Outsourcing DevOps can help businesses improve their software delivery process, but it’s important to do your research and choose the right partner.
What is DevOps?
DevOps practices can be vital to improve the software development process. However, not every business has the resources or expertise to implement DevOps internally. This is where the concept of DevOps outsourcing becomes invaluable.
Learn more about the mechanics of DevOps outsourcing, as we shed light on its benefits and provide insights on initiating your DevOps journey.
In essence, DevOps is a collaborative approach that unites development and operations teams, and is considered to be an evolution of Agile with an increased focus on delivery, collaboration, and maintenance. Teams work in tandem using a particular methodology to achieve a set of pivotal goals:
- Increase speed and agility in software delivery.
- Improve quality and reliability of software.
- Reduce costs.
DevOps breaks down silos between teams, allowing them to work together to automate and streamline the software development process. This includes everything from ideation to deployment.
Why is DevOps important?
DevOps practices are all about automation and agility. A collaborative environment for development and IT operations teams to get products to market faster, by designing, testing, and deploying in shorter periods of time than the traditional software development lifecycle. Implementing DevOps means the possibility of scalability, improved security, reliability and specifically rapid deployment while upholding top-notch software quality.
DevOps enables businesses to:
- Stay ahead of the competition.
- Meet the demands of customers.
- Reduce risk.
The ability to swiftly and effectively deliver software and applications is essential for businesses to move forward. DevOps can help you on this journey by dismantling the barriers between development and operations teams for an efficient workflow.
DevOps Best Practices
These are recommended practices to effectively implement DevOps and make sure that the project is operational:
Continuous Integration (CI): a primary best practice for DevOps where you automate the integration of code changes from all developers into a central repository, where builds and tests are run. This helps teams improve code quality and reduce risk.
Continuous delivery (CD): this is the next step in software pipeline automation. The process of manually approving deployment of all your code changes to a testing or production environment.
CI and CD constitute the CI/CD pipeline. Focused on automation and speed, CI/CD is a pillar of the DevOps methodology.
Continuous Deployment: this is a stage further than continuous delivery, and every change that passes all steps of the production pipeline is automatically released to the customer, with no need for manual approval. The goal is to release new versions to end-users as soon as developers make changes.
Infrastructure as code (IaC): is an IT infrastructure management process that codifies the project’s infrastructure resources into text files and committed to a version control system, through cloud infrastructure hosting platforms.
Can DevOps be outsourced?
Absolutely. DevOps outsourcing is a strategic move adopted by numerous organizations that wish to tap into external expertise while allowing their internal teams to concentrate on core business operations. DevOps outsourcing can also be ideal for organizations that want to eventually develop DevOps expertise in-house but lack the expertise or capabilities right now.
How does DevOps outsourcing work?
Engaging in DevOps outsourcing entails enlisting the services of a third-party software development services company. As DevOps requires a unique mindset, particular tools and practices, and the breaking down of siloed teams, your outsourcing partner should be willing to work closely with your in-house team to guide them through the adoption of a DevOps culture.
Once the basics have been addressed, the teams can get started building and implementing a strategy to achieve the project’s goals using DevOps.
Why is it sometimes tricky to outsource DevOps?
There are a few reasons why it can be tricky to outsource DevOps. First, DevOps is a nuanced practice, requiring a new way of looking at software development. It is often referred to as a culture or a mindset that teams need to adopt before they can start realizing the true benefits of DevOps. Concepts and culture can be complex learnings in short-term, project-centric outsourcing engagements.
Another reason is that DevOps focuses on the seamless collaboration between disparate teams, and automation, which will eventually streamline processes and ease friction, but it can be challenging to implement for the first time or without expert help. If your outsourcing partner is not willing to collaborate or share their insights, your teams will have a hard time recognizing the value of DevOps or adopting it.
Benefits of outsourcing your DevOps team
Outsourcing your DevOps team carries a multitude of advantages:
- Cost savings: reducing expenditures related to salaries, benefits, and training.
- Access to experts: Outsourced DevOps services give you access to seasoned experts. Their skills and experience become pivotal in successfully implementing DevOps.
