How To Create a DevOps Implementation Roadmap

You’ve done your research and decided to use the DevOps approach for your software development process and IT operations. However, before you start tossing around terms like “continuous integration” and “containerization,” there’s an important starting point on your DevOps journey — creating a DevOps implementation roadmap.

Sure, the DevOps model is all the rage, promising improved collaboration, faster releases, and increased efficiency, but you're probably wondering, “Where do I begin?”

Without a plan, you might make some headway, but you’ll definitely encounter a few unexpected roadblocks. This article will walk you through creating your DevOps implementation roadmap.

What Is a DevOps Implementation Roadmap?

A DevOps implementation plan is your guide for transforming how you build and deliver software. It spells out where you’re starting, where you want to go, and all the important stops in between.

A DevOps implementation roadmap is a blueprint for your DevOps process. It’s a step-by-step plan that tells you what to do and when. The roadmap also tells you which DevOps tools to use, what skills to develop, and how to make developers and ops work together so they’re high-fiving instead of playing the blame game.

The Role of DevOps in Modern Software Development

Before DevOps, teams involved in developing software solutions worked in organizational silos. The development team wrote the code for a particular application or system, and once they considered their job done, they’d toss it over to the operations team. The operations team, in return, had the daunting task of ensuring this code would run smoothly in the real world. And if they found issues, they’d toss it back to the developers. Back and forth it went, like a never-ending relay race.

This led to a bunch of issues. First, it was slow. It could take ages for a new feature or a bug fix to go from an idea in someone’s head to being out there in the real world where users could benefit from it.

What’s worse, this handoff process was slow and error-prone. When something did break in production, it often took a while to figure out whose fault it was. Was it the developer’s code that caused the issue, or was it the operations team’s configuration?

When something went wrong, these teams would point fingers at each other. The developers would say, “Well, it worked on my machine,” and the testers would respond with, “Yeah, but you didn’t account for this,” and the deployers would just shrug and say, “Not my problem.”

Something needed to change. And that something was DevOps. DevOps emerged to knock down these barriers and make the software development process smoother and more efficient, with less finger-pointing. Under DevOps, developers and operations teams work closely, communicate openly, and share the responsibility for the entire software delivery process.

This is crucial in modern software development, where speed, agility, and quality are the name of the game. With customers today demanding more features, higher quality, and faster delivery, implementing DevOps is necessary. Here are some roles DevOps plays in modern software development:

• Improved Collaboration: DevOps isn't just about throwing developers and operations folks in the same room and hoping for the best. It requires them to work together by sharing knowledge and insights. This collaboration leads to better decision-making and problem-solving.
• Faster Problem Resolution: Since developers and operations teams share the responsibility, they can quickly identify and resolve the root cause of issues. This means less downtime, happier users, and fewer emergency calls to IT.
• Constant Feedback Loop: DevOps thrives on feedback. Teams regularly gather information about how the software performs in the real world. They use this feedback to make continuous improvements.
• Predictable and Reliable Releases: With DevOps, software releases become more predictable. You can plan when new features will go live, and you can be confident that they'll work as expected because you've been testing them in an environment that closely resembles production.

Key Components of a DevOps Implementation Roadmap

Now that you understand how DevOps works, let’s get into the essentials needed in an implementation plan:

Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD)

Continuous integration (CI) means that when a developer writes some code, it’s automatically tested. This helps catch problems early. Continuous delivery (CD) takes it one step further. Once your code passes all the tests (including unit testing), it’s delivered to production automatically. No more waiting weeks to get your new feature in front of users. CI and CD ensure continuous deployment of products. Think of it like baking cookies: You serve them hot as soon as they’re done. With CI/CD, your software is always fresh out of the oven, so to speak.

Monitoring and Observability

Once you’ve finished developing and launched your software, you must keep an eye (continuous monitoring) on how it’s doing in the real world. You need to see exactly what's happening inside and understand why it’s misbehaving. It’s like giving your software X-ray examinations. If something doesn’t seem right during these monitoring and observability sessions, you immediately correct it and improve your software.

Incident Management

Even with continuous monitoring, some issues may still slip through the cracks. That’s why DevOps best practices insist on having an incident management plan. When something goes wrong, such as a server crashing or a critical bug appearing in production, you need a plan to handle it. Incident management involves having clear procedures, a team ready to jump into action, and infrastructure provisioning for communication and resolution.

Infrastructure as code (IaC)

Now, imagine your software is a house. Using infrastructure as code (IaC) is like having a blueprint for that house. If you needed to build another house like the one you have, you wouldn’t build the house brick by brick every time. You would just use the blueprint to create it automatically. In the DevOps environment, IaC means setting up your servers, networks, and all the technology as code. This guarantees that you build your house the same way every time.

Steps To Create a DevOps Implementation Roadmap

Here’s how to develop a DevOps implementation plan that works for your organization’s specific needs:

Assess Your Current State of DevOps Maturity

The first step in developing a DevOps implementation roadmap involves figuring out what your organization is currently doing with DevOps. Are you starting from scratch, or do you have some DevOps practices already in place? What's working well, and what needs improvement? Look at your DevOps tools and processes and how well your teams collaborate.

If you don’t understand your current position, you might end up going in circles or missing the right path entirely. For example, if your development team already uses version control and automated continuous testing, you won't be starting from scratch. You can build upon these existing practices.

Define Goals for DevOps Implementation

The next step is to set the destination (goals) for your DevOps journey. What do you want to achieve? Do you want faster software releases, fewer bugs, or better DevOps team collaboration? Goals are your treasure map. They tell you where X marks the spot. And in this case, X is your DevOps destination. Therefore, you must ensure your goals are clear, such as “We want to reduce DevOps deployment time by 25% in the next six months.”

Create a Plan for DevOps

Now that you have a goal, it’s time to time to map your route to get to your destination. This step will involve developing a detailed plan for your DevOps implementation. Therefore, your DevOps strategy or plan must provide clear directions. It should answer the what, how, and when questions. This clarity will help keep everyone on the same page. You must also break down this plan into specific tasks and decide what DevOps infrastructure you’ll need and who will be responsible for what.

Implement and Measure

It’s time to set sail and put your plan into action. You and your team will start implementing the DevOps practices and tools you’ve mapped out. You’ll also need to set key performance indicators (KPIs). These are your landmarks. Are you getting closer to your goals? KPIs help you know if you’re on the right course or need to adjust your sails.

Continuously Improve

DevOps is a journey, not a one-time thing. It’s like an expedition. After you've set sail, you don't just sit back and relax. You keep learning, adapting, and improving. You must, therefore, regularly revisit your roadmap, tweak it as needed, and make improvements. DevOps is all about continuous learning and growth.

Evolve Your DevOps Implementation With the Perfect SaaS Tool

While implementing DevOps is crucial, you must approach it with the right strategies and tools. A SaaS tool like StatusPal comes in handy during incident management, a crucial component of DevOps. With StatusPal, you can effectively communicate incidents to your customers and stakeholders, ensuring everyone is on the same page. You’ll have access to a centralized and friendly UI status dashboard that makes reporting and maintenance as easy as pie. Sound good? Sign up for a free 14-day trial today!