6 Steps for SaaS Startups to Get Started With DevOps

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The world of Software as a Service (SaaS) is rapidly expanding. With such a competitive market come competitive changes. With over a 16% increase expected each year, SaaS is a huge industry bustling with potential.

However, this potential isn’t unlocked easily. One of the best ways to create more in your SaaS application is to implement DevOps automation. DevOps is a philosophy of creating more by breaking down the barriers between development and operations teams. There’s a push to automate, innovate, and problem-solve, making DevOps one of the best ways to accomplish more in less time. Here are 6 steps for SaaS startups to get started with DevOps.

1. Map Your Deployment

First, you need a plan for faster deployment. It might seem like continuous delivery is a pipedream you’ll never reach, but it’s closer than you think. Map out your deployment process first so you know exactly what road you need to take to create a simplified deployment.

You’ll realize quickly that there are a large number of steps included in every single deployment. Don’t stress, this is a normal realization. What you’ll do from here is learn how to standardize this deployment process so it can be automated.

2. More Than Once Rule

Next, implement the more than once rule. This means that any action that has to be done more than once needs to be automated. Creating a way for anyone in your organization to deliver the right code or action in a single click of a button will help you deliver faster without so many errors.

3. Testing

No application deployment should be released without extensive testing. What does this mean for your DevOps process? That you’ll have to automate your testing. Bugs will slip through the cracks if you’re not careful, and you can’t afford to lose your customers in this way.

Today, almost 35% of mobile apps have engagement rates that are under a minute. While this is certainly longer for SaaS, that’s not to say users don’t have equally short patience levels. If things don’t work correctly the first time, they’ll simply move to the competition.

4. Automated Alerts

After automated testing, it should come as no surprise that you also need to automate alerts. Things will go wrong whether you take all the necessary steps or not. Even worse, we now live in a world where cyber threats are a real and growing problem.

You need to protect your application at every step of the way. By automating alerts, you can monitor your own deployments in real-time. If something goes wrong, your developers will know about it quickly, before the problem escalates. With Papertrail log analyzer, you can use these alerts to solve the problem quickly without needing to search for its source.

5. Education

Another key step in your ongoing strategy needs to be education. DevOps isn’t one-size-fits-all. Don’t expect it to be a magic solution for your SaaS company. If you don’t take measures to educate your team at all levels, you’ll be left with a team that isn’t properly educated in the new philosophy of DevOps. This takes time, so give your organization the room it needs to grow.

6. Document Your Procedures

Finally, document all of your changing procedures. Your team is rapidly learning just what works and what doesn’t. If they’re able to document these procedures, you can spend more time doing the things that grow your company. This is known as a feedback loop. Your team is reflecting on what works so they can make your process leaner than ever.

As a DevOps company, you need to lessen the gap between business strategy and development strategy. With DevOps, this is possible. However, it will take some work and time to make your transition successful. Are you ready to embrace DevOps for yourself? See why it’s helping so many companies across industry lines.