Opinion

Opinion

Modern IT Operations Skills

• ITIL and DevOps: Can they coexist?

  Frameworks and methodologies must keep pace with technology stacks. ITIL fell too far behind between the release of ITIL 3 and ITIL 4, but there might be a middle ground.  Continue Reading

• Emphasize app modernization in 2020 IT budget plans

  IT budgeting can be stressful and complicated, but it doesn't have to be. Communicate with business leaders and users to identify -- and capitalize on -- the right opportunities.  Continue Reading

• Why it's time to rethink the DevOps vs. ITIL debate

  As organizations look to more closely align their business and IT goals, they should combine DevOps and ITIL practices, rather than commit exclusively to one methodology over the other.  Continue Reading

• ITIL 4 framework brings long-awaited flexibility to ITSM

  After eight long years, the ITIL 4 framework finally saw the light of day in 2019 -- but what can enterprises expect to gain from the latest version, and those to come?  Continue Reading

• How ops teams stay relevant during a shift left in DevOps

  IT operations administrators should not perceive the shift left in DevOps as a threat to their relevance, but rather as a catalyst for a change in their priorities.  Continue Reading

• Without DevOps metrics, forget about DevOps glory

  DevOps doesn't provide easy comparison points to quantify improvements. So how do you know if you're on the path to success or just spinning your wheels?  Continue Reading

• Key IT skills to make you current and capable in an ops role

  With the rapid pace of IT, it's easy to lose your edge -- even for technologically curious ops professionals. Master a balance of the best IT and people skills to get ahead in modern operations.  Continue Reading

• 6 emerging technologies that belong in an IT operations plan

  A penny saved is a penny earned. But when it comes to AI, specialized compute engines and these other key emerging IT operations areas, a penny saved today is a dollar wasted -- or worse -- in the future.  Continue Reading

• It's time to automate the help desk ticketing system

  The help desk is no admin's favorite job -- and no user's favorite place. But with a little automation and AI, the help desk can become a more palatable experience for both parties.  Continue Reading

• Does DevOps for operations mean learning how to code?

  What do operations folks need to know before they dive into DevOps? Automation is the key to a responsive environment, and users are your guiding light.  Continue Reading

• DevOps to DevSecOps adjustment banks on cross-group collaboration

  It takes collaboration across several levels -- between the C-suite and in cross-functional teams -- to successfully move to DevSecOps and meet compliance requirements.  Continue Reading

• How to drive an effective DevOps for business approach

  Don't adopt DevOps for the sake of operational and development efficiency. Do DevOps because it yields business gains. In fact, what you should be doing is BizDevOps.  Continue Reading

• The journey to DevOps starts with solving problems

  If you want to do DevOps, don't just follow the prescribed strategies and roadmaps that other companies lay out. Assess your own process, and start addressing your own problems.  Continue Reading

• Get into DevOps with cross-functional skills and culture

  There's no well-traveled path to a DevOps career. But it's not rocket science. Learn how to explain DevOps and master skills, such as CI/CD, and you'll be on your way.  Continue Reading

• The DevOps hiring process should be audition-based

  How do we ensure competence? Certification is now a big business, but the way we test a 6 year old should differ from the way we test a doctoral candidate or DevOps engineer.  Continue Reading

• Emotional intelligence in the workplace makes a difference

  Technologists need to know people as well as they know their craft. Applying emotional intelligence in the workplace helps convey ideas and change organizations.  Continue Reading

• Let's develop best practices for security in DevOps

  We've turned to DevOps and microservices because they've made it faster and easier to release and update applications. It's past time we developed security practices for them.  Continue Reading

• A DevOps mindset shouldn't overemphasize speed

  DevOps isn't really about the fastest release process. Ultimately, DevOps should make the user's life better. Find a balance between velocity and utility.  Continue Reading

• Workplace culture is about cultivating behaviors, not beanbags

  To really do DevOps, organizations will have to address and cultivate more effective workflows. It's not as easy as bringing in beanbags and pingpong tables.  Continue Reading

• Is the CTO the new standard for a DevOps leader?

