A Recruiter’s Guide to Evaluating DevOps Candidates Like a Pro

George Goodwin

DevOps is one of the most in-demand skills in the tech industry today. As companies strive for faster software delivery, improved scalability, and enhanced operational efficiency, the need for skilled DevOps engineers is skyrocketing. However, finding and evaluating the right DevOps candidates can be challenging for recruiters.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to assess DevOps professionals effectively. We’ll cover the core tools, essential skills, hiring best practices, and market trends so you can confidently identify top talent.

What is DevOps?

DevOps is a combination of software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops) that focuses on automation, collaboration, and continuous improvement. The goal is to streamline the software development lifecycle, ensuring rapid and reliable releases.

Key Concepts in DevOps

• CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment): Automates code integration and deployment, ensuring frequent and stable software updates.

• Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Uses coding tools like Terraform and Ansible to manage infrastructure instead of manual configurations.

• Monitoring and Logging: Tools like Prometheus and Grafana help track system performance and resolve issues proactively.

• Automation: Reduces manual tasks using tools like Jenkins and GitLab CI.

• Collaboration: Encourages seamless communication between developers, operations teams, and security experts.

Core DevOps Tools and Technologies

Understanding the tools a candidate works with is essential for assessing their expertise. Here are some of the most common DevOps technologies:

• Version Control Systems: Git, GitHub, GitLab

• CI/CD Tools: Jenkins, CircleCI, Travis CI, GitLab CI

• Configuration Management: Ansible, Chef, Puppet

• Containerization & Orchestration: Docker, Kubernetes

• Cloud Platforms: AWS, Google Cloud, Azure

• Infrastructure as Code: Terraform, CloudFormation

• Monitoring & Logging: Prometheus, Grafana, ELK Stack

• Scripting Languages: Python, Bash, Go

A Definitive Guide to Hiring an Excellent DevOps Engineer

Hiring a DevOps engineer requires more than just scanning resumes for buzzwords. Companies need professionals who understand automation, cloud computing, and software lifecycle management. Here’s how to find the best candidates:

1. Craft a Clear Job Description

Define the role, expectations, and required technical skills upfront. Be specific about tools, cloud experience, and automation requirements.

2. Expand Your Talent Search

Look beyond job portals like LinkedIn and Indeed. Consider sourcing talent from:

• DevOps communities and meetups

• GitHub and GitLab repositories

• Open-source contributions

3. Use Boolean Search Strings

Widen your candidate pool by using search strings like:

("DevOps Engineer" OR "Site Reliability Engineer" OR SRE OR "Cloud Automation Engineer") AND (Jenkins OR Kubernetes OR Terraform) AND (AWS OR Azure OR Google Cloud)

4. Assess Soft Skills

Since DevOps roles require collaboration, candidates should demonstrate strong communication, problem-solving, and adaptability skills.

Skills That You Must Test for a DevOps Engineer Position

Technical expertise is crucial, but evaluating a candidate’s hands-on ability is even more important. Here are the top skills to assess:

1. Scripting & Coding

Candidates should be proficient in languages like Python, Bash, or Go to automate workflows and manage infrastructure.

2. Automation & CI/CD Pipelines

Evaluate their experience with CI/CD tools and their ability to implement automation in software deployment.

3. Cloud Computing

Ensure they have hands-on experience with AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure, including deploying applications in cloud environments.

4. Containers & Orchestration

Knowledge of Docker and Kubernetes is critical for managing scalable applications.

5. Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

Test their ability to write Terraform or Ansible scripts to automate infrastructure setup.

6. Monitoring & Security

Assess their familiarity with tools like Prometheus, ELK Stack, and best security practices for cloud environments.

The DevOps Market and Adoption Statistics

The DevOps market is booming, with increasing demand for automation and cloud adoption.

• The global DevOps market surpassed $7 billion in 2021 and is projected to grow by 20% from 2022 to 2028.

• The U.S. DevOps market is estimated at $3.8 billion, making up 41.4% of the global market.

• 85% of organizations plan to adopt a cloud strategy by 2025, further driving the demand for skilled DevOps professionals.

FAQs About A Recruiter’s Guide to Evaluating DevOps Candidates Like a Pro

What are the most important skills for a DevOps candidate?

A strong DevOps candidate should have expertise in automation, cloud computing, scripting, containers, and continuous integration/deployment (CI/CD).

Where can I find top DevOps talent?

Look beyond traditional job boards. Consider GitHub, open-source contributions, DevOps meetups, and specialized DevOps communities.

How do I test a DevOps candidate’s practical skills?

Conduct live coding tests, ask them to automate a task, or have them troubleshoot a real-world DevOps scenario.

What is the average salary of a DevOps engineer?

Salaries vary, but experienced DevOps professionals can earn over $200K annually, depending on skills and location.

FAQs About Brokee

What services does Brokee offer?

Brokee specializes in B2B client acquisition, lead generation, and digital marketing strategies to help businesses grow.

How does Brokee help companies scale?

We use data-driven strategies, automation, and personalized outreach to connect businesses with high-quality leads.

Is Brokee suitable for startups?

Absolutely! We help startups accelerate growth by providing cost-effective lead generation and marketing solutions.

How can I contact Brokee?

You can reach out to us through our website or email us at info@brokee.io for more details.

Conclusion

Recruiting DevOps professionals doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By understanding key skills, tools, and hiring best practices, you can streamline your hiring process and secure top-tier DevOps talent. Use Boolean searches, test for practical skills, and leverage alternative sourcing channels to find the best fit for your company.

By following this guide, you’ll be evaluating DevOps candidates like a pro in no time!

Live Technical Assessments: The Future of Hiring System Engineers

By George Goodwin

The landscape of hiring system engineers is changing rapidly, and traditional recruitment methods are often no longer enough to identify the right talent. Technical assessments, specifically live ones, are becoming a game-changer in how companies evaluate potential hires. In this blog post, we’ll dive into the importance of technical assessments in engineering recruitment and explore how they’re shaping the future of hiring.

The Significance of Technical Assessments in Engineering Recruitment

Hiring system engineers has always been challenging, but technical assessments bring an entirely new level of precision to the process. Resumes alone can’t provide the full picture of a candidate’s capabilities. Live technical assessments offer a chance to evaluate real-world problem-solving skills, technical proficiency, and the ability to adapt to new challenges. These assessments allow companies to:

1. Ensure Skills Alignment: Technical assessments help ensure that candidates possess the specific skills required for the role, from coding to troubleshooting.

