Top 10 DevOps trends in 2021

Organizations across the globe are readily adopting the DevOps framework as a means to deploy software faster and guarantee high service availability: 74% of organizations have adopted DevOps in some form.

According to Google Clouds Accelerate State of DevOps 2021 report, elite DevOps performers deploy code 973 times faster than low performers and also experience change failure rates that are 3 times lower.

1. DevSecOps

Security has been a major concern, especially in the context of remote work, which has created a fertile ground for security vulnerabilities. In that context, DevSecOps processes aim to address security issues from a DevOps standpoint and to integrate security as an essential element within the DevOps framework.

Some of the benefits of adopting DevSecOps are the possibility to assess and prevent vulnerabilities in an automated manner, and to better test for vulnerabilities.

Security is now not just an afterthought, as it sometimes used to be: it can no longer be pushed at the end of the development cycle. Instead, its now ingrained in the development process, which helps teams think about the security of systems and infrastructure from the start.

2. AIOps, MLOps

Similarly to DevOps, AI and ML-based technologies are being leveraged by businesses to achieve speed, precision, and greater business adaptability.

Predictive analysis for operations helps organizations increase efficiency and serve customers better by accurately assessing future demand, and business and technical units are starting to function better together to achieve better performance.

Data integration platforms like ZigiOps support businesses in achieving better communication between the technical teams who develop AI and ML-based predictive models, and business analysts who use them. How: by automating the repetitive tasks and enabling systems to communicate with each other effortlessly.

3. FinOps

With elastic cloud deployments that can adapt to needs in real time, FinOps is the logical next step. FinOps is related to both reducing OPEX (Operating Expenses), and managing the financial aspects of each new deployment dynamically.

It is an important element in cloud infrastructure management that links the financial and technical aspects of operations, and that can be easily integrated into the DevOps framework.

4. Hybrid models in all aspects of business

Hybrid models are now everywhere, and have penetrated all aspects of business:

• Hybrid cloud solutions, where both public and private clouds are used in deployment
• Hybrid work models, where remote & office work coexist
• Hybrid, synchronous use of ITSM, DevOps, and ITOM models, frameworks, and tools.

In short, hybrid models are now interwoven in the very fabric of business. This is not only valid for DevOps, of course, but DevOps allows for rapid implementation of hybrid models.

Data integrations support hybrid models efficiently, by helping you connect all elements and moving parts of your business and have them speak to one another seamlessly.

5. Microservice architecture

Monolithic service architecture is the antithesis of agility and fast iterations, and, as such, is progressively being abandoned for a more agile approach: microservice architecture, which promotes operational efficiency and flexibility.

Teams can now work on units that are independently interconnected, and that allows them to make rapid progress. Tools like Kubernetes, which automate the deployment of microservice applications, enable this.

To further enhance Kubernetes functionalities, we've built a number of Kubernetes integrations: with our data integration platform, you can synchronize Kubernetes with any ITSM or ITOM tool and directly deliver to developers enhancement requests, bugs, and info on things that need to be fixed.

6. Serverless deployments

Going serverless aims to facilitate the operational part of DevOps, reduce maintenance needs, and allow teams to concentrate on development tasks, therefore releasing patches, updates, and new versions faster. Instead of having teams develop applications on local or virtual servers, with serverless deployments infrastructure is fully outsourced.

Serverless deployments also allow for greater scalability and flexibility, as the cost is dynamic and adapts to use and demand. This makes serverless architecture a key component of FinOps. AWS, Google, and Microsoft all offer the possibility for serverless deployments, via AWS Lambda, Google Cloud Functions, and Azure Functions.

7. Containerized deployments

Containers, similarly to microservice architecture, give better control over applications. Containerized deployments help businesses transition between different environments without friction, and while maintaining the high availability of their applications and services.

Again, Kubernetes has made containerized, cloud-based deployments much easier for development teams, and is one of the top DevOps tools teams are using in 2021. With the help of ZigiOps, you can connect Kubernetes with the rest of your software infrastructure to facilitate the communication between the different tools you're using.

8. Low-code and no-code platforms

Although low-code and no-code development platforms are sometimes still met with hesitancy, they help companies simplify their deployment processes and roll out deployments much faster than usual, gaining productivity. They also allow non-developers to participate more actively and hands-on in development processes. While large projects definitely need experienced developers, low-code and no-code development platforms help organizations develop specific, simpler types of applications (such as reservation management systems and HR tools among others) and automate workflows.

A similar trend can be observed in data integration: organizations are prioritizing low-code and no-code integration platforms, rather than internally or externally developed code-based solutions, for the speed of integration and ease of use they offer. And from these two, no-code platforms are definitely the better choice for organizations, although almost no vendors propose data integrations that are truly no-code at the moment. ZigiWave does.

9. Infrastructure as code (IaC)

Infrastructure as Code (IaC), or the automated provisioning and management of infrastructure with code, rather than with manual operations, is an essential DevOps practice that continues to gain traction in 2021.

The infrastructure in question could be networks, VMs, load balancers, storage, or topology, and is managed through configuration files. It helps solve the challenge of inconsistency in deployment environments and allows the deployment of the same configurations with consistency and accuracy, which improves the speed and efficiency of dev work.

10. Cloud-native approaches are becoming the norm

Cloud-native, containerized deployments are now becoming standard. Of course, cloud-native development is not new: companies like Netflix, Airbnb, Spotify, and Mastercard have been using it for years. Many organizations are now enthusiastically joining in, however, as the advantages of cloud-native deployments are becoming more and more obvious. Cloud deployments allow for infinite scalability, high availability, resilience, and near-immediate recovery.

Conclusion

As you could see, DevOps is constantly evolving: it helps companies deliver value faster, and due to its wide adoption, transformations are occurring constantly, and new trends are emerging.

At the same time, challenges to the adoption of a DevOps framework are still there: according to a Google Cloud report for Harvard Business Review, organizational silos are the top obstacle in the fast value creation and delivery, for 50% of the businesses surveyed. This only goes to show how essential cross-team communication is: flexible, highly scalable data integrations are becoming more and more necessary, especially as distributed teams and hybrid models are becoming the norm.