Recent content on Adam's Rants & Ramblings
Some time ago, I set about building my own wireless router. Why? Well, I wanted to see if I could put something together that would (theoretically) be upgradeable rather than disposable once standards moved on. I also had an existing setup (Unifi DreamRouter from their defunct early access program) that could not do the latest speeds, was limited to 1Gbit, and would be a good fit for upgrading my…
I will get to part 3 of my series on becoming an engineer again, but that needs some more time to bake (part 1 and part 2 for those interested). In the meantime, something a little different… This is one of those posts that was difficult to write, and once written it was difficult to publish - it’s not easy to talk about failure. When I see how people react to such posts from others, in…
Although my first post on this topic stated that a mindset shift was the key to a successful transition, it also takes some time to achieve. It is a longer term goal that I am working towards, but I don’t expect to make it happen in a couple of weeks. So, while there may be a post about approach and progress in that category relatively soon, it needs some time to bake.
The pendulum is swinging again, and it is swinging a lot faster this time than it has previously. I asked on Twitter whether people would be interested in some posts as I work through this change and the answer was yes. So here we are… Not My First Rodeo First things first - I like to remind myself that I have done this before, though a lot less deliberately. While working at MongoDB I was…
I was recently asked to come up with a solution for hosting some media files for a site. The requirements were pretty straight forward: Should be available via HTTP and HTTPS Minimal support requirements AWS Based Assets can be uploaded to the hosting with minimal effort/knowledge Site should be performant within Europe (in particular) The rest of the post will detail why I chose the solution I…
Something I have been meaning to do for a while is to switch away from Wordpress. While it is quite a nice collaborative tool and has some great options for WYSIWIG editing and content, it’s also far too big a hammer to use given my modest content and collaboration needs. I don’t have guest posters, I don’t get a lot of comments, and when I do get some interactions they would…
This post took a while to write – when I started, it was my last day in MongoDB and finishing it I am over a week into my new role in Riot Games . It was a bittersweet moment – I was very excited to move on to my new adventure in Riot Games, but I was sad to leave a company that has been such a great place to work for the last three years. I decided to write this post partially as a record of what…
I was asked to do an “About Me” introduction for my new gig, and wasn’t sure how to mention the fact that I had recently become a parent for the first time. Given the fact that I now work for a games company, I decided to have a bit of fun with it and translate it into more gamer-friendly format. I think it turned out pretty well: I’ve just started playing a new game called Parenting, it’s in…
This will likely be my last post about MongoDB 3.0 performance, as I am leaving MongoDB (after 3 fantastic years) to join Riot Games – more about that in later posts. Before I go, some testing I was doing to verify WiredTiger performance with the journal disabled led to some eye-catching numbers. While performing a restore using 3.0 mongorestore to a 3.0 mongod with 4 collections, I noticed I was…
I re-ran my compression testing from November to show the on-disk savings that compression in WiredTiger allows in my last post. The other part of that testing was to see if we could show a benefit to having compressed data from a read perspective. As I explained back in November, one of the scenarios where compression can help is when there is only limited IO capacity available. Once again, to…
Back in November, with the newly minted RC0 version of MongoDB 3.0 (then 2.8 of course), I ran a series of tests to check out how well compression using the new WiredTiger storage engine worked with a ~16GB data sample. Compression on disk worked fine, but the follow up tests to show the benefits of using compression when limited IO is available ran into issues and I ended up having to run the…
My (rather popular) first post on this topic explained the benefits of compression (which comes as the default option with the new WiredTiger storage engine) for systems with lesser IO capabilities. The intent was to first show that the new storage engine saved space on disk and then to show that this could be translated into a gain in terms of performance when reading that data (slowly) off disk.…
CAVEAT: This post deals with a development version of MongoDB and represents very early testing. The version used was not even a release candidate – 2.7.9-pre to be specific, this is not even a release candidate. Therefore any and all details may change significantly before the release of 2.8, so please be aware that nothing is yet finalized and as always, read the release notes once 2.8.0 ships.…
Setting readahead (RA from now on) appropriately is a contentious subject. There are a lot of variables involved, but in my particular case I am setting out to minimize those variables, get a baseline, and have a reasonable idea of what to expect out of this configuration: Environment: Amazon EC2 Instance Size: m3.xlarge (4 vCPU, 15GiB RAM) Disk Config: Single EBS Volume, 1000 PIOPS The testing I…
