Virtually every company is fast becoming a digital enterprise, driven by exciting new technologies used to streamline a vast array of internal and external processes. In fact, we really need to thank the teams that develop and deploy software, services, and applications so we can run our operations more smoothly. But there’s another group that has been taking center stage lately and gaining recognition for bringing IT and software deployments to new heights – the role of DevOps.

What is DevOps? 

In short, DevOps (or development + operations) is a software development and delivery process that establishes better communication and collaboration between the people that develop software, deploy it and align it with business objectives. DevOps views cross-functional teams across many disciplines as a collaborative unit that enables continuous development and deployment cycles, encourages automation, removes bottlenecks from the process, reduces mistakes and improves IT service agility and recovery. Individuals who are trained to execute on both disciplines generally fill these critical roles. 

Here are the key trends that have been shaping DevOps in 2017: 

1. While Tools Thrive, Culture Makes the Difference 

It’s true that a key driver of the DevOps revolution is the availability of powerful software tools. DevOps managers turn to Docker, Jenkins, Puppet, PowerShell, Chef and other technologies to make their interactive processes work. Teams communicate more effectively with GitHub, Microsoft Teams, Slack and other collaboration tools, and teams must be able to continually monitor software releases to quickly alert IT teams about failures or other shortcomings. Tools make the process happen, yes, but the exchange of knowledge and alignment with business objectives is where the rubber really meets the road for companies. 

DevOps was conceived to build a culture of better process management so that teams can get things done better and faster. Sharing tools and giving every constituent in the development, deployment, redevelopment and redeployment process greater visibility empowers a more fluid process that is simply a better way of doing business. According to one developer report, 80% of companies reported that development and operations now share at least some tools, which is the first step in establishing the DevOps culture. Business benefit that contributes to the bottom line is what the management looks for, helping raise the bar for companies to truly be “digital.”

2. Cross-pollination Drives More Diverse Skillsets 

On a related note, the tenets of DevOps will undoubtedly drive IT and software development professionals to pursue more holistic skillsets that can be applied across the organization. DevOps creates an ongoing feedback loop between constituents and continuously improves operational efficiency. A recent Interop ITX/BMC survey on DevOps revealed that 43 percent of respondents indicated that operations staff had become involved in future product feature enhancements, and 41 percent said that development had become more involved in application deployments. And importantly, 25 percent reported that corporate management structure had been changed to better align development and IT staff and goals. IT and software development professionals who can fill multiple roles will be well-positioned to thrive in DevOps and drive further evolutions of continuous improvement ideals. 

3. DevOps Adoption Flourishes and Expectations Remain High

It should come as no surprise that adoption of DevOps is growing fast. Companies that are adopting DevOps reached 74% in 2016, up from 66% in 2015 according to DevOps.com. The software development lifecycle is a complex one, and organizations now have a way to bridge the divide between teams that deal with design, testing, quality assurance, deployment, and support. DevOps contributes to better performance and business results as well. In the earlier Interop ITX/BMC report, nearly 80 percent of companies had indicated that they had seen or expect to see improvement in production stability and 78 percent of them had seen or expect to see improvement in application performance. 

Conclusion

As a perfect combination of technology innovation and IT process culture, DevOps is revolutionizing the way software and services are deployed. It is a critical skillset to have, especially for those who intend to master deployments in the Cloud and improve the way their organizations make use of technology in this digital age.