Many people group DevOps and Continuous Delivery under the same hat, and think of them as essentially the same thing. However, this is not the case. The two methodologies are related, but they also have some important distinctions and critical differences. Both have an important role to play in today’s era of apps and digitisation - so let’s define each clearly.
What is DevOps?
Many of us rely on apps to organise and manage our personal, social and working lives. We communicate with others through apps, plan and book outings and holidays using apps and manage our business schedules using apps. As this era of digitisation continues to grow, it’s the organisations that can adapt that get ahead of the competition and increase their market share and profits.
DevOps is a methodology that helps organisations achieve this. The term is a combination of “development” and “operations” and it aims to work with business to build teams and build software. DevOps is not a product that you buy, but an ongoing partnership that focuses on the collaboration and communication between an organisation’s software developers, and their IT team on the ground. It combines the two and gets them working together, towards automating the process of software delivery and infrastructure.
A DevOps partnership creates a workplace culture that enables the rapid building and testing of software, and ensures the frequent and reliable deployment of it. Many organisations are already working with DevOps engineers to accelerate the delivery of their new services, which gives them a distinct advantage over their competitors who are not.
What is Continuous Delivery?
So now let’s talk about Continuous Delivery. Isn’t it also about ensuring a steady deployment of new services? Yes, but not in the same way as DevOps. Continuous delivery is used by teams who are looking for a safe and reliable way to deploy services. It’s used for repeatable and incremental software delivery, where IT teams can control the release of any changes and versions by the push of a button. This approach provides organisations with a low risk way to deliver frequently.
So although the two are related, the distinction between DevOps and Continuous Delivery is a clear one. You could think of it this way - DevOps is a thought process that drives and supports the continuous delivery of services.
What do DevOps and Continuous Delivery Have in Common?
There is some common ground between the two. Both DevOps and Continuous Delivery have a focus on lean thinking and agility and both strive to deliver changes and get services into the market faster. And importantly, for DevOps and Continuous Delivery to be successful, both rely on a close collaboration between the IT and business teams within an organisation.
What about automation - where does it fit? Automation is critical to both DevOps and Continuous Delivery. When you automate your DevOps, your business can better manage and secure Continuous Delivery. This approach results in faster deployments and better support to match the changing needs of your organisation and its technology.
But What Can They Do for Me?
The goal of DevOps is to bring the development and operational aspects of an organisation together, so that the shared business goals can be achieved. By bringing these roles together you create a culture that collaborates closely, and moves the organisation forward.
The DevOps methodology paves the way for innovation, which is an essential component of success. When developers and IT professionals put their heads together it creates an environment where building, testing and releasing software happens reliably, quickly and frequently. Through automation of processes and faster delivery of services, a culture of innovation is fostered and organisations can leap frog their competitors to become industry leaders.
It’s for these reasons that DevOps has become a vital part of many organisations. More and more businesses are discovering first-hand the rewards and benefits of the partnership. Is yours one of them?