2. Validate Qualifications: With these assessments, companies can confirm the accuracy of the qualifications listed on a resume and check if the candidate truly understands the tools they claim to know.

3. Predict Job Performance: By assessing candidates in a real-time setting, companies can gain insight into how well a candidate might perform on the job.

Preparing for Technical Assessments in Engineering

If you’re a job seeker looking to ace your next technical assessment, preparation is key. Here’s how you can get ready:

1. Review Key Concepts and Projects: Brush up on the fundamentals—coding, algorithms, system design, and problem-solving. Consider revisiting past projects to discuss your process clearly.

2. Practice Problem-Solving: Use coding platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to practice solving problems quickly. This will help you become familiar with time constraints and improve your critical thinking under pressure.

3. Mock Interviews: Simulate the real experience by practicing mock interviews with peers or mentors. The more you practice, the more comfortable and confident you’ll be in the actual assessment.

Understanding the Purpose of Technical Assessments

You might be wondering, “Why do companies conduct these live technical assessments?” The simple answer is—they provide a more accurate, hands-on evaluation of a candidate's abilities. Let’s break it down:

1. Objective Evaluation: Traditional interviews often rely on subjective impressions, but technical assessments use clear, measurable criteria. This helps companies avoid biases and hire based on merit alone.

2. Real-Time Problem Solving: During live assessments, you get to demonstrate how you tackle complex issues on the fly. Companies can see how you approach coding challenges, troubleshoot errors, and manage your time.

3. Better Fit: These assessments not only test technical skills but also show how well you fit within the company culture. Employers want engineers who can collaborate and adapt, and live assessments give them the opportunity to observe this in action.

Why Conduct Technical Assessments When Hiring Software Developers?

The traditional hiring process—scanning resumes and conducting interviews—just isn’t enough to fully understand a developer’s capabilities. Here’s why technical assessments have become so important in the hiring process:

Traditional Interviewing Process: The Limits

While resumes provide a good snapshot of a candidate's background, they don’t reveal how someone actually performs in a real-world setting. The standard interview focuses on theory and past experiences, but it often overlooks whether a candidate can solve the specific problems the company is facing.

Enter Live Technical Assessments

Live technical assessments focus on actual problem-solving skills. This means candidates can demonstrate how they think on their feet, work through technical challenges, and use their knowledge to deliver real solutions. By conducting live assessments, companies get to observe candidates in action, which significantly reduces the risk of hiring the wrong person.

The Future of System Engineer Hiring: Live Technical Assessments

As the demand for skilled system engineers continues to grow, traditional methods will no longer suffice. Live technical assessments are not only more efficient but also more effective at identifying the best candidates. Let’s look at how this will shape the future:

1. Faster Hiring Process: Live technical assessments allow recruiters to quickly see if a candidate has the necessary skills, cutting down on the time spent evaluating resumes and conducting lengthy interviews.

2. Improved Hiring Quality: By focusing on actual performance rather than theoretical knowledge, companies will be able to hire engineers who can truly deliver.

3. More Inclusive Hiring Practices: These assessments level the playing field, ensuring that candidates are judged based on their skills and abilities, not their background or how well they perform in a traditional interview setting.

FAQs About Live Technical Assessments: The Future of Hiring System Engineers

What are live technical assessments?

Live technical assessments are real-time, hands-on tests used during the hiring process to evaluate a candidate’s technical abilities. They usually involve solving coding problems, system design tasks, or troubleshooting exercises in a time-constrained environment, allowing employers to see how candidates think and solve problems.

How do live technical assessments improve hiring?

These assessments give recruiters a clearer picture of a candidate’s actual skills. Unlike traditional interviews, which may focus on theoretical knowledge, live assessments focus on practical abilities, helping employers make more informed hiring decisions.

What types of assessments are used?

Common live technical assessments include coding challenges, system design exercises, and troubleshooting tasks. These tests simulate real-world problems that system engineers will likely face on the job.

How can I prepare for live technical assessments?

Preparation involves practicing coding problems, studying key technical concepts (like algorithms and data structures), and doing mock interviews. The more you practice, the better you’ll be at solving problems under pressure.

Why is Brokee a great choice for recruitment?

At Brokee, we specialize in streamlining the recruitment process for tech companies by offering advanced technical assessments. Our platform ensures that you get the right talent, quickly, with comprehensive assessments that test real-world skills in an objective, fair, and unbiased way.

In conclusion, live technical assessments are revolutionizing the way system engineers are hired. By focusing on practical problem-solving abilities, these assessments provide both companies and candidates with a more effective, accurate, and efficient hiring experience. As the demand for skilled system engineers continues to grow, embracing live assessments will be essential to staying ahead in this competitive market.

Skills Over Resumes: How to Assess Real-World DevOps Talent

Introduction

Resumes might tell you where a candidate has worked, but they don’t always reveal how well they can actually perform in a real-world DevOps environment. In today’s fast-moving tech landscape, hiring DevOps engineers based on skills rather than just job titles or degrees is the smarter approach.

This blog post will guide you on assessing real-world DevOps talent beyond the traditional resume. We’ll explore the essential skills, practical assessments, and strategies for identifying the right DevOps engineers for your team.

Why Skills Matter More Than Resumes

A resume lists qualifications, but it doesn’t measure hands-on expertise. DevOps is a highly technical field that requires problem-solving, collaboration, and automation skills. When hiring a DevOps engineer, focusing on real-world capabilities ensures you get a candidate who can thrive in a dynamic environment.

Key Skills Every DevOps Engineer Needs

1. Automation and Scripting

A strong DevOps engineer must be proficient in automation tools like Ansible, Terraform, and Kubernetes. Scripting knowledge in languages such as Python, Bash, or PowerShell is essential for writing infrastructure-as-code and automating repetitive tasks.

2. CI/CD Pipelines

Understanding Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines is crucial for delivering reliable software quickly. DevOps professionals should be skilled in Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, or CircleCI to streamline software development and deployment.

3. Cloud Platforms

With most businesses moving to the cloud, experience with AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud is a must. A skilled DevOps engineer knows how to manage cloud resources efficiently and securely.

