Fundamentals

Why this?

  • ELAG is the best international platform to discuss IT in libraries.
  • It shouldn't be about just a few types of software (catalog, discovery, access system, repository).
  • I'm curious about how IT is "being done" in other libraries.
Servers c. 140 (RHEL)
Workstations, phones, tablets, ... c. 700
WiFi access points c. 150
LAN ports c. 3000
Storage capacity c. 200 TB (SAN storage)
White-collars (clerks) 5
Sysadmins, developers, specialists 10
Helldesk guys 5

(measured in people, not FTE)

Opening hours 24/7
Daily visits c. 4000

Not here

Here (downstairs)

Also here (backplane)

Death Ray(1925)

Death Ray (2017)

You know...

...it's just IT as you know it.

So why should we speak about it?

The devil is in the detail

  • To cloud or not to cloud?
  • Outsource or insource?
  • How to orchestrate and what?
  • How to virtualize?
  • Software defined storage / networks?
  • Containers?
  • Complexity?

Let's not isolate ourselves

World doesn't know about our tools.
CKAN shouldn't exist.

We should target broader audience.
There is nothing like PostgreSQL for the RDF.

Post about your projects to Lobste.rs and Hacker News!

Orchestration as I see it

ESB and architecture

How it's usually made

How it should be made

Not really Enterprise or Bus anymore

Reasons for ESB I've heard

  • The ESB Protects Me From Change
  • The ESB Allows Me To Orchestrate Services
  • The ESB Can Mediate My Data
  • The ESB Can Locate My Services
  • The ESB Can Do My Routing
  • The ESB Can Monitor My Services

Real reason for ESB

There are old, closed-source and/or vendor abandoned software we use.

If you need SOA, use microservices.

We shouldn't depend on those services.

Final thoughts

  • Functionality should be in (software) libraries, not in services.
  • Cognitive load => simplify! Keep it simple, stupid (KISS).
  • We can move complexity, but it's still there.

Library should be free and independent

(no cryptoanarchy or monastery though)

Questions, discussion, lunch