DevOps Implementation Plan: A Step-By-Step Road Map For Success

As the field of software development continues to evolve, DevOps processes play a vital role in delivering high-quality business results.

Creating a DevOps implementation plan is a crucial aspect of achieving success, as it aligns software development with management for continuous improvement.

Read on to discover how a robust DevOps implementation plan applies throughout the software development process for outstanding results.

Key Takeaways

• DevOps is fast becoming the dominant strategy for delivering robust software and applications that drive business goals.
• The concept blends various elements to achieve these goals, from culture and communication to automation tools and data-driven decision-making.
• By aligning development and operations teams, a DevOps implementation roadmap capitalizes on tools to optimize knowledge-sharing and collaboration.
• Implementing DevOps can have notable advantages for software reliability and performance, and drive the development of quality products.
• Organizations that have applied a DevOps implementation strategy experience cost savings and enjoy a more significant ROI than alternative methods.

What Is DevOps?

DevOps is a portmanteau of development and operations, coined by Patrick Debois in 2009, which redefined the software development industry.

Widely adopted by modern developers, it represents the fundamental principles of software development and organizational structures.

DevOps processes represent a key difference between bespoke and off-the-shelf software, delivering exceptional flexibility and oversight.

Development and operations teams have previously been at odds with one another, with DevOps striving for unity.

This union is achieved by implementing a communication, collaboration, and continuous learning culture that bridges the gaps between different roles.

From a development perspective, DevOps implementation involves putting into place tools and processes that break down silos.

Product managers also use these tools and often utilize the Agile methodology to ensure coordination among all parties.

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Why Is A DevOps Implementation Plan Important?

Choosing a software development company that delivers a robust DevOps implementation strategy is critical for providing reliable, high-performance software.

Let’s take a closer look at why implementing DevOps processes is essential for businesses creating new applications:

• Faster release cycles and time to market: The core processes delivered through a DevOps implementation roadmap streamline development at all stages, allowing for deliverables to be completed promptly
• Operational cost savings: DevOps practices reduce software development costs for businesses through automation tools and optimized resource allocation without compromising software reliability.
• Comprehensive collaboration and communication: Implementing DevOps incorporates cutting-edge tools to streamline communication and collaboration, delivering a unified approach for ongoing iterations and improvements.
• Access to infrastructure automation tools: Successful DevOps implementation relies on various automation tools to streamline software delivery, using the latest AI-powered technology to achieve this goal.

These advantages ensure the implementation of DevOps initiatives and keep projects focused on priorities throughout the development timeline.

When A DevOps Implementation Plan Is Right For Your Business

With DevOps implementation transforming the business landscape, more businesses are adopting the practice when developing applications.

• Here are some scenarios in which implementing DevOps is right for your next software project:
• Internal teams that lack development experience: Startups and smaller businesses often lack the internal expertise and resources to manage large-scale software development projects. Partnering with a dedicated software development team provides access to specialist DevOps engineers to ensure success.
• Lack of standardized work processes: If your business lacks standardized procedures, projects can easily falter and experience project creep. Implementing DevOps helps streamline project development through tools that foster experimentation.
• The need for greater agility: While some software development projects have a clear view of goals from the outset, most require flexibility to adapt to new information. Successful implementation of DevOps builds agility into the complete process, allowing businesses to refine software throughout development.

Business leaders can research custom software examples in their relevant industry to learn how DevOps culture streamlines development.

DevOps Implementation & The Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC)

DevOps implementation impacts all aspects of the software development lifecycle (SDLC), from planning and designing to testing and deployment.

Here are some of the core features of DevOps that are commonly applied throughout the software development lifecycle:

• Infrastructure as Code (IaC): This concept allows for the provision and support of computing using infrastructure automation tools to enhance operating systems and databases.
• Automation of processes: DevOps success relies on robust automation throughout the SDLC, from code integration to automated testing processes.
• Secure data management: Data protection and security are fundamental to DevOps principles, which aim to deliver safe and reliable software releases for end users.

We will discuss these aspects in more detail as we explain the process of creating a DevOps implementation roadmap for your project.

Creating A DevOps Implementation Plan (Step-By-Step)

Whether you are beginning the minimum viable product development process or developing a full-scale application, a DevOps implementation plan is essential.

Here’s a breakdown of the key steps needed for a complete DevoPS implementation strategy and how it guides the software development process.

Step 1: Define DevOps Business Goals

Regardless of the nature of a software development project, defining clear goals at the outset lays the foundation for the following steps.