4. Containerization and Orchestration

Containers, especially Docker and Kubernetes, have revolutionized software deployment. Candidates should be able to build, deploy, and manage containerized applications effectively.

5. Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

Managing infrastructure through code ensures consistency and scalability. Familiarity with Terraform, CloudFormation, or Puppet is a major plus.

6. Monitoring and Logging

Real-time monitoring tools like Prometheus, Grafana, and ELK Stack help keep systems healthy. A DevOps engineer must be skilled in setting up and managing these tools.

7. Security Best Practices

Security should be integrated into every step of the DevOps lifecycle. Engineers must understand secrets management, secure coding practices, and compliance frameworks like SOC 2 or ISO 27001.

8. Collaboration and Communication

DevOps is as much about people as it is about technology. Engineers need strong collaboration skills to work effectively with development, operations, and security teams.

9. Problem-Solving and Adaptability

Things go wrong in tech—often. DevOps professionals need to be able to troubleshoot quickly and adapt to new technologies and workflows as they emerge.

How to Assess Real-World DevOps Skills

1. Practical Coding Challenges

Give candidates real-world problems to solve using automation scripts, CI/CD pipelines, or infrastructure as code.

2. Hands-on Labs or Take-Home Assignments

Set up a cloud environment and have them deploy a simple application, troubleshoot an issue, or set up monitoring.

3. Live Technical Interviews

Instead of just talking theory, have candidates share their screens and walk through a DevOps scenario in real-time.

4. Scenario-Based Questions

Ask how they would handle a major system failure, automate a repetitive task, or scale a cloud application under heavy load.

5. Open-Source Contributions or Past Projects

Review their GitHub repositories, DevOps blog posts, or open-source contributions to assess their real-world expertise.

FAQs about Skills Over Resumes: How to Assess Real-World DevOps Talent

1. Why is skills-based hiring important in DevOps?

Because DevOps is a hands-on field, real-world skills are more valuable than credentials. A candidate with practical experience can contribute faster and more effectively.

2. What are the best ways to assess DevOps skills?

Live coding challenges, hands-on projects, and reviewing past work (like GitHub repositories) are the best ways to gauge a candidate’s real abilities.

3. What tools should a DevOps engineer know?

Key tools include Kubernetes, Docker, Terraform, Ansible, Jenkins, AWS, Azure, Prometheus, and ELK Stack.

4. How can companies test problem-solving skills in DevOps?

Present candidates with real-world issues, such as debugging a failing deployment or optimizing a CI/CD pipeline.

5. How does DevOps hiring differ from traditional IT hiring?

Traditional hiring often relies on degrees and experience, whereas DevOps hiring focuses more on practical, hands-on skills.

FAQs about Brokee

1. What is Brokee?

Brokee is a leading platform that connects businesses with top DevOps talent through a skills-based hiring approach.

2. How does Brokee help companies hire better?

We offer hands-on skill assessments, live coding challenges, and AI-driven talent matching to ensure you hire the best DevOps engineers.

3. What makes Brokee different from traditional hiring platforms?

Unlike resume-based hiring platforms, Brokee focuses on real-world skills, providing companies with proven DevOps talent.

4. Does Brokee support remote hiring?

Yes! We connect businesses with top DevOps engineers worldwide for both remote and on-site roles.

5. How can I sign up for Brokee?

Visit our website, create a company profile, and start assessing top-tier DevOps talent today.

Conclusion

Hiring DevOps talent based on skills rather than resumes leads to stronger, more capable teams. By using real-world assessments, hands-on projects, and practical interviews, businesses can ensure they hire engineers who can perform under pressure. Whether you’re looking for your next DevOps hire or refining your own skills, focusing on hands-on expertise will set you up for success.

The Ultimate Guide to Hiring Top ReactJS Developers Using Skills Tests

Hiring the right ReactJS developer is a game-changer for businesses. But how do you ensure you’re bringing the right talent on board? Skills tests are the secret weapon that can streamline the hiring process and guarantee you’re picking the cream of the crop. In this guide, we’ll dive into everything you need to know about hiring top ReactJS developers using skills tests, from understanding React development to why testing and quality assurance (QA) are essential.

Understanding React Development

ReactJS is a powerful JavaScript library developed by Facebook for building dynamic user interfaces. Its component-based architecture and efficient virtual DOM make it a favorite for developers creating fast, scalable, and responsive web apps.

What Does a ReactJS Developer Do?

A ReactJS developer is responsible for:

• Developing reusable UI components.

• Managing application state using libraries like Redux or Context API.

• Optimizing application performance.

• Collaborating with designers and back-end developers to deliver a cohesive product.

However, a top-notch React developer goes beyond these basics. They have expertise in related tools, understand user experience, and are adept at testing and QA.

The Importance of Testing and Quality Assurance

In the fast-paced world of software development, functionality isn’t enough—reliability and user satisfaction are critical. That’s where testing and QA come in.

Why Are Testing and QA Crucial for React Development?

• Prevent Bugs: Early testing catches errors before they affect users.

• Enhance Stability: Quality assurance ensures your application remains stable and performs well under stress.

• Improve User Experience: A bug-free, intuitive app keeps users happy.

• Save Time and Money: Identifying issues early avoids costly fixes later.

By hiring a ReactJS developer with testing skills, you’re investing in a smoother development process and a better end product.

How Skills Tests Make Hiring Easier

Skills tests help you evaluate a candidate’s abilities in real-world scenarios. They’re more than just a buzzword—they’re your key to hiring success.

Benefits of Skills Tests

• Objective Assessment: Evaluate candidates based on their actual work, not just resumes.

• Time Efficiency: Filter out unqualified candidates quickly.

• Real-World Scenarios: See how candidates perform tasks similar to those they’ll handle on the job.

• Better Hiring Decisions: Focus on candidates who demonstrate the required skills and expertise.

Essential Skills to Test

When creating a skills test for ReactJS developers, consider including tasks that cover:

1. React Fundamentals: Building and managing components, state, and props.

2. JavaScript Proficiency: ES6+ syntax, promises, and async/await.

3. State Management: Redux, Context API, or other libraries.

4. Testing and QA: Writing unit and integration tests using Jest, Enzyme, or Cypress.

5. CSS and HTML Skills: Styling components and creating responsive designs.

Steps to Hire Top ReactJS Developers Using Skills Tests

Step 1: Write a Clear Job Description

Your job posting should specify:

• Project goals.

