In this episode, Jon flies solo to tackle the “scheduling gremlins” affecting the team before diving deep into two powerful tools for the modern SysAdmin: Server Spec for infrastructure unit testing and MCP Servers for integrating LLMs into your monitoring workflow.

Bringing Unit Testing to the Server

Jon breaks down why unit testing isn’t just for software developers anymore. By using Server Spec (an extension of RSpec), admins can verify their infrastructure just like code.  Jon explains – with examples – how to define spec files to check if files exist, are executable, or contains specific strings.  He also talks about how to use Vagrant to verify virtual machine upgrades and service states before they hit production.

The Power of MCP (Model Context Protocol)

The episode shifts to the cutting edge of AI in the data center. Jon discusses how MCP servers allow Large Language Models (LLMs) like Claude and Gemini to interact directly with your infrastructure.  Instead of writing complex SQL or PromQL queries, Jon explains how – using natural language – his team uses MCP to ask Grafana: “What was the impact of the incident between 2 PM and 4 PM?”  He also explains how MCP can be used for complex connections, like linking CloudWatch metrics to customer support claims in real-time.

Community & Events

Jon will be attending OggCamp in Manchester on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 April this year, and hopes to see Al, Jerry, and Stu there!

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