A DevOps
DevOps is a set of principles, practices, and tools that aims to bridge the gap between software development and IT operations. It promotes collaboration, automation, and continuous integration and delivery to streamline the software development and deployment lifecycle. Essentially, DevOps seeks to break down silos and foster a culture of collaboration between development and operations teams.
Why use DevOps?
Faster delivery – DevOps accelerates the software delivery process, allowing organizations to release updates, features, and bug fixes more rapidly.
Enhanced quality – By automating testing, code reviews, and deployment, DevOps reduces human error, leading to more reliable and higher-quality software.
Improved collaboration – DevOps promotes cross-functional collaboration, enabling development and operations teams to work together seamlessly.
Efficient resource utilization – DevOps practices optimize resource allocation, leading to cost savings and more efficient use of infrastructure and human resources.
What are the DevOps Tools?
DevOps relies on a wide array of tools to automate and manage various aspects of the software development lifecycle. Some popular DevOps tools include:
Version control: Git, SVN
Continuous integration: Jenkins, Travis CI, CircleCI
Configuration management: Ansible, Puppet, Chef
Containerization: Docker, Kubernetes
Monitoring and logging: Prometheus, ELK Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana)
Collaboration: Slack, Microsoft Teams
Cloud services: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud
What are the best DevOps practices?
Continuous Integration. Developers integrate code into a shared repository multiple times a day. Automated tests are run to catch integration issues early.
Continuous Delivery. Code changes that pass CI are automatically deployed to production or staging environments for testing.
Infrastructure as code (IaC). Infrastructure is defined and managed through code, allowing for consistent and reproducible environments.
Automated testing. Automated testing, including unit tests, integration tests, and end-to-end tests, ensures code quality and reliability.
Monitoring and feedback. Continuous monitoring of applications and infrastructure provides real-time feedback on performance and issues, allowing for rapid response.
Collaboration and communication. Open and transparent communication between development and operations teams is essential for successful DevOps practices.
What is the DevOps role in software development?
DevOps is rather a cultural shift that involves collaboration between various roles, including developers, system administrators, quality assurance engineers, and more. DevOps encourages shared responsibilities, automation, and continuous improvement across these roles. It fosters a mindset of accountability for the entire software development lifecycle, from code creation to deployment and beyond.
What are the alternatives to DevOps?
While DevOps has gained widespread adoption, there are alternative approaches to software development and delivery.
Waterfall is a traditional linear approach to software development that involves sequential phases of planning, design, development, testing, and deployment.
Agile methodologies, such as Scrum and Kanban, emphasize iterative and customer-focused development but may not provide the same level of automation and collaboration as DevOps.
NoOps is a concept where organizations automate operations to the extent that traditional operations roles become unnecessary. However, it may not be suitable for all organizations or situations.
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DevOps is a transformative approach to software development that prioritizes collaboration, automation, and continuous improvement. By adopting DevOps practices and tools, you can enhance your software delivery, improve quality, and stay competitive. Give us a call if you’re looking for a skilled DevOps engineer but fail to find them locally. Manager leads the integration of development and operations teams to facilitate software delivery and infrastructure management. Their role is to create a culture of collaboration, implement tools and processes for continuous delivery, and ensure that development cycles are fast, stable, and secure. They act as the bridge between technical teams and business needs, overseeing the automation of workflows, monitoring system performance, and enabling teams to adapt quickly to changes.
Is there a difference between a DevOps Manager and a DevOps Engineer? An engineer is a hands-on technical professional who builds, maintains, and improves the tools and systems needed to automate and streamline software development and deployment. They focus on implementing CI/CD pipelines, managing infrastructure, and troubleshooting issues.
On the other hand, the DevOps Manager is a leadership role that oversees the DevOps process across teams. They ensure the alignment of tools, processes, and people with the organization’s strategic goals. The manager is responsible for setting priorities, guiding teams, and fostering collaboration between development, operations, and business units.
