Things I learned from building a production database

Re:Things I learned from building a production database by physicles on Tuesday November 23, 2021 @11:25PM (#29326909)

> [10] Make your project robust to re-orgs. A company management hierarchy is inherently fragile (a tree is a 1-connected graph, after all); socialize the project continuously with managers who might take over in the future. Do whatever it takes to make sure that manager churn does not result in unfair career outcomes for ICs.

> [17] For storage systems, bias heavily in the beginning towards consistency and durability rather than availability; these are harder to measure and harder to fix if broken. Because availability is easier to measure, there will be external pressure to prioritize it first; push back.

It's kind of crazy how well the author is able to move from the very top to the very bottom of the technical project management stack.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Things I learned from building a production database by ketzo on Wednesday November 24, 2021 @01:26AM (#29327404)

This is, to me, the definition of a senior software engineer. Awareness across every single part of the process of making software. Not expertise, necessarily, but enough knowledge to know what to be on the lookout for.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Things I learned from building a production database by polskibus on Wednesday November 24, 2021 @03:37AM (#29328034)

More of a team leader at least, non-IC. Some Senior ICs deliberately don't want any part in politics, just want a task and want to get it done (see for example advice on HN about avoiding meetings and politics at all costs).

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Things I learned from building a production database by penguin_booze on Wednesday November 24, 2021 @04:08AM (#29328204)

One ill effect of not deciding to participate is that you'll be subjected to rules that which you play no part in establishing. I think it's about the balance to strike between being well and content with what's going around, and needing to exercise control to change the environment.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Things I learned from building a production database by machinesbuddy on Saturday November 27, 2021 @01:29PM (#29362226)

Well said! Same as a country/society.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Things I learned from building a production database by jkob_ on Wednesday November 24, 2021 @05:29AM (#29328626)

Sorry, but what does IC mean?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Things I learned from building a production database by khamba on Wednesday November 24, 2021 @05:38AM (#29328684)

Individual Contributor. ICs are not managers, or Team Leads, or any of people leading positions.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Things I learned from building a production database by polskibus on Wednesday November 24, 2021 @06:24AM (#29328899)

A friend described it to me once "a leaf node" in entire company structure - not a manager. I think it is a good description, also reason why saying "engineer" does not cover all ICs.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Things I learned from building a production database by lumos_42 on Wednesday November 24, 2021 @05:37AM (#29328673)

Individual contributor

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Things I learned from building a production database by mellavora on Wednesday November 24, 2021 @05:38AM (#29328683)

some people would say "Independent Contributor", which appears to be a level in some large corporations.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Things I learned from building a production database by uvdn7 on Wednesday November 24, 2021 @03:27PM (#29334727)

The post and the author are both absolutely amazing.

But don’t you think the fact that our organizations require someone to be “full stack” organizationally to be a good tech lead is a failure of itself?

I wish organizations can support those talented engineers even though they might not have the best “people/soft skills”.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Things I learned from building a production database by machinesbuddy on Saturday November 27, 2021 @01:34PM (#29362275)

You're right but it's basically the culture which is (usually?) a chicken and egg problem.

[ Parent | on HN ]