What is DevOps? Advantages, disadvantages and limitations

Definition of DevOps

DevOps is a software development methodology that focuses on collaboration and communication between software developers and IT operations experts. It was developed to facilitate the fast and reliable delivery of applications and services and to improve the speed and flexibility of an organization's software development process.

The origins of DevOps can be traced back to the “Agile” software development movement that emerged in the early 2000s and sought to address the challenges of traditional, waterfall-style development processes. Agile emphasized the importance of collaboration, flexibility and customer feedback in the development process. However, collaboration between developers and IT operations teams presented significant challenges. DevOps emerged as a means of bridging this gap and improving the overall efficiency of the software development process.

Basic concepts of DevOps

• Communication and collaboration: The focus is on optimized collaboration between development and IT operations
• Automation: Recurring tasks are automated in order to provide new software and services quickly and reliably
• KContinuous delivery: Continuous delivery of software enables teams to release new software and updates frequently and quickly

DevOps connects development and IT operations

In many companies, software developers and IT operations teams work in two worlds: They prefer their own ways of working and pursue different goals (e.g. further development vs. stability). Coordination in projects is difficult. The result: conflicts and delays in the provision of new software and services.

The DevOps approach attempts to resolve the traditional conflict between development and IT operations by promoting better collaboration and communication. The two groups are brought together and encouraged to work more closely together. The process for delivering new software and services is streamlined and the goals of the teams are closely aligned.

There are various options for implementation:

• Introducing common processes and tools
• Regular meetings and workshops
• Working together on projects

How exactly the merger is implemented in a company depends on many key factors, which are described below. However, the aim of all approaches is to improve communication between the teams and promote mutual understanding and a shared vision.

Advantages of DevOps

The benefits of DevOps are manifold. Probably the most important are the increased agility and speed that it enables. Through automation and improved collaboration, new software and updates are released faster and more reliably. This allows companies to respond more quickly to customer needs and market changes and remain competitive in an increasingly fast-moving business environment.

Another important advantage of DevOps is the improvement of the decision-making process. By bringing together developers and IT operations teams, DevOps promotes a more holistic view of the software development process. This allows teams to make more informed decisions and better align their work with the overall goals of the business.

The use of automation and a focus on continuous delivery also allows teams to work more autonomously. They can make decisions without lengthy approval processes or other bureaucratic hurdles.

Continuous integration of software enables high agility and speed in development. DevOps is based on the interlinking of developer and IT operations teams through shared responsibilities in the integration process.

Automation of processes in the cloud

Empowerment through the cloud

The link between DevOps and the opportunities of the cloud computing era lies in the emphasis on automation and continuous delivery, which are central to the DevOps approach. Organizations today have access to a variety of tools and services that allow them to automate many aspects of the software development process. These include continuous integration and deployment tools, as well as a wide range of cloud-based services for storing, managing and deploying software and other digital assets.

The cloud enables teams to automate many of the repetitive and time-consuming tasks involved in software development, allowing them to focus more on value-adding activities such as design, testing and collaboration. This allows them to work with greater autonomy and independence and release new software and updates faster and more reliably.

The cloud also promotes the autonomy of cross-functional teams: It gives them access to the tools and services they need for their work without having to rely on central IT departments or other gatekeepers. In this way, they can make decisions faster and more effectively and take responsibility for their work in a way that is not possible in traditional, hierarchical organizational structures.

Overall, the capabilities of cloud computing have made it easier for organizations to adopt the DevOps approach and realize its full potential. The cloud provides teams with the tools and services they need to automate and streamline their software development processes. In doing so, it enables organizations to achieve the increased agility, speed and efficiency that are the hallmarks of the DevOps approach.

Technical advantages of the cloud for DevOps

Software is increasingly running in the cloud and there are good reasons for this. Many tasks such as operating your own physical infrastructure (data centers, servers, storage, network) are outsourced to the cloud provider. There is no need to purchase expensive infrastructure and you can use it on a pay-as-you-go basis. This means you only pay for the computing power you actually use. In short, CapEx turns into OpEx.

However, cloud computing also has another dimension that promotes the DevOps movement: It is very easy and quick to provision and configure the various cloud services required via a web UI. What took days to weeks in the traditional on-premise world can now be done in a matter of minutes. In addition, any type of cloud service can also be made available programmatically via APIs. The potential for automation is enormous.

Challenges in the introduction of DevOps

One of the biggest challenges when introducing DevOps is the need for cultural change within organizations. DevOps requires a significant change in the way developers and IT operations teams work together. This can prove difficult, especially in larger organizations with established hierarchies and traditional ways of working.

Another challenge is the need for specialized skills and expertise. DevOps requires teams to have a deep understanding of automation tools and techniques, as well as a willingness to embrace new technologies and approaches. This can be difficult for organizations to achieve, especially if they have an older workforce with more traditional skills and knowledge.