  For DevOps initiatives to work, they need support from the C-suite. With more companies focusing on products, not services, is the CTO the flagbearer of DevOps leadership?  Continue Reading

• Satisfy GDPR standards and identify issues early in the pipeline

  GDPR requirements are here to stay. Get your developers involved early and shift security left to make your pipeline secure. Everyone is responsible for compliance now.  Continue Reading

• Salary snapshot: Embrace an entry-level DevOps role

  New DevOps engineers make much more than their software engineer counterparts. If you have DevOps skills, maybe it's time to rebrand.  Continue Reading

• Tackle DevOps compliance challenges with automation

  The same DevOps principles that help address compliance issues should be the same principles that are applied to development in the first place.  Continue Reading

• Forget the DevOps mindset, and change habits and behaviors instead

  DevOps is not a state of mind, but rather a series of behaviors and practices. Expert Rob Lambert explains how a focus on habits can be a DevOps game-changer.  Continue Reading

• DevOps goes to Washington: How DevOps in government works

  From procurement to compliance and security, the federal government will face enormous challenges as it brings DevOps on board. Here's how what to expect.  Continue Reading

• Not sure how to start with DevOps? Here's one option

  A new consulting firm with roots in Netflix and Amazon aims to help even legacy-heavy companies ship software faster. It starts with 15 metrics and small wins.  Continue Reading

• Why personal alignment is the secret sauce in top DevOps teams

  It's not magic, exactly, but there is a little-known secret at the heart of successful DevOps teams. Try personal alignment to improve team performance.  Continue Reading

• DevOps is a culture, but here's why it's actually not

  What DevOps needs today isn't more culture or more technology. It needs standards to help companies do a better job with implementation. Expert Aymen El Amri explains.  Continue Reading

• Use event-driven architecture to design for DevOps 2.0

  Collaboration is key to DevOps, but it will be even more important to DevOps 2.0. Expert Bob Reselman explains how event-driven architecture will help us build the next-gen DevOps.  Continue Reading

• Why management thinks your DevOps implementation is great

  Tech choices and testing are hard in DevOps, according to GitLab's 2018 Global Developer Report. But it turns out DevOps makes management happy. Here's why.  Continue Reading

• Salary snapshot: What is a lead DevOps engineer paid today?

  Our monthly salary snapshot looks at lead DevOps engineer salaries, which are high and getting higher due to the worsening developer shortage. Here's how the paychecks stack up.  Continue Reading

• DevOps and security can coexist with a little planning

  If you want to bring the complicated-sounding DevSecOps into your organization, start with these three easy steps from Akamai's Ari Weil. Start where you are and ask a lot of questions.  Continue Reading

• It's time to convey the value of DevOps to your CFO

  Take the DevOps lead and turn your CFO into your organization's strongest DevOps supporter. It's not as daunting as you think. DevOps aligns with business interests.  Continue Reading

• Embrace change to make the DevOps operating model succeed

  Operations pros have more to gain and less to lose from DevOps than they understand. Brian Kirsch offers the reasons why ops needs to get on board with DevOps.  Continue Reading

• Why DevOps? The simple answer is it creates safer processes

  Is it possible to take an old-fashioned organization actually hostile to technology and move it into the 21st-century DevOps world? Expert David Savage says it is.  Continue Reading

• The DevOps process is hard. But here are seven ways it's easy

  Attend a DevOps conference and it seems every company struggles with the methodology. We asked seven experts to tell us how DevOps is easy. Hint: It's not the people.  Continue Reading

• Seven steps to move a DevOps team into the ML and AI world

  Artificial intelligence and machine learning can bring a lot to the software development and deployment table. But patience and experimentation will be key to make it work in an enterprise.  Continue Reading

• Salary snapshot: Which city has the highest DevOps pay scale?

