Navigating the Cloud: Understanding Who’s Who

Unleashing the power of DevOps, SysAdmins, SREs and Platform Engineers

In today's rapidly evolving tech landscape, Cloud has become an indispensable tool for businesses worldwide. With its numerous advantages, such as scalability, flexibility, and cost-efficiency, organisations are embracing cloud computing to drive their digital transformation initiatives. However, managing and optimising cloud infrastructure requires a specific set of skills (imagine saying that in Liam Neeson’s voice!) - and has thus given rise to a variety of specialised roles...To understand these roles, let's first delve into the concept of generalists versus specialists.

The Generalists vs The Specialists

Traditionally, system administrators, or sysadmins, were the go-to professionals responsible for managing and maintaining servers, networks, and other IT infrastructure components. They were like the Swiss army knives of the IT department - possessing a broad range of knowledge and skills, making them capable of handling a myriad of tasks. However, as technology advanced and cloud computing emerged, the complexity of managing infrastructures increased exponentially, leading to the evolution of more specialised functional roles.

As these roles keep expanding, it’s easy to get lost in a sea of technical jargon and job titles. If you're new to the cloud space or have just kept a curious eye on the industry, then you may already have come across terms like sysadmins, SREs, DevOps engineers, and platform engineers. (The names just roll off the tongue, don’t they?)

Now before I lose you in the jargon - the purpose of this article is to unpack who’s who in the zoo - and then shine some light on how to connect the dots (and the right people) in your organisation.

Hey Google; Who’s who in the Zoo?

What do most of us do when we don’t understand something? We go to Google. Ironically, in our world of the Cloud, a lot of the complexity of titles and terms actually originated from Google!

In the early days of cloud computing, the role of a system administrator (sysadmin) was paramount; they were the go-to guy or girl for all things cloud related. The sysadmins were responsible for managing and maintaining all of the IT infrastructure within their organisation. However, as the demand for scalable, reliable, and efficient systems grew, Google introduced the concept of SREs - Site Reliability Engineers - who blended software engineering practices with sysadmin skills to ensure system stability and optimal performance.

Alongside SREs, DevOps engineers emerged as a response to the need for efficient collaboration between development and operations teams. DevOps engineers bridge the gap between these two functions, emphasising automation, continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD), and a culture of shared responsibility.

Then we saw the rise of platform engineers, another role that evolved from Google's practices, who are responsible for designing, building, and maintaining the underlying platforms and frameworks that enable developers to deploy applications seamlessly.

So in simple summary:

●     Sysadmins - The Stewards of Systems: Sysadmins focus on managing and maintaining IT infrastructure, including servers, networks, and storage. They ensure system stability, security, and availability.

●     SREs - Bridging the Gap Between Operations and Development: SREs share similarities with sysadmins but apply software engineering principles to enhance reliability, scalability, and fault tolerance. They strive for automation and implement monitoring and incident response practices.

●     DevOps Engineers - Fostering a Culture of Collaboration: DevOps engineers foster collaboration and streamline processes between development and operations teams. They automate deployments, manage infrastructure as code, and promote a culture of continuous improvement.

●     Platform Engineers - Enabling Developers to Soar: Platform engineers build and manage the platforms and tools that support application development and deployment. They focus on providing self-service capabilities for developers and ensuring platform stability and scalability.

Two important questions then:

1)    Is it just the 4 of them? No! There are constantly new roles being built and shaped to follow the evolution of technology…

2)   Are all of these roles actually needed in organisations? The short answer is “It depends on your organisation…”

For instance, if your organisation heavily relies on legacy systems and on-premises infrastructure, sysadmins may still be essential to manage and maintain those components. On the other hand, if your business operates in a dynamic and customer-facing environment, where high availability and reliability are paramount, investing in SREs can ensure the smooth functioning of critical applications. If your organisation aims to streamline development and operations processes and foster a culture of collaboration and automation, DevOps engineers are the key to achieving these goals.

Finally, for organisations that have reached a mature stage in their cloud journey and exhibit extensive consumption of public cloud services (we are talking massive scale here, where there are 30 / 40 + business units actively utilising cloud resources), it is crucial to prioritise the inclusion of cloud platform engineers. These specialised professionals play a vital role in optimising and harnessing the full potential which cloud platforms (such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform) can bring to an organisation. Their expertise enables enhanced scalability, cost-saving efficiency, and optimum performance - essentially ensuring that these mature organisations get the most out of the cloud they are based in.

It’s a little more complex than Horses for Courses

Now while we have taken some time to distinguish and drill into some detail around each of these specific roles - the more important question is, “Who do I need in my team?” When you are looking to add the right talent to your organisation, you need to start at the end…

“What is our end goal?”

The importance of starting with the business need or desired outcome in mind, rather than fixating on specific job titles or roles, cannot be overstated. It may seem like an obvious approach, but you’d be surprised by how seldom it’s taken. By first identifying the specific business need, we can accurately determine the skills and expertise necessary to effectively address those needs. Additionally, we can evaluate whether the requirement calls for an external, permanent, or fixed-term resource.

This approach allows for agility and flexibility. It also manages risk by enabling organisations to avoid excessive spending on specialised roles that may not align precisely with the business objectives. Instead, it encourages a shift in mindset to embrace the possibilities that Cloud Culture can bring.

Same-same, but different.

Let’s look a little closer at the nuance: When it comes to distinguishing between DevOps engineers and SREs, the roles can appear remarkably similar, with up to 90% overlap in skills. However, the key differentiation lies in their practical focus areas. There are many cases where DevOps engineers have effectively fulfilled the responsibilities of an SRE, and vice versa. However, despite boasting similar skill sets, their functional focus areas are what sets them apart. SREs are primarily operations-focused, ensuring the reliability and stability of systems and services. DevOps engineers, on the other hand, prioritise the efficient delivery of software, emphasising collaboration and automation throughout the development and deployment lifecycle.

To illustrate, let's consider an example: Imagine a scenario where an organisation needs to enhance the reliability and performance of its cloud-based infrastructure. In this case, the organisation would benefit from hiring an SRE with expertise in monitoring, incident response, and system reliability. Conversely, if the objective is to optimise software delivery pipelines and streamline the development process, a DevOps engineer with proficiency in continuous integration, deployment automation, and infrastructure-as-code would be the ideal fit.

Once the need is clearly identified - and the desired outcome can be seen - you now have the right reference point for finding the right talent to tackle your specific challenge.

Easy, right? (Don’t worry, keep reading!)

Wait - this feels like hunting for Unicorns!

In the wild world of cloud computing, finding the right talent can feel like seeking out mythical creatures.

This is where it is crucial for organisations (and HR/IT departments) to shift their mindset and fully embrace the potential of Cloud Culture. Rather than relying solely on specialised roles, they should recognize the value of individuals with diverse skill sets who can handle multiple responsibilities. These are individuals who have developed a broad set of skills and competencies, that allow them to shift function and switch hats as needed.

It’s a different (and maybe not the most popular) perspective, but I believe this interchangeability of skill sets is the secret sauce that can set a business apart from the rest. By embracing this kind of flexible approach and recognizing the value of multi-skilled professionals, you’re able to adapt to changing needs and optimise your resource allocation.

With a clear understanding of the outcomes to achieve, a talented squad of these individuals can help your organisation conquer challenges and unlock the extraordinary possibilities in your businesses.

At +OneX, we understand that building these specialist squads can require a touch of magic. If your organisation is on the journey towards cloud success - but feels a bit lost along the way - then fear not! We're here to guide you on the adventure.

Reach out to us today, and let us (and our unicorns) help you harness the full power of cloud computing in your organisation!