Research:Cloud Services Annual Survey/2016

Tracked in Phabricator:
Task T147336

The 2016 Tool Labs survey collects feedback from Tool Labs' developers and maintainers on how the services offered can be improved to help their development and maintenance needs.

Participants

The participants of the survey are the members of the Wikimedia Tool Labs project. 984 participants were contacted via email. The emails were harvested from Labs' LDAP system and the Wikitech database. The final list was created by finding the intersection of the members of the Tool Labs project gathered from LDAP and the Wikitech users with confirmed email addresses who had not opted-out of email contact by other users in their Wikitech preferences.

175 email recipients participated in the survey which represents 18% of those who were contacted.

Dates

The 2016 survey was active between 2016-10-20 and 2016-11-04.

Questions and answers

Basic demographics

How many years have you used Tool Labs?

Help: If you were a Toolserver user, please include the total number of years that you have used Toolserver and Tool Labs.

Cohort	Percentage
1 Year	28.74%
2-3 Years	33.33%
4+ Years	37.93%

How many tools have you developed in Tool Labs?

Help: We do not have a canonical definition of "tools". We are trying to estimate how much burden is on you, so please use your best judgement in assessing how many tools you have developed.

Cohort	Percentage
0 Tools	12.64%
1 Tool	32.18%
2-3 Tools	27.01%
4+ Tools	28.16%

How many tools do you actively maintain in Tool Labs?

Help: We do not have a canonical definition of "tools". We are trying to estimate how much burden is on you, so please use your best judgement in assessing how many tools you maintain.

Cohort	Percentage
0 Maintain	21.97%
1 Maintain	34.10%
2 Maintain	18.50%
3+ Maintain	25.43%

How many hours per week do you spend developing or maintaining tools on Tool Labs?

Cohort	Percentage
0 Hours	28.83%
1 Hour	28.22%
2-8 Hours	33.74%
9+ Hours	9.20%

Were you a developer and/or maintainer in the Toolserver as well?

Cohort	Percentage
No Toolserver	62.07%
Toolserver	37.93%

Additional demographics

What programming languages do you prefer to program in?

For this question, the participants had the following choices: Perl, PHP, Python 2, Python 3, Ruby, or they could enter the language of their choice. Note that participants could report more than one language.

Language	%
Python3	48.00%
PHP	46.86%
Python2	34.86%
JavaScript	9.71%
Perl	9.14%
Java	8.57%
Other	8.57%
Ruby	7.43%
C#	1.71%

When you develop a tool, what percentage of your work is done locally (as opposed to remotely on Tool Labs)?

Help: For example, enter 30 if 30% of your development work is done locally.

Answers were rounded up to the nearest 5% for analysis.

Answer	Percentage reported
0	9.09%
5	1.82%
10	5.45%
15	1.21%
20	3.64%
25	0.61%
30	3.64%
40	2.42%
50	7.27%
60	3.03%
65	1.21%
70	7.88%
75	1.82%
80	15.15%
85	0.61%
90	17.58%
95	6.67%
100	10.91%

Do you prefer using source control to manage your tool's source code?

Yes	No
137	31

Qualitative questions

A series of qualitative questions were asked in order to gauge general satisfaction with Tool Labs.

Services have high reliability (up time)

	All	1 Year	2-3 Years	4+ Years	0 Tools	1 Tool	2-3 Tools	4+ Tools	0 Maintain	1 Maintain	2 Maintain	3+ Maintain	0 Hours	1 Hour	2-8 Hours	9+ Hours	No toolserver	Toolserver
Agree/Strongly Agree	87.57%	91.67%	90.91%	81.82%	95.65%	86.79%	88.89%	83.33%	89.47%	85.96%	86.67%	88.64%	83.64%	91.11%	88.89%	86.67%	89.42%	84.62%
Disagree/Strongly Disagree	10.06%	0.00%	9.09%	18.18%	0.00%	7.55%	11.11%	16.67%	5.26%	10.53%	13.33%	11.36%	9.09%	8.89%	11.11%	13.33%	7.69%	13.85%

It is easy to write code and have it running on Tool Labs

	All	1 Year	2-3 Years	4+ Years	0 Tools	1 Tool	2-3 Tools	4+ Tools	0 Maintain	1 Maintain	2 Maintain	3+ Maintain	0 Hours	1 Hour	2-8 Hours	9+ Hours	No toolserver	Toolserver
Agree/Strongly Agree	71.76%	73.47%	65.45%	75.76%	36.36%	80.00%	73.91%	76.60%	43.24%	77.97%	80.65%	81.40%	51.79%	80.43%	83.02%	80.00%	71.15%	72.73%
Disagree/Strongly Disagree	22.35%	18.37%	27.27%	21.21%	31.82%	16.36%	23.91%	23.40%	35.14%	20.34%	16.13%	18.60%	32.14%	17.39%	16.98%	20.00%	20.19%	25.76%

I feel I am supported by the Tool Labs team when I contact them via labs-l, wikimedia-labs IRC channel, or phabricator.

