Today Riverbed, an application performance company, announced a suite of new tools provided to developers that will greatly enhance their ability to perform DevOps duties. Amid these, management elements such as in FlyScript—a software-defined scripting language for acting on networking—and a highly integrated developer community called Splash.

FlyScript is the brand name for this entire set of developer tools. Riverbed has been providing Stingray Trafficscript (for over 10+ years), a language for manipulating data in transit through the device. For developers looking to connect FlyScript REST APIs released 2012 Dec for Cascade Shark, Profiler, and Stingray. All of the products listed above—with their interestingly marine names—are parts of the Riverbed programmable-networking suites that do things such as packet inspection, real-time analysis of traffic flow, and even deliver the underpinnings for visualization and automation.

Additions expected in later 2013 March include a Python SDK for FlyScript and there are future plans to expand all REST APIs. According to Christopher White, senior director, Riverbed Technology Council, Python was chosen for addition to FlyScript due to its ease-of-use for developers.

“We feel that operators would rather have scripting languages so that’s why we went with Python; most operators are probably used to shell scripting so Python will be very comfortable to them.” It’s a good language for novice users and powerful enough to give a strong toolset for expert users.

From my conversation with White, FlyScript integrates with every other component of network management provided with Riverbed and even enables easy legacy integration. By connecting FlyScript with visualization it’s possible for DevOps workers to identify problems and resolve them by scripting out any range of network behaviors—and, given certain issues arise often enough, they can be automated along with rules to trigger the appropriate scripts at the proper times.

FlyScript has numerous use cases from moving traffic through a data center to giving operators fine-grained control over user experience inside and outside of a network. FlyScript use cases include scripting, automation (for the much vaunted DevOps “continuous deployment”), integration between different hardware and systems, custom visibility and control, and the straightforward fully Software Defined Networking and Software Defined Data Center (SDN/SDDC).

How might deveopers use FlyScript to make their lives easier at the enterprise level?

Example: A Custom IT Portal

In the case of a custom IT portal, the key data is spread across many sources and this needs to be pulled together into a single control space that also visualizes the different elements across a dashboard. FlyScript can be used to allow customers to build their own dashboard with the API, drill down as needed, and use Python and some Javascript to visualize data coming in from Profiler or Shark.

Example: Software-Defined Data Centers and Networks

FlyScript allows rapid prototyping and mixing internal hardware infrastructure as well as virtual data center services via Amazon and other cloud services. As a result, using FlyScript could make dealing with offsite cloud integration with onsite controls much easier because it would enable developers to produce scripts that operators could use to deal with complex tasks.

Example: OPNET + Stingray

Another part of the Riverbed suite, Stingray can automatically inject code into application outgoing traffic (HTML pages) and monitor pages to understand end-user experience and collect metrics via AppResponse. We’ve seen this desire numerous times with off-premise monitoring of user experience when it comes to HTML5 and other mobile apps. Once the HTML leaves the facility, it becomes hard to tell what sort of experience the end user is getting without some sort of “ping” back from the application.

With Stingray, it is not necessary for developers to keep up-to-date with the proper JavaScript snippet in every app. The software itself can inject the proper code at the proper place at time of deployment, enabling DevOps to control how they deliver the “ping” and keep it up to date with their current needs.

Including FlyScript with this, the network and services can be controlled via rules and scripts to change how pages are being delivered based on real-time data–for example, if pages are being delivered too slowly, FlyScript can spin up new machines to provide further processing power.

A community for FlyScript developers: Splash should make a splash

Developers do not function in a vacuum: they need to learn, experience, code, and become an essential cog in what they produce. As a result, developers like to talk—to fill this need, Riverbed is launching Splash, a community driven forum and service to help FlyScript developers discuss how they use Riverbed technology and to provide examples and training when needed.

White explained that Splash would be about product support and use; but also a developer-oriented section all about downloading, documentation, and use cases.

Riverbed staff will be seeding the community with examples, and continue to provide applications, etc. The idea would be to commit staff to keep the community active, vibrant, and buzzing about FlyScript and programmable networking in a way to stir and invigorate innovation.