What is DevOps

In this lesson, we explore the concept of DevOps, its practical applications, and how it supports your certification preparation. A high-level understanding of DevOps is crucial for succeeding in today’s technology careers.

DevOps is often surrounded by buzzwords and differing opinions. For clarity, we follow Microsoft's industry-aligned definition:

DevOps is a union of people, processes, and products that work together to quickly deliver value to users.

The emphasis is on delivering value—not just fast software development, but ensuring the software effectively solves user problems and improves their lives.

People, Processes, and Products

DevOps begins with people. It’s not simply about merging development and operations teams; it’s about forming cross-functional teams that work closely together toward common goals.

Processes are equally important. Efficient and agile workflows, combined with data-driven performance measurement, empower teams to identify successes and refine their methods continuously.

Finally, products—in the form of automation and observability tools—play a vital role. These tools drive practices like continuous integration and continuous delivery, which are central to DevOps success.

Azure DevOps exemplifies these principles by integrating planning, development, testing, deployment, and operational tools into a unified platform.

The Value Stream

A fundamental concept in DevOps is the value stream—the complete process of transforming ideas into products or services that deliver customer value. This includes every step from the original idea through development, testing, and final deployment.

For further insights, refer to The DevOps Handbook, which introduces the three core principles of DevOps adoption:

1. Enhancing Flow through the Value Stream:
   Optimize the entire process by mapping and measuring workflows to identify and eliminate bottlenecks, paving the way for a smooth and rapid path to production.

2. Feedback:
   Automate monitoring to quickly identify failures. Combine machine-generated alerts and human insights, using user feedback to refine products and processes.

3. Continual Learning and Experimentation:
   Foster an environment where testing new ideas is encouraged. Embrace failures as learning opportunities and use a scientific approach for continuous improvement.

The Application Lifecycle

The application lifecycle spans from the inception of an idea to its deployment and maintenance. DevOps influences the following stages: Plan, Develop, Deliver, and Operate. These phases interrelate and are not confined to specific roles.

• Plan:
  Teams review backlogs, prioritize features, and define acceptance criteria using agile methodologies and tracking tools (for example, those available in Azure DevOps).

• Develop:
  This phase focuses on coding, testing, and integrating new software. The goal is to accelerate development while ensuring quality, security, and stability.

• Deliver:
  After verification, the software is deployed into production through controlled stages and checks, ensuring only thoroughly vetted artifacts are released.

• Operate:
  Post-deployment, teams monitor and maintain the software to ensure high availability and reliability.

From Waterfall to DevOps

Traditional software development followed the waterfall model, where features were developed and deployed months after conception. However, as software complexity increased, this model revealed its limitations. The demand for faster delivery and improved reliability sparked the adoption of DevOps.

Previously, developers would finish their work and "throw it over the wall" to IT, causing delays and inefficiencies. In 2009, the term DevOps emerged, breaking down these barriers and fostering a collaborative environment where development and operations share common objectives.

Today, DevOps enables rapid delivery of valuable software—a user’s idea can transform into a functional feature within the same week. Importantly, DevOps emphasizes not just speed, but the consistent delivery of measurable value through the integration of people, processes, and products coupled with continuous flow, feedback, and experimentation.