The history of DevOps and its impact
The DevOps methodology emerged in the late 2000s to address inefficiencies in traditional software development. Back then, developers focused on creating code while operations teams handled deployment and maintenance. These teams often worked in silos, with little collaboration. This separation caused delays, miscommunication, and frequent errors, especially when changes in code disrupted the stability of deployed systems.
The term “DevOps” appeared, it is believed, on the 23rd of June 2009, during the DevOps Days conference in Belgium, organized by Patrick Debois, often called the “father of DevOps.” This movement drew inspiration from Agile practices, focusing on continuous improvement, customer collaboration, and fast delivery cycles. It aimed to merge development and operations into a unified process where teams work together to automate workflows and improve system reliability.
The rise of automation tools like Jenkins for CI/CD, Docker for containerization, and Kubernetes for orchestrating containers also invested in the popularity of DevOps. These tools allowed teams to deploy software faster and with fewer errors.
The impact of DevOps has been profound. Netflix, Amazon, Google, and other companies adopted DevOps to achieve faster software releases, leading to their success in their industries. Today, DevOps is more than a methodology – it’s a cultural shift.
Day-to-day tasks of a DevOps Manager
DevOps Managers act as a bridge between development, operations, and business teams. They resolve communication gaps, clarify project goals, and mediate conflicts. But that’s not all! See the full list of DevOps Manager functions in a team.
Strategize DevOps practices
A DevOps Manager develops strategies to integrate development and operations teams. This involves analyzing existing workflows, identifying bottlenecks, and creating policies to improve efficiency. They ensure teams follow standardized processes for collaboration and technology use, which helps in scaling operations and maintaining consistency across projects.
Oversee CI/CD pipelines
Managing Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment pipelines is central to their role. They ensure the pipelines run smoothly, enabling teams to test and release code frequently and reliably. This involves setting up automated testing and deployment systems, monitoring for failures, and fine-tuning configurations to reduce downtime.
Automate workflows
The manager identifies tasks that can be automated to save time and reduce human error. This includes automating code builds, deployments, system monitoring, and alerts. By using tools like Ansible or Jenkins, they enable teams to focus on creative problem-solving instead of repetitive manual tasks.
Monitor system performance
They use performance monitoring tools like Grafana, Prometheus, or New Relic to track system health. This includes analyzing metrics like server load, memory usage, and application response times to detect and address issues before they affect users. Such proactive monitoring helps maintain high uptime and reliability.
Enhance security
Security is a growing concern in DevOps, and managers play a crucial role in integrating DevSecOps practices, like embedding security checks into CI/CD pipelines, setting up vulnerability scans, and ensuring teams follow security guidelines. They collaborate with cybersecurity
What is cybersecurity? Cybersecurity encompasses the techniques and processes aimed at protecting computer systems, networks, and data from digital threats, unauthorized access, or damage. It involves deploying security measures, including firewalls, antivirus software, and intrusion detection systems, coupled with user education and stringent security policies.
With hybrid wars that include cyber attacks today, the importance of cybersecurity, common threats, and best practices for protection is essential.
What does cybersecurity do?
Protecting sensitive data. Cybersecurity shields personal and corporate data from theft, damage, or unauthorized modification. According to Verizon's 2023 report, data breaches have increased by 33% over the past year, emphasizing the need for robust data protection.
Preventing unauthorized access. Cybersecurity practices involve implementing measures like multi-factor authentication and access controls. A study by IBM found that unauthorized access was a primary cause of 43% of data breaches.
Maintaining privacy. This function of cybersecurity is essential for safeguarding user data against illicit tracking and collection. Privacy laws like GDPR in the EU have put a spotlight on the importance of privacy in cybersecurity.
Ensuring continuity of business operations. Cybersecurity prevents disruptions caused by cyberattacks. For example, the WannaCry ransomware attack of 2017 caused an estimated $4 billion in worldwide losses.
Legal and regulatory compliance. Non-compliance with laws like HIPAA can lead to heavy fines. For example, HIPAA violations can cost up to $1.5 million per incident.