  Salary data from Glassdoor shows DevOps experience continues to give paychecks a substantial advantage over other developer roles. If you want to make the most money, move to San Francisco.  Continue Reading

• 'Accelerate' with the DevOps Research and Assessment team

  DevOps success will require a focus on learning and an expectation of high-performance. The DORA team explains in its new book, 'Accelerate: The Science of DevOps.'  Continue Reading

• DevOps Research and Assessment team dispels maturity model myths

  'Accelerate: The Science of DevOps' examines the hard data to see how current development methodology is really performing. In this excerpt, the focus is on capabilities, not maturity.  Continue Reading

• Use the right DevSecOps tools for more secure development

  Making applications safer requires more than just new tools; it also requires a cultural shift. DevSecOps is an effort to shift security left. Here's how to get started.  Continue Reading

• Want to be the best at DevOps? You need a DevOps bot

  A DevOps bot with access to all business, technical and customer profile information would make software development and deployment a breeze. Expert Torsten Volk introduces DOBO.  Continue Reading

• Use tried-and-true DevOps practices to beat analysis paralysis

  If your company feels stuck, the principles behind DevOps can help. Expert David Savage explains why companies need to roll out DevOps ideas everywhere.  Continue Reading

• Why operations metrics and telemetry matter in DevOps too

  The earlier developers think about what operations pros need, the tighter the feedback loop will become. Expert Theresa Neate explains how metrics are key to shifting ops left.  Continue Reading

• Keep DevOps operations relevant in the age of code

  The operations role isn't going away in DevOps, but it is going to change -- in some cases, dramatically. Expert Matthew Heusser explains what you need to do to be prepared.  Continue Reading

• How DevOps operations teams can prepare for the next stage

  A move to DevOps has implications for everyone on the team, but especially for operations professionals. Get ready to learn new skills and be flexible.  Continue Reading

• Want a true DevOps culture change? Start with innovation

  The more you fail, the more you learn. That's the secret of really innovative companies and it's the secret to DevOps, too. Expert David Savage explains.  Continue Reading

• No roadmap? Become your team's DevOps specialist

  DevOps should boost delivery and stability. Without a clear roadmap and strategic deployment of DevOps tools though, your organization won't enable continuous delivery.  Continue Reading

• Are you using the right DevOps metrics in your organization?

  It's tempting to think it's all about how fast you can deploy in DevOps, but the reality is, it's just one of the factors to consider. Mainline branch stability matters the most.  Continue Reading

• Rely on the DevOps methodology to avoid disaster

  DevOps concepts rely on both developers and operations to uphold the stability of applications in production. One side can't do it alone.  Continue Reading

• Could the DevOps process work better under a different name?

  Intent-based DevOps is a small name change designed to bring development and deployment back to basics. Two industry experts offer their interpretations and suggestions.  Continue Reading

• Why not every DevOps strategy is worthy of your attention

  DevOps advice is plentiful today. Some, like Cameron McKenzie, would say it is too plentiful. Here's his advice for weeding out the unworkable from the sensible.  Continue Reading

• Make DevOps documentation an integral part of your strategy

  DevOps is for the writers on your team too. Will Kelly offers on point advice on how to easily bring technical writers along during a DevOps transformation.  Continue Reading

• Salary snapshot: It's a very good time to be a DevOps pro

  In 2017, the number of job postings for DevOps jumped 15% over the previous year, and salaries increased, too. Do you have today's most in-demand skills?  Continue Reading

• Forget grassroots: Why the CIO must be today's DevOps leader

  DevOps from the ground up sounds like a great idea. Too bad it won't work, at least in an enterprise. David Savage explains why the CIO must lead the DevOps journey.  Continue Reading

• Want a DevOps success story? Try employee net promoter score

  The more likely an employee is to recommend an employer to a friend, the more likely the company is healthy and successful. Here's how to apply that practice to DevOps.  Continue Reading

• It's tough to explain DevOps, that nebulous IT concept

  DevOps is more about goals and aspirations than any set of practices or tools. Right? Or is it just about collaboration and culture? Either way, it's tough to define DevOps.  Continue Reading

• It's critical to create the correct DevOps team structure

  With new-to-DevOps enthusiasm, some companies go too far when it comes to creating teams or dividing responsibilities. Chris Tozzi outlines the warning signs of too much DevOps.  Continue Reading

• Master the seven key DevOps engineer skills for 2018

  We all know DevOps is hard, but complex new technologies are going to make the development methodology even more challenging. Expert Bob Reselman outlines the skills you'll need.  Continue Reading

• Error budget instills reckless IT project management mindset

  Just how many errors is the IT operations team allowed to make? Trendy organizations are answering this question with a budget, but it possesses some admins to push the envelope.  Continue Reading

