DevOPS Handbook: Summary

Basics Not Required

This book starts out where we all do. With a problem, and realization there needs to be a better way. The book gives a good briefing on the history of DevOPS, technologies and techniques that are forerunners. While this history is not essential, it does show the foundation and origin of problems with legacy techniques and contemporary application release demands.

Overview

Beginning with dispelling myths and common misconceptions of DevOPS, it explains employment of DevOPS techniques within your environment, ultimately improving the process function, and the human condition. Laying out the theory, principles, and practices you need to successfully start DevOPS initiative, it moves through three main principles of DevOPS:

• Principles of Flow
• Principles of Feedback
• Principles of Continual Learning

Using examples, many from the model of an assembly line, it shows the need to have a system of determined work-flow, enabling feed back, and learning from process. The newness of the assembly concept is crisp - the very evolution of software development. Application of the basic automation techniques, creation (planning, defining, design, building), testing, and deployment are laid out, sequenced, and proofed. Mention of tools and utility outline steps of innovations to reduce work for deployment.

While the assembly line model is the framework, contemporary tools, separation of duties, and application of soft skills, are appointed, well organized and described with caveats and temerity to the process. With this in mind, current technologies are appropriately identified, though not exhaustive. Introducing acronyms and terms, the handbook goes on to cite success stories utilizing techniques in terms of DevOPS craft, and citations for use, and cautions on sidestepping the process.

Finding?

Overall the DevOPS Handbook is well written, and organized. Those new to DevOPS as a discipline will develop understanding of the software development process (See SDLC) that transcends release model (waterfall, or CI/CD). Seasoned DevOPS may find tool references dated. However, I recommend reading to get a better handle on the process. Understanding this is key to effective application of CI/CD tools. I also recommend this book to anyone seeking to understand what DevOPS is, how DevOPS is done, and how DevOPS tools work.

Recommendation

I suggest reading The Phoenix Project: A Novel about IT, DevOps, and Helping Your Business Win, by Gene Kim, Kevin Behr, and George Spafford. This sets the stage in many, if not all, contemporary software projects. The problem solved in the Novel, comes through, laying foundation of DevOPS findings, and principles. However, it is not essential.