• Required skills (e.g., React, Redux, testing frameworks).

• Desired experience level.

• Details about the role and responsibilities.

Step 2: Screen Candidates

Look for:

• Relevant project experience.

• Strong portfolios showcasing React work.

• Knowledge of modern development tools and practices.

Step 3: Conduct a Skills Test

Create a test that mimics real-world challenges. Example tasks include:

• Debugging an existing React app.

• Building a small component with specific functionality.

• Writing unit tests for a given module.

Step 4: Hold a Technical Interview

Use the interview to:

• Discuss their approach to the skills test.

• Assess their understanding of testing and QA.

• Evaluate problem-solving and communication skills.

Step 5: Make the Hiring Decision

After reviewing test results and interview performance, choose the candidate who aligns with your project needs and team culture.

FAQs about The Ultimate Guide to Hiring Top ReactJS Developers Using Skills Tests

Why Use Skills Tests to Hire ReactJS Developers?

Skills tests provide a practical way to assess a candidate’s abilities, ensuring they have the technical expertise required for your project. They’re especially useful for identifying developers with strong testing and QA skills.

What Are the Key Skills for ReactJS Developers?

• Proficiency in React, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.

• Experience with state management libraries like Redux.

• Familiarity with testing frameworks (Jest, Cypress).

• Knowledge of agile methodologies.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a ReactJS Developer?

Costs vary by location and experience:

• North America: $80 – $150/hour.

• Western Europe: $50 – $100/hour.

• Eastern Europe: $30 – $60/hour.

• Asia: $20 – $40/hour.

Can I Save Money by Hiring Offshore Developers?

Yes! Offshore teams often offer competitive rates without compromising quality. Just ensure they have strong testing and QA processes in place.

How Does Brokee Help with Hiring ReactJS Developers?

At Brokee, we specialize in connecting businesses with top-tier developers. Our curated talent pool ensures you’ll find professionals with the exact skills you need, including ReactJS and testing expertise. We make hiring stress-free by handling the screening and vetting for you.

What Makes Brokee Different?

• Customized Talent Matching: We match developers to your specific needs.

• Pre-Vetted Experts: All candidates are rigorously screened.

• Support Throughout the Hiring Process: From job posting to onboarding, we’ve got you covered.

Conclusion

Hiring a top ReactJS developer doesn’t have to be daunting. By leveraging skills tests, you can objectively assess candidates’ abilities and find the perfect match for your project. Whether you’re building a dynamic web app or scaling an existing product, a skilled React developer with strong testing and QA expertise is your ticket to success.

Ready to hire your next ReactJS superstar? Let Brokee help you find the right fit today!

How to Build an Effective DevOps Hiring Strategy with Skills Assessments

By George Goodwin

Recruiting the right DevOps engineer is a critical step for companies aiming to streamline their software delivery and improve operational efficiency. But how can you make sure your hiring strategy is effective? The secret lies in combining targeted recruitment strategies with real-world skills assessments. Let’s break it down.

Understanding DevOps and Its Importance

What is DevOps?

DevOps is a culture and set of practices that bridge the gap between development and operations teams. It focuses on collaboration, automation, and continuous delivery. DevOps engineers play a key role in ensuring smooth workflows, reduced development cycles, and high-quality software delivery.

Why is DevOps Recruitment Challenging?

The demand for skilled DevOps professionals is skyrocketing, with roles growing by 25% annually. This makes recruitment competitive and requires companies to stand out with a well-defined hiring strategy and attractive employer branding.

Strategy to Hire a Skilled DevOps Engineer

1. Define Your Needs

Before starting your search, get clear about the role requirements. Ask yourself:

• What are the technologies and tools the candidate must know (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD systems)?

• What kind of projects will they work on?

• Are there specific challenges they need to address?

2. Create a Compelling Job Description

A good job description can attract the right candidates. Highlight:

• Responsibilities and expectations.

• Skills and experience required.

• Your company culture and values.

• Opportunities for growth and innovation.

3. Leverage Multiple Recruitment Channels

Don’t rely solely on traditional job boards. Use:

• Online forums and communities for DevOps professionals.

• LinkedIn and other networking platforms.

• Employee referrals to tap into trusted talent pools.

Top Skills and Qualities for DevOps Engineer Professionals

Technical Skills to Look For

• Cloud Expertise: AWS, Azure, or GCP knowledge.

• Containerization: Mastery of Docker and Kubernetes.

• CI/CD Pipelines: Experience with Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, or similar tools.

• Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Skills in Terraform or Ansible.

• Scripting Languages: Python, Bash, or PowerShell proficiency.

Soft Skills to Prioritize

• Strong problem-solving abilities.

• Excellent communication and collaboration.

• Adaptability and a learning mindset.

• Resilience under pressure.

How to Conduct Online Assessments for DevOps Hiring

Online assessments are essential for evaluating candidates’ skills in real-world scenarios. Here’s how to do it effectively:

1. Create Scenario-Based Tests

Present candidates with challenges they might face in the role, such as optimizing a CI/CD pipeline or resolving an outage.

2. Evaluate Technical Skills

Use coding exercises and system simulations to test programming and systems management knowledge.

3. Assess Collaboration and Communication

Include tasks that require teamwork or explain decision-making processes. This helps gauge how well they’ll fit into your team.

Why Do Companies Use Real-World DevOps Tasks to Judge Engineers?

Practical Insight

Real-world tasks reveal how candidates think, troubleshoot, and apply their knowledge in practical situations. It’s a better indicator of their abilities than theoretical questions.

Cultural Fit

Seeing how candidates handle collaborative scenarios can show how well they align with your company’s culture and workflow.

Problem-Solving Skills

DevOps often involves solving unexpected problems. Scenario-based assessments help you understand how candidates approach challenges.

Future Aspects of DevOps Engineers

The role of DevOps engineers is evolving rapidly. Future trends include:

• Greater emphasis on automation and AI-driven DevOps tools.

• Increased demand for security expertise in DevOps pipelines.

• Growth in hybrid cloud and multi-cloud environments, requiring broader skillsets.

Investing in ongoing training and professional development for your DevOps team will ensure they stay ahead in this fast-changing field.

FAQs About How to Build an Effective DevOps Hiring Strategy with Skills Assessments

Why are skills assessments important in DevOps hiring?

