DevOps is a system that helps encourage collaboration between developers and operations teams. The purpose is to help the integration of a fast, reliable, and efficient delivery system. This is the idea at least, anyway.
The reality is that there are a lot of challenges related to DevOps that are not always easy to overcome. Some are self-inflicted while others are part of the complexity of their system. Even when following DevOps best practices, there are going to be some problems that arise and have to be dealt with quickly. In this article, we will go over what several of those challenges are so that you can be ready for them ahead of time.
1 – Migrating to microservices
Many organizations that have been around for a while tend to use older infrastructure that is not nearly stable enough for their current processes. The reason they often stick with it is because of the cost and challenge that comes with the migration to a new system such as infrastructure-as-code (IaC).
Yet, denying reality and switching to a more efficient and stable system is going to put your company at risk. The most obvious area of concern is that there will likely be dwindling support as the old system ages even more. Then there is the fact that the competition is using less expensive and more responsive systems like microservices and IaC.
It’s best to get on with migration as soon as possible since it is inevitable anyway.
2 – Taking on more efficient processes
Although new processes can be more efficient and lead to a much better and streamlined operation, it isn’t easy to make the change. To make sure that you are able to make the change, first look into the inefficiencies that are currently part of the well-defined processes.
Some of these processes are going to be resistant to any kind of change. But, when checking their work and pointing out the obvious inefficiencies, this should help to move the needle somewhat.
3 – Adoption of new tools
A DevOps toolset usually contains all the tools needed for a streamlined system. However, those tools are not always used and sometimes not used properly. Adopting new tools is a big challenge that can be faced since it involves making sure that the staff is properly trained.
Even when staff is properly trained, there are also potential issues with integration and even security. These issues are often intertwined. If there is not enough training being done then the integration is not going to work. It’s likewise true that if there is a fully trained staff at the helm, a security bug that hasn’t been configured with a new tool is going to derail DevOps anyway.
4 – Separate tools used for Dev and Ops
DevOps is all about integration. Integration can’t happen when there is a gap between the Dev and Ops in terms of the toolset they are using. With this happening, synchronization is not able to take place and a chaotic and inefficient process is going to occur.
If you are passionate about DevOps and searching for a job in this field, please check open jobs on Jooble.
DevOps image by Christina Alpanda, on Flickr