Using Azure DevOps for IT Management
DevOps is generally talked about in terms of software development, where it is used to define and create processes to automate the infrastructure of building, continuous testing and deployment. However, even if you are not part of a software development team, there are many benefits you can have within your own organization by leveraging the tools and processes used in DevOps for IT Management. The challenge, until recently, has been how to put it all together. With the recent launch of Azure DevOps, the tools are accessible, affordable and easy to get started with.
The Spectrum of IT Methods for “Doing Things”
The ways that IT teams do things, from building a box to deploying a virtual machine, tends to fall into four categories.
Manual Processes
- User Interface
- Command Line
One-Off Scripts
- Found on search engines
- Open Source code from GitHub or similar sites
- Blogs
- Stack Overflow
Management Tools
- Microsoft Windows Manager
- System Center
- ManageEngine
DevOps for IT
- PowerShell
- GitHub
- Azure DevOps
- Windows PowerShell Desired State Configuration
IT Deployment and Operations Maturity
| Manual | One-Off Scripts | Management Tools | DevOps | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality of repeatability | Low | Low | Medium | High |
| Reusability | Low | Low | Medium | High |
| Reliability | Low | Low | Medium | High |
| Complexity | Low | Medium | High | High |
| Skills and Training | Low | Medium | Low | High |
| Complexity | Low | Medium | Low | High |
What is DevOps?
DevOps is short for Development Operations, and represents a process created to facilitate continuous delivery. The stages move through planning, development, building, testing, deploying, operating, and observing. The cycle repeats as the product and the process improves.
Why DevOps is Great Even Without Developers
Introducing Azure DevOps
- Azure Boards – Deliver value to your users faster using proven agile tools to plan, track, and discuss work across your teams.
- Azure Pipelines – Build, test, and deploy with CI/CD that works with any language, platform, and cloud. Connect to GitHub or any other Git provider and deploy continuously.
- Azure Repos – Get unlimited, cloud-hosted private Git repos and collaborate to build better code with pull requests and advanced file management.
- Azure Test Plans – Test and ship with confidence using manual and exploratory testing tools.
- Azure Artifacts – Create, host, and share packages with your team, and add artifacts to your CI/CD pipelines with a single click.
Azure DevOps Services Pricing
| Open Source Projects | Small Teams | Teams of Any Size (10+ Users) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Free | $30 /User/Month |
| Users | Unlimited | Up to 5 Users | Unlimited |
| Privacy | Public | Private | Private |
| Features |
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About Agile IT Tech Talks
Agile IT Tech Talks are weekly sessions where we bring in subject matter experts for short, highly focused educational segments, followed by up to an hour of open Q&A where Agile IT clients can discuss their own environments with our engineers and a group of peers. While we release the demos and sessions on our blog, the Q&A benefit is only available to Agile IT Managed Service and Cloud Service Customers. Agile IT if a four time cloud partner of the year and offers fully managed DevOps as a service. To find out more, schedule a free call with a cloud service advisor.