Building trust. Effective cybersecurity practices enhance customer confidence. Surveys indicate that 85% of consumers value privacy and data protection when choosing companies to do business with.
Cybersecurity is integral to modern business operations, offering protection against a wide range of digital threats and ensuring compliance with legal standards. It safeguards data and plays a vital role in maintaining business continuity and building customer trust.
Common cybersecurity threats
These are some of the most common threats modern companies have to face.
Malware encompasses various forms of harmful software, including viruses that can replicate themselves, worms that spread across networks, trojans that disguise themselves as legitimate software, and ransomware that locks users out of their systems until a ransom is paid. The impact of malware can be severe: for example, the WannaCry ransomware attack we mentioned above affected more than 200,000 computers across 150 countries.
Phishing attacks involve deceptive emails or websites that trick individuals into revealing sensitive information like passwords or credit card numbers. The FBI’s Internet Crime Report noted that phishing was the most common type of cybercrime in 2020.
Man-in-the-middle attacks (MitM). This form of eavesdropping intercepts communication between two parties to steal or alter the data. A common example is a hacker intercepting data on an unsecured Wi-Fi network.
Denial of service (DoS) attacks flood systems, servers, or networks with traffic to exhaust resources and bandwidth, rendering the service unusable. One of the most notorious DoS attacks was against Dyn, a major DNS provider, in 2016, disrupting internet platforms and services.
SQL injection involves inserting malicious code into SQL-using databases via a vulnerable website, which can then be used to access and manipulate confidential data. For example, in 2019, a SQL injection attack exposed the data of over 1 million customers of an Australian telecommunications company.
Zero-day exploits target unknown vulnerabilities in software or hardware, making them particularly dangerous as they occur before the vendor becomes aware and fixes the issue. The Stuxnet worm, discovered in 2010, is one of the most famous examples of a zero-day exploit.
Best practices for IT and cyber protection
Here are some things you can do as an individual or as a business owner to protect your personal and sensitive data from the simplest attacks and cyber threats.
1/ Strong passwords and multi-factor authentication. Strong, unique passwords, coupled with MFA, significantly heighten security. According to Verizon's Data Breach Investigations Report, 81% of hacking-related breaches leveraged either stolen and/or weak passwords.
2/ Regular software updates. Consistently updating software and systems helps patch security vulnerabilities. Microsoft reported that updating systems could prevent 85% of targeted cyberattacks.
3/ Employee training and awareness. Training staff on cybersecurity risks is essential. IBM’s Cyber Security Intelligence Index found that 95% of cybersecurity breaches are due to human error.
4/ Firewalls and antivirus software. These tools are fundamental in safeguarding against various cyber threats. The use of antivirus software can detect and block nearly 100% of known malware.
5/ Data encryption. Encrypting sensitive data, both in transit and at rest, is critical. A study by the Ponemon Institute showed that encryption can significantly reduce the cost of a data breach.
6/ Regular backups. Backing up data ensures recovery in the event of an attack. Companies that regularly back up and encrypt their data can reduce the impact of data breaches significantly.
7/ Incident response plan. An effective response plan can reduce the cost of a data breach by as much as 40%, according to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach report.
8/ Secure Wi-Fi networks. Securing wireless networks is vital. A survey by Symantec revealed that 60% of consumers believe their Wi-Fi networks are secure, but only 50% have taken steps to secure them.
9/ Vulnerability assessments and penetration testing. Regular testing and patching of vulnerabilities are key. Cisco’s Annual Cybersecurity Report highlighted that 42% of organizations faced public scrutiny after a security breach.
10/ Limiting user access. Implementing the principle of least privilege can significantly reduce risks. A study by Forrester found that 80% of security breaches involve privileged credentials.
What kind of specialists provide IT and cyber protection?
As cybersecurity is so complex and varied, it demands many skills from its providers. What used to be done by one person today is covered by five specialists and more. Here are some of the job positions you can find in cybersecurity and a short explanation of what these people do.
Cybersecurity Analyst monitors networks for security breaches, investigates violations, and implements protection solutions.
