The SMC Journal podcast, hosted by Scott Moore, recently delved into the state of performance engineering in 2024. This live stream episode aimed to provide insights into the current landscape of performance engineering, drawing from Moore’s experiences and interactions with industry professionals on platforms like LinkedIn.
The State of Performance Engineering in 2024
Moore’s central theme was the state of performance engineering in 2024, which he described as concerning. He emphasized that performance is a non-negotiable aspect of software development, crucial for maintaining functionality, speed, and security. Poor performance can lead to customer loss, financial setbacks, and increased risk of outages.
The Role of Performance Engineers
A significant portion of the discussion centered on the evolving role of performance engineers. Moore noted a shift towards generalists in the DevOps world, where developers and other IT professionals are expected to handle tasks traditionally managed by specialists. However, he argued that performance engineering requires specialized skills, akin to needing a specialist for complex medical procedures.
Gartner’s Hype Cycle and Performance Engineering
Moore referenced Gartner’s 2024 Hype Cycle on Site Reliability Engineering (SRE), which places performance engineering within the SRE domain. This categorization was surprising to Moore, who believed performance engineering should be in a phase of enlightenment rather than disillusionment. He questioned whether performance engineering had ever been overhyped, suggesting that any hype might have come from software vendors in the past.
Community Feedback and Skill Shortages
Moore shared feedback from LinkedIn, highlighting concerns about a skill shortage in performance engineering. Roger, a retired performance engineer, pointed out that gatekeeping practices and unrealistic job requirements contribute to this shortage. He suggested that effective onboarding and training could mitigate these issues. Moore agreed, noting the lack of formal education pathways specifically for performance engineering.
The Need for Specialized Knowledge
Moore emphasized the importance of specialized knowledge in performance engineering, especially as technology evolves. He cited the example of handling performance for Kubernetes-deployed applications versus traditional on-premises servers. Alexander, another LinkedIn commenter, echoed this sentiment, noting that developers often lack the education to solve performance problems, leading to a cyclical demand for performance analysts.
The Future of Performance Engineering
In conclusion, Moore stressed the need for a community-driven approach to address the challenges in performance engineering. He called for better education and training to ensure that performance engineers can keep up with technological advancements and continue to provide the specialized expertise necessary for optimizing software performance.
Final Thoughts
Scott Moore’s live stream on the SMC Journal podcast provided a comprehensive overview of the current state of performance engineering. He highlighted the critical role of performance engineers, the challenges posed by a shift towards generalists, and the need for specialized knowledge and community support. As the field continues to evolve, Moore’s insights underscore the importance of maintaining a focus on performance to ensure the success and reliability of software applications.
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🔗 Links:
- Scott Moore Consulting: https://scottmoore.consulting
- The Performance Tour: https://theperformancetour.com
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- Security Champions https://thesecuritychampions.com
- DevPerfOps: https://devperfops.org
- PerfCruise: https://perfcruise.com