Frequently asked questions
2-3 people. This ensures that all technologies that the TechPod is participating in are covered, as well as providing redundancy and continuity.
No. We are committed to delivering at the agreed-to velocity. This includes anything related to the technology and responsibilities in play.
Depending on your environment, it could be anything. All TechPods have a Pod Leader, so we are going to have a strong opinion on what should be prioritized and where the risk is. For example, it might be time to stop everyone SSHing in with the same username or key. It’s always time to start regular security updates. It might be time to overhaul wireless configs. Are SSL licenses going to expire without someone being alerted? Have you gotten stuck moving from a ‘work on the smoking server until it is back up’ model to an automated rebuild one? The list of what might be prioritized for a given month is long.
One of our first goals after onboarding will be to assess monitoring and alerting for gaps. Whether we use your monitoring or our own, critical alerts will be set to call out via text and phone, and escalate until acknowledged. We can provide coverage up to and including 24×7.
There are a few things that usually require a separate statement of work (SOW). The rule of thumb is that if you are introducing a new technology not currently under management, or a major overhaul to an existing one, it will need an SOW. People really appreciate how efficient it is to have the group that already knows the environment do the next big thing.
We have 3 levels of updates:
* We provide a “Wins list” and monthly metrics of things that were delivered each month.
* We hold a twice-a-month sprint planning meeting, or more often if needed, to agree on upcoming priorities.
* We do business reviews every quarter to talk about the state of the environment and do a metrics / reports review. The head of the department or business unit is encouraged to attend as well.
The leader of a TechPod is called a Pod Leader. They are seasoned technologists and architects that do both direct delivery themselves as well as set tasks and follow up with the TechPod.
The TechPod will flex up. We recognize that some weeks will be harder and some weeks easier but that it will average out. Making sure that average is correct is the role of the Anchor and the Pod Leader, usually during sprint planning. If you are perpetually flexed up, we can always add to the existing contract.