How to become a DevOps Engineer

by Danielle Antosz | Published on August 31, 2024

A DevOps engineer is a critical role in today's IT world. They serve as the bridge between software developers (Dev) and IT operations (Ops). Their main goals are to streamline software development, improve team collaboration, and ensure faster, more reliable software delivery. 

Think of DevOps as the head chef in a fast-paced kitchen responsible for ensuring the line cooks, who cook and plate dishes, work well with the prep cooks, who ensure ingredients are stocked, vegetables are chopped, and meats are marinated. (Except more coding and less cooking!) 

If you're considering becoming a DevOps engineer, there is plenty to learn. Here is what you need to know before diving in. 

What is a DevOps Engineer?

DevOps engineers, short for development operations engineers, combine development and IT operations skills to automate, streamline, and optimize software development and deployment processes. 

They tend to wear many different hats, and their duties can vary depending on the organization's size, what the company develops, and the overall development structure. Some core responsibilities you can expect to focus on as a DevOps engineer include:

• Automating tasks: Building and maintaining CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment) pipelines to automate testing and deployment to achieve smoother, faster software releases.

• Managing Infrastructure as Code (IaC): You'll likely use tools like Ansible, Puppet, or Terraform to write scripts to manage infrastructure. This will help your team to scale up quickly and efficiently.

• Facilitate collaboration: You'll work closely with development and operations teams to ensure smooth deployments, reduce the chances of errors, and improve communication.

• Monitor and improve performance: As a DevOps engineer, you'll likely be responsible for monitoring system performance, optimizing resources, and ensuring systems are secure, scalable, and always available.

• Cloud management: A significant part of your job will likely involve deploying and managing cloud environments on platforms like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud. Tasks might also include configuring and maintaining services, databases, and applications across multiple cloud environments.

Note that the term "DevOps engineer" doesn't necessarily refer to one specific role across different companies. It can actually refer to several roles, especially in larger companies. Types of DevOps engineers include build engineers, release engineers, and automation engineers. 

Some job listings might also refer to a specific platform or language you'll need to be familiar with, such as "AWS Cloud DevOps Engineer"  or "DevOps Engineer with Python." 

Day-to-Day Activities

As a DevOps engineer, your day-to-day duties might include: 

• Managing code deployment pipelines: Your overall goal for most days is likely to ensure the software reaches users without any hitches. This may include any number of different tasks and meetings. 

• Monitoring system performance: You could be monitoring servers, applications, and networks to ensure smooth operation.

• Resolving incidents: Later in the day, you might troubleshoot and fix issues arising during software deployment or in live environments.

• Improving automation processes: You'll always be on the look out for new ways to automate repetitive tasks, reducing the workload for development and IT teams.

Essential Technical Skills for DevOps Engineers

Becoming a successful DevOps engineer requires a diverse skill set—and the exact skills are likely to vary by job. Some of the most important technical skills most DevOps engineers can expect to need include: 

• Programming languages: Proficiency in languages such as Python, Ruby, and Bash is essential for scripting and automation. The exact language can vary by company. 

• Version control systems: Knowledge of Git will make it easier to manage code versions and collaborate with multiple teams.

• Containerization tools: You'll want to be very familiar with Docker and Kubernetes, as they are key to deploying and managing applications in isolated environments.

• Cloud platforms: Experience with cloud services like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud is crucial to managing scalable, reliable systems. Make sure you can navigate these platforms easily. 

• Automation tools: In today's tech environment, this can be a huge part of DevOps. You'll want expertise with tools like Jenkins, Ansible, and Terraform to help you automate infrastructure management, deployment, and monitoring.

Learn more about GitLab and Git with our intermediate-level training. 

Industry Demand and Job Outlook

The demand for DevOps engineers continues to grow as companies shift towards cloud-based solutions and look for ways to improve operational efficiency. Organizations across various industries—from tech to finance to healthcare—are moving towards agile software delivery practices, making the role of a DevOps engineer essential. 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not have stats for DevOps specifically but does project growth in the fields of software developers, quality assurance analysts, and testers. Many companies are actively seeking skilled professionals who can combine development and operations, with LinkedIn listing nearly 5,000 jobs in the field. DevOps was one of the ten most in-demand jobs in 2022 and 2023. 

Education and Training Resources

• Degree: To become a DevOps Engineer, you'll likely need a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or Software Engineering. Specialized DevOps courses and boot camps are also available.

• Certifications: To enhance credibility and technical knowledge, consider certifications like AWS Certified DevOps Engineer, Microsoft Certified DevOps Engineer Expert, or Docker Certified Associate.

DevOps Engineer Career Path and Progression

DevOps Engineers typically follow a growth path that starts as a system admin or similar entry-level role and up to related roles as they gain skills and experience. Here's a generalized career path for a DevOps Engineer: 

• Entry-Level Positions: Many start as system administrators, software developers, or IT support specialists, gaining hands-on experience in both development and operations.

• DevOps: Once individuals gain enough experience, a move to DevOps becomes possible. To become a DevOps employee, individuals may pursue certifications or study specific technologies. 

• Advancement: With experience, DevOps engineers can move into roles such as senior DevOps engineer, cloud architect, or site reliability engineer (SRE). Leadership positions like DevOps manager or director are also possible. 

• Alternative Career Paths: Depending on their skill set and interests, DevOps engineers may transition into roles like cloud engineers, software architects, or automation engineers.

DevOps Engineer vs. System Administrator

While both DevOps engineers and systems administrators manage IT infrastructure, there are key differences. DevOps engineers focus on automation, integration, and streamlining the development lifecycle, whereas system administrators handle system upkeep, maintenance, and troubleshooting. Overall, DevOps engineers bring a more proactive, holistic approach to software development and deployment.

Want to learn more about what sysadmins do? Check out our Intro to Systems Administration Online Training course. 

How Much Does a DevOps Engineer Make?

Salaries for DevOps engineers vary widely, but based on data for GlassDoor, here is what you can expect to make: 

(Source: Glassdoor, [10/13/2024])

Several factors can affect your potential salary as a DevOps Engineer, including your experience, training level, geographic location, company size, and industry sector (tech, finance, healthcare).

Conclusion

A career as a DevOps engineer can be very rewarding for those who enjoy blending technical skills with problem-solving. Being successful in this field requires a solid understanding of both development and operations, continuous learning, and hands-on experience with a variety of tools and platforms. If you're interested in this career path, CBT Nuggets offers a wide range of courses to help you learn the skills you need to succeed. 

Ready to dive into DevOps? Claim your free week of training with CBT Nuggets.