Should You Hire A DevOps Engineer For Your Business? DevOps engineers play a critical role in many organizations and software development teams. But is it really worth hiring these IT specialists? Before we dig deep into the details, let’s get to know more about DevOps engineers.
What is a DevOps Engineer?
The term DevOps combines two vital software development processes– “development” and “operations”. Typically, these processes are implemented by two separate teams. But as the roles of these teams merged, it has quickly morphed into a unique skill set among IT professionals.
Instead of exclusively specializing in “Dev” or “Ops”, the DevOps engineer is skilled in both disciplines. Their versatility enables them to guide development teams in improving their codes as well as help companies improve their existing IT solutions.
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Interestingly, DevOps engineering is a relatively new role and skill. In fact, there is still no industry standard that specifies the educational and experience requirements for this post; as well as their specific roles in an organization. In general, the DevOps engineer is someone who:
- is knowledgeable with the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC);
- has extensive experience in various automation testing tools for developing continuous integration and continuous delivery processes; and
- has communication and management skills for leading the DevOps team.
Research reveals that organizations with DevOps engineers at the help are more productive, with 30 times coding output as compared to their competitors.
DevOps engineers are brought in to improve the software and IT teams’ processes and productivity. These specialists are essential in scaling tech businesses but are also in demand in various industries such as healthcare, finance, hospitality, and manufacturing.
DevOps engineers facilitate communication between team members and foster collaboration among vital stakeholders. The primary goal of hiring DevOps specialists in your team is to improve efficiency and ensure a seamless s development cycle.
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Pros and Cons of Hiring DevOps Engineer
But while DevOps is a trending position, it entails a significant investment. You’re probably wondering whether you should hire a DevOps engineer for your business or stick with your organizational structure. Here we take a look at its benefits and drawbacks.
Collaboration
A collaborative approach is vital to successful software development. It ensures a bug-free code and an end-product that is responsive to the needs of end-users. DevOps engineers facilitate collaboration among all team members and stakeholders. Their expertise in both the development and operations aspects enables them to quickly resolve issues as they arise and ensure quality throughout the process.
Tech innovation
To keep up with the rapidly evolving tech trends, businesses need the expertise of a DevOps engineer. This IT specialist can help deploy innovative solutions, improve codes, release new features, and initiate upgrades quicker. They can help businesses transition to more effective systems or platforms like the Kubernetes platform. Furthermore, they see to it that every step and aspect of SDLC is carefully planned and coordinated.
Increased productivity
DevOps engineers enable the development team to do numerous tasks at a time with ease, thereby optimizing efficiency and productivity. The business can meet the demands and expectations of clients. This ensures exceptional customer experience and boosts satisfaction.
Although hiring a DevOps engineer in your team brings many rewards, it also comes with challenges, such as:
Cost
One of the major concerns of businesses when it comes to DevOps is the cost of hiring. The average entry-level salary of a DevOps engineer in the US is around $7,500. Alternatively, a business can choose to outsource DevOps functions or work with freelancers or remote workers which often offer lower rates.
Difficulty recruiting
Considering that DevOps is a relatively new specialty, recruiting and hiring DevOps professionals with knowledge and experience in this field can be a challenge. Likewise, the high demand for DevOps makes them a rare talent.
Potential disruptions
Transferring or implementing a new architecture or system entails a lot of complications for many businesses. As the business migrates to a new platform or re-builds applications, existing processes can be affected and even disrupted. Transitions often require updates with operations. Because of these potential challenges, many businesses shun hiring DevOps engineers.
Overlapping roles
In some organizations with mature development and operations teams, the position of a DevOps engineer can be seen as redundant and even unnecessary. Highly experienced system administrators and software engineers can take over these roles.
Final Thoughts
As with any other IT initiative, hiring DevOps engineers involves many pros and cons. But considering how DevOps specialists can bring efficiency and productivity in the software development process, the advantages outweigh the perceived disadvantages.
Hello, My name is Shari & I am a writer for the ‘Outlook AppIns’ blog. I’m a CSIT graduate & I’ve been working in the IT industry for 3 years.