DevOps for the Desperate: A Hands-On Survival Guide
Survival: DevOps for the Desperate is a hands-on guide to core tasks across infrastructure as code, configuration management, security, containers, orchestration, monitoring and troubleshooting. Its examples use Vagrant, Ansible, Docker and Kubernetes, with a CI/CD pipeline.
At a glance
- Begins with repeatable system setup using Vagrant and Ansible.
- Covers user and group management, password policies, administrative permissions and host-based firewalls.
- Introduces containerising applications with Docker, orchestration with Kubernetes and delivery through a CI/CD pipeline.
- Includes monitoring and alerting concepts, metric patterns and troubleshooting for hosts and applications.
Reference price: £28.99
Price checked: 14 Nov 2026
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Pros and cons
Pros
- The subject matter connects infrastructure setup, security, deployment and operations in one concise 176-page guide.
- Hands-on examples are described for each major topic, which may help readers practise common tasks rather than focus only on concepts.
Technical specifications
8 specifications| Publisher | No Starch Press |
|---|---|
| Publication date | 14 July 2022 |
| Language | English |
| Print length | 176 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1718502486 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1718502482 |
| Weight listed | 340 g |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 17.8 x 1.4 x 23.5 cm |
What to know before buying
- The book is presented as an introduction and crash course across several areas, so readers seeking in-depth coverage of any one tool may need a more specialised reference.
Who is it for?
A good fit for
- Software developers looking for a practical introduction to common DevOps tasks.
- Readers who want a compact guide spanning Ansible, Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD and monitoring.
Less suited to
- Readers seeking an advanced, comprehensive reference dedicated to one DevOps tool or platform.
Customer reviews on Amazon
- 5 stars
65% 65% - 4 stars
22% 22% - 3 stars
5% 5% - 2 stars
4% 4% - 1 star
4% 4%
Aggregate customer ratings lean positive, with most ratings in the four- or five-star categories, but the supplied information includes no written review details. This indicates generally favourable ratings while offering no evidence about which topics readers liked or where they found the coverage limited. The concise length and broad hands-on scope may suit an introductory overview, but the ratings do not establish how deeply any topic is explained.
Frequently asked questions
Which tools and topics does the book cover?
The listing describes examples involving Vagrant and Ansible for system configuration, Docker and Kubernetes for containers and orchestration, and CI/CD, monitoring, alerting and troubleshooting.
Is this an advanced reference?
It is described as an introduction and crash course covering several subjects. Readers needing deep coverage of a specific tool may prefer a dedicated reference.
How long is the book?
The listed print length is 176 pages.
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