Do All Businesses Need DevOps?

There’s a lot of disagreement in the DevOps world. Do all businesses need DevOps today? The simple answer is that DevOps is a great way to promote collaboration, work faster, and become more effective in this rapidly changing world. At the same time, it’s not really so simple at all. Many leaders argue just the opposite, that DevOps is only for some organizations and don’t help with performance for others.

Some of the biggest names in the business are using DevOps. NASA, Netflix, and Amazon are just a few, but there are countless others. In fact, when Netflix won the JAX Special Jury Award, a lead editor commented on how their DevOps approach is responsible for setting the new standards for technology today.

We can all agree that DevOps brings big benefits to the companies that are prepared to make the transition. However, it’s not a magic trick. The same techniques will never work for every business, and that’s just a reality of technology. The blanket, one-size-fits-all approach to development is harmful if we take it too far.

So when does DevOps work? When should businesses consider another method of pushing into the future? Let’s explore the reality of DevOps today, and why it’s a great solution when used in the right organization at the right time.

When to Use DevOps

Many software development companies benefit from DevOps implementation. Thanks to the rise of cloud computing, DevOps is even more relevant and useful. Because cloud computing already uses centralized deployment, it’s already much easier for developers to continuously update code as needed.

Using DevOps helps save time on knowledge transfers between departments, spreads the responsibility across teams, and speeds up the time to market. In essence, it’s increased efficiency. DevOps thrives on continuous integration (CI) and continuous delivery (CD).

However, in order for a company to succeed with DevOps, they need to be ready to make the transition. This takes time, money, and training. It isn’t always successful. Many development companies make the mistake of thinking DevOps is a separate team that can easily be added to existing departments. Creating a DevOps team results in just another silo that isolates teams.

DevOps also is not a tool. When a company treats DevOps as the philosophy it is, they find more success. It’s not enough to deploy continuous updates or to work in sprints. The business needs to adopt automation and tooling, increase collaboration, amplify feedback loops, and so on. It’s not a one-and-done solution.

When Not to use DevOps

As we said before, DevOps can be amazing for the right companies. Those companies need to dedicate themselves to making a smooth, seamless transition. There are so many different business technologies that go into the successful implementation of DevOps as a strategy, and that makes it a great choice for many.

However, if the company doesn’t have the time, money, or resources to make the switch. It’s not as simple as using an automation tool. You need to commit to a range of new techniques, philosophies, and ongoing learning. You need to embrace change, know how to constantly improve, and understand your own feedback.

You’ll need a system beyond simply automation such as ongoing software logging. Learning more about Apache logging basics with this ultimate guide to logging is a good first step, but it shouldn’t be your only step. Ultimately, there is no checklist to go through to decide if DevOps is right for your business. It’s as simple as making the choice between committing fully to necessary changes or continuing at your current pace.

For many, the appeal of faster productivity and more collaboration across teams is enough to create the drive for change. Either way, remember there is no “right” choice. It’s up to you, your teams, and your goals. DevOps is revolutionary, and it’s deserving of its attention. But it’s also shouldn’t be blindly adopted because companies feel it’s the only choice.