Network Security Engineer designs, implements, and maintains network security solutions to protect against cyber threats.
Information Security Manager oversees and coordinates the company’s information security policies and procedures.
Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) is a high-level executive responsible for the overall strategy and direction of information security in an organization.
Ethical Hacker/Penetration Tester simulates cyber attacks to identify and fix security vulnerabilities.
Security Software Developer develops security software, such as encryption technologies and firewall programs.
IT Security Consultant advises on best practices for protecting companies’ IT infrastructure and data.
teams to address threats and protect sensitive data.
Mentor teams
A DevOps Manager guides team members in adopting DevOps tools and practices. They hold training sessions, provide feedback on workflows, and encourage continuous learning. By fostering a culture of improvement, they help teams stay updated on emerging trends and technologies.
Requirements to become a DevOps Manager
As DevOps emphasizes collaboration, soft skills like empathy, adaptability, and active listening become as important as technical abilities. Hard skills, education, and experience are usually more important, though. Here’s what you will find in a typical role description:
Education
While a degree in computer science, IT, or a related field is common, some companies also consider equivalent experience, especially for candidates with certifications or strong technical backgrounds. Advanced degrees in management or specialized areas like cloud computing
Cloud computing is the delivery of computing services, including servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and more, over the internet (the cloud) to offer faster innovation, flexible resources, and economies of scale. Cloud computing enables users to access and utilize various IT resources and services on demand without needing to own or manage physical hardware or infrastructure.
Five key characteristics of cloud computing
On-demand self-service. Users can provision and manage computing resources as needed, often through a self-service portal, without requiring human intervention from the service provider.
Broad network access. Cloud services are accessible over the internet from a wide range of devices, including laptops, smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers.
Resource pooling. Cloud providers pool and allocate resources dynamically to multiple customers. Resources are shared among users but are logically segmented and isolated.
Rapid elasticity. Cloud resources can be rapidly scaled up or down to accommodate changes in demand. This scalability ensures that users can access the resources they need without overprovisioning or underutilization.
Measured service. Cloud usage is often metered and billed based on actual usage, allowing users to pay for only the resources they consume. This "pay-as-you-go" model offers cost efficiency and flexibility.
Service models of cloud computing
There are three primary service models of cloud computing: IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS. Let’s break them down.
IaaS
Infrastructure as a Service provides virtualized computing resources over the internet. Users can access virtual machines, storage, and networking components, allowing them to deploy and manage their software applications and services.
Description: IaaS provides users with virtualized computing resources over the internet. These resources typically include virtual machines, storage, and networking components. Users can provision and manage these resources on demand, giving them control over the underlying infrastructure.
Use Cases: IaaS is suitable for users who need flexibility and control over their computing environment. It's commonly used for hosting virtual servers, running applications, and managing data storage.
Examples: Amazon Web Services (AWS) EC2, Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines, Google Cloud Compute Engine.
PaaS
Platform as a Service offers a higher-level development and deployment environment. It includes tools and services for building, testing, deploying, and managing applications. Developers can focus on writing code while the platform handles infrastructure management.
Description: PaaS offers a higher-level development and deployment environment that abstracts much of the underlying infrastructure complexity. It includes tools, services, and development frameworks that enable users to build, test, deploy, and manage applications without worrying about the infrastructure.
Use Cases: PaaS is ideal for developers who want to focus solely on coding and application logic without managing servers or infrastructure. It accelerates application development and deployment.
Examples: Heroku, Google App Engine, and Microsoft Azure App Service.
SaaS
Software as a Service delivers fully functional software applications over the internet. Users can access and use software applications hosted in the cloud without the need for installation or maintenance. Common examples include email services, customer relationship management (CRM) software, and office productivity suites.
Description: SaaS delivers fully functional software applications over the internet. Users can access and use these applications through a web browser without the need for installation or maintenance. SaaS providers handle everything from infrastructure management to software updates.
