 2023, and an SRE is responsible not only for ensuring IT systems are reliable, but also for developing and writing code. Ben Treynor, the individual who coined the term ‘Site Reliability Engineer’, defines the role as “a software engineer with domain expertise”. Due to their expertise, SREs can be a valuable asset to operations teams and are necessary for the development of automated systems.
Despite being relatively new within the development world, some of the most prominent organisations, such as GitHub, Reddit, and Netflix, have already implemented Site Reliability Engineers (SREs) into their teams. When dealing with large-scale systems, it is usual practice to involve SREs in the design and development process.
As well as having a sound technical expertise, Systems Engineers (SREs) can also be invaluable in terms of morale. This is because SREs don’t solely rely on their expertise to make progress in development. Instead, they also demonstrate a genuine commitment to enhancing the quality of each product they work on.
Despite the fact that the responsibilities of a Site Reliability Engineer (SRE) may vary from job to job, there are certain benefits to be gained from having an SRE on board. Here are a few of the advantages that your business can expect to realise when employing an SRE:
- Reduced downtime and improved scalability;
- Improved system availability and performance;
- Increased automation of processes, allowing for more efficient resource management;
- Improved customer satisfaction through more reliable and faster services;
- Greater system security through proactive monitoring and patching;
- Increased team productivity and collaboration through the use of SRE-specific tools.
Four Indications that Your Group Needs an SRE
Capabilities Across Mediums A Site Reliability Engineer (SRE) is distinct from both a programmer and a system administrator. By combining the roles of both, SREs are able to diminish any friction which may arise from incompatible values and methods. Rather than pitting developers and system administrators against one another as is often the case in traditional IT departments, SREs utilise the abilities of both disciplines to create a functioning system that aligns with the principles of DevOps.
Automation The dependability of a system is down to the engineers that create and maintain its code. Manually reprogramming is not only time-consuming, but can be tedious. Automating certain processes can reduce the burden on staff, and Systems Reliability Engineers (SREs) can use automation to allow computers to identify and resolve any operational problems without any human intervention.
Innovation It is probable that your team will be able to develop a groundbreaking product if you have a Site Reliability Engineer (SRE) on board. Although SREs are aware that not every product will make it to the market, they never forget the significance of reliability. These engineers, who are a fundamental part of the development process, are not as focused on the end result as they are on coming up with innovative solutions for existing problems.
Collaboration Software Reliability Engineers (SREs) are integral members of the team, and it is impossible to achieve high-quality results without close collaboration. This is especially pertinent when issues arise during the development process or when systems malfunction. SREs are highly-skilled communicators who value constructive dialogue and positive action above those that might cause disharmony. By taking this team-oriented approach, the development process is expedited while the standards of system administration are upheld.
Competencies that Site Reliability Engineers Possess Are Priceless
During the development phase, it is essential to ensure that systems are correctly configured to provide an efficient and user-friendly experience for both back-end administrators and front-end users. Customers should not be affected by any issues or malfunctions while the code is being updated in the background. System Reliability Engineers (SREs) strive to create products that can scale to meet the demands of a growing organisation, while simultaneously placing emphasis on improving the user experience and other aspects of the design process.
Developers and computer engineers are displaying a heightened level of interest in careers as Site Reliability Engineers (SREs) due to the dynamic and rewarding opportunities that such roles can provide for those with a strong team spirit. Professionals in this field are actively seeking to acquire the necessary skills and expertise to meet the requirements for SRE positions.
Site Reliability Engineering is a relatively new field, but its significance is undeniable. Companies that have the privilege of employing SREs should consider retaining them in order to benefit from the creativity they bring, the efficiency they help to create and the collaborative environment they foster. Moreover, they are able to swiftly resolve any issues that may arise.
