Introduction
Being an SRE (Site Reliability Engineer) is like being the behind-the-scenes hero of a big production. While developers work on building new features, SREs make sure everything works smoothly and stays online. One of the hardest parts of being an SRE is being on-call. Imagine always needing to be ready—day or night—to jump in and fix things if they go wrong. Sounds pretty intense, right? Well, it is. In this article, we will look at why on-call duty is so challenging and how SREs can manage these challenges with practical tips and strategies.
To explain it simply, being on-call is a bit like taking care of a newborn baby. You never know when you’ll be woken up in the middle of the night, and you always need to be ready to act quickly. In the same way, SREs have to stay alert and be prepared to solve problems whenever they happen. Let’s take a closer look at why on-call duty is tough and how to handle it effectively.
Understanding the Role of On-Call in SRE
Being on-call is an important part of being an SRE. It means being responsible for keeping systems reliable and fixing problems whenever they happen. On-call shifts can be very stressful, but they’re also one of the most rewarding parts of the job because they have a big impact on keeping services available and reliable for users.
Why Is On-Call Important?
On-call responsibilities are crucial for making sure systems keep running smoothly. When something goes wrong—and it will eventually—an SRE on-call is the first one to respond. This means they need to quickly figure out what’s wrong, fix it, and prevent it from affecting users. On-call duty acts as a safety net to keep systems available whenever people need them.
But on-call isn’t just about fixing problems. It also helps SREs learn more about their systems, find areas for improvement, and understand the true impact of their work. The experience gained during on-call shifts helps SREs build better systems and processes in the future, which makes everything work more smoothly.
The Challenges of Being On-Call
Internal On-Call is Just as Important as External
Handling internal issues during on-call can be just as challenging as dealing with customer-facing problems. Engineers working on internal tools often face issues that don’t directly impact customers but can still cause big disruptions. For example, if internal tools stop working, it could prevent developers from deploying new code, which indirectly affects customers.
Thinking of internal teams as “internal customers” helps to show how important it is to keep internal tools reliable. Treating internal incidents with the same care as customer-facing ones ensures smooth operations for everyone. If internal tools break down, it can cause a chain reaction that impacts the entire development process, which can ultimately affect end users too. So, it’s important to give internal on-call the attention it deserves to keep everything running well.
1. Sleep Deprivation and Fatigue
One of the biggest challenges of on-call is how unpredictable it is. Just like having a newborn baby, you never know when you’re going to be woken up in the middle of the night. When you get called at 3 a.m., it messes with your sleep, leading to fatigue and even burnout. It’s tough to stay at your best during the day if you’re constantly being woken up at night.
Not getting enough sleep has serious effects, not just for the individual SRE but also for the whole team. A tired engineer is more likely to make mistakes, which can cause more problems and create a cycle of stress and burnout. Companies need to recognize how damaging sleep disruption can be and work on creating systems and policies that reduce overnight disruptions, such as improving alerting systems and making sure engineers have time to rest and recover.
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A sleepy SRE being alerted by a pager in the middle of the night (rectangular)
2. The Stress of Being the First Responder
Imagine being the person who has to figure out why something isn’t working—and do it quickly—because everyone is counting on you. The pressure can be really intense, especially when an incident has a big impact. This kind of stress can lead to anxiety and feelings of isolation, especially if the SRE has to deal with multiple incidents alone.
Being the first responder means making fast, critical decisions. Often, these decisions have to be made with limited information, which makes it even harder. The responsibility of being the first line of defense can be overwhelming, especially if the SRE doesn’t have enough support, like good documentation or a reliable incident management plan. Companies should work on building strong support systems that help reduce the stress of on-call duty, such as encouraging teamwork and making sure the right resources are available.
3. Context Switching
An SRE on-call might be working on a project or just relaxing when an alert comes in. Suddenly, they have to switch gears and focus on solving the problem. This sudden change can be mentally exhausting and makes it harder to get back to what they were doing before the alert.
Frequent context switching can cause a big drop in productivity. When an engineer has to stop everything to handle an incident, it often takes a lot of time and energy to get back on track afterward. This can lead to frustration and the feeling of always falling behind. To help reduce the impact of context switching, companies can create clear escalation paths and set priorities for alerts, so SREs can manage their workload better and avoid constant interruptions.
4. Incident Complexity
Not all incidents are easy to fix. Some involve complicated interactions between different systems, so on-call engineers need to understand how all the parts work together. Diagnosing and fixing these kinds of incidents can take a lot of time and be very challenging, especially if there isn’t enough documentation.
Complex incidents often need collaboration between different teams, each with its own area of expertise. This means that SREs need strong communication skills and the ability to gather information quickly. The more complicated the infrastructure is, the harder it is to find the root cause of a problem. Investing in good documentation, knowledge sharing, and cross-training can help SREs handle complex incidents more effectively and solve issues faster.
