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The Scream Test
(eviltoast.org)
I work for a company that works for a company that works for a company.
We have clients that are clients of clients, and may be direct clients in some other aspect.
We host services for these entities.
That is all fine until they don't pay us.
When they don't pay us, there are multiple rounds of contacting someone who will contact someone who will contact someone. Someday.
Sometimes, someday does not arrive.
At that point, we conduct the Scream Test.
The essence of the Scream Test is:
- This thing is theoretically not needed.
- Let's turn it off.
- And see who screams?
We shut down some stuff today. Waiting on the cacophony...
Love a good ol scream test. Only problem is you have to make sure to keep the disconnected thing or the data within for a solid year in case it's only used once annually by "very important process that makes sure the doors stay open" and no one realizes that thing you disconnected is where it's pulled from. Learned that one the hard way
In this case, all we did was disable some ACLs. The machines are still running.
But ya. The point is to preserve whatever is actually needed. So don't nuke it before they can scream.
But that urge to nuke it can really make some good arguments
My boss designed a whole decomm system with wait periods and shit built into an app.
He still tells me, "You can just shut that down and delete it".
I don't. I make that jerk use his own system. "Put in a decomm, and I'll take care of it."