Top Steps to Take DevOps to The Next Level

Top Steps to Take DevOps to the Next Level

Devops has been the subject of many IT debates since its launch. Some people have considered it to be just another marketing fad while others believe it is the next big thing in IT operations. Consequently, over the years, analysts have predicted that devops shall experience rapid growth. Nonetheless, the tool has grown steadily but hasn’t caught momentum among mainstream businesses. However, the reason behind its slow adoption isn’t due to devop’s inadequacies; rather, it is these organizations that do not understand the significant and instant value it can offer them.

The tool has gradually grown from a method of harmonizing devOps developers and operation teams to a strategy that can transform the various disciplines within an organization into a single operational entity. By allowing for enhanced collaboration, integration, and communication across the company, devops makes IT services delivery more agile and efficient thus greatly reducing operational costs.

What is Devops?

This is an IT practice and philosophy that unites development, operations, and testing teams into a cross-functional team that can handle the entire lifecycle of a software solution. By allowing for these collaborations, devops development creates a stable but dynamic operating environment that brings the code to the market faster while reducing human errors. This enhances version control and cost optimization; factors that all work towards improving resource management.

Thus, depending on your goals, devops is a strategic tool that can be used to develop a software solution fast, market it faster, and service the need you aim at the appropriate time.

As such, here are some steps you can follow to take your devops strategy to the next level.

1. Assume a horizontal approach

This means switching to a flat hierarchy and adopting a horizontal software organization. Here, everyone involved in the product development process is given end-to-end ownership. This is powerful in that it allows everyone to have a complete view of the product that they are responsible for. This is the basic principle behind the devops principle and it eventually realizes the benefits that come with it. The main problem with vertical organizations is that developers tend to become siloed thus failing to realize the bigger picture. Consequently, someone just does their role and hopes the next will do theirs as well.

2. Adopt container-based architecture and microservices

These technological advances have allowed for more teamwork due to their ability to allow for more processes to be undertaken using the same infrastructure.

3. Encourage competition through published matrices

The value of transparency when different teams are working together cannot be overstated. This will involve coming up with various criteria with which the teams can use to compare performance. To foster this competition, you can use automated matrices that will show the rate of software development, operational efficiency, release agility, and quality of service. This transparency ensures that no team wants to be perceived as the weak link and will put in overtime to ensure they are at par or above the rest in delivery.

4. Incorporate more automation

You cannot achieve top levels of scale and speed without automation. The purpose of DevOps technology, after all, is speed. Automation is also vital as it frees your teams from manual, routine, repetitive, and error-prone tasks. These kind of tasks are often detrimental to devOps developers as they do not appeal to their creative minds thus grinding down their morale.

5. Immediate Feedback

Immediate feedback is a tool that increases efficiency in any kind of business and this is also true in devOps development circles. Therefore, with your employees, ensure that you offer them immediate feedback during the various stages of the product development. This will ensure that they take care of anything that needs corrective measures immediately.

6. Commitment from the top-down

More often than not, a product may stall due to a lack of commitment or understanding in some parts of the organization. Thus, when using devops, it is imperative that everyone is in on it so that it can realize its desired results. For instance, management should be committed to providing the required resources needed by the teams to develop and push the product.

DevOps technology is more of a strategy than a tool. It incorporates people, process, and technology. Assuming this holistic approach when creating a software product will become the norm as it is the most efficient way of doing things.

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