5. Alert Fatigue
If an SRE gets too many alerts, especially if they aren’t all critical, it can lead to alert fatigue. This is when the engineer becomes desensitized to alerts and might start ignoring them, which could lead to slower responses or missed critical alerts. It’s like the story of the boy who cried wolf—when you hear the same alarm too many times, you start tuning it out.
Alert fatigue doesn’t just make on-call responses less effective; it also affects team morale. Engineers might feel overwhelmed by the constant stream of alerts and lose confidence in their ability to manage incidents well. Companies should work on improving alert quality by making sure only actionable alerts are sent and by reducing unnecessary noise through better tuning. This way, SREs can focus on the most important problems and respond more effectively.
Suggested Image:
An SRE at their desk surrounded by multiple monitors showing alerts and graphs (rectangular)
6. Assessing Customer Impact is Hard to Learn
Figuring out how an incident affects customers can be difficult, especially in complex systems. Customer impact depends on many factors: how much the incident affects a service, how important that service is, and how many users are impacted. Incident classification systems and SLOs can help assess the severity, but there are always exceptions where experience and good judgment are needed.
Building this intuition takes time and usually means working closely with experienced engineers during on-call shifts. A work environment where SREs feel comfortable asking for help or escalating incidents is very important. Encouraging mentoring and pairing less experienced engineers with seasoned SREs during on-call shifts can help them learn faster and build confidence in assessing customer impact.
7. Lowering the Cost of Being Wrong
The fear of making mistakes can get in the way of solving incidents effectively. It’s important to lower the cost of being wrong by promoting a blameless culture. When engineers feel safe to escalate incidents or ask for help without worrying about being judged, they can make better decisions. Creating a culture where incidents are seen as opportunities to learn rather than failures can improve both individual and team performance.
Social dynamics play a big role in how incidents are managed during on-call. Engineers may hesitate to escalate because they’re afraid of looking bad or being blamed. Creating an environment where escalation is seen as a positive step rather than a failure is crucial. By encouraging collaboration and promoting a blameless culture, companies can help SREs feel comfortable taking the actions needed without fear of negative consequences.
Strategies for Managing On-Call Effectively
1. Internal and External Incident Balance
It’s important to treat both internal and external incidents with the same level of care. Internal problems, like tools failing that affect development or deployment, can have a big impact. Setting Service Level Objectives (SLOs) for internal systems can help prioritize and manage these incidents better. By having clear goals for internal services, teams can understand the impact of failures and take the right actions to fix them.
2. Improve Alert Quality
One of the best ways to reduce the burden of on-call duty is by improving alert quality. Alerts should only be triggered for things that need immediate action. If an alert isn’t urgent, it shouldn’t wake someone up in the middle of the night. Reducing false alarms helps make sure that when an SRE is woken up, it’s for a good reason.
3. Rotate On-Call Duties
To avoid burnout, it’s important to have a fair on-call rotation. No one should be on-call too often or for too long. Sharing the responsibility among team members gives everyone time to rest and recover, which helps keep the whole team healthy and productive. Having developers join the on-call rotation for the services they build also helps them understand how their code works in real-world scenarios.
4. Follow the “Runbook” Approach
Having a well-documented runbook can make a big difference during on-call shifts. A runbook is like a guide that explains how to respond to specific problems. Just like a manual that tells you how to fix something at home, a runbook can help on-call engineers know what steps to take to troubleshoot and solve an issue.
5. Incident Reviews and Learning
After an incident, doing an incident review (also called a post-mortem) is really important. It allows the team to learn from what happened and improve systems and processes to prevent similar incidents in the future. These reviews aren’t about blaming anyone—they’re about understanding what went wrong and finding ways to fix it.
6. Health and Well-Being
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is crucial for SREs. During on-call shifts, it’s important for engineers to take care of themselves, get enough rest, and be open with their teams about any challenges they’re facing. Managers should also be supportive and recognize how difficult on-call duty can be, providing resources and help when needed.
Turning On-Call Challenges into Opportunities
While being on-call is tough, it’s also a huge learning opportunity. It gives SREs deep insights into the systems they manage, helps them see the impact of their work, and provides real-life experience that is invaluable for improving reliability and performance.
On-call can also bring teams closer together. During major incidents, multiple SREs and developers may work together to solve the issue. This collaboration can build strong team bonds and create a sense of shared purpose, which is essential for a positive work culture.
Escalation is also a key part of managing incidents well. It should never feel like giving up, but instead be seen as a way to bring in the right expertise when needed. A supportive culture that encourages escalation without blame can make a huge difference during an incident.
Conclusion
Being on-call is definitely one of the most challenging parts of the SRE role. It requires resilience, adaptability, and a deep understanding of complex systems. However, with the right strategies—like improving alert quality, using runbooks, rotating duties, and learning from incidents—SREs can handle on-call shifts effectively and even turn them into valuable learning experiences.
On-call isn’t just about putting out fires—it’s about learning how to prevent them in the future. By continuously improving processes and systems, SREs help ensure that the services people rely on are reliable and available. It’s not an easy job, but it’s one that makes a big difference, much like the role of a parent who quietly works behind the scenes to keep everything running smoothly.
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