6 DevOps Best Practices in 2024 for Peak Performance

Some 67% of tech employees primarily work remotely. 

This tectonic shift has redefined not only where, but how we work – and brought a number of challenges and opportunities for smart remote leaders. 

Knowing how to navigate them is key. 

1. Go Cloud-Native 

Embrace Scalability and Agility 

Data shows 61% of businesses use either one or two clouds in their organization, and 97% of IT leaders still intend to further expand their cloud systems. 

Traditional on-premises infrastructure can be rigid and inflexible, making it difficult to effectively scale your applications. 

By adopting cloud-native technologies like Kubernetes and Docker, you can:

• Effortlessly scale your applications up or down based on demand, ensuring exceptional performance and resource utilization.
• Deploy applications faster and more efficiently through containerization, allowing for quicker iteration and time to market.
• Benefit from the inherent security features and scalability offered by cloud platforms, reducing your operational overhead.

2. Automate and Leverage AI 

Streamline Operations and Minimize Errors

It’s no secret that automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are revolutionizing DevOps teams. 

By using AI-powered tools for continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD), automated testing, and real-time monitoring, you can:

• Automate repetitive tasks like code building, testing, and deployment, freeing up your team to focus on higher-value activities.
• Reduce manual errors through automated testing, improving the quality and reliability of your software.
• Gain real-time insights into your application's performance and identify potential issues before they impact users.

3. Never Stop Learning 

Upskill to Stay Ahead 

The DevOps industry is in constant flux, which means engineers must always be learning. 

To stay ahead of the curve, you need to:

• Continuously hone your skills by taking online courses, attending workshops, and participating in online communities.
• Stay updated on new tools, languages, and methodologies emerging in the DevOps space.
• Embrace a growth mindset and be open to learning new things throughout your career.

4. Master Microservices 

Enhance Agility and Maintainability

Microservices architecture makes complex applications easier to manage and more scalable. 

By splitting your applications into smaller, independent services, you can:

• Increase development and deployment agility as changes to individual services can be made without affecting the entire application.
• Improve maintainability by isolating the code for each service, making it easier to understand, debug, and update.
• Promote fault tolerance as failures in one service are less likely to bring down the entire application.

5. Security First 

Shift Left and Integrate Security Early

Don't wait until later to think about security. 

By adopting a "shift left" approach, you can integrate security considerations from the very beginning of the development process, proactively mitigating risks. 

This involves:

• Security code reviews to identify and address vulnerabilities early in the development cycle.
• Automated security testing throughout the CI/CD pipeline to identify and fix vulnerabilities before deployment.
• Building security into the infrastructure by using secure coding practices and leveraging cloud platform security features.

6. Communication is Key 

Encourage Collaboration and Transparency

DevOps is as much about culture as it is about tools. 

Effective communication and collaboration are essential for success. 

Use tools like Slack, JIRA, and Confluence to:

• Facilitate communication between developers, operations, and other stakeholders.
• Promote transparency by sharing information openly and keeping everyone on the same page.
• Encourage collaboration by fostering a culture of teamwork and knowledge sharing.

Tip: Only hold team meetings to discuss project updates, to address challenges, or share best practices. Otherwise work async! Encourage open communication and active participation from all team members.

Embrace the Future of DevOps

From leveraging the power of the cloud to creating a culture of continuous learning and collaboration, these practices are essential for thriving in DevOps.

Implement the DevOps best practices for 2024 by staying adaptable, forward-thinking, and constantly learning to take your remote team's performance to new heights.