Tech Talks With Yann Mulonda

With the advanced and dynamic updates and revelations taking place around us rapidly, the IT industry is witnessing development like never before. Every individual is now required to upgrade their skill set in order to present solutions that can sustain in the long run. Keeping up with the most recent developments in DevOps, web and mobile applications, and software development is essential for businesses looking to stay ahead of the curve. Through a thorough grasp of the complex mechanics underlying these technologies, organizations can ensure they maintain their competitiveness.

In the following interview, we dwelled into conversation about DevOps, its possibilities, how businesses can implement well-organized DevOps solutions to achieve exceptional business outcomes that have the capability to change the world and make it a better place.

Furthermore, the interview discussion also gave industry-insights on exceptional technologies like Agile, CI/CD, DevOps, DevSecOps, Site Reliability Engineering, Cloud Computing, Virtualization, Containerization, Orchestration, Infrastructure as Code, etc. that businesses can adopt for a sustainable future.

Throughout the interview, Yann Mulonda was positive & insightful. He spoke about his role, how he started his journey and what made him interested in the field of technology, the functionalities & applications of DevOps, and much more. So, without any further ado, let’s begin!

Anil: Before we begin the interview, please give a brief introduction.

Yann: At age of 12, when I began secondary school, I decided to pursue an education in electronics at a technical institute (Salama Technical Institute) in my home country, DRCongo. During those years of middle and high school, the more I learned about science and technology, the more I developed a deeper interest in technology and computers. When I graduated from High School with an Electronic Technician Diploma, I knew exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up: I wanted to become an “engineer.” My journey led to traveling around the world in pursuit of higher education, From Congo to India, to the United States.

I’m now an IT professional with a background education in Electronics and Computer Networking. I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Information Technology as well as a master of science in Software Engineering and Artificial Intelligence. My work experience consists of Site Reliability Engineering, DevOps Engineering, Software Engineering, Full-Stack Software Development, Cloud Computing, and Computer Networking & Architecture.

I’m currently Co-founder and CIO at ITOT Africa and Lead Senior Site Reliability Engineer at ICF.

Anil: What responsibilities do you have as a CIO?

Yann: My responsibilities can be summarized into the following:

Anil: What possibilities does DevOps have?

Yann: First of all, when you hear terms like Waterfall, SCRUM, Sprint, Agile, Continuous Integration, Continuous Delivery, Continuous Deployment, DevOps, etc; we need to think of those terms as a way of doing something, and not a skill set, a framework tool, or technology that can be boxed into a hardware device that solves IT problems.

There are “no 12 steps” to successful DevOps implementation. It is pretty much just applying those concepts to create a workflow that works better for your team or organization.

So with this in mind, the possibilities of DevOps are determined by a team or an organization’s ability to implement and apply DevOps core values and practices in their thinking approach to solve their IT problems.

Anil: Can DevOps help businesses achieve exceptional outcomes? If yes, how?

Yann: Yes, the benefits of a well-implemented DevOps will likely lead to business growth and successful outcomes by:

Anil: Except for DevOps, what other technology can bring revolutionary change?

Yann: Periodically, the introduction of new concepts, methods, and ways of doing things revolutionizes the IT industry and pushes the needle forward. Examples of these revolutionary technologies are Version control, Agile, CI/CD, DevOps, DevSecOps, Site Reliability Engineering, Cloud Computing, Virtualization, Containerization, Orchestration, Infrastructure as Code, etc.

With these new concepts, methods, and ways of doing things — come tools — lots of them. They are built to provide the medium for IT professionals to implement those new concepts, methods, or processes for their Organizations.

Site Reliability Engineering and Infrastructure as Code are bringing revolutionary changes and immense business value to IT teams and organizations that have implemented SRE and IaC best practices.

Anil: What principles do you have in life that you never compromise on?

Yann: I tried to clearly define very early on in my adult life what success means to me and which aspects or things in my life take priority. I believe that how I measure success in my business or personal life defines what I’m willing to do and not do, and I use these principles as a guiding force to make decisions.

Professionally, my motivations are the opportunities to learn, grow in responsibility, contribute new skills, and be a part of those who change the world for the better through science and technology. At the end of my professional life, I want to be able to point at something great and say: “I am part of that!”

Above and beyond everything I can possibly do in my lifetime, I define my biggest accomplishment as building my family and meaningful relationships within the communities I live. A successful life to me means having a rewarding relationship with my wife, raising great kids, contributing to others’ lives, and serving communities.

So whenever I’m dealing with challenges, I always remind myself: “People matter and take priority over anything else”. I define what’s important to me and I don’t let what is urgent drown out what is important.

Anil: What are your thoughts on IT security?

Yann: Security is everything. Implementing security measures can seem tedious, uncomfortable, important but not urgent, and expensive, but the cost of lack of security comes with a price tag that is far more expensive. Which will take time for many organizations to recover from and put some completely out of business. Investing in security early is key to business success.

Anil: Can you share any instance or personal story that inspired you to pursue your career in DevOps?

Yann: My first ever IT job as a Junior in college was an internship for a DevOps engineer position. I learned everything I could about the position within the first 2 to 3 weeks of the internship, dived right into it by working on implementation phases, and loved every moment of it. I eventually went on to working in other roles such as Full-Stack Developer, Software Engineer, Cloud Engineer, Site Reliability Engineer, Chief Technology Officer, and Chief Information Officer.

Anil: Do you like to read? If yes, can you tell us your favorite book?

Yann: I enjoy listening to audiobooks. It allows me to learn while doing other daily tasks like cooking, and cleaning. It’s a way to compensate for being a slow reader. English is my 5th language, so I find listening is my preferred way of learning new things. My favorite book I’ve listened to in the last year is How to Be a No Limit-Person by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer. It helped shift my thinking to see opportunities, not obstacles. I also read John C. Maxwell’s Maxwell Daily Reader, a compilation of his books on leadership in a daily devotional style.

Anil: What, according to you, is the best way to get the best out of people?

Yann: I’d say you get the best out of people when there is a sense of purpose in the vision and goals your team is trying to accomplish and your team feels a sense of fulfillment in the work they do each day.

Anil: As a CIO, how much importance do you attach to your employee’s mental health?

Yann: Well, I believe it goes without saying that employees’ mental health is as important as an engine in a car. Furthermore, the whole car needs proper care and regular maintenance for safety, efficiency, reliability, and best performance. You take care of the car engine by taking care of all the parts that go into or connect to the engine like filter, oil, etc.

Anil: How much is cybersecurity crucial, according to you? And how can it be used to stop fraud cases?

Yann: Security has always been very important, in the era we live in now, the digital stage, cybersecurity is crucial more than ever.

In an overly simplified way, I’ll say we can reduce fraud cases by enforcing these 2 main things: Authentication and authorization. To assure that anyone who accesses any resources is who they say they are and they have permission to do what they want to do.

Of course, how we protect something depends on the nature of that object. There are many cybersecurity best practices that can be implemented to properly enforce authentication and authorization.

The golden rule is: avoid the “secure enough” mentality — always keep in mind there is no such thing as being 100% secure. Security is a continuous task.

Anil: How can we/someone reach you?

Yann: My social media handles:

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