Enterprise technology adoption trends can be broadly categorized under three pillars: infrastructure, architecture and technology. Let’s explore what these trends are and how they influence DevOps and DevSecOps adoption in tech corporations worldwide.
Trends in Architecture
In computing, architecture is the collection of protocols encompassing the utility, structure and execution of software applications. Architecture defines how an application works and determines the function of each component, such as data storage and computing capability, for example. Architecture trends directly influence how technology is developed, which also makes it influential on the field of DevOps.
Trend #1: Monolithic to Microservice Architecture
The shift from massive, inflexible systems that limit compatibility to lightweight, nimble software has increased DevOps and DevSecOps adoption. As architectures such as containers become mainstream, it is easier than ever for teams to code, debug and deploy software quickly, and work collaboratively. Microservice architecture offers the benefit of quickly being able to install, run and maintain systems, and is a catalyst to greater DevOps adoption, while containers spur DevSecOps adoption.
Trend #2: Cloud-First Trend
Mobile-first, cloud-first development has revolutionized data transportation, security and collaboration, and made development efficient, safe and transparent. This approach leads many organizations to adopt DevOps/DevSecOps.
Trends in Infrastructure
In IT, infrastructure refers to software, hardware, networking resources, systems and tools that allow companies to operate and manage their production processes.
Infrastructure trends also heavily influence both the hardware and software tools companies use for tracking and manufacturing their products, and therefore directly impact their willingness to adopt DevOps and DevSecOps.
Trend #3: Kubernetes Plus/Minus DevOps
A significant infrastructure trend that affects DevOps is the increasing adoption of Kubernetes by global technology companies. Kubernetes is open-source software designed to orchestrate the management, deployment and scaling of containers, and has seen widespread adoption in the tech industry. Kubernetes empowers organizations to be more productive, with an emphasis on security and collaboration. Containers in Kubernetes seamlessly allow multiple teams to develop a project simultaneously. Resource management and transparency are significantly enhanced, bugs can be fixed more quickly and work cycles can be shortened.
Kubernetes and container management systems also reduce the need for human interaction and facilitate a fully automated, ‘NoOps’ scenario. Kubernetes uses a pipeline architecture approach that makes it easier for developers to use AI and ML tools to analyze, predict, and automate data and work processes.
Furthermore, Kubernetes sets an infrastructure backed on logging, continuous detection, consistency, and self-healing, making it extremely easy and considerably faster for computers to make sense of the data, potentially eliminating human interaction. The infrastructure established by the trendy Kubernetes technology is both advancing and restraining DevOps adoption in companies worldwide, depending on how the companies implement Kubernetes into their work cycle.
Trend #4: The Agile Infrastructure Trend
Agile infrastructure for software development has become the standard for software development, and is perhaps the most influential trend impacting DevOps adoption. Agile, like DevOps, focuses on collaboration, organization, diversifying skill sets to achieve resilience, rapid iteration and self-improving work processes. Adapting to an Agile methodology means each team has members skilled in various disciplines that work in concert. Each product delivered is followed by a feedback cycle. Agile teams in an enterprise are transparent, collaborative and resilient to internal and external conditions.
Trends in Technology
Advancements in technology enable new ways of thinking and new best practices. As tech trends change, the work cycles, processes and mindsets also evolve.
Trend #5: Release & Deployment Automation
Manually moving software between testing and production environments is an inefficient, painful task that must be repeated every time updates are added, new versions are released or new features are built. But with the rise of release and deployment automation, software companies can entirely automate this process, saving time while boosting reliability. With the click of a button, test code can be automatically converted to production-ready work and deployed to version controls or hosting services. With this use of automation, DevOps adoption skyrockets.
Trend #6: Site Reliability Engineers
Site Reliability Engineers (SREs) are in huge demand as organizations strive to create highly scalable and secure software. SREs build robust, reliable software that leverages automation, create self-healing systems that focus on operations and align closely with business imperatives.
Trend #7: Shift Toward AI/ML
The evolution of artificial intelligence and machine learning is changing our entire perspective on the development and use of technology. With increasing automation, ML systems can process large amounts of data, make reliable predictions and provide extremely accurate analyses. AI can make use of this data and these predictions to determine what to do next, and create truly intelligent machines that can function with minimal human interaction.
While this makes systems faster, more autonomous and reliable—which aligns with what DevOps promotes—it can eventually create a NoOps cycle that doesn’t require human intervention. In the short-term, this trend does influence DevOps adoption, but, in the long term, AI/ML could ultimately eliminate DevOps altogether.