	All	1 Year	2-3 Years	4+ Years	0 Tools	1 Tool	2-3 Tools	4+ Tools	0 Maintain	1 Maintain	2 Maintain	3+ Maintain	0 Hours	1 Hour	2-8 Hours	9+ Hours	No toolserver	Toolserver
Agree/Strongly Agree	71.35%	66.00%	70.91%	75.76%	50.00%	60.00%	80.43%	85.42%	56.76%	66.10%	80.65%	84.09%	52.63%	82.22%	75.93%	93.33%	66.67%	78.79%
Disagree/Strongly Disagree	9.36%	14.00%	9.09%	6.06%	18.18%	9.09%	8.70%	6.25%	13.51%	8.47%	9.68%	6.82%	8.77%	6.67%	14.81%	0.00%	12.38%	4.55%

I receive useful information via labs-announce / labs-l mailing list.

	All	1 Year	2-3 Years	4+ Years	0 Tools	1 Tool	2-3 Tools	4+ Tools	0 Maintain	1 Maintain	2 Maintain	3+ Maintain	0 Hours	1 Hour	2-8 Hours	9+ Hours	No toolserver	Toolserver
Agree/Strongly Agree	46.71%	43.75%	38.89%	55.38%	34.78%	41.51%	48.84%	56.25%	27.78%	42.11%	46.67%	68.18%	29.63%	60.00%	50.00%	57.14%	40.38%	57.14%
Disagree/Strongly Disagree	17.37%	14.58%	18.52%	18.46%	8.70%	9.43%	25.58%	22.92%	13.89%	15.79%	26.67%	15.91%	16.67%	11.11%	22.22%	21.43%	15.38%	20.63%

Documentation is easy-to-find

	All	1 Year	2-3 Years	4+ Years	0 Tools	1 Tool	2-3 Tools	4+ Tools	0 Maintain	1 Maintain	2 Maintain	3+ Maintain	0 Hours	1 Hour	2-8 Hours	9+ Hours	No toolserver	Toolserver
Agree/Strongly Agree	46.43%	48.94%	45.45%	45.45%	45.00%	48.15%	50.00%	41.67%	38.89%	47.37%	54.84%	45.45%	50.00%	51.11%	42.59%	33.33%	43.14%	51.52%
Disagree/Strongly Disagree	49.40%	42.55%	50.91%	53.03%	35.00%	46.30%	50.00%	58.33%	47.22%	49.12%	45.16%	54.55%	37.04%	48.89%	57.41%	66.67%	50.98%	46.97%

How do you compare the support you received when using Toolserver with the support you receive when using Tool Labs?

Only the participants who had indicated previous Toolserver use were shown this question. Therefore, the responses are based on this subset of participants.

	All	1 Year	2-3 Years	4+ Years	0 Tools	1 Tool	2-3 Tools	4+ Tools	0 Maintain	1 Maintain	2 Maintain	3+ Maintain	0 Hours	1 Hour	2-8 Hours	9+ Hours
Better	47.69%	50.00%	40.00%	48.98%	100.00%	27.27%	52.63%	48.48%	62.50%	28.57%	64.71%	42.31%	36.84%	60.00%	42.11%	57.14%
As good	41.54%	50.00%	40.00%	40.82%	0.00%	63.64%	36.84%	39.39%	25.00%	64.29%	29.41%	42.31%	47.37%	35.00%	47.37%	28.57%
Worse	10.77%	0.00%	20.00%	10.20%	0.00%	9.09%	10.53%	12.12%	12.50%	7.14%	5.88%	15.38%	15.79%	5.00%	10.53%	14.29%

Tool Labs documentation is comprehensive.

