The DevOps Engineer: What Is It and What Does It Take

One could be forgiven for thinking that DevOps Engineer was a clearly defined job description with a linear career path.This illusion would likely stem from the explosion of usage of the term in the past couple of years among companies. The term "DevOps" has been appearing on LinkedIn many times more frequently over the past two years.Recruiters and managers frequently advertise for "DevOp Leaders, "DevOp Administrators", or even "DevOp Superstars". One thing these companies all have in common is that they are misinformed. DevOps is not a fixed role, and DevOps engineer roles and responsibilities vary widely depending on the context.It's more of a broad concept and approach to IT systems, one that encompasses many skills and types of professional. Here's your guide to what DevOps engineers actually do, broadly speaking, and what it takes to become one.

Meaning of the Term

The phrase first starting appearing in the tech community a few years back, as a response to the growing needs of the IT industry. It's essentially an umbrella term which encompasses software development, system operations, and overseeing code releases.If you're asking what is a DevOps engineer, the answer is a person who is able to work across multiple coding languages to ensure the best possible running of the system.They also must be adept at testing these systems and ensuring top-notch customer service.

Essential Skills for any DevOps Engineer

There are a lot of answers to the questions "what does a DevOps engineer do?". It's one of the highest paid gigs in tech, commanding an average salary of around $133,000, and for good reason.It combines a host of hard and soft skills in order to facilitate efficiency. The prerequisite skills for any DevOps engineer include;

• Ability to code and script across multiple languages (Python, Java, etc.)
• Strong knowledge of automation software and processes
• Ability to use a range of open source software
• In-depth experience of code testing and deployment
• Top-notch data management skills
• Ability to manage people and be a team leader
• Strong communication skills
• Proven ability to collaborate across a range of barriers and borders

From this, you'll see that DevOps is a kind of streamlining of software development, systems management, and overall management.It's a trend that has completely dominated the workflow culture of giants like Amazon and Google. It's one that will continue to grow in importance.

How to Become One

Becoming one is hardly a straight path. You'll likely have accrued the above skills from a variety of previous roles.A typical DevOps engineer got there by starting out as developers before rising up into network operations. Or they started as system administrators and developed a knack for coding and scripting in the process.There is no way to become one without years of experience and knowledge in a variety of high-skill roles.

Learn More

To learn more about what a DevOps engineer does and what they can do for your company, don't hesitate to get in touch with us today. Make sure your business stays at the forefront of technological advancement.