I hate the "cattle vs. pets" framing of managing larger clusters of computers with automation, implying that managing small clusters or single machines is done manually.

I hate it because managing a single machine without a framework suitable for automation has been generally poor practice *forever*.

But I hate it even more because the foundation of the metaphor is that it is OK and normal to treat livestock without compassion or care. It is quite simply not.

Retire that framing, please.