We're transitioning from using full distribution images to more minimal hardened images for our deployments. This change introduces a risk where our staging and production environments might behave differently due to missing components in these stripped-down images. I'm looking for ways that teams typically maintain consistency between these environments and avoid any unexpected issues when we go live.
1 Answer
One of the best practices is to keep your staging and production environments as mirrors of each other. That's the whole point of having a staging setup! It should use the same images that you plan to deploy in production, so if you've tested everything there, you shouldn't run into surprises when you go live.
Exactly! If your staging is properly matched to production, it minimizes the chances of drift. It’s crucial to baseline everything in staging first.