7 Tips to get the most out of your DevOps platform

A DevOps platform is a single application supporting software development from idea stage to deployment and beyond. It saves time and money, eliminates integration challenges, and incorporates security and compliance from the start.

Unified platforms replace disparate toolchains with seamless workflows that benefit the entire development team.

Upgrading from disparate toolchains to a seamless platform provides significant advantages. However, maximising these [DevOps benefits(/topics/devops/how-and-why-to-create-devops-platform-team/) requires intentional practices and team alignment.

Seven best practices help teams take full advantage of their DevOps platform investment.

No two DevOps teams operate identically. Set aside preconceived notions and examine existing workflows, pain points, and areas where communication may stumble.

Why doe hidden silos exist in DevOps teams?

Hidden silos can exist even in DevOps teams, slowing software development and delivery. Identifying these silos reveals opportunities for platform optimization.

How should the platform match team workflows?

A DevOps platform should operate as a seamless extension of the team. It should not create extra steps or processes that slow things down. Assess whether your platform matches workflows or requires tweaks.

A DevOps platform supports a wide range of users: developers, operations professionals, security teams, testers, UX designers, product managers, and database administrators. Each group uses the platform differently.

Without coordination, teams risk losing single-platform benefits. A culture of collaboration and communication brings disparate groups together effectively.

Communication and collaboration require intentional fostering. Scheduled meetings, built-in time for organic communication, and regular retrospectives on what works ensure the platform benefits everyone.

Speedier deployments are a major benefit of unified platforms versus disparate tools. However, achieving maximum speed requires fine-tuning.

What is deployment protocol?

Every DevOps team needs a deployment protocol empowering speedy code commits to multiple environments without hurdles or over-thinking. Clear protocols expedite code reviews and commits.

How do you establish deployment protocol?

Practice the process, document everything, and meet regularly to measure results and tweak procedures. Time invested upfront in establishing best practices proves valuable long-term.

Security often causes friction between teams, but DevOps platforms provide the opportunity to integrate security from the beginning.

What does security left and right mean?

Shifting left moves security earlier in the process. Shifting right makes security everyone's responsibility throughout the lifecycle. Both approaches work together.

What security improvements do teams report?

Teams using DevOps platforms report dramatic improvements in both identifying and remediating bugs within a single sprint or less. Integrated security tools eliminate handoff delays.

Streamlined platforms offer teams the chance to easily try new technologies. Without time and cost supporting DIY toolchains, space exists to consider modern development approaches.

Microservices, containers, and container orchestration options like Kubernetes become practical to adopt. These technologies offer modularity and flexibility.

How do containers enable flexibility?

Microservices and containers enable small changes to be made, tested, rolled out, pulled back, and discarded without interfering with existing applications. Modularity reduces deployment risk.

DevOps platforms enable teams to embrace minimum viable products—making the smallest possible change so customer feedback happens fast. This is one of the biggest platform advantages.

What is minimal viable change?

Minimum viable change means implementing the smallest possible improvement that delivers value. Small changes enable rapid iteration based on customer feedback.

What mindset shift is required?

Ensuring team processes support this approach requires a substantial mindset shift. Teams must embrace releasing small increments rather than waiting for complete features.

DevOps teams using multiple toolchains cannot see across the entire development lifecycle. Unified platforms provide complete visibility through built-in monitoring and dashboards.

Teams gain 360-degree visibility across all development stages. Dashboards show progress, bottlenecks, and metrics in real time.

With visibility comes potential data overload. Establish processes ensuring the noise-to-signal ratio is right for your team. Focus on metrics that drive decisions.

Maximise your DevOps platform with these practices:

• 1. Understand team workflow: Identify hidden silos and ensure platform matches how your team works
• 2. Foster collaboration culture: Coordinate platform usage across all user groups
• 3. Optimise deployments: Establish and document deployment protocols
• 4. Streamline security: Shift security left and right throughout the SDLC
• 5. Adopt modern technologies: Use platform efficiency to explore microservices and containers
• 6. Embrace minimum viable changes: Make small changes for fast customer feedback
• 7. Leverage visibility: Use dashboards effectively without data overload