Our Cloud Learning Curve Continues — and That’s a Good Thing

Lots of people are talking about cloud computing. So listen carefully.

Even if the term is a misnomer, cloud computing is a big deal. Here’s the thing – organizations can do anything in the cloud that they can do on-premises. So why are Federal agencies still investing just a fraction of their IT budgets on cloud computing?

DevOps Trending Up
A new study by MeriTalk, “The Agile Advantage: Can DevOps Move Cloud to the Fast Lane?” helps connect the dots. Agencies want to move more quickly, and 66 percent say they need to move IT services to the cloud faster to meet mission and constituent needs. But it’s not easy. However, some Feds are beginning to see DevOps as an option.

DevOps is an approach that brings software engineering, quality assurance, and IT operations together as an integrated team to collaboratively manage the full application life cycle.

By the Numbers
Just 22 percent of Feds are very familiar with DevOps today, but 60 percent say they can see DevOps in their agency’s future.

That’s not all – 63 percent say DevOps will speed up application delivery and migration, and 68 percent see DevOps as a viable path to improve collaboration between IT development, security, and operations teams.

Speeding Up with DevOps
DevOps is about speeding up software development.

Conventional development cordons off software developers from IT operations and quality assurance. Each team does their thing serially, one after the other. DevOps speeds everything up. It’s automated and collaborative. Management consultant Accenture believes DevOps can result in a 50 percent increase in speed to market, according to its “DevOps: Services Overview.”

The Secret is Out
So here’s a question – can DevOps help agencies migrate to the cloud faster?

Maybe DevOps and cloud computing go hand in hand. Like peas and carrots, apple pie and ice cream, or B.B. King and blues (RIP, B.B.). According to the new study, Federal agencies are just starting to adopt DevOps, but the majority sees it in their future.

Read the full report about DevOps to learn more about how it can help Federal agencies.

And learn more about Federal cloud.

Is DevOps in your future?

Feel like sharing something Noteworthy? Post a comment below or email me at bglanz@300brand.com.

Bill Glanz is the content director for MeriTalk and its Exchange communities. In the past 14 years, he has worked as a business reporter, press secretary, and media relations director in Washington, D.C.