The software engineering process lends itself well to large, well-managed, multi-disciplinary teams producing well-defined products in response to detailed requirements analysis. As much fun as that sounds, sometimes what you really need is a short and simple answer to a short and simple question, preferably now.
The business of daily operations at almost every service provider depends on the existence of a herd of small, single-use scripts designed to emulate in a few seconds work that a human operator might take a couple of hours to do. The focus of these tools is usefulness in the hands of a network operator over engineering purity or elegance in design.
Questions that are readily answered by the judicious application of a small pile of scripts include:
This BOF is a place for toolmakers to meet other toolmakers, and to exchange ideas, code, and horror stories.
About the Presenter
Joe Abley works for the Internet Software Consortium, a not-for-profit
company based in Redwood City, CA, which produces free reference
implementations of core internet protocols. Before working at the ISC
Joe performed a variety of operational and design roles at ISPs and
telephone companies in the US and New Zealand.