Do We Actually Need a Perfect DevOps Definition?

As popular as DevOps has become, there has been consistent disagreement about its definition. It’s universally agreed DevOps is a culture change first and foremost, however, where one goes from there is up for debate. How the culture change should be implemented is also debatable. Although it’s difficult to define, does there really need to be a DevOps definition?

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Perspective differences

Every Thursday, IDG does a Twitter Tech Talk regarding a concept in enterprise computing. I was invited to talk about DevOps with various professionals in this field. The first question asked us to define DevOps. What I took away from this was that there are various perspectives on a DevOps definition.

One member of the Tech Talk, Brent Kirkpatrick, said, “DevOps is a movement to encourage well-rounded development that is aware of the user experience.” This was a perspective that I hadn’t necessarily considered. Brent isn’t an enterprise professional, he owns a small cybersecurity company. His perspective isn’t going to be the same as an enterprise implementing DevOps.

Company size, development procedure, management structure, etc. all change the way someone may view DevOps. Priority does need to be placed on culture changes, but there is no universally defined implementation strategy.

DevOps counterparts

I have seen more variations of the word DevOps than nearly any other buzzword. There’s DevSecOps, NetOps, Secure DevOps, even DevProd. The most popular of these has been DevSecOps.

DevSecOps has been gaining traction amongst vendors, speakers, and writers in the space. I’ve been vocally supportive of it over DevOps, but does it really matter what we call it?

DevOps, at its most basic level, is about breaking down IT silos. Security for DevOps has been a more recent complaint. It was only about development and operations silos. By eliminating another silo, does the term really need to be changed? Can’t this just be a new inclusion in DevOps, instead of dividing the terms?

These different terms and definitions are branches of DevOps, just making the initial definition more difficult to define. Everyone has a different strategy, regardless of the word they use to define it. DevOps is just an initial idea that you build from.

Universal truths

There are universal truths in a DevOps definition. These include culture and faster development pipelines. Teams interested in DevOps hear “faster development” and they’re hooked. The modern digital world demands more from software developers, having the wrong culture in place can be detrimental to a company.

Culture changes that encourage speed also provide room for growth. Collaboration allows teams to learn from each other and develop professional and computing skills. The entire IT department becomes reshaped with new roles.

DevOps engineer is the number 2 job in America according to Glassdoor. DevOps engineers are IT professionals with a diverse skillset. They’re someone who has experience in configuration, automation, operations, and leadership. It’s someone who didn’t settle down into their original position. They’re an inspired employee who wanted to learn as much as they could and build on their skills.

Importance of tools

Almost any person speaking on DevOps will talk about how tools don’t make DevOps. When working on building a proper DevOps team, tools shouldn’t always come first. However, tools are typically downplayed by many analysts.

There is no all-encompassing DevOps tool, but DevOps does need tools to thrive. For example, a cloud platform is crucial to getting the most out of your team. Additionally, containers are a great way to enhance your workloads. Most DevOps resources will place an increased emphasis on culture. Culture is important, but the right tools need to be in place for this culture to thrive.

DevOps is what you make it

DevOps does not have a universally accepted definition. It is what you and your team are comfortable with. Plan based on the basic tenants and build from there. Nobody has the answers you need but you.

Tools and data are important for any DevOps strategy. Use monitoring tools to obtain analytics that will help your planning. Cloud platforms tend to provide valuable information you can use to figure out your DevOps plan.

Team members may be having difficulty with cultural changes. Maybe you have an older IT worker who feels overwhelmed. A culture of inclusion and collaboration needs to be encouraged. The team shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions or express their opinions. This is the case for any field, but it’s especially important for optimal software development.