DevOps is no longer just another IT buzzword. For more than a decade, leading businesses, including major companies like Amazon, Netflix and Adobe and many others have been adopting the methodology to become more agile in their software development projects. In fact, 83% of IT decision-makers are already implementing the DevOps approach to unlock higher business value. And for tech startups, DevOps can be a game-changer, 10% of successful ones attribute their triumph to this powerful methodology. Without a doubt, now is the time to embrace the full power of this technique! But what is DevOps for startups? DevOps revolutionalizes your software development process and shortens its life cycle by integrating and deploying code changes automatically, without affecting code quality. It is a vital ingredient for success which also helps to save money, time, and resources. If you are keen on learning how this methodology can help your startup business, continue reading. In this blog, we’ll provide insights on how to scale your operations using DevOps for small teams! Let’s get started! The Role of DevOps in a Startup DevOps enhances business efficiency of startups. For example, it ensures that new products are developed in a timely manner and that these new products and features can get out of the door into the market quickly and efficiently. It also encourages improved collaboration between development and operations teams. All new products/ features will be of high quality, meeting the needs of users. Benefits of Adopting the DevOps Approach in Startup The DevOps approach can offer several benefits to startups. The primary benefits of DevOps adoption in projects include: Accelerated Innovation The traditional approach to software development can be very slow and cumbersome, especially for small ventures who are trying to move as quickly as possible. However, DevOps, enables small teams to work collaboratively. It also automates cumbersome tasks, and speeds up the production process, resulting in faster time to market and competitive advantage. Saves Time DevOps adoption can help organizations save time by eliminating bottlenecks in the flow of information between developers, testers, and operations engineers. This streamlined process can significantly shorten development times. Improve Collaboration DevOps can also improve collaboration between teams – developers (DEV) and operations (OPs). By breaking down silos and improving communication, it’s easier for these teams to work together effectively. This can lead to better products and improved delivery. Better Product Understanding Another vital benefit of DevOps for business is that it helps to create a better understanding of the product. This is because this approach takes a more holistic view of the product development process, and everyone involved is encouraged to collaborate and share knowledge, which means fewer problems with the finished product. Employee Satisfaction The collaborative work style in a DevOps environment can also translate into better interactions between team members. As a result, team members tend to be happier, which can translate into job satisfaction and better productivity. Improved Customer Satisfaction Apart from automation and collaboration, scaling your development team using DevOps also involves bringing the customer into the loop. Getting and implementing customer feedback can do a lot for your customer engagement program. Reduced Failure In a traditional development setting, code failures are only found during testing, which happens late in the process. But in a DevOps startup environment, continuous iteration means that issues can be detected and fixed quickly before it has a chance to cause major issues. Team Flexibility DevOps adoption gives startup teams the flexibility to quickly adapt to changes. This means that they can quickly adapt to changes in the market or feedback from customers and easily make changes that can be implemented faster and with fewer errors. Automation Another important benefit of DevOps is automation. This can be a huge benefit for startups, who often don’t have the manpower to do everything manually. By automating the software development process, startups can not only save time and money but also reduce the chances of human error, which can be costly in the startup world. Continuous Integration With DevOps, there’s no need to wait for large, infrequent releases. Instead, new code/ code changes can be integrated into the main codebase on a continuous basis – where automated builds and tests run – boosting the pace of production. Continuous Monitoring This helps in identifying issues as they occur so that they can be fixed on time, ensuring that the applications are always up and running. Continuous Deployment DevOps culture encourages continuous deployment. Startup teams can automatically deploy code changes to the production environment once it has passed the test stage. This way, they can get new features and fixes to users as quickly as possible. Continuous Improvement The DevOps culture also encourages the system of feedback so that teams can continually improve their process and practices. By constantly trying to improve things, you can ensure that your startup is always moving in the right direction. Automated Backup Finally, at the core of DevOps is the ease of setting up automated backups of your code and data, so you can rest assured that your valuable information is always safe. DevOps vs. IT Ops or Traditional Software Development Method The DevOps approach differs greatly from a traditional approach IT ops in many ways. Some of the differences between these two methods are. DevOps IT Ops / Traditional Software Development 1 Places emphasis on continuous delivery and deployment based on iterative, incremental, and evolutionary development. Follows the sequential development approach, e.g, Waterfall model. 2 All departments are responsible for the final release. Separate departments are individually responsible for developing, testing, and delivering. 3 Engenders a collaborative environment between developers, operations, and other stakeholders. Teams may work in silos with limited interaction. 4 Changes are automatically submitted, tested, and deployed. Tests and deployment processes are mostly manual. 