Mike Benner

To follow up with my post on keeping your tools healthy, I want to talk about the downsides to them.  Automated Server builds are great, they make setting up servers a painless and mindless task.  But is that a good thing?  What if something goes wrong?  What if they are out of date?  Can you fix it manually?  More importantly can you fix the tool?

You should know the underpinnings of the tools you are using, especially ones built by your team/company and are key to your success.  Does this mean you need to know the complete ins and outs?  No.  But you need to know what is going on.  Take some time when you get a new script and look at the source.  Understand it, and if you can't ask the author or someone that can help.  Not only will you be better for it, you may be able to improve upon it.

Take some time and think about those automated scripts that you are using.  Open them up and review them.  Increase your knowledge and improve your tools.