In the IT sector, DevOps has been gaining in importance for a long time. But what is actually behind the term and what is the aim of the concept? We get to the bottom of these and other questions.
What is DevOps actually?
The term DevOps is a combination of the English words “Development” and “Operation”. The concept originating from the IT sector deals with practices for automating processes between software development and IT. The aim is to accelerate the development of software solutions and then to test and release them more quickly. In order to unite the strengths of software developers and IT teams in the course of this, the concept specifies to link the areas more closely with one another. More integration and new perspectives instead of working in isolation. For this, DevOps makes use of techniques such as agile or continuous delivery. The goal behind it: Gaining added value for the company and customers through efficiency and innovation.
This is how DevOps came about
After years of inefficient collaboration between software development and IT teams, the DevOps movement emerged in 2007/2008. The main idea of the protest was to create more transparency between the individual work areas within the development and marketing of IT solutions. Not only the spatial separation of teams from the development and operations departments was criticized, but also the fact that goals were often not clearly stated and sometimes even rivaled. But also the fact that different KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) were used for assessment sparked dissatisfaction among many.
Ten years ago, it was decided to change something about the concept, initially at small local meetings or via online exchanges. Both sides started talking, with the result that DevOps has meanwhile become an important topic in many companies.
advantages of DevOps
DevOps is mainly known among experts for strengthening the trust base of teams and thus achieving better task management. In the course of this, significant errors are often corrected more quickly so that software can be released more quickly. The advantages of DevOps therefore affect various areas of the company organization:
Strengthened corporate culture
The corporate culture reflects the central point of the DevOps concept. With the help of feedback, transparency and integration of the teams, thinking in terms of systems is to be achieved. With the help of a holistic view, the individual areas can better coordinate their goals and assess the mutual influence more efficiently.
Work smarter
But not only the speed of work is significantly increased by DevOps. Experience shows that the quality of the developments also clearly increases in value.
With the help of automated processes and tools based on standard concepts, the productivity of the individual areas is significantly increased. As a result, teams are often quicker to respond to problems and arrive at more frequent releases. The lower isolation of the teams also reduces operating costs
Faster fixes
Another plus point of DevOps is certainly the lower downtime. Thanks to faster feedback loops, problems can be resolved more quickly and teams can work together better. Open communication reduces the pressure on the individual, so that there are fewer obstacles with the releases. This can also increase customer satisfaction in the long term.
Improved management
DevOps also provides that processes are clearly structured and, above all, prioritized. This means that even unexpected tasks can be solved promptly without losing productivity.
Precisely because the teams are increasingly working hand in hand, additional tasks do not have to be complicated across departments. Instead, the tasks can be divided among each other. Thanks to greater transparency, it is not only easier to see the unexpected in advance, but also to react more efficiently.
[werbung] Image source: Pixabay.com [fotolia]