Use Cases: SaaS is widely used for various business applications, including email, collaboration tools, customer relationship management (CRM), human resources management, and more.
Examples: Salesforce, Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365), Google Workspace, Dropbox.
These three cloud computing service models represent a spectrum of offerings, with IaaS providing the most control over infrastructure and SaaS offering the highest level of abstraction and simplicity for end-users. Organizations can choose the service model that best aligns with their specific needs, resources, and expertise.
How are cloud services hosted and delivered?
Public Cloud. Services are offered to the general public by cloud providers like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Resources are shared among multiple customers.
Private Cloud. Cloud infrastructure is exclusively used by a single organization. It can be hosted on-premises or by a third-party provider. Private clouds offer more control and customization options.
Hybrid Cloud. A combination of public and private clouds, allowing data and applications to be shared between them. Hybrid clouds provide flexibility, enabling organizations to leverage the scalability of public clouds while maintaining sensitive data on private infrastructure.
Multi-Cloud. Companies use services from multiple cloud providers to avoid vendor lock-in and exploit each provider's strengths. Multi-cloud strategies often involve managing resources and applications across various cloud environments.
Cloud computing providers
These are some of the most popular and widely recognized cloud computing providers.
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
AWS is one of the largest and most widely used cloud service providers globally. It offers a vast array of cloud services, including computing, storage, databases, machine learning, and analytics
Notable services: Amazon EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud), Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service), AWS Lambda, Amazon RDS (Relational Database Service).
Website: AWS
Microsoft Azure
Azure is Microsoft's cloud computing platform, providing a comprehensive suite of cloud services, including infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and software as a service (SaaS).
Notable services: Azure Virtual Machines, Azure App Service, Azure SQL Database, Azure AI and Machine Learning.
Website: Microsoft Azure
Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
GCP offers cloud services for computing, data storage, machine learning, and data analytics. Google's expertise in data and AI is a standout feature of GCP.
Notable services: Google Compute Engine, Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), BigQuery, Google Cloud AI Platform.
Website: Google Cloud
IBM Cloud
IBM Cloud provides cloud computing and AI services with a focus on hybrid and multi-cloud solutions. It offers a variety of cloud deployment options, including public, private, and on-premises.
Notable services: IBM Virtual Servers, Watson AI services, IBM Cloud Object Storage, Red Hat OpenShift on IBM Cloud.
Website: IBM Cloud
Oracle Cloud
Oracle Cloud offers cloud infrastructure and services, including databases, applications, and cloud-native technologies. It is designed to support enterprise workloads and applications.
Notable services: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), Oracle Autonomous Database, Oracle Cloud Applications.
Website: Oracle Cloud
Alibaba Cloud
Alibaba Cloud is a leading cloud service provider in Asia and offers a wide range of cloud computing services, data storage, and AI capabilities.
Notable services: Elastic Compute Service (ECS), Alibaba Cloud Object Storage Service (OSS), Alibaba Cloud Machine Learning Platform.
Website: Alibaba Cloud
Salesforce (Heroku)
Salesforce provides a cloud-based platform known for its CRM solutions. Heroku, a subsidiary of Salesforce, is a cloud platform for building, deploying, and managing applications.
Notable services: Salesforce CRM, Heroku Platform as a Service (PaaS).
Website: Salesforce, Heroku
can give candidates an edge, particularly in large companies with complex systems.
Skills
Expertise in automation tools. Hands-on experience with Jenkins, Ansible, Chef, or Puppet is critical for streamlining development and operations processes. DevOps Managers must know how to set up, maintain, and scale these systems for teams.
Proficiency in cloud platforms. Cloud services such as AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud form the backbone of modern IT infrastructure. To guide cloud-based projects, managers must understand cloud architecture, cost optimization, and platform-specific services like AWS Lambda or Azure DevOps.
Scripting and programming knowledge. Familiarity with Python, Bash, or Go is essential for troubleshooting, creating scripts for automation, and understanding the technical challenges faced by the team.
