DevOps is the buzzword in the IT industry nowadays, and rightly so. More than a technology solution, DevOps is a methodology comprising a set of tools and practices that many organizations have adopted that serve to coalesce the development and operation teams to enable continuous and faster delivery of applications to end-users. The demand for DevOps engineers and professionals is increasing as more organizations of all sizes and across various industries are set to embrace the DevOps culture.
So, why are the companies interested in DevOps? The simple reason is that it has proven to be more effective than the archaic methods of software development. With improved software performance to lower defect risks and better time management, the list of pros far outweighs the cons.
It is no wonder that several leading job sites list DevOps engineers as one of the most sought-after jobs in the IT industry. So, do you want to be one and add the necessary skills to your arsenal? Then a DevOps engineer certification will provide you with the necessary knowledge and skills.
The search for skilled and experienced DevOps engineers has emerged as one of the top priorities for organizations seeking to gain an advantage in the global cutthroat competition and remain relevant in the rising sea of new technologies. With excellent job prospects, the opportunity to broaden your skill set, a lucrative salary package, and career stability, becoming a DevOps engineer is a decision you will not regret.
How to become a DevOps engineer
Now that our destination is set, let us outline our journey to becoming a DevOps engineer. Simply knowing the destination will not help you get there; you must have the right road map with clear-cut directions you need to follow to get there. So, let us go over all the correct turns you need to make on your way to becoming a DevOps engineer.
Before we go into the specifics of what a DevOps engineer does, let us first define who a DevOps engineer is.
● Who is a DevOps engineer?
Simply put, a DevOps engineer is someone who knows the ins and outs of the software development lifecycle and works collaboratively with the development and operations teams to ensure the efficient and timely delivery of a software product.
● What does a DevOps engineer do?
A DevOps engineer is responsible for a variety of roles and responsibilities depending on the organization’s needs, some of which are listed below:
Ø Project planning
Ø Creating codes
Ø Managing Software Development and Deployment
Ø Examine the DevOps tools used in system development and operation.
Ø Application testing and quality assurance
Ø Security and Automation
Ø Monitoring operations and maintenance, for example.
● Concepts and tools a DevOps engineer must know
As someone who must collaborate with both the developers and operators in the software delivery pipeline, it is crucial that a DevOps engineer must be up-to-date with the current and upcoming technologies and tools involved in the software development lifecycle. Hence, the essential skills can be divided into two groups: hard-core technical skills and soft skills.
CORE TECHNICAL SKILLS
The essential technical skills required by a DevOps professional are listed below:
1. Programming languages
A DevOps engineer should be familiar with the most used programming languages, such as Python, Node.js, and Ruby. Python is among the easiest and most popular to learn programming languages, and it also allows you to create applications and tools quickly.
2. Version control systems
A DevOps engineer must be familiar with source control, how we store changes to scripts and infrastructure configurations. The Git versioning tool and the Git hub tool, which are used in code repositories, are two important concepts in source control.
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SSH key management
3. Linux Basics and operating systems
Most organizations are using Linux in their applications. Hence knowing Linux, basic Linux commands, software installation, Linux file system permissions, and directory structure make learning operating systems and how they work easier.
4. Networking fundamentals
Most services rely heavily on DNS Name resolution to function properly. It is also necessary to know about the concepts of tools involved in DNS troubleshooting, basic networking firewalls, proxy servers, load balancers, etc.
5. Cloud providers and services
A basic understanding of different cloud service platforms like GCP, AWS, and Azure is required.
While the five skills listed above are core fundamentals that a DevOps engineer MUST have for any role in the organization. You cannot learn DevOps technical skills unless you have these fundamental skills. Once you have imbibed the fundamentals, you can move on to gain in-depth knowledge of the following concepts and tools, which are common in most DevOps roles.
Additional technologies and tools for a Devops technician
Beyond the skills and technologies already discussed, there are a few more tools that are frequently or increasingly used by professionals in the Devops world. Familiarity with these tools will prove advantageous to a Devops aspirant in interviews and job applications. These tools are:
1. Infrastructure as code
2. Containers (Dockers)
3. Container orchestration (Kubernetes)
4. Infrastructure provisioning
5. Configuration management (Chef, Puppet, Ansible)
6. CI/CD pipelines (Jenkins)
7. Monitoring and log management (Splunk, Prometheus)
8. Knowledge about DevOps tools involved in building, testing, and deployment of applications (Maven, Selenium, Gremlin, Nagios etc)
Soft Skills
The essential soft skills required by a Devops professional are listed below:
1. Communication skills
2. Problem-solving
3. Customer-centric approach
Certifications and programs
It is easy to become overwhelmed when attempting to learn all the concepts and tools required to become a DevOps engineer. However, with an undergraduate degree and a basic understanding of a few technologies like Java and Linux, anybody can become a Devops Engineer.
A master’s program in DevOps engineering or industry-approved certification courses such as certified Kubernetes administrator, Puppet Professional Certification, or Docker Certified Associate (DCA) certification training course can help you develop the skills needed to become a DevOps expert, where you will learn from live interactive classes led by industry experts and gain industry experience through real-life case studies. These DevOps engineer certification courses have a well-structured and tailored curriculum where you can pick up the required skill set that hiring managers across organizations are looking for.
In a practical hands-on, interactive approach, you will master key concepts such as Configuration Management, Continuous Integration, Deployment, Delivery, and Monitoring, as well as DevOps tools such as Git, Docker, Chef, Jenkins, Puppet, and Nagios. You will also learn how DevOps complements Agile methodology and how DevOps on AWS works. In a nutshell, these certification courses can assist you in developing the practical skills required to excel in a DevOps environment and advance your career.
Ultimately, the journey to becoming a DevOps engineer may become overwhelming due to the sheer amount of knowledge required to succeed. Rest assured, one can be certain that a career in the DevOps environment is fulfilling, rewarding, and worth it with the number of opportunities in the pipeline.
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