The move to a DevOps operating model might spur panic, but the opportunity to reduce mundane processes will only benefit operations. It won't be easy, but all sides will have to give a little. Development and operations groups must communicate with management to decide what should be changed or removed to improve the process. Managers feel pressure to move fast, but they also don't want to lose process and change control. The key question is: Will management be OK with streamlining the operations process to facilitate DevOps?Ĭonversations with management about DevOps are often difficult. Managers who pushed ITIL as a way to help control and prevent problems, however, may resist. Oddly enough, reducing ITIL steps won't upset many ops folks. Something has to give, and, in this case, it will be the fine detail of ITIL. The sheer number of steps for quality and control that ITIL demands simply doesn't fit with what the DevOps operating model is trying to accomplish. While this sounds ideal in concept, it works only if operations can reduce the change-management process. Operations staff can assist development teams to establish a schedule for changes, something that will help both groups. Ops is, after all, a gatekeeper, and not every change needs to be pushed forward immediately.
The key to success is embracing change - but at a pace you can work with. Part of this process will include operations accepting additional changes - that is part of the DevOps operating model. Bad releases and concerns about configuration change lead operations teams to pump the brakes on changes, but maybe it's time to look at shifting the entire process.