After all, the DevOps approach also has its limits. It is not a panacea and does not solve all of a company's problems. It is also not recommended for all types of organizations or projects and may not be suitable for organizations with very complex or specialized software development processes.

With the introduction of DevOps, traditional silos are overcome and interdisciplinary teams are created. DevOps teams are more emancipated, faster, smarter and more agile.

Checklist for the introduction of DevOps

When introducing DevOps in your company, you should consider several key factors. We have compiled a checklist for you:

• Make sure the DevOps approach is supported by senior management: A strong management sponsor is essential to drive the necessary cultural changes and secure the resources and funding required for a successful DevOps implementation.
• Take stock: Are your teams and processes ready for the DevOps approach? What skills do your employees have? What is your corporate culture like? What tools and technologies are in use? In many cases, it makes sense to invest in training, additional resources or strong partners to create a solid foundation for the introduction of the DevOps approach.
• Plan your project carefully: Set clear goals and objectives, create a timeline and identify the specific tools and technologies required. This will ensure that the implementation is successful.
• Stay tuned: After implementation, it is important to continuously monitor and evaluate the implementation of DevOps to identify any challenges or obstacles and make any necessary adjustments. This will ensure that your company can take full advantage of the DevOps approach and continuously improve its software development processes over time.
• And last but not least: In order to make an informed decision for or against the introduction of DevOps, you should be aware of its limitations.

Disadvantages and limits of DevOps

Developers in a field of tension

DevOps formulates the claim of shared responsibility between development and operations for a specific product over its entire life cycle. In many places, companies are therefore trying to eliminate the separation of software developers and IT operations and provide planning, development and operations in a single cross-functional team.

Werner Vogels (CTO of AWS) summed it up in 2006 as follows: “You build, you run it!” By “build” we mean the development of the software and the creation of the necessary cloud infrastructures.

This leads to a critical implication: there are limits to the specialization required for technical quality. The necessary differentiation in various skills and roles is only possible within the boundaries of small, agile DevOps teams. On the other hand, there is the requirement to be responsible for the entire range of topics. This harbors clear potential for tension.

Quantitative complexity

The number of cloud services has exploded over the past 10 years. AWS, for example, offers more than 200 managed services and publishes more than 4000 blog posts, announcements and product updates every year. And this does not include 3rd party products from the marketplace. Not to mention the Google Cloud Platform and Microsoft Azure.

It is therefore very easy to lose track of this dynamic technology landscape. If you are at the beginning of the journey, it is not easy to find the right path. Guidance and advice are essential for the first step. Even for cloud service providers, it is an enormous challenge to keep up with the ever-shorter product and innovation cycles. It is difficult to imagine that a DevOps team can keep up with this entire area.

Qualitative complexity

Container technologies are particularly recommended for the end-to-end automation of infrastructures required by DevOps. These are gaining ever greater market penetration. The Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) lists several hundred technology providers that have developed solutions for specific issues within the container ecosystem.

Due to process and application optimizations, container environments are expanding into increasingly complex and confusing structures. This results in a higher workload and the need for larger teams. However, the more the teams grow, the more difficult it becomes to maintain agility and good communication.

Additional abstraction layers are usually introduced to solve specific problems, but also to introduce new complexities. Kubernetes itself is a good example: originally a container orchestration solution, Kubernetes has mutated into a universal interface for all matters relating to the deployment of container stacks. If highly distributed systems are used, technologies such as service meshes and distributed tracing are necessary to gain insight into the communication and behavior of the components at a more abstract level.

In addition to the range of different topics, DevOps teams are also confronted with the qualitative complexity of stacking the various abstraction layers and the technologies used in each case.

This requires DevOps engineers to have an enormously steep learning curve.

Efficiency

The DevOps approach prioritizes effectiveness over efficiency. Teams should become effective and achieve results. Automation should shorten the path to production. To this end, decisions are decentralized. Teams should be able to decide and act as autonomously as possible. Decisions regarding, for example, the choice of programming language, the framework used or the necessary middleware are made by the DevOps team itself.

Another new challenge is ensuring security and compliance under the changed framework conditions.

By pursuing the cloud-native approach for applications, securing classic ITIL processes becomes a challenge.

Our solution approach

As helpful as the DevOps concept may be, it should be adapted to the new trends and developments described. The aim is to relieve the burden on developers without giving up the advantages of the DevOps concept.

We therefore propose a decoupling of Dev and Ops. This decoupling is achieved through interlinked collaboration between two cross-functional teams. One team focuses primarily on development, while the other specializes in platforms and operations.

Advantages for teams and companies:

• Teams are reduced in size in order to remain agile and effective.
• Qualitative and quantitative complexity can be managed through specialization within the teams.
• Developers are relieved and this accelerates value creation for the company in line with the original DevOps concept.

Conclusion

DevOps is a powerful software development methodology that has the potential to significantly improve the speed, agility and efficiency of the software development process in companies. However, it also requires a cultural change and the development of specific skills and expertise. In addition, the DevOps mindset needs to be continuously developed to meet new trends and challenges.