The Evolution of a System Admin with Agile and DevOps.

The Technical world is really progressing at a very fast pace. At times when the trends are changing, and "unlearning & learning" becomes the new normal; it is time to think and rethink the way we do our jobs as a System Admin. The role of a System Administrator is no longer limited to only dealing with Servers and Operating System(s) as infrastructure.

So, how do we evolve ! Well, there are various ways. First we might be an excellent skilled person in all Technical aspects to not only stand out from the crowd, but also have an advantage over the knowledge gained. However, the path is a bit difficult, with a sufficient investment needed both in terms of time and money. So, how efficiently we could utilize ourselves ? Spreading our wings on various horizontals and verticals, while still ensuring the wings are well flown to have the sky highs ! Well, that is just a metaphor. The technical world is not limited any more to segment  wise expertise. With immense growth of the learning platforms, self-paced labs at hands and an efficient internet connection, anyone can learn anything. The world is seeing a paradigm shift in the way technology and learning is being delivered.

Companies are now not limiting their learning platforms to the internal associates, but keeping their windows open to welcome both new and experienced persons to get the access to their platform(s). Certifications, Exams and Trainings are also seeing a shift in the way it is being delivered. Now, we could take all of these just sitting at home with an online proctor and/or mentor. The walls are not any more a boundary, with this tremendous evolution of virtual and digital platforms.

The technology is now well blended with management and technical practices such as Agile and DevOps. While the adoption of such practices seem to be widely spreading, there is still a need of change in mindset for the complete understanding and welcome with open hearts ! The ways of being self-organized are still shadowed by a feel of being led by someone at the front. Well, this will take time but yes there is progress and people are still seeing the bright side in it. Both Agile and DevOps are a culture and not just a set of guidelines or a set of rules to be followed with ! They do come with a framework and defined practices, but with the flexibility as suit to our needs.

Along with learning, what plays a major factor is cross-skilling and the bond among the team members. The concept of a pizza-sized team may be surreal at first but with the proper understanding the teams could be formed and again they could share their expertise elsewhere in another project(s) or scope of work as required. Of course, there will be a need of guidance at first to make associates understand the values and especially with people who are working for a span of 10 years or more with the existing practices, will need more attention and care.

It is a symphony and synchronization of values and understanding both in terms of professional and personal fronts. We simply cannot ignore the fact of human emotions and thought process. With proper discussions the path could be set; and proper encouragement and empowerment could lead to wonders. Of course there will be challenges and some disagreements, but that again brings a platform for further looking at both sides of the coin(s).

Neither Agile nor DevOps are a replacement of the existing and traditional practices, but rather they are an amalgamation with the existing ones as well as among themselves. So, how fast we could learn or where is the starting point ? This question could be bothering a lot of people who have already spent a significant time only on the technical and/or management front. But it is possible that with the exchange of ideas and effective conversations people could understand. At times, it may also need a personal one-to-one attention and also to refrain people from spreading a misunderstanding ! When such scenarios happening, it becomes really essential to take note of the situation and handle it with care.

So let us walk on this journey and utilize the available platforms to the best possible extent, and keep evolving !!