LogoGraham Brooks

    • Curriculum Vitae
      • Credentials
      • Platforms
      • Work Experience
    • Portfolio
      • Automation
      • Git Ops
      • Security
      • X as Code
    • blog

    Blog

    Spec Driven Development

    Calendar April 22, 2026
    Engineering
    Spec-Driven Development, Ai, Cursor, Claude Code, Engineering
    Most software failures are not caused by a lack of coding ability. They are caused by unclear expectations. If your requirements are vague, your output will be vague. That was true before AI, and it is even more true now. Spec Driven Development is the …

    Read post

    Grand Goals for 2024

    Calendar January 8, 2024
    Career Development
    Grand Goals, Skills, Coding, Sysadmin, Devops, Certifications
    As 2024 kicks off, I find myself facing a set of ambitious but absolutely necessary goals that I cannot afford to put off any longer. This year, I’m committing to a challenging, purposefully selected sequence of professional certifications, each one a …

    Read post

    Cost-effective Migration to the Cloud

    Calendar September 15, 2023
    Career
    Coding, Sysadmin, Devops
    The transition from on-premises data centers to cloud-hosted providers has become increasingly prevalent, offering organizations the benefits of flexibility, scalability, and often, a reduced total cost of ownership. However, with this migration comes …

    Read post

    How I'm Developing My Career: The Power of Goal-Oriented Learning

    Calendar September 6, 2023
    Career
    Skills, Coding, Sysadmin, Devops, Certifications
    Crafting a career is a journey of choices and learning. As an IT Security Automation specialist with a professional certification in Linux, I’ve navigated this journey through a mix of goal-oriented certifications, practical projects, and roles that …

    Read post

    Why Patching Servers Manually is not Safer

    Calendar September 6, 2023
    Career
    Skills, Patching, Sysadmin, Security, Automation
    As part of my job, I frequently talk to IT managers and senior technical staff. A frequent statement I hear sounds like this, “We patch our servers manually to reduce the risk of an outage." This stance is understandable. Regrettable, but …

    Read post

    The Necessity of Coding Skills for Sysadmins: Bridging the DevOps Gap

    Calendar November 17, 2022
    Career
    Skills, Coding, Sysadmin, Devops
    The role of a System Administrator, or SysAdmin, is evolving. The lines between development and operations are blurring, and the rise of DevOps culture necessitates SysAdmins to add a new skill to their repertoire: coding. The Convergence of Development …

    Read post

    Why Ansible Outshines Chef and Puppet for Configuration Management

    Calendar October 17, 2022
    Automation
    Python, Ruby, Linux, Ansible, Chef, Puppet
    When it comes to configuration management and IT automation, Ansible, Chef, and Puppet are generally the primary topics of conversation. While each has its strengths, Ansible stands out as the preferred choice for many organizations. Its utilization of …

    Read post

    The Strength of Python for Linux Automation

    Calendar September 17, 2022
    Automation
    Python, Ruby, Linux
    Python and Ruby offer robust functionality. However, Python holds distinct advantages for Linux automation. 1. Comprehensive Standard Library# Python’s ‘batteries included’ philosophy equips it with a robust standard library. This reduces …

    Read post

    The Profitability of Honesty: A Practical Approach to Ethical Business

    Calendar September 10, 2022
    Career
    Ethics, Sales, Projects
    Doing business is often about numbers, but there’s more to it than just profit. Ethics, although often overshadowed by monetary pursuits, stand as the cornerstone of every transaction. Truthfulness, a vital ethic, surprisingly yields high returns. …

    Read post

    Colemak: An Efficient Keyboard Layout

    Calendar September 12, 2020
    Career
    Skills, Coding, Sysadmin
    Colemak is a keyboard layout devised by Shai Coleman, prioritizing efficiency, speed, and ergonomics. The design situates the most used keys beneath the strongest fingers, reducing finger travel by 35% compared to QWERTY. This reduction in movement …

    Read post

    • Categories
      • Engineering 1
      • Career Development 1
      • Career 6
      • Automation 2
    • Tags
      • Ai 1
      • Claude Code 1
      • Cursor 1
      • Engineering 1
      • Spec-Driven Development 1
      • Certifications 2
      • Coding 5
      • Devops 4
      • Grand Goals 1
      • Skills 5
      • Sysadmin 6
      • Automation 1
      • Patching 1
      • Security 1
      • Ansible 1
      • Chef 1
      • Linux 2
      • Puppet 1
      • Python 2
      • Ruby 2
      • Ethics 1
      • Projects 1
      • Sales 1