In a recent article titled “10 Big DevOps Mistakes and How to Avoid Them,” I interviewed industry leaders to uncover critical DevOps “gotchas” that can derail your software development efforts. These insights revealed more challenges than could be covered in a single piece, prompting me to share an additional set of obstacles that DevOps teams and IT leaders should be mindful of to ensure smoother implementation and operation. Below, I discuss 10 more potential roadblocks to avoid when scaling your DevOps practices.
Resistance to Change
One of the most common obstacles to successful DevOps adoption is resistance to change. Whether it’s due to the disruption of existing workflows or fear of new processes, team members across the organization can struggle with the shift. Gaining buy-in is crucial not only from executives but also from development and operations teams. As Anh Nguyen, a software developer and founder of 365 Crocs, explains, “People get comfortable with their way of working, so DevOps can meet resistance.” Introducing DevOps with a pilot project can demonstrate its benefits firsthand and ease the transition. Sean Spittle, lead developer at InspectNTrack, adds that leadership must clearly communicate the benefits and offer ongoing support through training and a network of DevOps champions within each team.
Missing Skill Sets
DevOps requires a diverse set of skills that many organizations lack initially. From Linux and scripting fundamentals to cloud services, security, and continuous integration, a comprehensive skill set is needed for successful implementation. According to Taylor Dolezai, CIO at the Cloud Native Computing Foundation, finding or training professionals with the right expertise can take significant effort. To address this, leaders should invest in upskilling current teams through training programs and fostering a culture of continuous learning. Encouraging cross-team collaboration between developers and operations can also enhance skill-sharing, improving the overall execution of DevOps practices.
Shadow IT
Shadow IT, where employees or teams deploy and use technology without the knowledge or approval of the IT department, poses another challenge for DevOps teams. It can lead to unapproved tools or services running in the background, creating security risks and adding complexity to the deployment process. Addressing this requires a proactive approach to monitoring and encouraging communication between business units and IT teams to ensure all tools align with organizational policies and security standards.
Quantum Complexity
As DevOps teams expand and scale their operations, the complexity of their systems often grows exponentially. The introduction of new tools, processes, and technologies can create unforeseen challenges, including issues with automation, integrations, and managing large-scale environments. DevOps leaders must ensure that their teams are equipped to handle this complexity by establishing clear processes for managing and mitigating risk, as well as implementing advanced monitoring systems to catch issues early.
Gaps in Monitoring and Observability
Effective monitoring and observability are essential for understanding the health of your systems and quickly diagnosing issues before they escalate. Without adequate monitoring, teams may miss critical failures or performance bottlenecks. This can lead to prolonged downtime, poor user experiences, and increased operational costs. DevOps teams should ensure they have a robust observability strategy in place, which includes both application and infrastructure monitoring, to provide insights into potential issues in real-time.
These are just a few additional gotchas that can undermine DevOps initiatives. The success of any DevOps rollout hinges on leadership, skill development, clear communication, and a commitment to continuous improvement. By proactively addressing these challenges, organizations can avoid common pitfalls and set their teams up for long-term success.