• The future of DevOps in 2018? More people, more integration

  From DataOps to function as a service, DevOps adoption is going to mean acquiring some new skills in 2018. Contributor George Lawton asks the experts.  Continue Reading

• Be wary of DevOps evangelists preaching a culture change

  There are many reasons to adopt DevOps, and there are many challenges involved in getting it right. But don't buy into the culture myth that many DevOps evangelists are selling.  Continue Reading

• Want to understand DevOps? Look to open source's history

  Studying the past in order to not repeat it is something that can be applied to DevOps, too. Expert Chris Tozzi outlines how to understand DevOps by studying open source.  Continue Reading

• Looking for a DevOps career path? Here's how to get started

  With few certification or degree programs, getting started in DevOps can be tricky. Expert Chris Tozzi outlines options to help jump-start your DevOps career.  Continue Reading

• Break down DevOps team roles so you can actually get to DevOps

  If you have a DevOps team, you're not doing DevOps, at least according to engineer Theresa Neate. Her argument: Break down the silos and DevOps will happen. Tools alone can’t achieve that.  Continue Reading

• Yes, company size affects DevOps planning and strategy

  How big is your company? Does it rely on outsourcing and disparate teams? These things matter immensely when it comes to piecing together a DevOps strategy and culture.  Continue Reading

• Why you need to think carefully about DevOps certification training

  A certificate can be a career blessing, but the wrong one can be a curse. Expert Bob Reselman explains how to make the right choices for DevOps and other areas.  Continue Reading

• DevOps skill: It's what software vendors can't sell you

  How do you do DevOps? It takes more than implementing DevOps tools, despite what some DevOps vendors would have you think. Culture still plays the biggest role.  Continue Reading

• Abstract thinkers have the most vital nontechnical DevOps skill

  Take a close look at a Picasso, and explore how those abstract shapes form a complete picture. You'll be flexing an important DevOps skill: abstract thinking.  Continue Reading

• New age in ops management: DevOps strategies are here to stay

  DevOps is NoOps, right? Wrong! There'll always be a place for the help desk and operations staff, and those well-versed in good ops management have little to fear from the coming changes.  Continue Reading

• CoffeeOps: A different kind of DevOps networking meetup

  Looking to get into the DevOps meetup scene but prefer morning to nights and caffeine for alcohol? Try CoffeeOps, a less formal IT event built on the principles of DevOps culture.  Continue Reading

• Five ways to effectively manage team DevOps workflows

  Go ahead and ask a boss. Managing people is harder than managing software. Thankfully, tools and strategies exist to optimize the DevOps workflow, including the DevOps team.  Continue Reading

• Don't let repetitive task automation make you obsolete

  Creeping repetitive task automation will leave little room for betas. The world will ultimately need more DevOps engineers and alphas to plan and strategize.  Continue Reading

• The role of a CIO is never business as usual

  The modern CIO role description requires hands reached into the thick of business activity more than ever before. Venture out of the IT department; business goals need IT's input.  Continue Reading

• Never mind the DevOps maturity model, focus on principles

  Gary Gruver shares his thoughts on the DevOps maturity model and why focusing on DevOps principles of ownership and flexibility is more important than following a rigid roadmap.  Continue Reading

• Devops principles and practices define engineers

  It's hard to define DevOps engineer beyond, 'You'll know it when you see it.' That's because the DevOps skill set is a mix of holistic views and principles with technical skills.  Continue Reading

• How to build DevOps characteristics: It takes more than money

  A decent salary might get them in the door, but DevOps engineers need a freeing and flexible culture to remain motivated and happy at work.  Continue Reading

• Systems thinking principles: Building a DevOps support model

  It's time to embrace a DevOps support model. Everything we do has consequences, good or bad. We're interdependent. That's why no team should work in isolation.  Continue Reading

• IoT could set DevOps practices and principles back 20 years

  Warning! All those IoT products could set DevOps practices and principles back 20 years, thanks to a lack of industry standardization and abstraction.  Continue Reading

• It’s easier to build essential DevOps skills than find them

  DevOps requires the right tools and culture, but a shortage of IT talent will hinder any organization's efforts. The good news? Talent isn't hard to find.  Continue Reading

