Dan Glass, CISO of American Airlines, presented on developing rugged systems through an approach called Rugged DevOps. The presentation outlined four focus areas - Rugged Systems, Operational Excellence, Actionable Intelligence, and Defensible Platforms. For each area, Glass provided 3-4 sentences on how American Airlines will ensure systems can withstand hostile environments, adapt to changes, meet enterprise standards, maintain reliability through standardization, harvest and analyze data to enable quick decisions, and develop platforms that are hardened and can withstand attacks. The presentation concluded by answering questions on how to discuss products with vendors, changing mindsets, and balancing automation, legacy systems, and accountability.

1. Dan Glass
CISO
American Airlines
@djglass
The R.O.A.D. to Rugged

4. Aircraft Control
Domain (ACD)
Airline Information
Services Domain
(AISD)
Passenger Information
and Entertainment
Services Domain
(PIESD)
Flight and Embedded
Control System
Cabin Core System
Administrative
Functions
Flight Support
Cabin Support
Maintenance Support
In Flight
Entertainment
Passenger Internet
Personal Electronic
Devices
Communication Systems
Ground Systems

5. Pre-
Sales
Lead
Booking
Pre-
Travel
Travel
Post-
Travel

16. Rugged Systems
Operational Excellence
Actionable Intelligence
Defensible Platforms

17. Rugged Systems
Operational Excellence
Actionable Intelligence
Defensible Platforms

18. We will aid the business to develop and maintain RUGGED SYSTEMS
that can survive in hostile environments.
We will design these systems to be RESILIENT against attack.
We will ensure systems are ADAPTABLE to changes in
environment.
We will ensure systems are TESTED repeatedly to ensure they
meet enterprise standards.

19. Rugged Systems
Operational Excellence
Actionable Intelligence
Defensible Platforms

20. We will strive to maintain OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE to meet the
increasing demands of a dynamic organization.
We will build engagement and delivery processes to ensure
RELIABLE services.
We will standardize procedures across services to create a
SUSTAINABLE environment.
We will increase usage of automation and leveraged services to
increase SPEED to market.

21. Rugged Systems
Operational Excellence
Actionable Intelligence
Defensible Platforms

22. We will harvest, analyze, and rapidly convert large sets of data into
ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE to enable quick decision-making.
We will perform regular data source hygiene to ensure the data
are CORRECT.
We will ensure that data are MEANINGFUL by collecting the right
data from the right systems.
We will perform analysis to ensure only RELEVANT information is
communicated.

23. Rugged Systems
Operational Excellence
Actionable Intelligence
Defensible Platforms

24. We will develop, deliver, and maintain DEFENSIBLE PLATFORMS that
protect enterprise information resources.
We will develop common standards to ensure all platforms are
HARDENED.
We will design our platforms to SURVIVE against sustained
attack.
We will enable business activity by deploying EFFECTIVE
defenses to mitigate malicious activity.

26. What problem are you trying to solve?

27. Use the R.O.A.D. when discussing products with
vendors

28. Stop saying "best practice”
Start saying “common practice”

29. Tooling enables the process
Process enables the culture
Culture enables further investment in tooling

30. Push for automation but understand that many
see it as a threat to their livelihood

31. Build programs, not controls

32. Build partnerships

33. Be transparent, open, and empathetic

34. Embrace DevOps but make sure to keep giving
legacy a squeeze now and then

35. Ingrain accountability into culture and processes

37. @djglass
https://www.linkedin.com/in/djglass
You can find Dan not contributing to social media at

38. #RuggedDevOps
If you see something cool…

39. Thank You to Our Sponsors

40. Get today’s Rugged DevOps presentations in your inbox
mmiller@sonatype.com