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DevOps gets rid of the developer / operations wall

The “throw it over the wall” problem is familiar to anyone who’s seen designers and builders create something that can’t actually be deployed or maintained out in the real world. In the tech world, avoiding this problem is a big part of what gave rise to DevOps.

DevOps, combines “development” and “IT operations.” It refers to a set of practices that help software developers and IT operations staff work better, together. DevOps emerged about a decade ago with the goal of tearing down the silos between the two groups, so that companies can get new apps and features out the door, faster and with fewer mistakes and less downtime in production.

DevOps is now widely accepted as a good idea, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. It requires cultural shifts by two departments that not only have different working styles and toolsets, but where the teams may not even know or respect each other.

When DevOps is properly embraced and implemented, it can help get better software written more quickly. DevOps can make applications easier and less expensive to manage. It can simplify the process of updating software to respond to new requirements. Overall, a DevOps mindset can make your organization more competitive because you can respond quickly to problems, opportunities and industry pressures.

Is DevOps the right strategic fit for your organization? Here are six CEO-level insights about DevOps to help you consider that question:

  1. DevOps can and should drive business agility.DevOps often means supporting a more rapid rate of change in terms of delivering new software or updating existing applications. And it doesn’t just mean programmers knock out code faster. It means getting those new apps or features fully deployed and into customers’ hands. “A DevOps mindset represents development’s best ability to respond to business pressures by quickly bringing new features to market and we drive that rapid change by leveraging technology that lets us rewire our apps on an ongoing basis,” says Dan Koloski, vice president of product management at Oracle.

For the full story, see my essay for the Wall Street Journal, “Tech Strategy: 6 Things CEOs Should Know About DevOps.”