{"id":555,"date":"2022-04-26T21:18:03","date_gmt":"2022-04-26T11:18:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sysmit.com\/cf22\/?p=555"},"modified":"2023-12-13T15:28:02","modified_gmt":"2023-12-13T05:28:02","slug":"googles-site-reliability-engineering-hierarchy-remixed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sysmit.com\/cf22\/googles-site-reliability-engineering-hierarchy-remixed\/","title":{"rendered":"Review of Google’s Site Reliability Engineering Hierarchy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Google’s book on SRE, Site Reliability Engineering <\/em>(2016), has captured wide acclaim in the software operations world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most discussed aspects in SRE circles about the book is its SRE hierarchy. The hierarchy has merit, but it’s also flawed in a way that would prevent you from educating people about SRE. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ll get into this flaw later in the article. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, let’s see this hierarchy. Looks more like a pyramid, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Service
Google’s Site Reliability Engineering hierarchy<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

That’s why I call it the SRE pyramid. The ‘hierarchy’ term is used because it plays on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs<\/strong>, also visualized as a pyramid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article will analyze the different layers in the pyramid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have visually remixed the pyramid into a pathway map with the hope that it’s easier to unpack and explain each layer’s properties. Here’s a quick peek at the visual remix:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Before I analyze further, let’s cover background information on the SRE book’s hierarchy design choice…<\/p>\n\n\n

An explainer of the “hierarchy” design<\/h2>\n\n\n

As I mentioned earlier, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs<\/em> inspires the design of the SRE hierarchy. I will assume you have no knowledge of the former. Let’s see what it looks like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"File:Maslow's
Source: Wikimedia Commons<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You may be able to tell that Maslow’s hierarchy is grounded in behavioral psychology. Let’s explore this hierarchy because it will help us understand Google’s SRE hierarchy better:<\/p>\n\n\n\n