• DevOps engineers and open source: Culturally connected

  Like chocolate and peanut butter, DevOps and open source are two great tastes that taste great together. For many DevOps engineers, it’s the perfect culturally and technical match.  Continue Reading

• ATTN hiring managers: Your DevOps engineer job description is wrong

  There's a problem with the 'DevOps engineer' concept. The very idea of it undermines the values DevOps organizations need to embrace, and it can hinder DevOps adoption.  Continue Reading

• DevOps and the myth of cloud computing cost benefits

  Conventional DevOps wisdom states the cloud is cheaper and more efficient. You only pay for what you use, right? But for some, physical infrastructure makes more financial sense.  Continue Reading

• It's not only OK to steal DevOps ideas, it's encouraged!

  DevOps requires a different way of thinking, organizing and communicating. Nowhere was that more clear than DevOpsDays Boston, where DevOps ideas burst from every session.  Continue Reading

• DevOps culture change key to surviving Digital Darwinism

  No matter the business, smarter and more agile competition means companies adapt or face extinction. As CloudBees CEO Sacha Labourey sees it, it's the age of Digital Darwinism.  Continue Reading

• Why is security for DevOps so important?

  As software is now baked into everything we buy -- and even drive -- DevSecOps has become an essential component to the way we develop, ship and maintain code.  Continue Reading

• Agency shifts in corporate communication organizational structure

  DevOps depends on effective communication, and Conway's Law suggests effective DevOps is nearly impossible with a rigid and antiquated communications structure.  Continue Reading

• The DevOps digital transformation: Evolutionary and revolutionary

  Software is eating the world, so goes the popular saying. How did this happen? What's fueling the DevOps digital transformation? For the answer, we look to evolutionary biology.  Continue Reading

• The two constants on the DevOps career path: Change and uncertainty

  So, what does it take to succeed in DevOps? Be a lifelong learner and a constant collaborator, and know your stuff. Welcome to the front lines. You'll learn the true meaning of agile.  Continue Reading

• Windows PowerShell programming empowers IT ops toolmakers

  Scripting with Windows PowerShell gives developer skills to ops admins -- they can improve the flow of DevOps app build and deployment, as well as support cloud use.  Continue Reading

• Cherry-pick from ITSM frameworks to achieve change control

  Don't let the horrors of ITSM implementations gone wrong turn your IT organization away from quality control and improvement. Discerning ITSM adopters know that the more frameworks there are, the merrier.  Continue Reading

• Dev vs. ops: For IT's sake, can't they both just get along?

  Turning organizational silos into true partnerships under one flag requires real DevOps leadership. Instructive and honest communication from the top on down will lead the way.  Continue Reading

• The DevOps career path: Muddy, murky and potentially confusing

  What does it mean for DevOps to be a culture and a career? We talked to three experts to unpack why DevOps engineer positions are in demand and lucrative, yet hard to fill.  Continue Reading

• The rise of machine automation: When will we become the ants?

  Machine automation? Artificial intelligence? Sound familiar? What sort of future are we headed toward and why should DevOps teams start preparing for it?  Continue Reading

• The DevOps concept: NoOps, DataOps and what comes next

  Innovation and velocity run through the DevOps concept, and organizations that adopted DevOps years ago are reaping the benefits -- for now. But DevOps can't be the future forever.  Continue Reading

• DevOps engineers face pressure to automate, survey says

  DevOps may be the future of software development, but for many DevOps engineers, it's a buzzword disrupting workflows and the way developers have done software for years.  Continue Reading

• First step in the DevOps process? Get everyone on the same page

  DevOps is more than pushing code to production your first day on the job or playing with feature toggles. The DevOps process requires cross-silo cooperation. DevOps is hard.  Continue Reading

• Effective DevOps goes beyond tech folks, including HR and legal

  To achieve continuous delivery, organizations must embrace a truly holistic approach to software. Legal, PR, finance and HR all have a part to play in effective DevOps.  Continue Reading

• Before starting and scaling, let's first define DevOps

  Software is your most flexible asset. Define DevOps and get everyone on the same page to turn business ideas into working code.  Continue Reading

• The essential skill for implementing DevOps: A desire to learn, always

  We asked experts on the ground for the essential skills in implementing DevOps. The true developer is committed to cooperation and learning.  Continue Reading