The next time you go to a hardware store, check out the hammers. Anybody who isn’t a carpenter is sure to be surprised at how many different kinds of hammers are available. This is because driving a nail doesn’t look the same in every scenario.
The same principle applies when it comes to Salesforce DevOps tools. Every Salesforce development pipeline will have unique considerations and needs.
A DevOps pipeline is aimed at producing the highest quality development projects in the most streamlined way possible. This can be accomplished through a combination of intentional practices and powerful tools.
So how do you choose the right Salesforce DevOps tools for your needs? The same way you choose the right hammer: take stock of your needs, analyze the available options, and select the tool that best matches your findings.
Here are five considerations to keep in mind when choosing your Salesforce DevOps tools:
1. Scalability
The Salesforce DevOps tools you choose need to be able to fit into your current technological infrastructure—but that’s not all. Businesses will ideally grow over time. And as your company expands, your tools need to be able to grow along with it. Quickly outgrowing your toolset would mean constantly integrating new software and procedures.
A DevOps platform that is able to grow along with your company reduces training time, maintains familiarity, and provides the proven benefits you have seen along the way that have enabled your growth.
2. Flexibility
One of the main benefits of a DevOps pipeline is the variety of products it can produce. Your applications and updates will be able to address many different customer needs, team member requirements, and system improvements. And with this variety of products comes the need for flexibility in your Salesforce DevOps tools.
Your development pipeline needs to be able to adjust its operations to fit your current needs. This can be done through modifying the settings and procedures performed by team members. A unified DevOps platform will make this process much easier.
3. Automation
The benefits of automation will be what makes Salesforce DevOps tools worthy of integration. Take the time to analyze your current methods and tooling throughout your development processes to see what can potentially be optimized through the use of automation.
Salesforce DevOps tools that utilize automation reduce errors, expedite processes, and maximize the ROI on every project. The automated tools you end up utilizing will need to be tailored to your individual needs.
4. Security
Producing stable updates and applications in a quick manner is great for business, but these aren’t the only considerations to keep in mind. Data security must be a constant concern. Data loss events are all too common and can have huge impacts on your company. Beyond that, faulty applications can create security risks that put your customers, team members, and Salesforce environment as a whole in danger.
Proper testing, reliable backups, and stable code are all necessary to maintaining data security. Your Salesforce DevOps tools will help you maintain a successful security strategy. What areas of your current pipeline can be bolstered with stronger security tactics? Don’t save security checks for the end of the development process—make it a priority from the very first stages.
5. Analyze Your Needs
As we said above, every company’s needs are going to be different. However, even though the specifics might change, there are a few essential aspects of a DevOps pipeline that will need to be addressed. Exploring these features and how they relate to your Salesforce instance will help narrow down your options and highlight the tools that will best fit your needs.
Here are four aspects of a successful development pipeline that can greatly benefit from the incorporation of Salesforce DevOps tools:
Deployment
All areas of the DevOps pipeline are important, but the deployment phase is where everything comes together and sets up the production phase. These processes can be very time-consuming when performed manually. They can also be prone to human error.
Deployment tools such as Version Control, Continuous Integration, and Continuous Deployment/Delivery offer the ability to automate essential aspects of this process. They create a streamlined and optimized pipeline that results in stronger releases and a faster time to market.
Code Quality
The success of your application or update relies on stable code. Any errors in the coding structure will show themselves as bugs in the product or even contribute to a failed deployment. Even the most experienced and talented developers are prone to make an occasional error. This becomes even more likely with a multi-developer team.
Code scanning tools like CodeScan keep an eye on the quality of your code as it’s written. Finding a tool that integrates with the rest of your Salesforce DevOps tools will help team members get the most from it due to the increased ease of use.
Data Backup & Recovery
Data security and planning for worst case scenarios are crucial aspects of a complete DevOps strategy. In fact, incorporating security measures throughout the development pipeline is known as DevSecOps—the next iteration of DevOps.
An automated backup tool that covers both system data and metadata will help you return to operations after a data loss event. However, that’s only the first step. The tool must also possess the ability to recover the data stored in the backup.
Test Automation
The more information you have prior to deployment, the more you will understand about your update or application. Visibility into the state of your project gives you the opportunity to fix any potential issues that might be seen after production while also ensuring a successful deployment.
Test automation ensures this insight is available when you need it. This automated tool can verify a stable deployment, ensure proper operation for a better user experience, and certify accurate business functions.
The various Salesforce DevOps tools provide a way to customize your development pipeline. Incorporating some or all of them can have great impacts on the efficiency and profitability of your DevOps efforts. Taking the time to analyze the options available to you and how they affect your procedures can provide excellent returns.
FAQs
DevOps is an approach to software development that combines the practices and tools of development and operations teams to improve products that can be released at a higher velocity.
Automation enables faster release cycles, reduces errors, and frees up team members from addressing repetitive tasks.
- Scalability
- Flexibility
- Automation
- Security
- Complete Coverage
