Since its debut more than a decade ago, DevOps has made major strides to become a central pillar of mainstream software development. It has proven not to be just another tech buzzword that’s a passing fad. DevOps has been the driver of major improvements in not just the programming process but also enhanced team work and overall customer satisfaction.
Nevertheless, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. DevOps is still faced with a number of challenges as it continuously adapts to the ever changing technological, regulatory and procedural environment. Here’s a look at some of the biggest hurdles DevOps must surmount in 2019.
1. Formalizing DevOps Definition
This may be surprising considering how long DevOps has been around but the reality is that the DevOps movement has grown around some informal descriptions in how things are done. To further compound these pockets of non-standardization, each business must find their own unique way of applying the DevOps philosophy to their own organization.
There’s always going to be some degree of experimentation especially at the beginning as the business works policy, procedure and process into the DevOps model. Everything has to be clearly defined so all teams have the same understanding of what each term means.
These definitions should be circulated to all stakeholders so that incoming staff who may have a different understanding of the term can now adjust their mindset accordingly.
2. Matching DevOps to the Right Projects
DevOps effectiveness and efficiency has been proven repeatedly. However, DevOps isn’t the best choice for every single software development project. There are times when the waterfall technique will deliver the best results. In 2019, development, operations and security teams must do more in their analysis of each new project to see whether DevOps is really the way to go.
Project management software can help you better understand the elements of each project, how they relate to one another, what resources are needed and subsequently, what development path is the best. For persons who swear by DevOps, this won’t be something easy to do but it’s certainly necessary since a one-size-fits-all approach is never prudent.
3. Paying More Attention to Testing
DevOps allows you to build and deploy products quicker. Faster development cycles are however not synonymous with bug-free software. In fact, testing is perhaps the Achilles’ Heel of DevOps. The focus on getting the new system in end user’s hands can inadvertently cause developers to rush through the testing phase.
In 2019, teams will have to take a step back and give testing the rigor and priority it deserves. Part of the reason testing can feel like such a drag is the manual nature of the process. Automated testing tools would come in handy in this regard because they allow you to not only reduce human intervention but also makes testing accurate, repeatable and consistent.
4. Phasing Out Legacy Applications
Software development doesn’t take place in a vacuum. Whatever application you build will be deployed to a computing environment and interface with one or more other systems. A major headache for developers is creating a modern application that interacts well with legacy software.
This challenge is exacerbated in the context of DevOps since legacy applications were built in an era when a different coding methodology dominated. This lack of compatibility ultimately drags down the DevOps cycles. There isn’t much an organization can do except to expedite the phasing out of its legacy systems.
5. Find Ways to Improve and Grow
Moving to DevOps is a good thing but it doesn’t mean the end of learning. In 2019, DevOps teams have to constantly look out for opportunities to improve and grow the process. Make the most of monitoring tools such as https://www.appoptics.com/monitor/python-performance
Any problems or mistakes must be subjected to a root cause analysis that identifies specific and actionable solutions that ensure they do not recur.
DevOps is here to stay. Acknowledging the above challenges and finding ways to overcome them in 2019 is a necessity if this development methodology will deliver the desired results for your organization.
