Gartner Research

Strengthen Your DevOps Capability With Platform Ops

Published: 26 October 2018

ID: G00354920

Analyst(s): Richard Watson , Gary Olliffe

Summary

Platform ops is an approach to scaling DevOps that involves dedicating a team to the operation of a shared self-service platform. Technical professionals should use a product mindset to establish a platform that enables I&O to support agile development teams to deliver higher quality faster.

Table Of Contents

Problem Statement

The Gartner Approach

  • Tenet 1: Shared Platforms Improve DevOps at Scale
  • Tenet 2: Treat Your Platform as a Product

The Guidance Framework

  • Prework — Decide If Platform Ops Is the Right Approach
    • Recognize Your Starting Point
  • Step 1 — Conceive the Platform
    • Step 1.1 — Conceive the Platform Team
    • Step 1.2 — Conceive the Platform Technologies
    • Step 1.3 — Conceive the Platform Processes
    • Step 1.4 — Conceive the Platform Culture
  • Step 2 — Design the Platform
    • Step 2.1 — Design the Platform Team
    • Step 2.2 — Design the Platform Technologies
    • Step 2.3 — Design the Platform Processes
    • Step 2.4 — Design the Platform Culture
  • Step 3 — Realize the Platform
    • Step 3.1 — Realize the Platform Team
    • Step 3.2 — Realize the Platform Technologies
    • Step 3.3 — Realize the Platform Processes
    • Step 3.4 — Realize the Platform Culture
  • Step 4 — Service the Platform
    • Step 4.1 — Service the Platform Team
    • Step 4.2 — Service the Platform Technologies
    • Step 4.3 — Service the Platform Processes
    • Step 4.4 — Service the Platform Culture

Risks and Pitfalls

  • Risk: “If You Build It, They Will Come”
  • Risk: Difficulty Coping With the Rate of Platform Change From Open-Source Projects and Vendors
  • Pitfall: If Your Product Teams Are Sophisticated, Poorly Executed Platform Ops Could Slow Them Down
  • Pitfall: Underinvestment in Nontechnology Aspects
  • Related Guidance

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