The Keys to DevOps Success

The adoption of DevOps has become a huge hit during this pandemic. In fact, a recent report by Redgate found that nearly three-quarters of organisations have now adopted DevOps in some form, and the diversity of database platforms used have risen markedly. This is unsurprising because DevOps has so much potential, from optimising software delivery performance to improving defect detection.  

However, DevOps is more than just the deployment of tools; it’s about organisations building a culture of collaboration across multiple functional groups and embracing new practices and processes, including continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD). So, now is the time for business leaders to consolidate an effective strategy to actualise long term benefits.  

Below are five factors that should be considered by businesses that want to ensure success with their DevOps strategy.

• Skill-up: It’s critical to make sure that anyone involved in implementing DevOps, especially in the cloud, are properly trained in both technologies and are able to pass their knowledge onto others in the organisation. DevOps represents a cultural change, and people are its key, so it’s essential that there is a shared understanding of what is involved so that expectations of what can be delivered are realistic. 
• Avoid vendor lock-in: Don’t lock the business into one cloud or database vendor. To ensure success with DevOps, organisations need to be as open and as flexible as possible in their choice of tools as changes to the platforms may be needed in the future. Consider the use of containers for application deployment to provide additional flexibility. 
• Integrate secure database change management: Weave database change management into the fabric of any DevOps plans in order that it integrates with CI/CD automated processes, otherwise this will become a significant bottleneck that could delay application delivery and its value to the business. Also ensure personal and sensitive data is protected as it moves through the CI/CD pipeline.
• Prioritise performance testing: This infrequently happens during on-premise deployments. With cloud-based services, where it’s subscription-based, performance testing of database workloads becomes more important, so you don’t find yourself unnecessarily using more cloud resources than you need. 
• Don’t over-commit: Try DevOps practices and supporting technology on a relatively low-risk or pilot project first, learn from them and then roll-out additional projects with the enhanced knowledge of what worked or didn’t previously. 

The demands of today’s digital era mean that organisations cannot afford to make mistakes, have defects, or experience delayed releases. An effective DevOps strategy puts organisations in a better position to ensure those issues do not arise but can quickly respond in real-time if they do. The organisations that take the time to do this will be able to mitigate risks and actualise long term benefits.