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DevOps: A Deeper Look

Jason Li
Sr. Software Development Engineer
Skilled Angular and .NET developer, team leader for a healthcare insurance company.
April 15, 2020


DevOps

In recent times, DevOps has emerged as the go-to tool for software programmers and app developers as it aids in faster delivery of the same. The design, development, and operational teams use DevOps in building, testing, deploying as well as monitoring applications with adequate speed, high quality, and excellent control.

Recent trends suggest that DevOps is essential for any app developing businesses, which aspire to be lean, and agile while fulfilling marketplace demands successfully. The quest to be lean and agile, by a business, promotes more collaborations between design, development, and IT services while removing any barriers between the customers, clients as well as stakeholders.

The prime duty of development teams is to design, develop, as well as deliver the running software as soon as possible. Operation teams are assigned for identifying and resolving any problems that the developing app might encounter; essentially fixing any issues that crop up. This process enables in finding out any bottlenecks as soon as possible and resolve them: DevOps is indeed a collaborative process. Thus, the collaborative approach that combines business development, as well as operations, helps make the app development more reliable and of high quality.

Benefits of DevOps

Effectively employing DevOps, add value to the business organization via several benefits. These advantages are as follows:

• DevOps aids in faster code delivery within a small time-frame.

• High-quality software as there is an improved collaboration among developers as well as operations team; resolving bugs and other vulnerabilities in a short time-frame.

• DevOps instil a culture that promotes collaboration between business development, operations, as well as apt responsiveness to market demands.

The Tools used by DevOps

It is evident by the popularity of DevOps that, the tools are used for a lot of applications within the SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle). DevOps process is done according to a protocol for its effective employment. Defining the app building process along with planning is followed by code building & its configuration. The software quality is tested before its packaging and pre-production. Once these processes are done it is released, deployed, and orchestrated into the competitive market. A process of continuous management, as well as the configuration, is carried out along with monitoring processes for further improvements.

A brief look into these tools are as follows:

• Define and plan focuses on the entire planning processes such as workflow iterations, release management as well as issue tracking. Some of the notable tools include iRise and Jama software to name a few.

• Code building and its configuration focuses on writing codes as well as reviewing it with tools such as BitBucket, GitLab, and GitHub to name a few.

• The app software developed is tested to ensure high quality before its packaging as well as pre-production. Tools used for testing include FlawCheck, ParaSoft, and Delphix to name a few.

• Once the quality is tested, the app is packaged as well as pre-produced and gets ready for deployment. The tools used for this process comprise JFrog's Artifactory and Sonatype Nexus repository to name a few.

• The produced apps are released, deployed, and orchestrated into a competitive market and releasing of the software includes a scheduled orchestration, provisioning, as well as deploying into production. Some of the tools that are used: Clarive, and VMware to name a few.

• The process of continuous management and configuration is done via Ansible, Otter, and Salt to name a few.

• App monitoring is done via Big Panda, Plumbr, and Wireshark, among others.

Methodologies, Principles, and Strategies used in DevOps

DevOps

DevOps Methodologies

As you all are aware of, DevOps was developed from Agile: a way of software production in short iterations on a continuous delivery schedule; new features as well as bug fixes are done in rapid cycles for around 2 to 4 weeks. DevOps focuses on bringing both developments as well as operation teams together for decreasing time in the quest of addressing customer feedback. This also helps in the elimination of bottlenecks: enables in continuous software delivery. As is well known, DevOps aids in building, testing, and releasing app software quickly with efficiency as well as speed; pretty effective, isn't it?

The main methodologies of DevOps include:

• Continuous Integration: The initial process wherein coding, designing, building, integration as well as testing is done.

• Continuous Delivery: Collaborating product releases with the process of continuous integration.

• Continuous Deployment: Automatic releases of new apps as well as projects as soon as possible.

• Continuous monitoring gets administered automatically via the process of DevOps.

DevOps principles

DevOps works on the main principle of collaboration. The information sharing between design and development teams with that of operations helps in increasing the pace of planned work; thereby, finishing it in stipulated time. This overall processes aid in upgrading the reliability, stability as well as resilience along with the security of the production environment.

For incorporating DevOps into the services provided by an organization, all the departments should share vital information, and data with each other; increases the efficiency of the firm, isn't it?

Let's have a look into the DevOps principles, as it helps effectively shape organizational goals.

The principles include:

• Improvement of processes to efficiently remove bugs and fix various vulnerabilities that might crop up during the app production process, in a cost-effective way.

• Experimentation with ideas, continuously, by taking ample risks for excellent and innovative rewards.

• Automation via DevOps improves efficiency.

DevOps Strategies

As we looked before, DevOps work on continuous integration, development as well as a deployment that ensures continuity to the automated process. This process involves people by incorporating the feedback and reviews they give to the organizations; enabling collaboration among various parties for assured success. Customer is the sole focus here and is everyone's responsibility while implementing these DevOps strategies:

DevOps strategies that get employed for effective app development are as follows:

• Experimentation with ideas, continuously, by taking ample risks for excellent and innovative rewards.

• Acceleration of the reliable-software delivery.

• Improvement of the customer experience through ample feedback.

The DevOps Lifecycle

Upon observing the trend nowadays, it is evident that the speed of business, as well as cloud computing, is on a constant rise. The DevOps lifecycle has accelerated to keep up with them and aid these processes in any way. As we have seen before, DevOps offers an effective collaborative approach that enables businesses to develop their apps in the most effective manner. With customer feedback too aiding the process, the quality of the software is enhanced and the whole process is completed in record time.

A lean software delivery process is employed by DevOps after which, the teams get to identify any duplication of efforts, bugs, vulnerabilities, or bottlenecks that might hinder continuous innovation. Through this type of identification, any kind of issues that crop up can be identified and resolved; enhances the quality of app development in a very short time-frame.

DevSecOps

The evolution of DevOps came through integrating it with security measures. Hence, DevOps with security is referred to as DevSecOps. With the right automation as well as operational tools, security can be integrated or incorporated into the development processes; thereby increasing the security of production codes.

So, what are the security measures that are considered for incorporating it with DevOps? Let's look into those:

• The products are designed and developed with strong security by complying with appropriate quality as well as security standards.

• Cloud platforms as well as various related applications get configured & deployed securely, which are tested for any kind of security vulnerabilities. These are then patched with removing the bugs and fixing any kind of vulnerabilities.

• The job duties that are assigned to each team are followed through meticulously without any confusion, whatsoever.

• Almost cent percentile availability of business continuity management processes.

• Evaluation of implemented security measures and learning from those for further improvements; an effective DevSecOps process indeed.

DevOps Tool-chain

The tools used for both DevOps as well as DevSecOps enhances the process of collaboration throughout the app design, development as well as delivery pipeline. Information or data sharing is a must to ensure the success of both DevOps as well as DevSecOps processes. The open-source tools help in achieving the desired result of successfully developing competent apps that will be in demand. Various tools used to ensure the success of both DevOps as well as DevSecOps processes, as mentioned before.

Wrapping it up

For the effectiveness of both DevOps as well as DevSecOps process, all stakeholders in the delivery process should collaborate; this is essential for customers as well. The operation teams should need to identify as well as resolve any issues, bugs, or vulnerabilities that crop during each stage of the app development process. Developed apps should be optimized quickly through this collaborative process. The key here is a collaboration between business services, development teams as well as operation stakeholders. This enables the running of app software reliably and efficiently.

The above discussed comprise a deeper look into the DevOps processes, which should be implemented for successful app development in a short time-frame.