What is DevOps, Anyway?

DevOps Definition

Firstly, DevOps is a buzzword. The word does not have an "official," internationally recognized definition. DevOps effectively means whatever you want it to mean.

As a vague concept, it could encompass organization structure, technologies and methods used, processes, policies, procedures, release schedules, and many other things.

Knowing all this, the question really is "What does DevOps mean to me or my organization?" Answer this question and you've made the firest step torard turning a buzzword into reality.

"What Does it Mean to Me?"

Think about the questions below when considering what DevOps means to you...

1. Does DevOps mean combining development and operations into one team, as the term implies?

2. Does it mean something more holistic? Something that goes well beyond organization structure and includes pretty much everything?

3. Is it something in between? Something that may or may not require reorganization? Something that has the potential to improve the quality of your product or service, delivered on time?

4. Think about the goals in your organization and how your current processes either help toward that goal, inhibit progress, or have no effect.

5. what you would like to see in your organization? What process and/or technology improvements would make things better?

6. Is your organization stuck in "reactive" mode all the time, never seeming to have time to make things better?

Think about all of this as objectively as possible. It is also a good idea to ask someone who knows you and your organization to provide objective feedback about these things.

Back to Defining DevOps

In summary, you define DevOps in a way that suites your needs and the needs of your organization best.