DevOps and cloud computing are closely related, and both are driving the efficiency of the modern software development process. Development and operations teams can utilize a cloud infrastructure for rapid software delivery and frequent software updates.
While cloud computing did not pioneer the concepts of Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery, these DevOps processes are far simpler in a cloud environment from a cloud platform like Google Cloud or Microsoft Azure.
This post will explain the concept of cloud DevOps. While it is possible to implement DevOps principles and use DevOps tools without cloud computing, the two concepts complement one another so well that it would be foolish not to.
Before we fully dive into this topic, let’s quickly define cloud computing and DevOps to ensure everyone understands the terms being used in this post.
DevOps and Cloud Computing: A Brief Definition
DevOps is a software development approach that combines tools, principles, and cultural practices to increase the efficiency and speed of an organization’s software delivery process.
Cloud computing is a technology solution that enables organizations to operate with greater flexibility and scalability.
Cloud services and DevOps are joined at the hip because they facilitate speed and scale.
What Is Cloud DevOps?
If your organization is looking for a more efficient way to deliver software, you may have come across the term cloud DevOps. Cloud DevOps is the combination of DevOps practices and cloud resources in an environment to increase agility and flexibility.
While your organization must combine cloud-based services and a DevOps process independently, most cloud environments are built to systemically support DevOps processes and tools.
How Cloud Computing Benefits DevOps
There are several reasons why most cloud applications are built following DevOps practices. First, cloud services empower software development and operations teams to respond to the organization’s needs in real-time.
The primary ways cloud computing benefits DevOps include the following:
- Centralized standards and platform
- Increased scalability
- Integrations with tools
- Easier to track resource usage and costs
Centralized Standards and Platform
DevOps thrives in a centralized environment. Distributed enterprise systems have been a weak point for DevOps processes and practices in the past. However, cloud environments are centralized by nature and, thus, provide the perfect environment for DevOps to thrive.
Cloud computing gives DevOps teams a centralized standard for development, integrations, testing, and deployment. In addition, the issues associated with distributed complexity are remedied by the cloud.
Increased Scalability
DevOps is all about agility. However, software development agility can be severely restrained by the need to procure new hardware, install software, or scale up a production application. Cloud computing promotes scalability and minimizes latency for DevOps projects.
What’s the benefit of implementing a DevOps culture in your organization if physical limitations and software updates will only hold you back? The cloud enables DevOps teams to function at their most agile and reduce common latency issues that can hold projects back.
Integrations with Tools
DevOps teams rely on Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Delivery (CD) tools to drive efficiency. Cloud platforms support these DevOps tools and offer robust integrations that enable organizations to ditch on-premise solutions.
These integrations provide DevOps teams with a centralized governance and control framework and drive cost savings as organizations can reduce or remove costly on-premise DevOps automation technologies.
Easier to Track Resources and Usage Costs
Cloud computing makes it easy for organizations to track and control costs associated with the resources they use. Almost all cloud solutions charge based on usage. Not only does this enable your business to only pay for the services that it uses, but it also allows your business to closely track resource usage by application, user, data type, etc.
Traditional on-premise solutions do not typically offer this level of insight into resource usage, making it impossible to optimize costs and resource usage to the same degree offered by cloud computing solutions.
Have You Heard About DevOps as a Service?
The cloud has enabled providers to offer a wide range of different services, such as software, infrastructure, platform, and even banking. If your organization is interested in implementing a DevOps approach, DevOps as a Service (DaaS) might be a service worth considering.
DevOps as a Service offers organizations all of the tools and aspects of the DevOps process in a unified platform. If your organization is new to DevOps, this is a convenient and affordable way to implement this development and operational approach in a guided manner.
Not only do DevOps as a Service solutions make learning about DevOps easier, but it simplifies implementation because it does not require your teams to integrate multiple-point solutions. In addition, DevOps as a Service platforms enable organizations to track and manage every step of the software delivery process.
Final Thoughts
DevOps and the cloud are closely related but separate entities. Many people think that cloud technology has driven the adoption of DevOps, but more IT experts argue that it is actually DevOps that has driven the advancement of cloud services and technologies.
It doesn’t matter whether DevOps has driven cloud technology or vice versa; the important takeaway for your organization is that DevOps and cloud computing are intimately entwined. If your organization wants to learn more about DevOps or cloud computing, reach out to an experienced DevOps development partner like Koombea.