Faster time to market: DevOps outsourcing can act as a catalyst, propelling your software or applications to market quicker.
DevOps outsourcing vs in-house DevOps team
Navigating the choice between outsourcing DevOps and establishing an in-house team involves weighing several factors:
- Budget considerations: outsourcing could result in higher costs, depending on the length of the project. However, with nearshoring outsourcing partners that work on more economical locations, project costs can be lower than building a permanent in-house team.
- Complexity of needs: If your DevOps requirements are intricate, you could do with a specialized in-house team. If you lack the internal expertise, or just require specialists for specific projects, you could broaden your talent pool through outsourcing and find a more capable workforce.
- Organizational culture: A collaborative culture may facilitate successful DevOps outsourcing. If your teams are extremely siloed, a good outsourcing partner will provide the possibility of integrating into your existing development team to foster a more collaborative culture, essential for success in DevOps practices.
| Aspect | DevOps Outsourcing | In-House DevOps Team |
| Expertise | Access to specialized DevOps expertise from experienced providers. | Internal team’s expertise may not cover DevOps, however, they have a deeper understanding of company-specific operations. |
| Cost | Potential cost savings due to lower overhead and scalability. | Higher initial costs and fixed salaries. |
| Flexibility | Easily scale up or down based on project needs. | Fixed team size and resource allocation. |
| Responsiveness | Quick response times, especially when nearshoring. | May have response limitations outside of regular work hours. |
| Management | Outsourced provider handles HR, recruitment, and management. | Requires internal HR and management efforts. |
| Onboarding Time | Rapid onboarding with pre-trained professionals. | Longer onboarding process for new hires. |
| Control | Slightly less control over day-to-day operations. | Complete control over team and workflow. |
| Collaboration | May require additional coordination with external teams. | Seamless integration with other in-house departments. |
| Risk | Shared responsibility with the outsourcing provider, depending on the contract. | Internal team, risk rests entirely on the organization. |
| Communication | Effective communication tools and practices are crucial. | Easier internal communication and knowledge transfer. |
Keep in mind that the choice between these models should align with your specific project requirements and business goals.
How to do it
If you decide to outsource DevOps, there’s no better time to get started as finding and deciding on the right partner may take awhile. When you start your search, be sure to take into account the following points::
- Find the right partner: The DevOps outsourcing landscape is full of exceptional, experienced firms. Invest time in thorough research to pinpoint a partner that aligns with your specific needs.
- Onboard and train your team well: This crucial process will equip your internal team with a foundational understanding of DevOps and how to collaborate with the outsourced team.
Considering DevOps outsourcing to enhance your software delivery process? Before making a decision, it’s crucial to carefully evaluate the pros and cons.
If you’re intrigued and want to know more about DevOps outsourcing, connect with Ceiba Software today. We’re here to assist you in assessing your needs and finding the optimal solution for your business.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is DevOps outsourcing?
A: DevOps outsourcing is a strategic collaboration where businesses join forces with external providers or specialized teams to handle aspects of their DevOps workflow. It spans tasks from development and testing to integration, deployment, and monitoring.
Q: What are the benefits of DevOps outsourcing?
A: The benefits of DevOps outsourcing include:
- Cost Savings: Significant reductions in expenses as you pay for services rather than maintaining full-time positions.
- Access to Experts: Gain the expertise of seasoned DevOps professionals versed in best practices and the latest technologies.
- Faster Time to Market: Accelerate software deployment, minimizing time to market.
Q: Can DevOps work with outsourced development?
A: Absolutely. DevOps encourages seamless collaboration with outsourced development teams. By partnering with a specialized DevOps team, you can streamline the software development life cycle, ensuring continuous delivery with optimal software quality.
Q: How are AWS and DevOps related?
A: Amazon Web Services (AWS) and DevOps share a close relationship. AWS offers an array of cloud computing services and tools that align with DevOps practices. DevOps teams frequently leverage AWS for development, testing, deployment, and monitoring. AWS services like Amazon EC2, AWS CodePipeline, and AWS CloudFormation seamlessly integrate into DevOps workflows, enabling automation, scalability, and continuous delivery.