This goal-setting begins at the top of the organization, ascertaining the pain points and other bottlenecks the DevOps process will address.

Once these desired outcomes have been clarified, key metrics can be established that developers and clients can track over time.

Key performance indicators (KPIs) can encompass all aspects of the DevOps strategy, driving development toward essential milestones.

This stage can assist with everything from hiring developers for a startup to revamping existing software to improve business operations.

Step 2: Create A DevOps Strategy

Once business leaders have approved a DevOps initiative, it is time to create a DevOps strategy that aligns all parties toward a common goal.

This stage focuses on creating a roadmap for the project, with strong alignment in communication and collaboration between departments.

Strategy formulation covers a range of sub-categories, including integration processes, anticipated delivery speed, and desired scalability.

It should be designed for modification at various stages of the development process, with monitoring tools to improve flexibility.

Outlining the distribution of roles and responsibilities is essential when creating a DevOps strategy and prioritizing team collaboration.

During this stage, referring to the latest software development best practices should facilitate the project’s smooth running.

Step 3: Containerize Applications

The application of containerization is critical for ensuring software reliability across various processes throughout the development lifecycle.

Containerization allows the individual software elements to function independently of the overall infrastructure without any dependencies.

This method allows data libraries, configuration files, binaries, and other frameworks to be segregated from the host operating system.

With this, developers can easily facilitate regular deployment across multiple environments and isolate specific microservices within dedicated containers.

One of the key steps in DevOps implementation is a process that rapidly enhances developers’ flexibility in responding to client changes and updates.

The process is sometimes referred to as “dockerization,” which is the act of creating a Docker container for an application.

Applicable to MVP software development and full-scale applications, containerization reduces security risks while enhancing resource efficiency.

Step 4: Use CI/CD Tools To Integrate Infrastructure

Once an application has been containerized, the developers must integrate infrastructure automation tools with CI/CD tools.

Integrating a continuous integration and continuous delivery pipeline impacts the software development workflow significantly.

Developers frequently adopt CI/CD tools, including Jenkins, GoCD, and Bamboo, to resolve effective configuration management and deployment issues.

CI/CD tools automate elements of the development lifecycle, optimizing code integration for faster and more reliable delivery.

While continuous integration refers to automated code changes through a shared repository, continuous delivery applies to software delivery.

These can also be complemented with continuous deployment tools that entirely automate the software’s release and push code changes to production.

New developments in DevOps practices are further improving CI/CD processes, such as low-code and no-code platforms.

Step 5: Apply Enhanced Test Automation Tools

Quality assurance and testing are other critical aspects of implementing DevOps practices in software development.

While automated testing plays a significant role, developers balance this with hands-on manual testing to assess certain aspects of performance.

For example, the development team will apply functional software testing to ascertain the quality of aspects such as the user interface and experience.

This approach can include adopting black-box testing techniques and comparing actual software behaviors with its functional requirements.

Some other approaches to testing that developers use when creating software include:

• Unit testing: This process involves testing individual software components and modules in isolation from the core architecture.
• System testing: Contrasting unit testing, system testing applies to the application as a whole, verifying it meets client requirements.
• Regression testing: Once an application has been launched, regression testing is applied to ensure updates have not introduced bugs to the baseline system.
• User acceptance testing: This approach aligns with customer satisfaction and feedback, drawing on the end-users’ experience with the live application.

Automated testing complements hands-on testing with rapid testing, which minimizes the risk of human errors and the time required for completion.

Testing begins when functional software builds are available, continuing throughout development and after the application has been released.

Step 6: Monitor Performance Through Continuous Delivery

The software development timeline does not end once an application has been launched, as monitoring is key to long-term success.

Continuous delivery allows DevOps teams to track performance, check for new bugs, and troubleshoot other issues.

Post-launch performance can be assessed through key metrics, such as user growth, sales, and engagement, driving future updates.

Other critical indicators developers use, such as performance speed and failure statistics, also help improve software post-release.

The process is also highly customer-centric, and feedback loops are implemented to gather real-world insights and identify areas for growth.

As the software scales to reach a larger audience, clients and developers can refine the product further through meetings and in-depth retrospectives.

Best Practices For Successful DevOps Implementation

DevOps implementation sits at the heart of the bespoke software development process, with reliable developers adhering to a series of best practices.

