DevOps is an approach that enhances collaboration, efficiency, and quality of software development and delivery. D DevOps uses agile practices, continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD), automation, and monitoring that allow organizations to implement faster and more reliable deployments at a relatively lower cost. However, rolling out DevOps is not straightforward. It requires shifts in culture, technology, and strategy. This is why most organizations prefer to outsource their DevOps requirements in favor of a contracting service provider.
But how do you choose the best DevOps solutions provider for your project? How can you guarantee a smooth and successful DevOps outsourcing experience? This blog post will answer these questions and give practical tips to find you a provider that fits your needs.
Why IT Companies Outsource DevOps Solutions?
The DevOps implementation calls for large amounts of spending to be invested in talent, development tools and change in culture. In this context, many IT companies struggle with the recruitment and retention of appropriate DevOps engineers due to their competitiveness; they also have problems managing complex dynamic environments as well as aligning DevOps ideals with business goals.
By outsourcing DevOps, smaller IT companies have access to the skills and knowledge that come from different areas of geography and culture. Moreover, in this way, IT companies can reduce costs and scalability of their DevOps implementation process and shorten time-to-market while increasing customer satisfaction.
7 Tips to Choose the Best DevOps Solutions Provider
1. Clarify Your Needs
Define your organization’s needs and goals as the first stage. Identify the specific areas of your software development process that require improvement. Create a list consisting of the services that you require from the provider of DevOps solutions based on your 'specific criteria.' Specify the critical performance indicators (KPIs) you would like to improve through DevOps implementation, such as deployment frequency, lead time change failure rate or mean time recovery.
2. Assess the Firm's Expertise and Track Record
Next, it is essential to assess the competence and capabilities of the consulting company. What types of DevOps efforts have they pursued in the past? Have they partnered with organizations that are similar to yours? What are the tools and technologies that they can handle well? Moreover, you must assess the DevOps consultancy firm’s knowledge of industry norms and forthcoming innovations.
3. Analyze the Firm’s Cultural and Technological Orientation
Choosing the DevOps consulting and implementation company is not only about picking a firm with the relevant skills. It's also choosing it carefully as one that harmonizes well with the staff dynamics. What exactly is the strategy of the consulting company with respect to its clients? How does the consulting firm collaborate with its clients? Ensure you select a firm whose strategic culture and approach are consistent with the values of your organization.
4. Evaluate the Provider's Capacity for Customization
Ensure that the service provider can customize their solutions to meet your organization’s unique needs. Ask them about their approach to your customization and what exactly they plan on changing in order to meet you personally. You should also ask about costs and timeframes for the customization process, as well as how they will communicate with you during the project lifecycle.
5. Assess the Communication of the Consulting Firm
Since DevOps projects are based on close cooperation between the development and operations, open communication is crucial. Choosing such a firm with the necessary tools and efficient procedures that can improve the communication dynamics in terms of collaboration specifically becomes mandatory. Look for an agile DevOps solutions provider that operates using agile methodologies together with collaborative apps like Jira or Trello, promoting good communication.
6. Consider the Location and Time Zone
Consider where the DevOps service provider is geographically located and in what time zone. This is a key feature in communication and cooperation. An ideal situation is to find a provider in the same region (nearshore outsourcing) or closely located time zones. On the other hand, you can go for a provider located far in another region or continent (offshore outsourcing) who is fluent and flexible enough to work with your schedule. Both alternatives have their pros and cons. However, try your best to ensure that the medium for communication is in English and there isn’t any serious time lag or cultural barrier.
7. Consider the Pricing
Spend some time reviewing their pricing framework and consider if it fits your budget well. Also, think about the relationship between what the provider charges and how they contribute to their services in terms of value. In addition, you should also compare their prices with other providers in the market and observe whether any hidden or extra costs may surface over the course of the project.
Final Words
Choosing the right DevOps solutions provider is a significant decision that will determine how your software development and deployment process unfolds. As we've seen, you should pay attention to a few aspects, including the history and level of expertise of the vendor team. You also have to define clearly the scope, timelines, and expectations of your DevOps outsourcing project.
If you need a proven, professional, and cost-effective DevOps solutions provider, which specializes in DevOps services. The DevOps engineers of the team at BJIT can help you out with any challenge they may come up against. BJIT can also provide solutions that meet your unique needs and budget.