This tweet encourages people to read the timeline related to the Heartbleed discovery and dissemination and draw your own interesting conclusions – challenge accepted! There is plenty of fodder in there for the conspiracy theorists, but taking a step back for a second I would draw a conclusion not based on who knew what, but rather how to be one of those entities that knew early. Why take that…
Note: I have also written this up in Q&A format over on StackOverflow for visibility. When I am testing MongoDB, I often need to insert a bunch of data quickly into a collection so I can manipulate it, check performance, try out different indexes etc. There’s nothing particularly complex about this data usually, so a simple for loop generally suffices. Here is a basic example that inserts 100,000…
This will be my first multi-part blog post, and I am actually not sure just how many parts it will have by the time I am finished. My original intent was to test some failure scenarios whereby I would emulate a WAN link disappearing. That quickly expanded into a more ambitious test, I still wanted to test failure scenarios but I also wanted to test with some real world (ish) values for latency,…
I’ve meant to write this post up for a while. I have spent a lot of my time in the last 2 years recruiting, interviewing, making offers etc. as I built a team up from nothing to 9 people. I also interviewed for other positions in the company, helping others build out their teams. It was very tough, at times it seemed there were no decent candidates out there, but with persistence and perseverance…
As mentioned previously, I like getting my little gamification rewards and I have been meaning to add new content here for quite some time. In order to kill two birds with one stone, I took a couple of my ideas and turned them into the Q&A format that is encouraged on StackOverflow and the DBA StackExchange site. Hence we now have these two new questions (and answers): How to Programmatically…
I recently presented at MongoDB Melbourne and MongoDB Sydney and the slides have now been made available on the 10gen website: http://www.10gen.com/presentations/mongodb-sydney-november-2012/operating-mongodb-cloud These were not recorded, but at least the slides are now up for reference, which several people had asked about. The Amazon whitepaper should be updated shortly too, but still contains…
In line for the #dailyshow{.aktt_hashtag} with @jekell{.aktt_username} http://t.co/js9jQgXi Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1187" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text" href="https://comerford.cc/2012/10/04/in-line-for-the-dailyshow-wit/?share=facebook" target="_blank" title="Click to share on…
The crazy looking homeless lady has a nice speaking voice and a mobile phone #newyork{.aktt_hashtag} Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1186" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text" href="https://comerford.cc/2012/10/04/the-crazy-looking-homeless-lad/?share=facebook" target="_blank" title="Click to share…
Apparently that issue I closed yesterday was number 1000 since I started @10gen{.aktt_username} in January, yay for round numbers! Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1185" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text" href="https://comerford.cc/2012/09/24/apparently-that-issue-i-closed/?share=facebook"…
DUB to LCY again, this time to see the brand new @10gen{.aktt_username} London office Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1184" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text" href="https://comerford.cc/2012/09/11/dub-to-lcy-again-this-time-to/?share=facebook" target="_blank" title="Click to share on…
Holy crap this is some match #usopen{.aktt_hashtag} Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1183" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text" href="https://comerford.cc/2012/09/11/holy-crap-this-is-some-match/?share=facebook" target="_blank" title="Click to share on Facebook"><span></span><span…
This is awesome (strong, but funny, language warning) – well done sir: http://t.co/0hSe8PJi #gaymarriage{.aktt_hashtag} Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1182" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text" href="https://comerford.cc/2012/09/07/this-is-awesome-strong-but-f/?share=facebook" target="_blank"…
Getting delivery from the UK via Chronopost – is it just me or does that sound like something you would use on Gallifrey? #drwho{.aktt_hashtag} #timeywimey Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1181" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text"…
Now that I have figured out how it works (http://t.co/WePBWXIt), I am really liking the new Aggregation Framework in @MongoDB{.aktt_username} 2.2 Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1180" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text"…
Thanks @Nespresso{.aktt_username} for the JIT delivery, we ran out of pods literally 5 mins before the next shipment arrived, was looking dicey for a bit Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1179" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text"…
2 more awesome (as always) posts from @kchodorow{.aktt_username} – wish I’d had them when I started @10gen{.aktt_username}: http://t.co/ZQQRECJS http://t.co/8mT0fTAI #git{.aktt_hashtag} Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1178" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text"…
I have answered 150 questions on #StackOverflow{.aktt_hashtag} about #MongoDB{.aktt_hashtag} some quite complicated, the one with the most votes? http://t.co/kvl5sT98 :/ Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1177" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text"…
