DevOps

DevOps combines the words "development" and "operations." It encompasses developers and IT operations personnel within an organization.

The goal of DevOps integration is to improve collaboration between development and operations teams. An operations manager, for example, may request an update to a web application from the developers. In order for the update to be successful, the operations team must accurately describe all the necessary features of the update. The development team can then implement the update and test it internally before releasing it to the operations team for production.

If a bug is found in a live website or software program, the operations team can send the information to the development team so the engineers can review and fix the error. Setting up a structured and streamlined workflow for requesting, implementing, and publishing updates can help companies release bug fixes quickly and efficiently.

A DevOps process for software updates might include the following steps:

  1. Receiving and processing user feedback (Operations)
  2. Designing the update (Operations and Development)
  3. Coding and implementing the update (Development)
  4. Testing the update internally (Development)
  5. Publishing the update to production (Operations)
  6. Testing the live update (Operations and Development)

The above steps are just one example of how a DevOps process might take place. There is no specific set of steps a company must follow. A small company, for instance, may have fewer steps and more overlap between divisions than a large corporation. The end goal of DevOps, regardless of company size, is to produce reliable software in the shortest time possible.

Ways to improve DevOps workflow include:

  1. Creating identical testing and production environments
  2. Automating software tests, such as unit testing
  3. Designing software that is easily scalable
  4. Using version control to keep track of changes

NOTE: A "DevOps Manager" is a relatively new position in the field of information technology. The role of a DevOps manager is to oversee both the development and operations teams, helping them communicate and work together effectively.

Updated November 16, 2019 by Per C.

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Laser printers
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Thinkpad laptops
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NetBIOS
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Blue Gene
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