Skills assessments provide practical insights into candidates’ abilities, ensuring they have the technical expertise and problem-solving skills required for the role.

How do I attract top DevOps talent?

Focus on employer branding, offer competitive compensation, and showcase opportunities for growth and innovation in your company.

What tools can I use for online skills assessments?

Platforms like Codility, HackerRank, or custom tools tailored to DevOps challenges can help design effective assessments.

How can I ensure a cultural fit?

Use behavioral interview questions to explore candidates’ teamwork, adaptability, and past experiences in collaborative environments.

About Brokee

What is Brokee?

Brokee is a cutting-edge platform designed to simplify hiring for technical roles, including DevOps engineers. We offer:

• Real-world skills assessments tailored to your hiring needs.

• Advanced analytics to help you identify the best candidates.

• Seamless integration with your existing hiring process.

How does Brokee help with DevOps hiring?

Brokee provides scenario-based tests and technical assessments to evaluate DevOps candidates effectively. Our tools save time and ensure you hire the right talent for your team.

Building an effective DevOps hiring strategy requires a mix of clear planning, targeted recruitment, and practical assessments. By focusing on the right skills, leveraging real-world tasks, and prioritizing cultural fit, you can build a team that drives innovation and success. Ready to transform your DevOps hiring? Contact us today!

Integrating NATS and JetStream: Modernizing Our Internal Communication

High-level NATS architecture

Introduction

Brokee was built using microservice architecture from day one as the initial focus for skills assessment was Kubernetes, and later we expanded to other technologies. At the same time, as new services were added, we sometimes took shortcuts with design decisions. Over the years, it resulted in a spaghetti architecture where many services were interconnected with each other and it became harder and harder to reason about dependencies and figure out which functionality should go to which service.

Discover how we improved our system's communication by integrating NATS messaging system and their JetStream functionality. We delve into the challenges we faced, the lessons we learned, and how we simplified our setup to make it more efficient. This integration has laid the foundation for a more scalable and resilient infrastructure, enabling us to adapt and innovate as our platform grows.

Why Change?

Our previous architecture relied heavily on a synchronous request-response model. While this served us well initially, it began to show limitations as our platform grew:

• Scalability issues: Increasing traffic caused bottlenecks in our services.

• Lack of flexibility: Adding new features required significant changes to the existing communication flow.

• Reduced reliability: Single points of failure in the system led to occasional downtime.

Even though we use backoff and retry strategies in our APIs, requests can still fail if the server is unreachable, unable to handle them, or overwhelmed by too many requests. We needed a more robust, asynchronous system that could scale effortlessly. That’s when we turned to NATS and JetStream, which offered persistence.

Old architecture: tightly coupled services using synchronous request-response communication.

What is NATS and JetStream?

NATS is a lightweight, high-performance messaging system that supports pub/sub communication. JetStream extends NATS by adding durable message storage and stream processing capabilities, making it ideal for modern, distributed systems. For developers using the SDK, NATS offers support for a variety of programming languages, making it a flexible solution for integrating messaging capabilities.

With NATS and JetStream, we could:

• Decouple services: Allow services to communicate without direct dependencies.

• Enable persistence: Use JetStream’s durable subscriptions to ensure no messages are lost.

• Simplify scaling: Seamlessly handle spikes in traffic without major architectural changes.

New architecture: decoupled services with asynchronous pub/sub communication via NATS.

The Integration Process

Here’s how we integrated NATS into our platform:

1. Setting Up NATS

We deployed NATS using Helm. Helm made the installation and configuration straightforward, allowing us to define resources and dependencies in a consistent, repeatable way.

To ensure reliability and scalability, we set up 3 running server instances of NATS, leveraging its clustering capabilities and the Raft consensus algorithm to handle increased traffic and provide fault tolerance.

For storage, we used persistent volumes, ensuring durability. NATS also offers the option to use memory-based storage. However, to optimize memory usage and prevent overload on our nodes, we decided to switch to persistent volume storage.

Additionally, we made the deployment more resilient by ensuring NATS instances were safely scheduled on separate nodes to avoid single points of failure and ensure high availability. We opted for the NATS headless service type as NATS clients need to be able to talk to server instances directly without load balancing.

config:
  jetstream:
    enabled: true
    fileStore:
      enabled: true
      pvc:
        enabled: true
        size: 10Gi
        storageClassName: premium-rwo-retain
  cluster:
    enabled: true
    replicas: 3

statefulSet:
  merge:
    spec:
      template:
        metadata:
          annotations:
            cluster-autoscaler.kubernetes.io/safe-to-evict: "false"

podTemplate:
  topologySpreadConstraints:
    kubernetes.io/hostname:
      maxSkew: 1
      whenUnsatisfiable: "DoNotSchedule"

2. Migrating to Pub/Sub

Our first step was replacing direct request-response calls with pub/sub communication. For example:

• Before: Common Service would send an HTTP request directly to Auth Service and await a response.

• After: Common Service publishes a message to the subject auth.users.roles.assign, which is then processed asynchronously by the Auth Service that subscribes to this subject.

We incorporated the Request-Reply pattern, which NATS makes simple and efficient using its core pub/sub mechanism. In this pattern, a request is published on a subject with a unique "inbox" reply subject. Responders send their replies to the inbox, enabling real-time responses. This approach is particularly useful for scenarios requiring immediate feedback.

To distribute the workload randomly across multiple instances, the Auth Service subscribes as part of a queue group, ensuring messages are distributed to different instances. NATS automatically manages to scale responders through these groups and ensures reliability with features like "drain before exiting" to process pending messages.

In the next Golang example, we prepare a payload and publish it as a request to a mentioned subject from the Common service using NATS. This demonstrates how the Request-Reply pattern enables sending data to a subject and awaiting a response.