Here are some of the industry-leading practices applied to DevOps implementation to deliver successful software projects:

• Incorporating Agile project management: DevOps implementation is oriented around flexibility. Combined with Agile project management, it strengthens the iterative approach throughout the project.
• Prioritizing customer satisfaction: Continuous monitoring and feedback mechanisms deliver deep insights into the user experience, helping to put customer satisfaction front and center.
• Establishing key metrics: Clear key metrics, such as key performance indicators (KPIs), provide actionable insights and are essential to successfully implementing DevOps. They ensure observability is fully integrated into procedures through well-defined and measurable data.

The DevOps journey ensures a responsive development process by aligning and refining your company culture with development teams.

Learn more: The most popular software development models explained.

How To Choose A DevOps Team Partner

Businesses looking to create applications must hire software developers who understand DevOps and its application to their industry.

When selecting a DevOps team for your project, consider these factors:

• Familiarity with your business’s industry: Finding a reputable outsourced development team means verifying their expertise and track record in your field. Most developers include testimonials and relevant industry experience that you can check on their website.
• Software development team structure: Different projects require various team compositions depending on the complexity and need for specialization. You can verify each developer’s services to ensure they match your requirements.
• Management and software development methodologies: Aligning your teams with outsourced developers means matching software development methodologies with internal processes. If you are not using Agile, check which approaches the provider uses for the software development cycle.
• Team collaboration and communication tools: Communication and collaboration tools must also be aligned between clients and developers to allow for ongoing discussions. This system includes video conference tools and other software for sharing design documents and presentations.

Before deciding which software development partner is best for your project, arrange a consultation to discuss your objectives and budget.

Popular DevOps Tools

From automating repetitive tasks to implementing continuous integration, DevOps incorporates a range of critical tools to ensure success.

Here are some of the most popular DevOps tools used throughout a project’s development:

• Version control: Tracking and analyzing code changes is fundamental to improving delivery speed. DevOps tools like GitHub and GitLab are often used to manage version history and enable collaboration.
• Build management: Compiling, testing, and packaging code is another core aspect of the DevOps model. Tools such as Jenkins and Maven help the development team with these processes.
• Configuration management: Software developers use various configuration management tools, including Ansible and Puppet, to guarantee consistent environments and infrastructure management.
• Containerization: Packaging applications into containers streamlines deployment and enhances scalability, with tools like Docker and Kubernetes simplifying the process while providing resilience.

Partnering with established development and operations teams ensures the use of these cutting-edge tools throughout the software lifecycle.

The Future Of DevOps: The Rise Of DevSecOps & AIOps

New cutting-edge approaches are emerging as DevOps practices become increasingly embedded in the software development process.

One key area refining the DevOps framework is DevSecOps, which introduces security to development and operations teams.

This model ensures developers approach projects with an eye on addressing security vulnerabilities throughout the project.

Combining collaboration and automation, DevSecOps incorporates security countermeasures into the code integration and delivery pipeline.

Another area in which DevOps is responding to new emerging technologies is AIOps, which refers to artificial intelligence for IT operations.

AIOps draws on big data, machine learning, and AI-driven automation tools to allow developers to detect anomalies and determine causality.

With the role of artificial intelligence in the software development cycle expanding, AIOps will play an increasing role in the overall process.

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Create Your DevOps Implementation Plan With MyDevTeam

MyDevTeam’s expert engineers offer experience creating comprehensive applications for various business goals.

Partnering with MyDevTeam for software development outsourcing delivers the following services:

• Complete DevOps implementation roadmap: Collaborating with MyDevTeam allows you to create a detailed software development plan that fully aligns with your core business objectives.
• Full-stack cross-platform development: Reaching the most extensive user base possible requires developing software for all device types, and MyDevTeam delivers this through cross-platform development.
• Flexible communication and collaboration processes: Communication is key to success, and MyDevTeam’s flexible approach to collaboration ensures it matches your internal business operations.
• Real-time performance monitoring and logging: MyDevTeam integrates the CI/CD pipeline throughout projects to track real-time performance and address issues before they impact users.

With experience in major sectors such as healthcare, finance, entertainment, and logistics, MyDevTeam delivers results where they matter most.

Summary

Development and operations are increasingly intertwined, and the leading software developers utilize DevOps to deliver reliable software.

This guide can help businesses create a DevOps implementation plan that matches their resources and aligns internal processes with developers.

By consulting with a DevOps team, you can ensure repetitive tasks are automated and continuous improvement is delivered throughout the project’s development.