DevOps adoption continues to pick up steam, KMS survey finds
DevOps, the integration of IT staff and software developers, continues to acquire momentum as organizations seek to deliver quicker time-to-market applications with lower costs and better quality. That is the conclusion of a recent survey taken by KMS Technology aimed at providing clarity to the aims and hurdles IT professionals face during deployments.
The survey was conducted in September and included the responses of more than 200 developers. Approximately 79% of respondents said switching to a DevOps model enabled them to reach their main goal. Generally, 43% of respondents said they had a “very positive” impression of DevOps before making the switch, which increased to 51% after completing the transition.
One of the main takeaways of the survey is the success of a DevOps transition is largely determined by how much companies plan ahead of time, especially in terms of knowledge financial availability, human resources and potential limitations. Some of the key challenges companies said they faced while making the switch included a lack of understanding concerning DevOps operations among IT professionals, little support from executive staff, an inability to define goals clearly, and a lack of understanding regarding available financial and human resources,
The survey also found setting clear goals like improving time-to-production, boosting collaboration between IT and other lines of businesses, and enhancing software deployments helped ease the transition to a DevOps culture. Most migrations highlighted in the survey were smooth with 85% taking a year or less to complete. Approximately 44% of these transitions cost in the ballpark of $100,000 to $500,000. Approximately 40% of respondents said they anticipate their DevOps budget could potentially increase by 25% next year.
“DevOps offers an opportunity for IT organizations to improve communication and collaboration with lines of business, and the ability to automate various software development processes,” says Josh Lieberman, president of KMS Technology.
“But a smooth transition depends on the support of senior management, the experience of in-house staff, working with the right external partner as needed, thoughtful tool selection and sufficient training. DevOps deployments also should not be rushed or underfunded. The survey results are consistent with feedback we’ve received from clients who have undergone similar transitions.”
