Introduction to DevOps Engineering
DevOps is a shorthand for development operations. DevOps engineers are responsible for deploying and maintaining the infrastructure that runs code developers have written. Furthermore, they are responsible for the tools that allow developers to quickly deploy new code, modify infrastructure requirements, and for the soluble delivery of information provided by an application or service.
DevOps was first coined by an administrator working for a UK-based financial services company. The administration team was responsible for both development and operations, and they found that using the same tools and processes for both departments improved communication and collaboration.
In its simplest form, DevOps brings together people, processes, and technology to deliver value faster and more effectively.
What Does a DevOps Engineer Do?
A DevOps engineer ensures that code can be quickly and efficiently deployed to production systems with minimal errors. To do this, they must have a strong understanding of development and operations. Furthermore, they must be able to work with various teams to automate tasks, build tools, and create
Critical Tasks of DevOps Engineers
DevOps is somewhat of a new role, and the tasks performed will depend on the size of the company, the team, and the projects/applications deployed. However, we believe that the tasks outlined below accurately represent the expectations of mid to large-scale companies.
Project Management
DevOps Engineers understand applications and what infrastructure requirements must be met to get them to the end users. Therefore, they often fall under the project management umbrella and spend a lot of their time creating strategic implementation plans, managing the requirement/expectations of various teams, and ensuring a proper workflow is completed before deployment. Once a path forward is defined, DevOps engineers will ensure timely deployment and monitoring of the underlying infrastructure. They will report to various stakeholders should any issues arise due to the deployment or code changes.
Code Improvement & Debugging
Working with development teams, DevOps engineers analyze code to find areas of improvement. They also work with developers to debug code before it is deployed to production systems. Furthermore, they create and maintain various tools that allow developers to quickly and efficiently deploy new code without causing errors in production systems.
Cybersecurity and Risk Assessment
DevOps engineers are responsible for the security of the systems they work on. They often work with other teams, such as network and security professionals, to ensure that all system vulnerabilities are patched promptly. Furthermore, DevOps engineers perform risk assessments regularly to identify potential threats to the company's infrastructure.
Automation & Tooling
As mentioned earlier, DevOps engineers are responsible for automating various tasks. This includes the creation of various scripts and tools that allow developers to quickly and efficiently deploy code changes without causing errors in production systems. Furthermore, they often work with other teams, such as testing and operations, to ensure that all automated processes are working correctly.
Key Tools for DevOps Engineering
There are a variety of tools that DevOps engineers use to automate tasks, build tools, and create workflow. Here are some of the most popular:
- Git: A distributed version control system that is used to track code changes.
- Jenkins: An open-source automation server that is used to automate various tasks, such as building and deploying code changes.
- Ansible: A configuration management tool that is used to automate various tasks, such as provisioning and configuring servers.
- Puppet: A configuration management tool that is used to automate various tasks, such as provisioning and configuring servers.
- Chef: A configuration management tool that is used to automate various tasks, such as provisioning and configuring servers.
- Nagios: A monitoring tool that is used to monitor various systems and applications for errors or performance issues.
- Docker: A containerization platform that is used to package and deploy applications.Kubernetes: An orchestration platform that is used to manage a cluster
- Kubernetes: An orchestration platform used to manage a cluster of Docker containers.
- Terraform: A tool used to provision and manage infrastructure.
What Are The Education Requirements To Become a DevOps Engineer?
The education requirements for DevOps engineers will vary depending on the company and position. However, we believe a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field is a good starting point. Furthermore, experience with various programming languages, such as Java, C++, and/or Python, is also helpful.
What Are The Skills Required To Become a DevOps Engineer?
Below are some of the skills that are required to become a DevOps engineer:
- Programming Languages: As mentioned earlier, experience with various programming languages, such as Java and Python, is helpful.
- Automation Tools: Experience with various automation tools, such as Jenkins and Ansible, is also helpful.
- Configuration Management: Experience with various configuration management tools, such as Puppet and Chef, is also helpful.
- Monitoring Tools: Experience with various monitoring tools, such as Nagios and New Relic, is also helpful.
- Networking: Knowledge of various networking concepts, such as DNS and TCP/IP, is also helpful.
- Storage: Knowledge of various storage concepts, such as RAID and LVM, is also helpful.
DevOps engineer salary
The average salary for a DevOps engineer is $140,000 per year. However, salaries will vary depending on the company, position, and location.
Frequently asked questions about DevOps engineering
Do DevOps engineers code?
Most DevOps engineers need to have some coding experience.
What is a typical day for a DevOps engineer?
A typical day for a DevOps engineer may include writing code, automating tasks, monitoring systems, and responding to incidents.
Which soft skills does a DevOps engineer need?
Some of the soft skills that DevOps engineers need include communication, collaboration, and problem-solving.
DevOps Engineers and Other Closely Related Roles
Site Reliability Engineers (SRE) vs DevOps Engineers
Although there is some overlap between the two roles, there are also some key differences. SREs focus on availability and scalability, while DevOps engineers focus on automation and efficiency.
Systems Administrators vs DevOps Engineers
Systems administrators are responsible for the day-to-day operations of a system. They may also be responsible for provisioning and configuring servers. On the other hand, DevOps engineers are responsible for automating various tasks, such as building and deploying code changes.
Software Developers vs DevOps Engineers
Software developers are responsible for developing software applications. On the other hand, DevOps engineers are responsible for automating various tasks, such as building and deploying code changes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, DevOps engineers automate various tasks, such as provisioning and configuring servers. They also need to have experience with various programming languages and automation tools. Furthermore, they need to communicate effectively and collaborate with other team members. Finally, the average salary for a DevOps engineer is $140,000 per year.
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