Reliable and seamless IT infrastructure is a top priority for businesses across all sectors, especially those with hyper-competitive markets. A well-maintained IT infrastructure is not a nice-to-have—it’s a must-have. It ensures smooth operations, fuels growth and innovation, and helps companies deliver seamless customer experiences. As more businesses recognise the value of reliable IT infrastructure, the NetDevOps approach is emerging as a crucial piece of the puzzle.
Understanding NetDevOps
Before we delve too deeply into NetDevOps, let’s first define what it is. As the name suggests, NetDevOps is an offshoot of DevOps relating to network management. NetDevOps brings the culture, technical methods, and strategies of best practices to networking in response to the growing need for more efficient, agile and collaborative network management, especially as modern networks become more complex. The concept follows DevOps principles that promote integrating development and operations teams to deliver software continuously.
By breaking down the silos between network engineers, software development and operations teams, NetDevOps fosters an environment where ideas, strategies and resources are shared between teams, resulting in the faster and more efficient deployment of network and infrastructure services.
The role of centralised repositories
A centralised repository is a key component of a NetDevOps strategy, as it serves as a single point of truth for network information. The repository keeps track of network configurations and updates in real-time, ensuring all teams have the most accurate information at their fingertips. Maintaining a version history and the potential to roll back changes are critical in reducing configuration drift and enhancing network configuration accuracy to maintain reliable and robust network infrastructure.
How NetDevOps Transforms IT Infrastructure
So, why has the NetDevOps philosophy gathered so much steam in recent years? It’s because the software development strategy boasts a myriad of benefits for organisations. Let’s explore them in more detail:
Improved collaboration
One of the most significant advantages of adopting a NetDevOps approach is the improved collaboration between network engineers, software developers and operations teams. In addition, NetDevOps helps to break down the “culture of fear” that exists around network changes, as every other system relies on networks to function properly.
Faster time-to-market
The NetDevOps approach increases efficiency and agility, which leads to a faster time-to-market for new software. With a more streamlined infrastructure and a collaborative environment for rapid decision-making, organisations can roll out new offerings quickly to stay competitive.
Enhanced agility
Market conditions change quickly, and organisations in all sectors must respond rapidly. Adopting a NetDevOps approach enhances agility by enabling teams to adapt to new project requirements and implement software changes promptly.
Continuous improvement
At its core, NetDevOps promotes a culture of continuous learning, experimentation and improvement. By analysing performance data and gathering feedback regularly, teams can identify areas for optimisation and action improvements to enhance network performance.
Better network security and reliability
NetDevOps centres around a proactive approach to network security, with continuous monitoring and integrating security measures throughout the entire software development lifecycle. By addressing potential vulnerabilities early on and fostering a security-conscious workplace culture, NetDevOps helps to reduce the risk of costly (both in monetary and reputational terms) breaches and ensure network reliability.
Reduced costs
By automating repetitive tasks, streamlining complex workflows and optimising the use of resources, NetDevOps can significantly reduce the costs of network management and ongoing maintenance. Moreover, companies can minimise the risk of costly downtime and disruptive network failures by identifying and resolving issues as early as possible.
Implementing NetDevOps: Potential Roadblocks (And How to Overcome Them)
While the NetDevOps approach has many benefits, like everything, it also has its drawbacks that must be considered:
Investment in skills development
Adopting a NetDevOps approach requires upskilling network engineers, software developers and operations teams to familiarise themselves with DevOps principles, tools and processes. As a result, businesses will likely need to invest in training, mentorship and other professional development activities. This may be a roadblock to organisations with limited budgets and flat-out team members that may not be able to put time aside for training.
Solution: Implement a phased approach to NetDevOps training rather than trying to upskill all employees at once. Start with a pilot group of team members who can pass on their knowledge to their colleagues to ensure training has minimal impact on daily operations.
Cultural resistance
In some cases, organisations may have to overcome internal cultural resistance to NetDevOps, particularly when there is a transition from traditional networking practices to a more agile and collaborative approach. Those resisting NetDevOps may simply be fearful of change, or it might be an issue of siloed teams, where network engineers, software developers and operations teams are accustomed to working independently. Cultural resistance might also come from a perception of increased risk. Team members may be concerned about network security and stability due to an increased emphasis on rapid changes and automation.
Solution: Addressing cultural resistance to DevOps requires a multifaceted approach. First, engage in clear and consistent communication by explaining the transition and how it will impact team members’ roles. Change should always start at the top, so make sure to have management buy-in. This will result in more effective collaboration and the adoption of valuable techniques and tools, ultimately leading to a culture of learning and innovation.
Integration of processes and tools
Successfully adopting a NetDevOps approach requires the integration of several processes and tools to facilitate collaboration across teams, continuous software delivery and automated infrastructure management.
Solution: To navigate the challenge of integrating new tools and processes during NetDevOps implementation, make sure tools and processes are standardised across different teams to ensure smooth collaboration, incorporate automation wherever possible and conduct regular reviews and audits to confirm that teams are functioning optimally.
In Summary
NetDevOps is more than just a buzzword—it is a transformative approach that can revolutionise network management for organisations across a diverse range of sectors. By improving collaboration and agility, getting products to market faster, enhancing security and reliability and reducing costs, it is a vital piece of the complex puzzle that is IT infrastructure.