The IT sector has become more dynamic today. However, certain IT aspects are here to stay forever. DevOps is one such field that has a long-lasting breath. DevOps means a transformation aimed at integrating software development and IT operations processes from a business point of view. It is a blend of techniques found in Lean and Agile methodologies that transforms the way companies produce software applications. This is why DevOps professionals, especially DevOps architects, are in great demand.
Anticipating the rising demand, many IT professionals are prioritizing this field. However, understanding DevOps architect roles and responsibilities becomes necessary before applying for a job. If you overlook this point, you will not be able to scale in this field.
What is DevOps Architect?
In general, a DevOps architect defines a system-based solution that fits across the managerial, technical, and operational standards. These professionals create an organized solution by assessing a large system environment and choosing an application framework to handle the difficulties in the system. A DevOps architect should be able to handle all the problems by employing strategies that align with the DevOps best practices.
An ideal DevOps architect should have some prior experience in software development and project management. DevOps architects are in great demand because of the knowledge and experience they hold. Essentially, they carry practical experience in managing DevOps, configuration, operations, and leadership.
DevOps Architect Roles And Responsibilities
After understanding the job, you may want to know what the professional is expected to do in his position. The roles and responsibilities of DevOps architect vary from project to project and company to company. However, some roles are common for all. Here are the common DevOps architect responsibilities.
- Assessing, executing, and organizing DevOps practices
- Automating processes using the right tools
- Facilitating operations and development processes
- Establishing a relevant DevOps channel across the organization
- Setting up a constant build environment to enhance the speed of software development and deployment process
- Architecting extensive and efficient practices
- Guiding developers as well as operation teams in times of need
- Monitoring, assessing, and managing technical operations
- Managing teams with a leadership mindset
DevOps Architect Skill Set
Since the job is comprehensive and comes with a series of responsibilities, the professional must have a relevant skill set to get hired. Here is the required set of skills that a DevOps architect must possess.
- Years of experience in building great software with the help of updated tools
- Leadership mindset
- Visionary skills
- Excellent communication
- Good grasp of concepts
- Updated knowledge about technologies and tools
- Strong operational experience
- An inspirational team management approach
- Effective and efficient problem-solving expertise
- Exceptional cross-functional headship skills
- Proficiency in configuration management
What Are DevOps Architect Recruiters Looking For?
Most IT companies are looking for DevOps architects. However, getting hired is not a piece of cake given the requirements of the job. As a smart professional, you should know a DevOps architect role or what recruiters are looking for in an ideal candidate. Here are the essential skills that recruiters look for when hiring a DevOps architect.
- Must possess automation skills and should be able to drive initiatives for automation processes
- Build exceptional cross-functional leadership skills and work together with the engineering and operations teams to ensure that systems are secure and scalable
- Thorough knowledge of software development and testing methodologies as well as configuration management practices in Linux and Unix-based environments
- Possess a profound understanding of cloud-based environments
- Experience in managing automated deployment of/using CI/CD tools
- Must have in-depth knowledge and proficiency in infrastructure automation tools such as Puppet, Ansible, and Chef
- Hands-on experience with Amazon Web Services
- Must possess expertise in operating Unix/Linux environments and scripting languages such as Shell, Python, and Perl
- Ability to assess deployment and delivery pipelines (employ strategies to reduce chances of failure, detect bottlenecks, and fix issues)
- Prior experience in employing seamless delivery and DevOps solutions
- Experience in building and designing solutions to move and process data
- Should have strong expertise in coding languages based on the job nature
Importance of Hiring DevOps Architect
The role of a DevOps architect/DevOps engineer is of utmost importance in today’s IT job market. Since software development culture and collaboration between development and operation teams are increasing, the demand for DevOps architects is increasing at an alarming pace. Organizations are hunting for effective professionals to solve complex problems in the field. Here are the important factors behind its significance.
- They are highly skilled communicators and collaborators
- They ensure end-to-end communication
- They carry experience in building a DevOps culture
- They can take care of infrastructure planning, development, and testing
- They ensure rapidity and security across the organization
- They motivate the team for the fast and error-less delivery of software products
- They have a seamless understanding of DevOps tools, processes, structure, and mindsets
- They predict and anticipate needs, accumulate all resources, and plan efficiently as required
- They assess problems in automation, version control, and security and recommend necessary measures to solve them quickly
How to Become a DevOps Architect?
Now that you know the demand and roles of a DevOps architect, you may be eager to become a professional and make a remunerative living. However, the job has specific requirements. Without them, you just cannot get hired by a potential employer.Qualifications to become a DevOps Architect include a master’s or a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field. Additionally, you must have extensive experience in software development and IT operations. On top of that, you must be proficient in DevOps technologies and tools and have strong communication and leadership skills.
DevOps Architect Salary
The average salary of a DevOps architect depends on many factors. The level of expertise you hold and the number of years of experience determine the remuneration. Still, the national average salary for a DevOps Technical Architect in the United States is $110,663. A DevOps Architect, in India, makes approximately 18,00,000 INR per year.
The salary also varies based on the location and the company profile. For instance, TCS pays more than Accenture in India. Also, you may expect a higher compensation in Gurgaon, Haryana compared to Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
Bottom Line
In the end, we can say that a DevOps architect has to visualize a broader, complete picture and needs a thorough understanding of the way software development and IT operations teams integrate. Put simply, DevOps architect roles and responsibilities involve understanding the ins and outs of the entire DevOps architecture. So, if you are planning to enter into this field, prepare yourself by knowing what you need to do, what qualifications you must hold, and other aspects before appearing for an interview
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Amol Shete
Senior Software Engineer
A well-experienced DevOps engineer who loves to discuss cloud, DevOps, and Kubernetes. An energetic team player with great communication & interpersonal skills.
FAQ's
A DevOps architect is responsible for guiding the design and execution of software applications. DevOps architects can create platforms and structures to make verifiable, automatic, and consistent management of applications and infrastructure in between production and non-production environments.
A successful DevOps engineer/architect should learn to juggle between different tasks such as coding, testing, and integrating. If you are out to build a career in the DevOps field, your career path can see you begin as a Release Manager, moving up to DevOps Test Engineer, then DevOps Cloud Engineer, and ultimately, a DevOps Architect.
The highest role in DevOps is DevOps lead. A DevOps lead is a professional who sits on top of the entire DevOps cycle. He is responsible for the execution of the process as expected. He/ She should have a vast knowledge of several automation tools that different parts of team members use.