	All	1 Year	2-3 Years	4+ Years	0 Tools	1 Tool	2-3 Tools	4+ Tools	0 Maintain	1 Maintain	2 Maintain	3+ Maintain	0 Hours	1 Hour	2-8 Hours	9+ Hours	No toolserver	Toolserver
Agree/Strongly Agree	50.29%	55.10%	50.00%	46.97%	45.45%	54.55%	52.17%	45.83%	48.65%	52.54%	51.61%	47.73%	48.21%	50.00%	50.00%	60.00%	50.48%	50.00%
Disagree/Strongly Disagree	44.44%	36.73%	42.86%	51.52%	27.27%	40.00%	47.83%	54.17%	35.14%	42.37%	48.39%	52.27%	37.50%	47.83%	50.00%	40.00%	41.90%	48.48%

Tool Labs documentation is clear.

	All	1 Year	2-3 Years	4+ Years	0 Tools	1 Tool	2-3 Tools	4+ Tools	0 Maintain	1 Maintain	2 Maintain	3+ Maintain	0 Hours	1 Hour	2-8 Hours	9+ Hours	No toolserver	Toolserver
Agree/Strongly Agree	47.95%	53.06%	42.86%	48.48%	40.91%	49.09%	56.52%	41.67%	37.84%	47.46%	61.29%	47.73%	39.29%	56.52%	50.00%	46.67%	43.81%	54.55%
Disagree/Strongly Disagree	46.20%	36.73%	50.00%	50.00%	31.82%	43.64%	43.48%	58.33%	45.95%	45.76%	38.71%	52.27%	46.43%	39.13%	50.00%	53.33%	47.62%	43.94%

Service usage

A section of questions on the frequency of use of various services offered by Tool Labs was included in the survey. The responses to these questions may be used to prioritize support and/or new service development by the Tool Labs administrators. These questions will not necessarily appear in future surveys.

How often have you used LabsDB access?

	All	1 Year	2-3 Years	4+ Years	0 Tools	1 Tool	2-3 Tools	4+ Tools	0 Maintain	1 Maintain	2 Maintain	3+ Maintain	0 Hours	1 Hour	2-8 Hours	9+ Hours	No toolserver	Toolserver
Often	38.89%	20.45%	28.85%	59.09%	4.55%	18.00%	52.38%	64.58%	18.92%	18.87%	62.07%	65.12%	13.21%	55.81%	47.06%	53.33%	28.28%	55.56%
Seldom/Sometimes	25.93%	27.27%	28.85%	22.73%	22.73%	32.00%	21.43%	25.00%	24.32%	30.19%	20.69%	25.58%	28.30%	18.60%	27.45%	33.33%	27.27%	23.81%
Never	27.78%	40.91%	36.54%	12.12%	45.45%	46.00%	16.67%	10.42%	40.54%	45.28%	10.34%	6.98%	43.40%	20.93%	21.57%	13.33%	33.33%	19.05%

How often have you used Webservices?

	All	1 Year	2-3 Years	4+ Years	0 Tools	1 Tool	2-3 Tools	4+ Tools	0 Maintain	1 Maintain	2 Maintain	3+ Maintain	0 Hours	1 Hour	2-8 Hours	9+ Hours	No toolserver	Toolserver
Often	49.08%	30.43%	55.77%	56.92%	9.09%	44.23%	54.76%	68.09%	16.22%	48.15%	51.72%	76.74%	21.82%	64.29%	58.82%	73.33%	42.57%	59.68%
Seldom/Sometimes	26.99%	30.43%	23.08%	27.69%	27.27%	28.85%	23.81%	27.66%	32.43%	25.93%	34.48%	18.60%	30.91%	26.19%	23.53%	26.67%	26.73%	27.42%
Never	17.18%	30.43%	15.38%	9.23%	40.91%	23.08%	14.29%	2.13%	37.84%	18.52%	10.34%	2.33%	34.55%	4.76%	13.73%	0.00%	21.78%	9.68%

How often have you used Cronjobs?

