Why is DevOps the most rewarding field in IT?

calendar Jun 27, 2023 · 4 min read · devops  ·
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Let's look at the reasons people choose DevOps, the pros and cons

It's interesting

Back when there were only developers and only "admins," many people thought that being an admin who just installs a package handed to them by the developers onto bare metal was boring. Partly that may be true, but those days are long gone, and now things are a bit more complicated. An admin now has to be able to do more than just install a package. And installation itself should already be automated through CI/CD. And developers no longer build packages for admins — they simply commit code to Git. Of course, DevOps approaches can also include requirements for developers themselves to write pipelines and Helm charts, but a DevOps engineer is now much more deeply involved in development than the admin of old. For this reason, the ability to program and an understanding of how code will behave in production are important for a DevOps engineer.

And just look at how many trendy and useful tools have appeared to solve these tasks! Making sense of all this variety isn't always easy, but it's certainly interesting. Some will say: "Our grandfathers got by without your Kuberneteses, and we'll manage somehow too!" Undeniably so, but I'm afraid that even the grandfathers are already eyeing Docker and Kubernetes.

It's lucrative

The salaries of DevOps/SRE engineers are on average higher than those of most developers, for several reasons:

  • Versatile skills: DevOps engineers usually possess a broad range of skills, including knowledge of development, system administration, automation, containerization, and infrastructure management. This allows them to perform a variety of tasks related to software development and operations. This broad skill set makes them valuable to companies, which can be reflected in their salary.
  • Complexity of the work: DevOps engineers usually build and maintain highly scalable systems.
  • Importance to the business: DevOps engineers play a key role in ensuring the continuous delivery of software and the effective management of infrastructure. Their work is aimed at ensuring high availability, scalability, and security of the system. The successful functioning of the infrastructure is critically important for the business and can significantly affect its profitability.
  • Growing demand: The role of the DevOps engineer is becoming increasingly popular and in demand. Modern companies are increasingly recognizing the need to automate software development and delivery processes, as well as to manage infrastructure effectively. As a result, demand for DevOps engineers is growing significantly. With a limited number of specialists in this field, companies are willing to offer higher salaries to attract and retain talented DevOps engineers.
  • Responsibility and risks: A DevOps engineer's work involves a great deal of responsibility and risk. They are responsible for the stability and security of the system, as well as for the continuous delivery of software.

It's secure

In times of crisis for a company, of all the technical specialists, DevOps engineers are most likely to be laid off later than the rest, for obvious reasons. While development can be wound down without major problems, keeping the product itself operational can't simply be shut down. A DevOps engineer will have less work, but they won't be let go entirely until the company or the line of business shuts down.

Downsides

Of course, there are no upsides without downsides. The downsides worth noting are:

  • High expectations and stress: DevOps engineers usually face high expectations and stress. They are required to maintain high system availability and to respond quickly to failures and problems. This can lead to a constant need to be on call and ready for unexpected situations at any time of day or night.*
  • Continuous learning and skill updating: DevOps engineers must constantly update their skills and keep up with new technologies and tools. The DevOps field is constantly evolving, and to remain an in-demand specialist, you need to constantly study new technologies and improve your skills. This may require additional time and effort for self-study and professional development. But this is a conditional downside.
  • Complexity and difficulty of tasks: A DevOps engineer's work can be complex and require solving a wide variety of technical problems. They must be ready to deploy and manage complex systems, as well as to process and analyze large volumes of data. This may require deep knowledge of various technologies and tools.
  • Risk of errors and problems: DevOps engineers are responsible for the stability and security of the system. Errors or problems in configuration or deployment can lead to failures or disruptions in the system's operation. This can have serious consequences for the business, including loss of revenue, loss of customers, and damage to the company's reputation. Therefore, DevOps engineers must pay attention to detail and carefully check all changes before implementing them.

*In reality, this depends on many factors and on the company's operating principles. The practice of on-call rotations makes this drawback more predictable and less stressful. Moreover, a properly configured fault-tolerant system won't cause trouble often.