How To Become a DevOps Engineer?

DevSecOps model

DevOps is one of the fastest growing job markets in the IT industry today. It has created a whole new world of job opportunities for aspiring software professionals and has established itself as a very important part of many big organizations today. DevOps works on the principle of cooperation and collaboration between two very important factions of the industry, software development, and IT operations. Development focuses on production while operations is more centered around the management of the project. The merger of these two areas produces a more flexible and functional framework suitable for all teams.

A DevOps engineer is a very important professional in the DevOps environment for unlike professionals working in any other environment, professionals practicing DevOps focus on all aspects of development and operations right from planning and building to testing and monitoring. The essence of DevOps is in automation, and DevOps engineers have to create and practice automated processes in order to execute the principles of DevOps with efficiency – faster and continuous delivery.

We will explain to you the basics of DevOps through this article, with a major focus on how to become a DevOps engineer. The basic qualification for this job title is for you to be a software engineer or have a degree in any course related to computer science but more importantly, the skills, roles and responsibilities mentioned here are the steps that you need to learn in order to become a successful DevOps engineer.

Who is a DevOps Engineer?

A DevOps engineer is a professional responsible for code generation in a DevOps environment and the creation of an automated system that meets the demands of the project. They focus on creating teams that are connected and communicative, which leads to better management of time and resources across teams. It is crucial for a DevOps engineer to focus on all aspects of planning, building, testing, delivery and monitoring in order to create an end to end overview of the entire project.

The duties of a DevOps engineer spans across all these areas, but the primary responsibility is to focus on code for the development of applications. They work across multiple platforms and on multiple languages in order to create a deployment process that is fast and efficient. Aside from these development processes, they focus on the creation and management of infrastructure and support systems too.   The DevOps practices have proven beneficial to organizations worldwide and according to LinkedIn, this market is growing every day. 

Skills required

The skills required to acquire the job title of a DevOps engineer do not differ much from the job title of any other software engineer but additionally requires the individual to be efficient in the ways of DevOps. A DevOps engineer needs to be adept in the ways of DevOps in every aspect of theoretical and practical knowledge. They should be aware of the principles, tools and practices of DevOps, as well as be qualified to use these practices in real time. DevOps is based on the principles of continuous integration and continuous delivery, and the DevOps engineer is required to know the fundamentals of these practices in order to create a successful infrastructure.  One can learn or get all these skills easily by attending the DevOps professional training such as DevOps Foundation and DevOps Practitioner.

Another prominent skill that is crucial to this role is fluency in different programming languages and the ability to create and lead the tools for different development and operation systems. Along with having managerial skills in these aspects, it proves very beneficial if the individual is qualified in integrating security systems and has knowledge in maintaining security and compliance related issues.

A DevOps engineer is basically a leader in the very essence of the term, and thus they should have skills in leadership and management in order to be successful. They should be communicative, flexible and approachable, and should be able to motivate their teams whenever necessary. All these skills together contribute to the success of a DevOps engineer and the Agile teams that they become a part of over time.

Roles and Responsibilities

The roles and responsibilities of a DevOps engineer are versatile and require the application of skills and knowledge to the best of one’s capacity. These roles can seem lengthy and all over the place, but this job position demands a basic knowledge in all these fields in order to establish the skills of the individual. These roles are :

Automation systems

One of the primary roles of a DevOps engineer is to focus on the automation of systems and create an integrated network that saves up on time and resources without compromising on delivery. The foundation of DevOps is built on continuous integration, continuous testing and continuous deployment, and this process is ensured only through automated systems built on the knowledge of DevOps tools. Automation is the ultimate agenda of DevOps and so it is an aspect of concern at every stage of development and operations throughout the process.

Infrastructure management

A DevOps engineer is required to work with multiple teams and for this, they should be a good leader and manager of infrastructure. Building effective infrastructure and creating efficient management systems for it, is a very important aspect of DevOps because it ensures the smooth functioning of teams and management. A structured and organized infrastructure is crucial to the success of the entire organization for it promotes a healthy work environment.

Expertise in Programming languages

With the variety of programming languages available in the industry, there are also a variety of frameworks and applications that are emerging. Different projects and applications are based on different languages and knowledge of these languages make it easier for the engineer to work across different platforms and cater to a large variety of projects. Languages that are in demand such as JAVA and Python add value to your resume and make you stand out from the crowd. It is also beneficial for a long time in the IT industry.

Network and Security

A DevOps engineer is responsible for handling the threats and vulnerabilities in a DevOps environment by devising codes that are effective against a variety of viruses and malware. The majority of the systems in DevOps are automated and so it becomes all the more important to focus on creating networks and channels that are communicative and under check at all times. Debugging at various stages requires expertise in integrated security and networking and it is one of the core roles fulfilled by a DevOps engineer.

User satisfaction

All the other roles and responsibilities at the end have the purpose of meeting the needs of the customers effectively and on time. The continuous delivery and integration processes focus on generating maximum user satisfaction through tools and techniques of DevOps. The market is ever evolving and the competition is high, and so user satisfaction becomes crucial to the success of the project and proves beneficial for the credibility of the organization. 

Benefits of career in DevOps

DevOps has done much for stabilizing the work environment in the corporate world and has improved the agility of projects across multiple platforms in organizations. More and more companies are leaning towards DevOps these days, and being a DevOps engineer gives you the upper hand over others in the long run. Enroll in the DevOps courses and make your career brighter. A career in DevOps ensures the success of both the organization and the individual, and you will get the opportunity to explore your true potential in a flexible and stable work environment.

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