---

func NATSRequestAssignCompanyRoleForUser(
    nc *nats.Conn,
    userID string,
    roleID string,
    timeout int,
) error {
    // subject -> 'auth.users.roles.assign'
    subject := models.Nats.Subjects.UsersRoleAssign
    
    payload := models.RoleAssignmentPayload{
        UserID:  userID,
        RoleIDs: []string{roleID},
    }

    payloadBytes, err := json.Marshal(payload)
    if err != nil {
        return fmt.Errorf("failed to marshal payload: %w", err)
    }

    msg, err := nc.Request(subject, payloadBytes, time.Duration(timeout)*time.Second)
    if err != nil {
        return fmt.Errorf("failed to send NATS request: %w", err)
    }
    
    var response map[string]interface{}
    if err := json.Unmarshal(msg.Data, &response); err != nil {
        return fmt.Errorf("failed to unmarshal response: %w", err)

    }
    
    success, ok := response["success"].(bool)
    if !ok || !success {
        return fmt.Errorf("role assignment failed, response: %v", response)
    }

    return nil
}

---

In this example, we set up a subscriber with a queue group that listens to the same subject in the Auth service. The queue group ensures load balancing among subscribers, while the handler processes the requests with the relevant business logic, sending responses back to the requester.

---

func SubscribeToRoleAssignQueue(
    nc *nats.Conn, handler func(msg *nats.Msg),
) error {
    _, err := nc.QueueSubscribe(
        models.Nats.Subjects.UsersRoleAssign,
        models.Nats.Queues.UserRolesAssign,
        func(msg *nats.Msg) {
            handler(msg)
        })
    if err != nil {
        return err
    }
    return nil
}

---

In a typical pub/sub setup, if a service fails or is unavailable, there’s no automatic way to repeat the message, and it can fail silently. To address this, we turned to JetStream, which provides message persistence and reliable delivery. With JetStream, even if a service goes down, messages can be reprocessed once the service is back online, ensuring no data is lost and improving overall system reliability.

3. Implementing JetStream

JetStream added persistence to our messaging:

• Streams: We defined streams to capture messages, grouping related data for efficient processing. For example, an stack.delete could store all stacks destroying messages, ensuring messages are retained and available for subscribers even during downtime.

  In the example below, we defined a JetStream stream named STACKS for managing testing stack operations. It subscribes to a single subject, stack.delete but multiple subjects can be specified. The stream has a 1GB storage limit (maxBytes) and uses file storage with three replicas for fault tolerance. The retention policy is set to workqueue, ensuring messages are retained until processed, and once a message is acknowledged, it will be deleted from the stream. It connects to the specified NATS server instances for message handling.

---

apiVersion: jetstream.nats.io/v1beta2
kind: Stream
metadata:
  name: stacks
spec:
  name: STACKS
  description: "Manage stack operations"
  subjects: ["stack.delete"]
  maxBytes: 1073741824
  storage: file
  replicas: 3
  retention: workqueue
  servers:
    - "nats://nats-headless.nats-system:4222"

---

• Durable Subscriptions: Services could subscribe to streams and resume from where they left off, ensuring no data loss.

  To provide flexibility and control over JetStream and consumer (a component that subscribes to a stream and processes the messages stored in that stream), we manage configurations through a manifest chart using JetStream Kubernetes controller called NACK, minimizing the need for code editing and rebuilding.

  In the code, only minimal edits are required for specifying the subject, consumer, and queue group names. This approach ensures the configuration of streams and consumers is easily adjustable.

  Additionally, we use push mode for streams, where messages are handled when placed in the queue. For durable queue consumers, the consumer and delivery group names must be the same to maintain consistency and work as expected.

• Backoff and Acknowledgments: We use backoff in consumer configuration to control the number of retry attempts for message redelivery. Additionally, we set ackWait and maxDeliver to define how long to wait before knowing if a message is acknowledged and after will be delivered.

  In some places, we use backoff, while in others, we use ackWait with maxDeliver. You can use either backoff or ackWait, but not both together: for multiple retries, backoff is preferred; for fewer retries, ackWait is set to the execution time of your handler plus an additional 20-30% buffer, ensuring sufficient time to prevent premature exits and unacknowledged message.

  We also manually acknowledge messages after executing code, particularly in cases where validation fails due to invalid data, as there’s no need to redeliver the message. This helps to avoid unnecessary retries.

  The next configuration sets up a JetStream consumer named stack-delete for the deletion of infrastructure stacks. It subscribes to the stack.delete subject same as in stream subjects(via filterSubject) and uses a durable name STACK_DELETE, ensuring message delivery resumes from where it left off.

---

apiVersion: jetstream.nats.io/v1beta2
kind: Consumer
metadata:
  name: stack-delete
spec:
  ackPolicy: explicit
  ackWait: 20m
  deliverGroup: STACK_DELETE
  deliverSubject: deliver.stack.delete
  deliverPolicy: all
  description: Delete stack resources
  durableName: STACK_DELETE
  filterSubject: stack.delete
  maxAckPending: 1000
  maxDeliver: 5
  replayPolicy: instant
  servers:
    - "nats://nats-headless.nats-system:4222"
  streamName: STACKS

An example of using backoff instead of ackWait: By setting the desired retry interval instead of using ackWait, we ensure the total backoff interval is less than the maxDeliver value, or it will fail during creation/update. If there’s free interval capacity, it will reattempt with the last backoff interval.

...
spec:
  ackPolicy: explicit
  backoff:
    - 1m
    - 5m
    - 10m

---

Key settings include:

• ackPolicy: Explicit acknowledgment ensures messages are redelivered if not acknowledged.

• ackWait: Set to 20 minutes to accommodate infrastructure destruction that can take up to 10-15 minutes in some cases.

• deliverGroup & deliverSubject: Enables queue group-based delivery to STACK_DELETE, ensuring load balancing among subscribers.

• maxAckPending: Limits unacknowledged messages to 1,000.

• maxDeliver: Allows up to 5 delivery attempts per message, retrying every 20 minutes. If the message is not acknowledged after 5 attempts, it will remain in the stream.

• replayPolicy: Instant replay delivers messages as quickly as possible.

• servers: The consumer connects to the STACKS stream on specified NATS servers for processing messages.

Next, we send a message to the stack.delete subject to request the deletion of a stack (the following example is written in Python). The process is straightforward: we create a message with the necessary information (userhash and test_id), and then publish it to the NATS server. Once the message is sent, we close the connection and return a response indicating whether the operation was successful or not.