	All	1 Year	2-3 Years	4+ Years	0 Tools	1 Tool	2-3 Tools	4+ Tools	0 Maintain	1 Maintain	2 Maintain	3+ Maintain	0 Hours	1 Hour	2-8 Hours	9+ Hours	No toolserver	Toolserver
Often	42.07%	20.00%	39.62%	59.09%	0.00%	35.29%	51.16%	60.42%	16.67%	35.71%	68.97%	53.49%	30.91%	48.84%	50.00%	35.71%	32.35%	58.06%
Seldom/Sometimes	30.49%	33.33%	30.19%	28.79%	31.82%	25.49%	32.56%	33.33%	25.00%	30.36%	24.14%	39.53%	21.82%	34.88%	32.69%	42.86%	30.39%	30.65%
Never	22.56%	40.00%	26.42%	7.58%	45.45%	37.25%	11.63%	6.25%	44.44%	30.36%	6.90%	4.65%	36.36%	13.95%	15.38%	21.43%	29.41%	11.29%

How often have you used Redis?

	All	1 Year	2-3 Years	4+ Years	0 Tools	1 Tool	2-3 Tools	4+ Tools	0 Maintain	1 Maintain	2 Maintain	3+ Maintain	0 Hours	1 Hour	2-8 Hours	9+ Hours	No toolserver	Toolserver
Often	6.21%	2.27%	11.54%	4.62%	0.00%	3.92%	12.20%	6.38%	2.70%	3.77%	6.90%	11.90%	5.56%	4.76%	5.88%	14.29%	5.05%	8.06%
Seldom/Sometimes	18.01%	9.09%	19.23%	23.08%	4.55%	13.73%	17.07%	29.79%	2.70%	15.09%	24.14%	30.95%	3.70%	23.81%	21.57%	42.86%	16.16%	20.97%
Never	66.46%	75.00%	63.46%	63.08%	68.18%	78.43%	60.98%	57.45%	75.68%	75.47%	55.17%	54.76%	74.07%	64.29%	66.67%	42.86%	66.67%	66.13%

How often have you used GridEngine Continuous jobs?

	All	1 Year	2-3 Years	4+ Years	0 Tools	1 Tool	2-3 Tools	4+ Tools	0 Maintain	1 Maintain	2 Maintain	3+ Maintain	0 Hours	1 Hour	2-8 Hours	9+ Hours	No toolserver	Toolserver
Often	24.39%	20.00%	20.75%	30.30%	0.00%	19.23%	28.57%	37.50%	8.11%	25.45%	31.03%	32.56%	12.73%	20.93%	36.54%	35.71%	20.79%	30.16%
Seldom/Sometimes	20.73%	8.89%	22.64%	27.27%	9.09%	13.46%	16.67%	37.50%	16.22%	10.91%	20.69%	37.21%	20.00%	25.58%	17.31%	21.43%	13.86%	31.75%
Never	48.17%	64.44%	49.06%	36.36%	63.64%	63.46%	47.62%	25.00%	59.46%	56.36%	48.28%	27.91%	54.55%	46.51%	44.23%	42.86%	54.46%	38.10%

Free form responses

The survey included several free form response sections. Survey participants were told that we would only publicly share their responses or survey results in aggregate or anonymized form. The free form responses include comments broadly falling into these categories:

Documentation (54 comments)
Workflow (22 comments)
Stability & performance (11 comments)
Software versions (8 comments)
Monitoring (8 comments)
Kubernetes / PaaS (6 comments)
Storage (4 comments)
Support (4 comments)
Discovery (3 comments)
Other (15 comments)

Documentation

Over a third of the comments concerned the state of Tool Labs documentation. Given the survey scores on documentation related questions this is not surprising. Many suggestions for improvement focus on step by step guides, task based tutorials, and new user onboarding guides. Better coverage of database related issues also received multiple mentions.

Workflow

Workflow related comments included several calls for easier methods of uploading and downloading files in shared tool accounts. Others hoped for some form of automated deployment related to GitHub repositories and web-based editing capabilities. Several people commented on difficulties learning and using Linux commands with a Windows background.

Stability & performance

Three comments asked for overall stability to be a focus for the coming year's work. Increased performance of Tool Labs provided services such as database servers and the hosted tools themselves also received several mentions.

Software versions

Java 8, PHP 7, and general software and library upgrades were requested.

Monitoring

Services for monitoring and alerting on webservice uptime, grid jobs, and log files were included in the comments.

Kubernetes / PaaS

Comments asked for expanded Kubernetes services, Docker support, and Platform as a Service rollout.

Storage

Storage comments mentioned expanded capacity for database and large file storage. NFS speed improvements were also mentioned.

Support

Comments on the topic of support called for expanded staffing by the WMF and additional coverage in the #wikimedia-labs irc channel.

Discovery

Better systems to track and search existing tools are desired.