DevOps is applied to the SF.com, which makes development a different kind of approach. This, as the name suggests, is a different kind of beast to handle. For those who are just starting with it, there are a lot of challenges to address and many guiding principles to follow for success. Unlike conventional software application development, SF DevOps is not a typical Java-based software application development. It is all about managing every changing configuration of objects and ongoing releases. Most importantly, unlike Java, it is very less about writing the codes. However, the Apex dev environment should not be ignored to an extent.
Further, we will discuss some of the very common major challenges in software development and release management on DevOps.
Low Testing Confidence
There could be untested new deployments for individual requests between the environments. Testing tends to suffer as the environments differ, which may result in undetected defects and production-related issues. It is quite natural that confidence may lose in testing as the environments differ, leading to rework and defects.
Development Environments Not in Proper Sync
Environments tend to go out of sync quickly. Refreshing the same make take more time, and it may also cause the deployments to have some errors.
Challenges in Deployment
Deployments done manually tend to create bottlenecks across various projects running simultaneously. It may create the same challenges during the test phases too. The developers update environments directly, which leads to some missed deployments also. The future releases that are built on old production may require some additional testing and add-on deployment time.
Maintenance-related Issues
Going live may be painful as there are a huge number of manual steps involved in the nearly 8 hours of outage windows. Managing different environments and project workstreams like Prod Hot Fix, R1 and R2 Major Rel, etc. in varying degrees may also pose some hurdles.
How to Tackle These Challenges
In SF DevOps administration, your chances for success will be improved multifold if you consider the following.
- Version control management of source code.
- Keeping a historical tracking of change of which is visible across the board.
- Alert the developers on finding any code conflict.
- Run test classes in the sandboxes to discover the test class issues at an early stage.
- Kee the provision open to roll back to any previous point at any given time.
- Ability to roll back any changes
- Facilitating weekly, if not daily, deployments
- Making sure that the Release Management Team has the provision for managing the deployments
- Make sure not to complicate the workflow for delivery teams.
- Letting the delivery team leads to initiate releases.
- Allowing the release management team to use the same releases as created by the delivery team.
Get Ops and Dev on the Same Page
It may be initially challenging to get these two different cultures to merge on to a single platform. Traditionally, development used to work in one way and operations the way around. Demanding them to change their ways may be a problematic affair. So, the ideal move is to focus on the common goals and devise faster ways to get there. Establishing frequent and open communication is the key to success.
Integrating the DevOps tools
Dealing with Increased Security Needs
With the latest technologies like machine learning, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, virtual reality, etc. utilized in modern-day businesses, application development is becoming more challenging. Along with these, people will not try those applications which they feel may not protect their private information. To meet these needs, you may have to hire a dedicated team with additional investment in security.
Creation of a Consistent DevOps Environment
Multiple versions of technologies inside the DevOps environment may end up in slower production and increased bugs. So, it is essential to orient the individual developers to learn new and be a part of the cohesive team, responsible for the collective whole of the outcome. All members of the team should know what others are doing and how their bit of work is related to the whole. This also can be achieved through proper communication tools along with stand-up meetings.
Milestones to be Covered for DevOps Success
There are certain milestones to be covered when you are administering DevOpsdevelopment, and by knowing which you will be able to understand where you stand and what all measures to be taken to move further.
- Milestone #1: Establishing a source code control
You may first establish a Git Repository, which acts as a vital source of the complete solution for code and configuration. It is crucial to ensure proper governance and optimum transparency to the process of code review. Try to achieve the environment consistency, repeatable deployments, and proper dynamic to each environment.
- Milestone #2: Empowering the developers
Ensure that you provide validation feedback on real-time deployment to the developers with any deployment errors. This is the process or empowering the developers to find solutions for the development issues they face, rather than running back-and-forth to the development environment manager. Try to keep release branches fully deployment-ready as like no errors were committed.
- Milestone #3: Continuous deployment
It is also essential to ensure a continuous deployment lifecycle where immediate automated validations are enabled when codes are merged. This acts as a scheduled on-demand deployment to keep various environments well in sync. You may also try to add the scripts for regression testing using tools like Selenium and automate the code review using automation DevOps tools.
With these milestones being set, you may have understood that SF.com development with DevOps is mostly like managing the configurations, thank coding. To a certain degree, there is an Apex environment that should not be ignored.
