DevOps aims to enhance the software development lifecycle, making it more efficient by removing pesky bottlenecks. The DevOps movement has gained significant popularity over the last decade because of its positive outcomes for businesses. Over the last five years, it has become mainstream practice in the software development world. No longer niche or experimental, DevOps is a standard methodology embraced by the majority of organisations across various sectors, including but not limited to technology, telecoms, retail and, to a lesser extent, finance and insurance.
Despite its mainstream status, all DevOps teams find themselves grappling with several common roadblocks. In fact, one study found that only 10 per cent of organisations say their company is ‘very successful’ at rapid software development and deployment. Those teams struggling with aspects of building a highly effective DevOps team are not alone.
The good news is that these problems can be solved. This article outlines several common DevOps roadblocks and suggests ways to overcome them.
5 Common DevOps Roadblocks (And Suggested Solutions)
All teams, regardless of their experience and skill set, encounter implementation problems at some stage. DevOps teams are no different. Like all teams, they will encounter roadblocks that must be overcome. Here are some of the most common challenges and potential solutions to allow teams to move forward:
The separation of development vs operations
The mentality that separates development and operations, where devs focus on writing code and developing features and ops focus on managing infrastructure, creates silos. While the separation of these two teams may have provided clear roles and responsibilities for team members, it has led to challenges in collaboration, communication and goal alignment, which ultimately hurts the organisation's success.
To combat this common DevOps roadblock, encourage development and operations teams to collaborate by officially merging them together. This promotes regular communication, which results in goal alignment and shared responsibility.
Continuous delivery definitions
Another common DevOps roadblock is different interpretations of continuous delivery across organisations. For instance, some may define CD as keeping code in a deployable state, whereas others may extend the definition to include automation deployment to production. This misalignment can lead to confusion among team members and damaging inconsistencies. For example, different teams or individuals may implement CD differently, leading to a lack of standardisation which may harm quality and result in delayed delivery.
To overcome this roadblock, organisations should develop a standardised definition of CD to align with wider goals and industry best practices. Additionally, all team members should be provided with clear guidelines for implementing CD, ensuring everyone involved in the process is on the same page.
Legacy infrastructure to microservices
A microservices development approach helps organisations manage the pace and volume of change at an almost unlimited scale. A report by IBM revealed that microservices result in 30 per cent higher customer satisfaction and retention, 29 per cent better data security and faster time-to-market and 28 per cent improved application quality and performance. However, the transition from legacy infrastructure to microservices is fraught with challenges.
Legacy systems are deeply embedded within operations, making them difficult to modify or replace. The migration process is time-consuming and complex. Integration issues and knowledge gaps may result in a plethora of issues to overcome.
However, with thorough strategic planning and a phase migration approach, organisations can migrate from clunky legacy infrastructure to fi-for-purpose microservices. This process involves investment in employee training and skill development, using the right tools (such as containerisation and orchestration tools), and implementing robust security measures.
Team maturity
The successful formation of a DevOps team hinges on a collaborative and highly skilled team. However, some organisations find themselves faced with inexperienced teams that are resistant to change and therefore do not collaborate effectively. They may work in silos, resulting in goal misalignment that ultimately harms the success of DevOps initiatives.
The solution to DevOps team maturity lies primarily in training and development. Organisations should provide tailored training programmes that address several areas, including technical skills, team collaboration, shared responsibilities and problem-solving. However, organisations must also work to create a positive culture that promotes collaboration and regular communication, clear goal-setting and a culture of continuous improvement.
Automate repetitive tasks
DevOps teams aim to automate repetitive tasks to streamline time-consuming processes and enhance efficiency wherever possible. However, without thoughtful strategic planning, issues quickly arise. For example, in some circumstances, rushing into automation may result in building upon unstable infrastructure, making the system difficult to maintain and prone to failure.
The solution to this common DevOps roadblock is to conduct thorough assessments of existing processes to identify which would benefit most from automation. Consider an iterative approach for automation by starting with small and well-understood processes before moving on to more consequential ones. Think of it as a trial run before automating larger processes.
Final Thoughts: Overcoming Common DevOps Roadblocks
The journey to successful DevOps implementation is typically fraught with roadblocks and challenges to overcome. The common DevOps roadblocks we’ve explored, including definitions of CD, legacy migrations, team maturity, and task automation, reflect the complex nature of integrating new approaches into existing organisations with their own unique structures and practices. However, these roadblocks can be overcome with close collaboration, careful strategic planning and investment in training and development. Instead of roadblocks, these challenges become stepping stones to a more agile, skilled and collaborative DevOps team.
Need help overcoming DevOps hurdles? Evolvere is here to assist. Adopting new approaches takes time and effort. But we help our customers accelerate this process and relieve the burden on time-strapped teams. Contact us today to enhance your DevOps approach.