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Chaos engineering

Chaos engineering is the process of testing a distributed computing system to ensure that the system can withstand unexpected disruptions in function. It is so named because it relies on concepts from chaos theory, which focuses on random and unpredictable behavior. The goal of chaos engineering is to continuously conduct controlled experiments that introduce random and unpredictable behavior in order to discover weaknesses in a system.

In computing, a distributed system is any grouping of computers that are linked over a network and share resources. Distributed systems can break when unexpected conditions or situations (such as an unintentional change from an intentional update) occur.  Large distributed systems have complex and unpredictable dependencies between components, which can it difficult to troubleshoot an error. This is where chaos engineering comes into play. Chaos engineering identifies "what if" scenarios that aim to trigger failures, so that the system owners can evaluate the performance and integrity of the software.

How chaos engineering works

Like stress testing, chaos engineering aims to improve a system's or network's design by discovering and correcting its weaknesses. The process is typically divided into several steps and starts with the establishment of a baseline. The testers must first identify how the system should operate under optimal conditions and specify what constitutes a normal working state. Next, they must consider one or more potential weaknesses and formulate a hypothesis about the effects of those weaknesses.

Chaos engineering can be performed for a program not yet launched, and much can still be learned; however, testing on real-world conditions yields the most accurate results. For this reason, chaos engineering is often performed on production systems, especially when it is too cumbersome or expensive to duplicate a large, distributed system environment just for testing purposes. Naturally, this also means that chaos engineering can be highly disruptive. Success with the chaos engineering paradigm demands close communication and coordination between IT staff and developers and across business units. Experiments are rarely run during peak time to avoid giving customers a negative experience.

Chaos engineering tools

Chaos engineering is a relatively new approach to software testing and software quality assurance (QA). Netflix was a notable pioneer of chaos engineering, among the first to formalize how to use it in production systems. Netflix designed and open sourced automation platforms for chaos tests, including Chaos Monkey, Chaos Gorilla and similarly named tools, collectively dubbed the Simian Army. 

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