As the term implies, DevOps combines development and operations – resulting in collaboration between cross-functional teams to simplify processes and calibrate new standards for building custom applications. Since it originated in 2008, DevOps has taken rapid software development and personalization to new heights. It streamlines project development phases by automating processes, making faster deliveries, and upscaling software quality.
It’s no wonder DevOps engineers are in such high demand.
DevOps in Software Development
It all comes down to responsiveness.
The chief advantage of DevOps is rapid execution in response to client demands. Custom software development has become pivotal in the IT industry, with DevOps as the key to connecting all the right resources to accomplish it.
- Think Netflix. The on-demand streaming service personalizes its customers’ experiences at an amazing speed by completing thousands of daily deployments. To accomplish this, Netflix has been using a DevOps approach since 2015.
A DevOps engineer has a multi-faceted role.
DevOps engineers apply hard and soft skills to their day-to-day roles – and it’s safe to say they rarely get bored as they tackle a wide range of challenges.
- They must know how to manage all related infrastructures as they work with software developers, system operators, and other production staffers to oversee code releases and developments. They may have to provision resources, select appropriate deployment models, direct testing protocols, and/or monitor post-release performance. Their additional tasks may include test data preparation, analysis of results, troubleshooting, and developer communication.
- A DevOps engineer focuses on automation and maintenance in live environments. There can be some overlap between DevOps and system operators, but the responsibility of changing business processes as needed to solve problems and improve outcomes falls to DevOps specialists.
Common skills and traits of DevOps engineers:
- A comprehensive background in OS administration,
- Strong experience with a range of automation and configuration management tools,
- A clear understanding of coding and scripting with common languages such as PHP, Python, Perl, and Ruby,
- Knowledge of at least one major coding language, such as C++ or Java,
- The ability to identify, assess and integrate open source technologies and cloud services,
- A robust IT hardware and operations background with expertise in servers, storage and network device installation, provisioning, and monitoring,
- Collaborative management strengths and customer-facing skills,
- Expertise with visualization and container technologies, as well as Ci/CD fools,
- Detailed experience with public cloud resources and services and a diverse range of monitoring and management tools, such as Cloudfare and Datadog, and
- Knowledge of troubleshooting and resolving issues in both test and production environments.
It’s a lot – but it can be beyond rewarding as a career path, as DevOps work to fulfill employers’ and clients’ demands in virtually real-time. What a rush at the end of the day!
Interested in a DevOps Role?
To learn more about a career as a DevOps engineer, find your next role in the field, or if you’re an employer seeking to shore up your IT team with DevOps and other specialists, contact Venteon Partners today.