CI/CD, version control, and containerization. A deep understanding of CI/CD practices, version control systems
Version control is like having a time machine for your code. Imagine you're writing a book. Every time you make a change, you save a new version. With version control, you can go back to any previous version, see what changed, and even combine parts from different versions.
The definition of version control systems
Version control system (VCS) is a software tool that records changes to a file or set of files over time. This enables users to retrieve specific versions later. VCS is primarily used for software development, but it can be applied to any type of file.
Key benefits of VCS:
Keeps track of changes. Records every modification to your code, so you know who made what changes and when.
Collaboration. Multiple people can work on the same project without overwriting each other's work.
Time travel. You can revert to previous versions if something goes wrong.
Experimentation. You can try new things without fear of breaking the main codebase.
How does a version control system work?
A VCS operates by maintaining a repository, which is a central location where all versions of the code are stored. Among key concepts of VCS are:
Repository (a central storage location for all project files and their history),
Commit (a snapshot of the project at a specific point in time),
Branch (a separate line of development that allows multiple developers to work on different features without affecting the main codebase), and
Merge (combining changes from different branches into a single branch).
Here’s how the basic workflow of a version control system looks:
Checkout. A developer creates a local copy of the project from the repository.
Modifications. The developer makes changes to the code.
Commit. The developer saves the changes as a new version (commit) in the local repository.
Push. The developer sends the changes to the central repository.
Pull. Other developers can fetch the latest changes from the central repository.
There are two types of version control: centralized and distributed. Here’s the difference:
What are popular version control systems?
There are several popular version control systems used in software development. Among centralized version control systems, Subversion (SVN) is the most widely adopted one. It’s a centralized system where a single repository stores all project files.
Among distributed version control systems, there’s more to choose from.
Git is a decentralized system where each developer has a complete copy of the repository, making it highly efficient for large projects and distributed teams.
Mercurial is another decentralized system known for its speed and simplicity.
Bazaar is a flexible system that supports both centralized and distributed workflows.
Git is currently the most widely used version control system due to its flexibility, speed, and strong community support.
like Git, and containerization tools like Docker and Kubernetes is crucial. These skills ensure smoother software delivery cycles and scalable infrastructure.
Leadership and communication. As leaders, DevOps Managers must resolve conflicts, motivate teams, and communicate with technical staff and non-technical stakeholders. The ability to explain complex concepts in simple terms is invaluable for gaining buy-in across departments.
Experience
DevOps Managers typically build their expertise through years of hands-on roles in DevOps, system administration, or software engineering. Employers value candidates with a proven ability to lead projects, handle crises, and drive team collaboration. Experience in managing large-scale deployments or migrations, especially in cloud environments, is highly regarded.
Certifications
Certifications like AWS Certified DevOps Engineer, Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert, or Docker Certified Associate demonstrates proficiency and commitment to continuous learning. Leadership-specific certifications, like ITIL or PMI-ACP, can also enhance a candidate’s profile.
Trends in the role
The DevOps Manager role evolves with the rise of AI and automation in IT workflows. Emerging trends include:
AI-driven DevOps (managers now incorporate AI tools to predict system failures and optimize workflows);
DevSecOps (security integration is no longer optional); and
Infrastructure as Code (ensuring infrastructure setups are version-controlled and automated).
Salaries for DevOps Managers
Salaries of DevOps specialists vary by company size, region, and the complexity of the role. Here are some average annual wages in different countries (as of December 2024):
USA: $135,000–$180,000
Israel: $110,000–$140,000
Ukraine: $40,000–$65,000
Poland: $60,000–$85,000
Germany: $90,000–$130,000
India: $30,000–$50,000
Does your company need a DevOps Manager?
A DevOps Manager can help you answer critical questions like:
Are your deployment cycles too slow?
Does your team face constant communication issues?
Are manual processes causing inefficiencies or errors?
If your company relies on frequent software updates, operates complex systems, or struggles with slow development cycles, a DevOps Manager can be transformative. They are vital for businesses adopting cloud technologies, seeking rapid scaling, or dealing with security concerns.