---

async def delete_infra_stack(
    userhash: str,
    test_id: str,
) -> Dict[str, str]:

    try:
        nc = NATS()
        await nc.connect(servers=[NATSConfig.server_url])

        message = {"candidateId": userhash, "testId": test_id}

        await nc.publish(
            subject=NATSConfig.sub_stack_delete,
            payload=json.dumps(message).encode("utf-8"),
        )

        await nc.close()

        response = {
            "success": True,
            "message": f"Published {NATSConfig.sub_stack_delete} for {userhash}-{test_id}",
        }
    except Exception as e:
        response = {
            "success": False,
            "message": str(e),
        }

    return response

In the next code snippet written in Golang (we use multiple languages for our backend code), the consumer subscribes to the stack.delete subject using the STACK_DELETE durable name. This allows the consumer to handle stack deletion requests while maintaining message persistence and retry logic as configured in JetStream. As you may notice subscribing is pretty straightforward as we manage the consumer configuration through the chart, which simplifies setup and allows easy adjustments without complex code changes.

---

func SubscribeToJSDestroyStack(js nats.JetStreamContext, svc Service) error {
    subject := Nats.Subjects.StackDelete
    durableName := Nats.DurableName.StackDelete

    _, err := js.QueueSubscribe(subject, durableName, func(msg *nats.Msg) {
        handleDeleteStack(msg, svc)
    }, nats.Durable(durableName), nats.ManualAck())

    if err != nil {
        return fmt.Errorf("Error subscribing to %s: %v", subject, err)
    }

    return nil
}

func handleDeleteStack(msg *nats.Msg, svc Service) {
    var req deleteStackRequest
    if err := json.Unmarshal(msg.Data, &req); err != nil {
        // ack on bad request data
        msg.Ack()
        return
    }

    if _, err := svc.DeleteStack(context.Background(), req.TestId, req.CandidateId, msg); err == nil {
        // ack on success
        msg.Ack()
    }
}

---

4. Testing and Optimisation

We rigorously tested the system under load to ensure reliability and fine-tuned the configurations for optimal performance. Through this process, we identified the ideal settings for our message flow, ensuring efficient redelivery and minimal retries.

Challenges and Lessons Learned

Integrating NATS into our system posed several challenges, each of which provided valuable lessons in how to leverage NATS' features more effectively:

1. Request/Reply and Durable Subscriptions:
   

   Initially, we thought the request/reply pattern would work well for durable subscriptions, as it seemed like a good way to ensure that every request would be retried in case of failure. However, we quickly realized that request/reply is more suited for real-time, immediate communication rather than long-term durability.

   For durability, JetStream turned out to be the better option, as it ensures messages are stored persistently and retried until successfully processed. However, JetStream only delivers each message to a single designated consumer (the one configured to handle it), rather than broadcasting it to all subscribers.

2. Consumer and Queue Group Names:

   
   We learned that for durable consumers to function properly, the consumer name and the queue group must be the same. If they don't match, the consumer won't subscribe to the stream, leading to issues in message delivery and distribution.

   This realization came after some trial and error. We tried subscribing to durable subscriptions but encountered errors. To understand what went wrong, we dug into the source code of the SDK and discovered the importance of matching the consumer name and queue group. Surprisingly, we didn’t find this mentioned clearly in the documentation, or perhaps we missed it.

3. Backoff vs. AckWait:
   

   At first, we experimented with using both backoff and ackWait together, thinking it would allow us to fine-tune the retry behavior. We expected ackWait to control the waiting period for message acknowledgment, and then back off would manage retries with delays.

   We first applied changes to the settings through Helm, and there were no errors, so we thought the changes were successfully applied. However, during testing, we noticed that the behavior wasn't as expected. When we checked the settings using NATS-Box Kubernetes pod, we found that the changes hadn’t taken effect. We then tried to edit the configurations directly in NATS-Box but encountered an error stating that the settings were not editable. This led to further investigation, as we realized that only one of either ackWait or backoff should be used to make it work.

4. Manual Acknowledgment:
   

   One of the key lessons was the importance of manual acknowledgment. During our tests, we encountered situations where, even though the handler failed for some subscriptions, the message was still automatically acknowledged.

   For instance, when an internal server error occurred, the message was considered acknowledged even though it wasn’t fully processed. We initially assumed that the acknowledgment would happen automatically if the message was successfully handled, similar to how HTTP requests typically behave.

   However, when we moved to manual acknowledgment and controlled the timing ourselves, it worked perfectly. This change prevented false positives and ensured that messages weren’t prematurely acknowledged, even when an error or timeout occurred.

5. Testing with NATS-Box:
   

   NATS-Box(available as part of NATS deployment) became an invaluable tool for us in testing and creating configurations. It allowed us to experiment and understand the impact of different settings on system behavior, helping us refine our approach to ensure optimal performance in real-world scenarios.

   As we mentioned earlier, it helped us uncover small misunderstandings and nuances that weren't immediately obvious, giving us a deeper insight into how our configurations were being applied.

Conclusion

In conclusion, integrating NATS into our system proved to be a fast and efficient solution for our messaging needs. It wasn't without its challenges, but through testing and exploration, we were able to fine-tune the configurations to fit our needs. While we started with a simple setup, we may expand the use of NATS beyond internal communication to incorporate more features like monitoring and dead-letter queues. Additionally, we are considering replacing more of our internal architecture communication with NATS' pub/sub, and even potentially using NATS for external communication, replacing some of our REST APIs.

Based on our experience, using NATS with JetStream for durable messaging has proven to be a solid solution for ensuring reliable communication in our system. If you're looking to improve your system’s communication and explore event-driven architecture, we recommend considering NATS as a scalable and dependable choice, particularly for internal communication needs.

Building a Strong IT and DevOps Team for Grocery Stores and Retail Businesses During Natural Disasters

Natural disasters, particularly in high-risk regions like Southern California, create challenges not just for physical infrastructure but also for businesses’ digital systems. Wildfires, in particular, pose a significant threat to businesses, including grocery stores, by damaging physical locations and disrupting supply chains. But what about your digital infrastructure? As we’ve seen, many businesses struggle to maintain cybersecurity and operational continuity during a disaster.

This is where a strong DevOps team and IT systems come into play, especially in industries like grocery retail. In this post, we’ll explore how grocery stores and other retail businesses can leverage Brokee.io software tools to build, develop, and hire a resilient DevOps team, ensuring they stay operational through even the most challenging circumstances.

The Importance of IT and DevOps Teams in Disaster Preparedness

Grocery stores and retail businesses are increasingly reliant on technology, from maintaining inventory systems and processing transactions to managing customer data. During a natural disaster like a wildfire, IT systems can be disrupted by power outages, cyberattacks, or physical damage to infrastructure. A strong DevOps team ensures that businesses are prepared for these challenges by focusing on:

• Cybersecurity: Protecting sensitive data and preventing cyberattacks that increase during emergencies.

