The Learning Curve for DevOps

AWS, Azure, DevOps
If you're attempting to implement automation in and around your deployments, you're going to find there is quite a steep learning curve for DevOps and DevOps-style implementations. Since adopting a DevOps-style release cycle does, at least in theory, speed your ability to deliver better code safely, why would it be hard? Why is there a Learning Curve for DevOps? I recently did a presentation on a simple Continuous Integration process. Here are the tools that I used in the demo: Local Git repositoryVS CodeAzure Data StudioAWS CodeCommitAWS CodePipelineAWS CodeBuildAWS RDS PostgreSQLShell commandsYAMLDockerFlyway Also, I regularly present using Azure DevOps Pipelines too. Here's the list of tools that might be in a given demo: Local Git RepositoryVS CodeAzure Data StudioAzure Git RepositoryAzure DevOps PipelineAzure DevOps AgentRedgate DeployAzure SQL DatabaseYAMLPowerShelltSQLt While there…
Read More

How Do You Make DevOps Succeed?

DevOps
I love going to SQLSaturday events because I'm always asked questions that make me think. I was just at SQLSaturday Indianapolis (a great event, if you weren't there, you missed out). I was giving a session called "Extending DevOps to SQL Server" (which I'm giving this Saturday at SQLSaturday Providence). I was talking about the fact that I've been involved in successful DevOps implementations and I've been involved in failed DevOps implementations. The question that came up was, "What were the key differences between the failed and successful organizations?" Great Question. Management Buy-In I've seen attempts to implement DevOps strictly from the IT side of things. A relatively high functioning team recognizes the benefits an agile approach that's oriented towards improved collaboration between people that uses automation in support of…
Read More

Sample Azure DevOps Pipelines

DevOps
I've said it before and I will repeat myself on this because it's an important concept: DevOps is about culture and communication, not tools Now, that said, to implement the automation required in DevOps, you're going to have to get into some degree of tooling. There are a whole slew of possible tools to support you: Jenkins, Team City, Octopus and more. All these tools offer excellent solutions with variations on limits, methodologies, etc. You'll need to explore them to understand which ones are best for you and your processes. I've been doing a lot of work lately in another tool, Azure DevOps. Let me show you a little of what I've done. Azure DevOps Pipelines I don't mean for this to be a complete tutorial on setting up Azure…
Read More

Implement DevOps One Step At a Time

DevOps
In preparation for my upcoming DevOps training days (see the bottom of this post for details) and for some articles I'm working on, I've been building all new automation processes for database deployments. In the past, I've been using a fairly simple (and far too simplistic) example to do most of my demos. I haven't built a full process in a little while. OH MY GOD!!! IT'S PAINFUL!!!!! Automation Ain't Easy The easy part of getting your DevOps done is the tooling. I say that all the time because it's true. The hard part is changing your organizations culture to support the level of communication necessary for a successful DevOps implementation. However, easy by comparison doesn't mean just simply easy. There's a lot of work involved and making mistakes early…
Read More