#MongoDB{.aktt_hashtag} 2.2 release people – a years worth of effort and my first release since joining @10gen{.aktt_username} http://t.co/u3PElUAW Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1176" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text"…
This is fantastic – I’ve always been fascinated by Frasier’s huge apartment for some reason http://t.co/lu09bmKK Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1175" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text" href="https://comerford.cc/2012/08/24/this-is-fantastic-ive-alway/?share=facebook" target="_blank" title="Click…
I have no idea if people want such things but I apparently have 45 invites to #StackOverflow{.aktt_hashtag} Careers: http://t.co/5FozZwr4 – have at them Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1173" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text"…
My @ServerFault{.aktt_username} question has been answered, hurray for the internets! http://t.co/svFK4QVf Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1174" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text" href="https://comerford.cc/2012/08/23/my-serverfault-question-has-b/?share=facebook" target="_blank" title="Click to…
Hey @Oatmeal{.aktt_username} – given how quickly you hit $850k you should have a stretch goal at $2m for cloning/reviving Tesla – #whatcouldpossiblygowrong{.aktt_hashtag} Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1171" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text"…
My sympathies are with Irish #popcap{.aktt_hashtag} folks – after 10+ years at AOL it is very familiar. 10gen are hiring, in Dublin, DM me if interested Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1172" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text"…
hmm, Peppa Pig birthday cake – does eating that break a kosher diet? Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1168" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text" href="https://comerford.cc/2012/08/20/hmm-peppa-pig-birthday-cake/?share=facebook" target="_blank" title="Click to share on Facebook"><span></span><span…
I see CS points in TCD are nearly back to 1997 levels – does that mean we are 3-4 years from the next dotcom crash? #CAO{.aktt_hashtag} #Ireland Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1170" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text"…
It seems my first @ServerFault{.aktt_username} question has people stumped, even after I added a bounty: http://t.co/svFK4QVf Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1169" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text" href="https://comerford.cc/2012/08/20/it-seems-my-first-serverfault/?share=facebook"…
much of the same to be expected this season at #LFC{.aktt_hashtag} it seems. At this point I am used to it, did they at least play better than 3-0? Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1167" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text"…
finally asked my first @StackExchange{.aktt_username} question on @ServerFault{.aktt_username} (that’s a ratio of 200:1 questions:answers): http://t.co/svFK4QVf Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1166" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text"…
I AM A SRIRACHA JESUS!. How addicted to Sriracha are you? http://t.co/V01MjLRN Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1165" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text" href="https://comerford.cc/2012/08/14/i-am-a-sriracha-jesus-how-a/?share=facebook" target="_blank" title="Click to share on…
pretty sure I have seen this asked for once or twice on the #mongodb{.aktt_hashtag} group: http://t.co/D5h5iIqc – very cool project from the @10gen{.aktt_username} interns Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1164" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text"…
this article finally made me turn on 2-factor auth on Google again: http://t.co/n14twMWu Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1163" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text" href="https://comerford.cc/2012/08/07/this-article-finally-made-me-t/?share=facebook" target="_blank" title="Click to share on…
the end of an era – [AppNetsBot]: @CayoHuesoVal{.aktt_username} has removed you from the “AppNetsBot” AIM group chat – 3 years after I left AOL Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1162" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text"…
congratulations to @gatesvp{.aktt_username} – he’s the first person to get the gold @MongoDB{.aktt_username} badge on @StackExchange{.aktt_username} – http://t.co/3D3Jfu7i – impressive Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1161" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text"…
Following up to say that @Nespresso{.aktt_username} were awesome & sent me a replacement order when mine went missing – great customer service – thanks! Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1160" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text"…
I’m at Bord Gáis Energy Theatre (Grand Canal Sq, Dublin) http://t.co/YoaBvWF7 – phantom of the opera is awesome so far Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1159" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text" href="https://comerford.cc/2012/07/28/im-at-bord-gais-energy-theat/?share=facebook" target="_blank"…
I was made me work for my +15 rep here: http://t.co/frFQK8KA – it’s harder to get than @stackoverflow{.aktt_username} rep but I like @StackDBAs{.aktt_username} Share this: <div class="sd-content"> <ul> <li class="share-facebook"> <a rel="nofollow" data-shared="sharing-facebook-1158" class="share-facebook sd-button share-icon no-text"…