5 Values customer feedback and incorporates it into the development process. Customer feedback may be gathered less frequently or not at all. 6 Results in better products and faster time to market. It takes a longer time to release a final product, with fewer updates and features. Challenges DevOps Solves for Startups Every business has challenges, and startups, with their small teams and large expectations, are not left out. This is where DevOps can help. Some of the solutions this model can deliver to startups include: Providing Value to Customers with Faster Production Delivering products on time without compromising quality is a problem many tech firms face. DevOps helps with this by bridging the gap between two formerly separate teams and automating many of the tasks that are involved in the software development process. This results in a faster production cycle, improved efficiency, and better value to end-users. Improved Quality by Automating Tests Startups are typically made up of small teams, with a lot of people wearing multiple hats. In this kind of environment, mistakes can happen, and bugs fall through the crack. But with DevOps automating many of the tasks involved in testing, mistakes are minimized, and testing improved. Higher Customer Satisfaction DevOps adoption by startups can also lead to higher customer satisfaction. Remember, DevOps also encourage collaboration with customers. This culture of collecting and implementing customer feedback can boost the production process, leading to products that meet user expectations. Cost Savings About 44% of startups fail because they run out of money, but the DevOps approach can help here too. By automating repetitive tasks and streamlining the software delivery process, startups can simultaneously reduce operations costs and development times. This can be a huge advantage in the startup world, where every dollar counts. Improved Problem Resolution Organizational friction is one of the challenges small teams face because everyone is in everyone’s space. But DevOps for startups can be the solution to this. By collaborating more closely, developers and IT professionals can identify and fix problems more quickly. DevOps Tips to Help Your Startup Succeed Running a startup can be difficult; however, there are a few ways to use DevOps to increase the chances of success. Embrace Cloud Technology Cloud-based infrastructure delivers the latency and scalability DevOps processes need. It is also easier to set up and manage, and it’s often more cost-effective than on-premises infrastructure. Use DevOps as a Service For startups, using a 3rd party DevOps as a Service (DaaS) provider will mean faster time to market and reduced costs. This is because DaaS can deliver the comprehensive set of DevOps services startups need to get up and running quickly and efficiently. Use CoE Methodology The Center of Excellence (CoE) methodology is a great way for scaling DevOps by startups. CoE can help you define your DevOps goals, build the necessary infrastructure, and establish best practices. You can use it to develop a framework for your startup to use DevOps in a more structured and coordinated way. Invest in Security Security is a critical part of any DevOps implementation. Startups should Invest in security from the very beginning to help ensure their applications and data are safe and secure. Have Strong Back-End Operations Strong back-end operations are essential for any startup that wants to succeed with DevOps. Without strong back-end operations, your startup will likely struggle to keep up with the pace of change that DevOps requires. Drivers for DevOps Adoption These days, more and more tech firms are adopting the DevOps methodology, and with good reason too. Some of the factors that drive this trend include: Enhanced Collaboration Between DEV and OPs Teams The collaborative nature of the DevOps model can help to improve relations between development and ops teams. This will help accelerate application development and delivery. Meet Quality Software Requirements Customers have certain expectations for the software product they buy and use. This puts pressure on startups to be able to continuously deliver software that is of the highest quality, and adopting the DevOps model is one of the best ways to deliver. Multi-Platform Software Deployment According to Statista, mobile devices are expected to hit 18.2 billion by 2025. Startups need to be able to deploy their software across a variety of platforms, including iOS, Android, and Windows, to take advantage of this increase in mobile technology. The DevOps approach can help them achieve this. Meet the Demand for Faster Product Release In today’s fast-paced world; startups need to be able to quickly adapt to new market trends and release software that meets the demands of their customers. This pressure to release products and leverage new markets quickly is another of the drivers of DevOps adoption. Developing and Deploying Cloud Applications DevOps makes it easy for startup teams to automate the entire software delivery pipeline, from building and testing to deployment and monitoring. This can help them meet the increasing need ensuring of cloud-based applications that are reliable and scalable. Faster Time to Market and Shorter Release Cycles Running a startup can be very competitive. It is all about who delivers first. DevOps reduces the time between development and deployment so that teams can hold a competitive advantage by delivering software updates and features more frequently, Cutting IT Costs One common denominator of all startups is limited resources; thankfully, DevOps can help them reduce operating costs by automating manual tasks and improving collaboration between the DEV and OPs team. Outsourcing DevOps Services to Save Cost One of the quickest ways startups can get started with DevOps adoption is by outsourcing. There are several benefits to outsourcing DevOps tasks, including. Reducing Training and Hiring Costs Finding and training DevOps staff can be difficult and expensive. By outsourcing DevOps tasks, you can save the money you will use to manage an in-house team full-time and channel it into other parts of your project. Access to a Global Talent Pool When startups outsource DevOps tasks, they can pick and choose team members from a global pool of qualified talents instead of struggling to work with the limited local talents. Finding Consultants with Hard-To-Find Skills Sometimes, the specifics of your project will require programmers with a specialized skill set. Unfortunately, these individuals are not always available locally. Outsourcing makes it easy to find someone with experience in the specific technology or toolset you need for your project. Over to You There’s no question that for startups whose success depends on how quickly they can iterate and release new features, DevOps has become a game changer. The benefits of DevOps for startups are numerous, as we have seen in this article, but the key to proper implementation for small and nimble teams is working with the right partner. This is where we come in at Cyber Crafts Solutions. Cyber Crafts Solutions has years of experience helping organizations leverage all the benefits of DevOps. We have a team of experts who can help you implement the right DevOps tools and practices for your organization – starting with a DevOps maturity assessment. Contact us today to learn more.
