I started looking at the latest version of Playwright late last night. The Agents add-in for VS Code is amazing. I can't stop improving my code, my tests, and my automation. It is highly addictive.
Playwright 1.56.1 includes the new Playwright CLI, which has the test agents as shown in VS Code above:
Node: v22.21.0
npx: 11.6.2
Playwright test package: ^1.56.1
Event Driven Architecture (EDA): System components interact with each other by producing, detecting and reacting to events.
Event-driven APIs differ from conventional REST APIs, offering improved scalability, strong service decoupling, reduced network traffic, and greater flexibility. Even-driven APIs need to address the challenges of monitoring, distributed tracing, security, and versioning.
Distributed, event-driven architectures are a powerful approach to building decouple long-running, high-performance, scalable systems and can use Conflict-Free Replicated Data Types (CRDTs) to provide eventual consistency.
An Event Mesh is a dynamic, interconnected network of event brokers that allows events to flow seamlessly across distributed applications, regardless of where they are deployed—on-premises, in the cloud, or at the edge.
Federated architecture allows each system to flexibly interact with other systems while remaining independent, so it can be easily extended, and individual pieces (a system) can be replaced relatively quickly.
Thoughts: Like Cross cutting concerns where you build IT runway to perform specific tasks and then call them, Federated Architecture, each system does a job so for instance, there is a standalone system that can be replaced or extended for Requesting a Room (1st system), this allows the user to reserve a room using the booking system (2nd system), this in turn calls the communication system that handles email, teams meeting with reminders (3rd system) and then calls the communication systems (n services/systems)
Events are facts; they are loosely coupled to the booking system. This approach allows for the reuse and easy creation of highly customised business processes.
Thought: Choosing between an Event Mesh and a Federated Architecture...
Microsoft Fabric is excellent! We do still need to follow good practices we have been using for years, such as making data accessible and secure. Possibly the most used architecture for Big Data is the Medallion Architecture pattern, where data is ingested normally in a fairly raw format into the bronze layer, then transformed into more meaningful and usable information. Lastly, the gold layer exposes data relationally using semantic models to reporting tools.
Overview: This document outlines my attempt to organise enterprise data into MS Fabric using a Medallion Architecture based on Fabric Workspaces. Shortcuts are better than imported data, but it does depend on factors such as what the data source is, what data we need, how up-to-date the data is and performance requirements from the systems involved.
The reports and semantic models can get data from other workspaces at any of the medallion layers. This architecture lends itself well to using the new Direct Lake Query mode.
Summary of a Design used by a Large Enterprise:
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| Medallion architecture using Fabric Workspaces. |
Overview: Microsoft Fabric is an end-to-end analytics platform that unifies data movement, storage, processing, and visualisation. It integrates multiple services into a single SaaS experience, enabling organisations to manage their entire data lifecycle in one place. One Lake is at the core of MS Fabric.
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| Image 1. One page High-Level Architecture of MS Fabric. |
FabConEurope25 was terrific in Vienna last week. Great opportunity to meet Fabric and data experts, speak to the product teams and experts, and the presentations were fantastic. The hardest part was deciding which session to attend as there are so many competing at the same time.
Understanding Railways Series:
UK Railway Industry for Dummies, focusing on Rail Infrastructure
Railway Infrastructure - Signalling (this post)
Historically, trains were operated by a driver who knew a lot about the train, the route, and even the train itself. Speed, signalling, and braking distance were controlled by the driver, and they had to manage the train, the driving, and the route information affecting them. Signalling was used to help the driver determine whether the rail line was clear or approaching, when to slow down, and to provide reminders, thereby allowing the driver to control the train safely by managing multiple factors.
Advancements in technology have built on existing infrastructure and approaches, enabling more trains, safer travel, and better information. For example, wheel counters allowed signalling to ensure that a train and all its wheels have cleared a section.
Telecommunications allow a central control centre (ROC) to communicate with the drivers. GSM-R...
The train should run regardless of temporary telecommunications issues or unavailability (assuming it is safe). The onboard computer on every train can provide the driver with information or act on it, such as automatically stopping the train if a red light is detected while the train is on the section of track the driver is entering.
ETCS is for modern signalling; the fundamental principle is that all trains, routes and tracks can be managed centrally safely (see SIL4). Everything on the railway has to be safe. Super safe, if unsure, stop is the principle.
A balise is a device mounted on the track between the two rails that sends messages to a train as it passes overhead, primarily conveying the train's position.
Understanding Railways Series:
UK Railway Industry for Dummies, focusing on Rail Infrastructure
Railway Infrastructure - Signalling (this post)
