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Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) is a discipline in the field ofSoftware Engineering andIT infrastructure support that monitors and improves the availability and performance of deployed software systems and large software services (which are expected to deliver reliable response times across events such as new software deployments, hardware failures, and cybersecurity attacks).[1] There is typically a focus on automation and aninfrastructure as Code methodology. SRE uses elements ofsoftware engineering,IT infrastructure,web development, andoperations[2] to assist with reliability. It is similar toDevOps as they both aim to improve the reliability and availability of deployed software systems.
Site Reliability Engineering originated atGoogle with Benjamin Treynor Sloss,[3][4] who founded SRE team in 2003.[5] The concept expanded within thesoftware development industry, leading various companies to employ sitereliability engineers.[6] By March 2016, Google had more than 1,000 site reliability engineers on staff.[7] Dedicated SRE teams are common at largerweb development companies.[8] In middle-sized and smaller companies, DevOps teams sometimes perform SRE, as well.[6] Organizations that have adopted the concept includeAirbnb,Dropbox,IBM,[9]LinkedIn,[10]Netflix,[7] andWikimedia.[11]
Site reliability engineers (SREs) are responsible for a combination of systemavailability,latency,performance, efficiency,change management,monitoring,emergency response, andcapacity planning.[12] SREs often have backgrounds insoftware engineering,systems engineering, and/orsystem administration.[13] The focuses of SRE includeautomation,system design, and improvements tosystem resilience.[13]
SRE is considered a specific implementation of DevOps;[14] focusing specifically on building reliable systems, whereas DevOps covers a broader scope of operations.[15][16][17] Despite having different focuses, some companies have rebranded their operations teams to SRE teams.[6]
Common definitions of the practices include (but are not limited to):[2][18]
Common definitions of the principles include (but are not limited to):
SRE teams collaborate with other departments within organizations to guide the implementation of the mentioned principles. Below is an overview of common practices:[20]
Kitchen Sink refers to the expansive and often unbounded scope of services and workflows that SRE teams oversee. Unlike traditional roles with clearly defined boundaries, SREs are tasked with various responsibilities, including system performance optimization, incident management, and automation. This approach allows SREs to address multiple challenges, ensuring that systems run efficiently and evolve in response to changing demands and complexities.
Infrastructure SRE teams focus on maintaining and improving the reliability of systems that support other teams' workflows. While they sometimes collaborate with platform engineering teams, their primary responsibility is ensuring up-time, performance, and efficiency. Platform teams, on the other hand, primarily develop the software and systems used across the organization. While reliability is a goal for both, platform teams prioritize creating and maintaining the tools and services used by internal stakeholders, whereas Infrastructure SRE teams are tasked with ensuring those systems run smoothly and meet reliability standards.
SRE teams utilize a variety of tools with the aim of measuring, maintaining, and enhancing system reliability. These tools play a role in monitoring performance, identifying issues, and facilitating proactive maintenance. For instance,Nagios Core is commonly employed for system monitoring and alerting, whilePrometheus (software) is frequently used for collecting and querying metrics in cloud-native environments.
SRE teams dedicated to specific products or applications are common in large organizations.[21] These teams are responsible for ensuring the reliability, scalability, and performance of key services. In larger companies, it's typical to have multiple SRE teams, each focusing on different products or applications, ensuring that each area receives specialized attention to meet performance and availability targets.
In an embedded model, individual SREs or small SRE pairs are integrated within software engineering teams. These SREs collaborate with developers, applying core SRE principles—such as automation, monitoring, and incident response—directly to the software development lifecycle. This approach aims to enhance reliability, performance, and collaboration between SREs and developers.
Consulting SRE teams specialize in advising organizations on the implementation of SRE principles and practices. Typically composed of seasoned SREs with a history across various implementations, these teams provide insights and guidance for specific organizational needs. When working directly with clients, these SREs are often referred to as 'Customer Reliability Engineers.'
In large organizations that have adopted SRE, a hybrid model is common[citation needed]. This model includes various implementations, such as multiple Product/Application SRE teams dedicated to addressing the specific reliability needs of different products. An Infrastructure SRE team may collaborate with a Platform engineering group to achieve shared reliability goals for a unified platform that supports all products and applications.
Since 2014, theUSENIX organization has hosted the annualSREcon conference, bringing together site reliability engineers from various industries. This conference is a platform for professionals to share knowledge, explore effective practices, and discuss trends in site reliability engineering.[22]
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