10 adoption Barriers for DevOps
What is DevOps?
DevOps is a set of practices that combine software development (Dev) and information technology Operations (Ops) together and make it easy to make efficient applications/ software. DevOps Consulting Services aims to shorten the systems development life-cycle and provide continuous delivery of applications with high software quality.
DevOps uses sets of tools (not a single tool) for better working that is called Toolchains. Toolchains categories -
● Coding - Development of code, reviewing it. Source code management, code merging.
● Building - Building of status, continuous integration tools.
● Testing - Working with testing tools, testing the application/software before releasing it.
● Packaging - Pre-deployment stage. Packaging of the application/software and making it ready for the release.
● Releasing - Releasing the application, automation or the updation of the previously released application/software.
● Monitoring - Keeping the check on the application performance, end-user experience.
● Configuration - Configuring the application/software infrastructure and management.
10 Barriers
1. Legacy System
Legacy systems (Infra and uses both) are unquestionably the best systems that many businesses have relied upon as they run their basic vital functions. Some outdated platforms still survive because of the risk and cost associated with replacing them, even if they get the required skills and support.
These systems were not created, keeping DevOps practices in mind, so they cannot easily fit into the DevOps approach. Upgrading these systems also seems daunting since budgets are confined to ‘the show’ and ‘something new’.
Right now it is necessary to replace these systems with or adopt another system that is made to support DevOps practices or move to some external service provider (mainly SaaS) to decrease software development, maintenance efforts and to support agility. It’s all about including models for legacy infrastructure and applications to make room for DevOps.
2. Lack of Executive Buy-In
In layman language, Buy-In is purchasing shares by a broker after a seller has failed to deliver similar shares, the original being charged any difference in the cost. Internal Buy-In for the employees as well as management. Buy-In is much better if a business bought two teams and brought them together to work as one. This is what we call Buy-In Management. Although buy-in management is important at different levels of a company, the DevOps transformation must have buy-in at the leadership level. If a business lack this buy-in, there is always a risk of being wrecked before it even begins or eventually a drastic decline in later stages. There should be a willingness at the management level to implement changes.
3. Limited IT Skills
Limited IT skills is another one of the biggest barricades when it comes to adopting DevOps. Training the teams right, standardizing the processes, establishing common operational procedures, managing both the teams and striking the balance between the two with the right skillset. Skillfully organizing both teams is a must. There are many different tools, multiple open source projects, but lack of DevOps skills and structured training inhibit adoption is a big threat. Organizing and staffing I&O pros were required for successful DevOps.
4. Budget
Usually, organizations assume that DevOps tools are open-source that they're free and don’t really need the money or financial budgeting but that's not true. There are many factors that need to be considered. There are integration and operation complexity that also needs to be focused after all these things also cost businesses and help them to grow.. 2017, it was reported as the worst year for under-budgeting for DevOps. Buy-In management also needs a budget plan, which people usually ignore. This needs proper analysis as well.
5. Application Complexity
Application complexity is another big challenge. The development team developed the software, the operational team provided the required environment for testing and both teams think their work is done. But both forget the application architecture changes based on on-perm, cloud and containers storage and of course on customer’s \demands. Application complexity should be kept in mind.
6. Fragmented ToolChains
Organizations should avoid fragmented toolset adoption. Toolchain sprawl can impose operational overhead. Fragmented toolsets including multiple open-source tools hinder standardization and slow down adoption.
7. Testing Automation
Usually, organizations neglect test automation while focusing on CI/CD deployments, which should not be the case. Continuous testing is a very important step in DevOps. Security should not be an afterthought. Organizations should embrace automation for continuous integration and deployment. Test Automation should a “must” not be an “afterthought”.
8. Resistance to Change
“Change in a traditional way is a must.” Automation must be accepted by organizations for better projects and for more customers. Reevaluation and modifications of old processes should be done periodically to make sure the organizations are making forward not backward. With the growing technology, customer needs, economy, opportunities and challenges it becomes inevitable to change and adapt. Their resistance to change does not want them to deviate from a set of routines and comfort since they are familiar with how things work. The need of the hour is to learn to accept change as a supporting arm rather than something to be avoided. If an organization stops experiencing different things, it becomes stagnant and the growth will stop eventually.
9. Overcoming the Dev Vs Ops Mentality
The DevOps practice is all about integrating teams together and breaking down silos within IT organizations. There is the old DevOps cliché of developers tossing code over an imaginary wall to the operational team and difference in priorities. Devs trying to innovate and make changes as quickly as possible and operations trying to maintain 100% service levels. The truth is the goals of both teams seem to counter each other. They need to align the goals and priorities of the teams. Also, handovers between different teams are costly, expensive and a source of delay. Integrating different teams is at the heart of DevOps.
10. Culture
Early DevOps initiatives required a collaborative culture, with risk-taking, experimentation and of course overlooking the failures. An organization’s focus should be building a collaborative culture with shared goals. This also includes finding employees who are DevOps champions in the organization. Product owners, development team, testing team, and operations teamwork in different time zones making coordination extremely difficult. Development teams do not wish to understand ops challenges and are limited to working only on dev tasks. The culture of the two traditional teams and mind-set can limit automation.