Just thinking about the title, “Development and Operations Engineer” (DevOps), you might recognize the position as a bridge between the creation and deployment of a complicated software product. TechTarget says, “A DevOps Engineer must know how to manage the IT infrastructure that’s needed to support software code in dedicated, multi-tenant or hybrid cloud environments.”
Some of the tasks associated with a DevOps Engineer include:
- Provision the hardware and software resources needed to deploy a digital product
- Roadmap digital product deployment
- Develop testing protocols to validate product release
- Monitor the performance of the digital product after launch
If it sounds like a complex and interesting role, that’s because it is; the DevOps Engineer must bridge any gaps between the technology applications (both hardware and software), the people that build it, and the end users that consume/use the applications.
It takes a special set of skills to be a DevOps Engineer. Here are a few that are necessary to do the job well.
Top Three DevOps Engineer Skills
Adaptability
DevOps Engineers are pretty flexible people, generally. That may be because they have to work with software developers who build the product and the testers and end users who actually use the product. The whole process hinges upon the ability of the DevOps Engineer to constantly innovate the tools used to deploy software. Software technology constantly changes and it is the DevOps Engineers role to stay on top of what’s new and faddish versus what tools can really help the next deployment go smoothly. Also, the DevOps Engineer must balance the sometimes conflicting needs of the end user community that wants the best product, and the developers that are trying to hit management’s objective to complete the project on time. Finally, the DevOps Engineer must also know a little bit (and sometimes a lot) about both the hardware and the software world.
Security Knowledge
One look at the nightly news will tell you the security of our digital devices is increasingly under attack from hackers. One big skill the DevOps Engineer must have in this environment is the working knowledge of the best security practices and tools to keep the end users data safe. Hackers work hard to undermine our best efforts to block them from sensitive corporate information, and one of the first lines of defense for any new software is the DevOps Engineer. That means the scripting and coding produced by a DevOps Engineer must be clean enough to avoid introducing any new vulnerability into the software. Baking security right into the digital solution, and testing for security vulnerabilities along the product development lifecycle, makes for a more resilient digital solution that will have a higher likelihood of thwarting hackers from compromising it in the future.
Programming Skills
A DevOps Engineer must also be a competent coder. They should know a few languages to be able to script enough in Java, Python, Ruby or Docker to be able to do things like assigning IP addresses or DNS codes, writing plugins, or for enabling build, test and deployment automation along the continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) product lifecycle. They should also know enough to spot errors in the code with the goal of improving the end product release.
Becoming a DevOps Engineer
For computer nerds seeking a role in the DevOps field, it’s important to know these roles are highly in demand and worth the investment of time it takes to become an expert in the role.
Blackstone Technology Group works closely with DevOps professionals and the companies that hire them. To find out more, contact us.