DevOps services are gaining more and more popularity due to the increased efficiency, faster time-to-market, and quicker regular updates compared to a traditional development model. While some of the businesses are trying to hire in-house developers, others prefer to take the advantage of the partnership with an offshore DevOps company. And they have a good reason for it. A professional DevOps partner is worth their weight in gold, and having access to a vast pool of talent greatly eases the task.
In today’s blog, we prepared 4 main tips on how to outsource the right DevOps partner.
#1 Clearly define the expectations you have from the DevOps partner
The fundamental of any cooperation is setting explicit requirements beforehand. Clearly outline the deadlines, set KPIs, arrange the communication demands: how often would you like to receive the feedback from the DevOps partner, and what’s the most important - when. Most probably, your vendor will be situated in a different part of the world, so both of you need to build a model of communication in such a way as not to become a victim of time zone differences. Let’s imagine you stay in New York and the DevOps team is located in Ukraine.
Both of you have a nine-to-five working schedule and there is a 7 hours difference between you. The task gets more complicated if you have two or more outsourcing teams dispersed in different parts of the world, or if your software contractor stays in China (more than 13 hours difference), for example. Therefore, you need to find a regular time to hold meetings with your partner. Some useful tools for visualizing time differences are World clock meeting planner, Everytimezone, and 24timezones.
Last but not the least, is to neatly identify what kind of DevOps process you need to scale up: whether you need to set up the whole infrastructure or review the cloud costs, etc, you should define it at the beginning of cooperation and certify by writing it down in a contract.
#2 Search in various destinations
A common mistake the companies make while searching for a DevOps partner is giving priority to the cheapest variant. Though it’s vital to bear in mind that the key reason why companies decide to partner with an outsourced DevOps team is their desire to get the service at higher quality at a lower price. India and China are not the only pebbles on the beach.
Therefore, while looking for the right country to hire a DevOps partner, pay attention not only to cost but also to such criteria as the availability of a big and strong tech talent pool, country’s location and time zone, culture, and the amount of English-speaking population.
According to statistical analysis held by HackerRank, Ukrainian developers received an average score of 88,7% for all HackerRank challenges, while Indian developers got 76,0%. There are more than 192K tech experts in Ukraine and 80% of them are fluent in English which makes Ukraine the second biggest talent pool in Eastern Europe. Clutch lists more than 60 Ukrainian tech companies that provide DevOps services, not to mention the number of freelance developers.
#3 Evaluate the DevOps partner carefully
Never buy a pig in a poke. The information and portfolio of your potential DevOps partner should be transparent and easily accessible. Visit some popular review platforms as Clutch and AppFutura to check the customers’ feedback about the company you are interested in. The advantage of such platforms is that all the reviews are verified so you can be on the safe side. Carefully evaluate DevOps service providers’ portfolio if their previous experience meets your expectations in the matter of quality and style. Double-check the vendor’s technology infrastructure to make sure that they are keeping up with the latest technology advancements.
#4 Ensure the elimination of possible risks
Ensure that the security policies, procedures, and technical safeguards used by your DevOps partner are on a high level. Every country differs in the terms of laws and regulations, especially when it comes to ownership, trademarks, and patents. That’s why it’s important to educate yourself about the procedures of legal protection in the terms of outsourcing. Also, consider the geopolitical risks associated with government support of the outsourcing industries in the terms of investments.
Summing up, the choice of the right DevOps partner definitely requires time and effort. But the resources you spend on it will greatly reduce the risks of choosing a vendor that doesn’t comply with your goals, possess weak technical skills, or doesn’t follow security policies.
Ukraine is one of the top countries with the best developers in respect of security and professionalism. We have built a strong DevOps community that serves as a reliable vendor for businesses all over the world.
inVerita has represented Ukraine in the global arena for more than five years. We use the best security practices for data and intellectual property protection. Our DevOps team is composed of the best Ukrainian technical experts with years of experience. We value your vision and guarantee long-term and successful cooperation. Don’t hesitate to text us.
