Rule #1 of deploying software: Expect it NOT to work!

I got to work this morning and after catching up on my reading I decided to check out some tunes on Zune Marketplace while I wrote up some documentation [I hate documenting stuff, but it's a necessary evil]. I fired up the Zune software, searched for Buckcherry [I'm on a kick with them right now] and lo-and-behold what did I see:

Where was my "download" option? I have a Zune Pass and should be able to download/stream 95+% of the music in the Marketplace. In fact, I was just listening to some of their stuff yesterday, so I know it's available and I can play it. WTF?

I checked my account settings and they looked fine. I went to Zune.net and there weren't any messages/warnings there. I finally went to an internal mail list and saw a thread titled "download option disabled with zune pass." Ah-ha, that looks familiar! Sure enough it directed me to Cesar Menendez's post from yesterday: Zune Marketplace: Down Between 2 and 5 AM PDT (Maintenance Only). But I'm sitting at my desk and it's about 9am PDT. A full four hours past the end of the maintenance timeframe. Oops.

So I have a few suggestions for the Zune group...

1. Expect it NOT to work! Let me repeat this...expect it NOT to work! This is very important when running a service! I have spent enough years in Operations [7+] to know that deployments almost NEVER go as planned. If you think it will take 3 hours in the middle of the night you better actually plan for 6 or 9 or even 12. Not only will it probably take longer than you anticipated, but it probably won't work at all the first time.  So you better have a rollback plan [how to get back to the previous version that worked] and a timeframe where you're going to give up and just shoot it in the head [scrap the new release and rollback].

2. Tell me what's going on! Give me a notice/message in the Zune application when I first sign in. "We're performing maintenance right now. You will not be able download/purchase new music." If that's not possible [which I know it is, but for argument's sake...] then at least put a nice broad message on the front page of Zune.net. How many Zune subscribers know about or even read ZuneInsider? A small percentage I'm sure. Don't get me wrong, it's great that Cesar mentioned this, but it's not the right venue for the only message.

After writing this post it's now 10:30am, I have my download buttons back and am listening to Buckcherry, but a little more planning would have made this a much friendlier consumer experience.

~tod

tags: zune, operations