Application Infrastructure is a crucial element in the DevOps world. It refers to the software and hardware resources, along with the processes, that support the delivery, execution, and operations of an application or set of applications within an enterprise. In the context of DevOps, application infrastructure is a key enabler of continuous integration, continuous delivery, and continuous deployment.
DevOps, on the other hand, is a set of practices that combines software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops). It aims to shorten the systems development life cycle and provide continuous delivery with high software quality. DevOps is complementary with Agile software development; several DevOps aspects came from the Agile methodology.
Understanding Application Infrastructure
The application infrastructure is the foundation upon which applications run. It includes servers, storage, networks, middleware, and anything else that can support the running, delivery, and management of applications. The application infrastructure is a critical component of IT operations, as it enables the execution of all applications, from simple web apps to complex, enterprise-wide systems.
Application infrastructure can be physical, virtual, or a mix of both. It can be located on-premises, in the cloud, or a combination of the two. The choice of application infrastructure depends on the needs of the application, the requirements of the business, and the capabilities of the IT team.
Components of Application Infrastructure
The components of application infrastructure can be broadly divided into hardware and software components. Hardware components include servers, storage devices, and networking equipment. These are the physical devices that store, process, and transmit the data used by applications.
Software components, on the other hand, include operating systems, databases, and middleware. These are the programs that run on the hardware and provide a platform for applications to run. Middleware is software that connects different applications, allowing them to communicate and share data.
Role of Application Infrastructure in DevOps
In a DevOps context, application infrastructure plays a critical role in enabling continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD). CI/CD is a method to frequently deliver apps to customers by introducing automation into the stages of app development. The main concepts attributed to CI/CD are continuous integration, continuous delivery, and continuous deployment.
CI/CD introduces ongoing automation and continuous monitoring throughout the lifecycle of apps, from integration and testing phases to delivery and deployment. Done properly, CI/CD introduces efficiency and quality improvements to software creation and deployment.
Understanding DevOps
DevOps is a set of practices that aims to unify software development (Dev) and software operation (Ops). The main characteristic of DevOps is to automate and monitor all steps of software construction, from integration, testing, releasing to deployment and infrastructure management.
DevOps aims to shorter development cycles, increased deployment frequency, more dependable releases, in close alignment with business objectives. This is achieved by fostering a culture of collaboration between teams that historically functioned in relative siloes. The benefits of DevOps include increased trust, faster software releases, ability to solve critical issues quickly, and better manage unplanned work.
Principles of DevOps
The principles of DevOps revolve around culture, measurement, automation, and sharing (often referred to as CAMS). The culture encourages collaboration between the development and operations teams. Measurement is crucial to measure the performance and progress of the teams. Automation is used to automate tasks that are repetitive and prone to human error. Sharing encourages teams to share ideas, tools, and best practices.
Another important principle of DevOps is 'Infrastructure as Code' (IaC). IaC is a type of IT infrastructure that operations teams can automatically manage and provision through code, rather than using a manual process. IaC is a key DevOps practice and is used in conjunction with continuous delivery.
DevOps Tools
There are several tools that are used in a DevOps environment. These tools are designed to support the goals of DevOps, which include improving collaboration, moving more quickly, reducing errors, and improving efficiency. Some of the most popular DevOps tools include Docker, Jenkins, Git, Puppet, Chef, Ansible, and Kubernetes.
These tools can be categorized into several categories, including coding, building, testing, packaging, releasing, configuring, and monitoring. The choice of tools depends on the needs of the organization and the nature of the projects.
History of DevOps
The concept of DevOps originated in the mid to late 2000s as a response to the perceived disconnect between development and operations teams. The term "DevOps" was first coined by Patrick Debois and Andrew Clay Shafer in 2009. The idea was to promote a more collaborative and productive working relationship between development and operations teams.
The DevOps movement was influenced by the Agile software development methodology, Lean manufacturing principles, and the success of companies like Google and Amazon in deploying and managing large-scale distributed systems. The goal was to improve software delivery speed and quality by improving collaboration and integrating automation into the software delivery process.
DevOps and Agile
Agile is a set of values and principles for software development under which requirements and solutions evolve through the collaborative effort of self-organizing cross-functional teams. It advocates adaptive planning, evolutionary development, early delivery, and continuous improvement, and it encourages flexible responses to change.
DevOps and Agile are complementary. Agile focuses on the processes needed to facilitate and manage software development, while DevOps focuses on the processes needed to deploy and maintain that software in a production environment. Both methodologies promote a culture of collaboration, with a focus on delivering value to the end user.
Use Cases of DevOps
DevOps practices are used in many types of IT projects, from small-scale web applications to large-scale, enterprise-wide systems. Some of the most common use cases for DevOps include cloud computing, microservices, and mobile applications.
Cloud computing is a model for enabling ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources. DevOps practices are often used in cloud computing projects to automate the deployment, scaling, and management of applications and infrastructure.
Microservices and DevOps
Microservices is an architectural style that structures an application as a collection of services that are highly maintainable and testable, loosely coupled, independently deployable, and organized around business capabilities. The microservice architecture enables the rapid, frequent and reliable delivery of large, complex applications.
DevOps practices are often used in microservices projects to automate the deployment, scaling, and management of microservices. The use of containers, such as Docker, and orchestration tools, such as Kubernetes, is common in these projects.
Mobile Applications and DevOps
Mobile applications are software applications designed to run on mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. The development, deployment, and management of mobile applications can be complex, due to the variety of devices, operating systems, and network conditions.
DevOps practices can be used to automate the build, test, and deployment processes for mobile applications. This can help to ensure that the application is of high quality, is secure, and can be quickly updated in response to user feedback or changes in the market.
Examples of DevOps
Many organizations have successfully adopted DevOps practices to improve their software delivery processes. Some of the most notable examples include Amazon, Netflix, and Facebook.
Amazon has used DevOps practices to automate many of their operations and to rapidly deliver new features and services to their customers. They have also developed several tools, such as AWS CodePipeline and AWS CodeDeploy, to support DevOps practices.
Netflix and DevOps
Netflix is another company that has embraced DevOps. They have developed several open-source tools, such as Spinnaker and Chaos Monkey, to support their DevOps practices. Spinnaker is a multi-cloud continuous delivery platform, while Chaos Monkey is a tool that randomly terminates instances in production to ensure that engineers implement their services to be resilient to instance failures.
Netflix has also developed a culture of "freedom and responsibility", where developers are given the freedom to innovate and the responsibility to maintain their code in production. This culture is a key part of their DevOps practices.
Facebook and DevOps
Facebook has also adopted DevOps practices to support their rapid growth and the scale of their operations. They have developed several tools, such as Phabricator, to support their DevOps practices. Phabricator is a suite of tools for software development, including code review, repository hosting, and bug tracking.
Facebook's DevOps practices also include a culture of "move fast and break things", where developers are encouraged to innovate and learn from their mistakes. This culture, along with their use of automation and monitoring, has helped them to deliver new features and services at a rapid pace.
Conclusion
Application Infrastructure and DevOps are two interrelated concepts that have significantly transformed the way organizations develop, deploy, and manage software. By understanding these concepts and their interrelationships, IT professionals can better support the needs of their organizations and contribute to the achievement of their business objectives.
As the field of DevOps continues to evolve, it is likely that we will see new practices, tools, and methodologies emerge. However, the core principles of collaboration, automation, measurement, and sharing will likely remain at the heart of DevOps.