• Data Backup and Disaster Recovery: Ensuring systems are backed up and can be restored quickly after a disaster.

• Cloud Infrastructure: Moving critical systems to the cloud for better resilience and remote access during crises.

This level of preparedness is not just crucial for larger companies; even small and medium-sized grocery stores can benefit significantly from a well-organized IT and DevOps strategy.

How Brokee.io Can Support Your IT Needs During a Disaster

When you need to build or strengthen your DevOps team, Brokee.io can be an invaluable resource. They specialize in training, building, and even hiring IT professionals who can support your business through challenging times. Here’s how Brokee.io can assist:

1. Training and Upskilling Your IT Team

Brokee.io offers comprehensive training for DevOps engineers, ensuring they are well-equipped to handle emergency scenarios, manage cloud infrastructure, and maintain cybersecurity.

2. Developing Resilient Systems

Through their tools and resources, Brokee.io helps businesses design disaster recovery protocols, automated backup systems, and cloud-based solutions that ensure business continuity in case of emergencies.

3. Hiring Skilled DevOps Engineers

Whether you need short-term expertise during wildfire season or long-term hires, Brokee.io connects businesses with skilled DevOps engineers who are experts in disaster recovery, cybersecurity, and scalable cloud infrastructure.

By integrating these tools and resources into your business’s IT strategy, you’ll be able to build a strong, resilient DevOps team that can maintain operations even in the midst of a disaster.

Grocery Store Preparedness: How DevOps Can Help During Wildfires

For grocery stores, especially those in Southern California, the threat of wildfires is a major concern. Stores may face evacuation orders, supply chain disruptions, and even physical damage to their properties. However, by implementing the strategies outlined above, grocery stores can safeguard their digital systems and minimize downtime.

Here are a few key strategies for grocery store owners:

1. Use Cloud Infrastructure for Backup and Access

Migrating critical systems (such as point-of-sale systems and inventory management) to the cloud ensures that employees can access these systems remotely, even if the physical store is closed or compromised.

2. Cybersecurity Measures for Remote Work

As grocery store staff may need to work remotely, DevOps teams can establish secure VPNs and implement multi-factor authentication to ensure safe access to systems and customer data.

3. Automate Disaster Recovery and Backup Plans

Automated recovery protocols allow grocery stores to restore essential systems quickly and efficiently. These protocols should include regular backups of all business-critical data to secure cloud storage.

4. Communicate With Customers

During a wildfire, it’s essential to maintain communication with your customers. Use your website, email newsletters, and social media to inform customers about store hours, closures, or available services. A DevOps team can set up automated systems for real-time updates to ensure customers are always in the loop.

Building Your Resilient DevOps Team with Brokee.io

Whether you’re a grocery store owner, retail business manager, or any other industry leader, having a skilled DevOps team can make a world of difference when disaster strikes. Brokee.io offers tailored solutions to help businesses develop, train, and hire the right professionals for your IT needs. From cloud migration to disaster recovery and cybersecurity, Brokee.io ensures that your systems are ready to withstand the impact of wildfires or other natural disasters.

By using Brokee.io’s tools and expertise, grocery stores can rest assured that their IT infrastructure is prepared for the worst, allowing them to quickly recover and maintain operations when their physical stores are affected.

Resources to Help Your Grocery Store Prepare:

• AWS Disaster Recovery Solutions: aws.amazon.com

• Google Cloud for Disaster Recovery: cloud.google.com

• Brokee.io’s DevOps Training & Hiring Services: brokee.io

• FEMA’s Business Continuity Plan Guide: ready.gov/business

• NIST Cybersecurity Framework: nist.gov

Conclusion: Invest in Your IT Team for Future Resilience

The impact of natural disasters on businesses can be severe, but with the right preparation, you can ensure that your grocery store or retail business is ready to weather any storm. By strengthening your IT infrastructure and building a capable DevOps team with Brokee.io’s support, you can safeguard your operations and keep your business running smoothly, no matter what challenges lie ahead.

To learn more about how Brokee.io can help you build your IT team, check out their services or contact us for a consultation on how to integrate these practices into your business continuity plan.

Need more help with your business preparedness check out this blog on readiness by Innovar Agency’s for more tips on building resilience and leveraging technology for business success during natural disasters like wildfires.

Key Takeaways for Grocery Stores and Retailers:

• Prepare your IT infrastructure for remote work, backup, and cloud solutions to ensure business continuity during a natural disaster.

• Invest in a strong DevOps team to handle disaster recovery, cybersecurity, and scalable systems during emergencies.

• Use Brokee.io to build and train a team of professionals that will ensure your business stays operational and secure during and after a disaster.

The Essential Skills Every DevOps Engineer Needs to Succeed in 2025

1. Cloud Proficiency (AWS, Azure, GCP)

Understanding Cloud Platforms

Proficiency in cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is critical for any DevOps engineer. This includes tasks such as deploying infrastructure, managing services, and monitoring cloud environments.

Why Cloud Skills Matter

With companies shifting to the cloud, being skilled in cloud platforms is no longer optional. Engineers need hands-on experience with infrastructure-as-code, serverless applications, and cloud monitoring to ensure efficiency and scalability.

Brookee’s cloud-based DevOps assessments give engineers real-world, hands-on experience with AWS, Azure, and GCP preparing them for the tasks they’ll face on the job. Try it for free.

2. Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)

Mastering CI/CD Tools

CI/CD tools like Jenkins, GitLab CI, and GitHub Actions allow for automating code integration and deployment. Engineers should be proficient in setting up and maintaining pipelines to streamline the software delivery process.

Why CI/CD Skills Matter

CI/CD practices reduce deployment risks, accelerate feedback loops, and help deliver software updates frequently and reliably.

3. Containerization and Orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes)

Building and Orchestrating Containers

With the rise of microservices and cloud-native architectures, engineers need to be skilled in Docker for containerization and Kubernetes for orchestrating and scaling these containers.

Why Containerization Skills Matter

Containers allow consistent deployment across environments, and Kubernetes automates the scaling and management of these containers, ensuring uptime and reliability.

4. Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

Automating Infrastructure

Using Terraform and Ansible, engineers can automate infrastructure provisioning and management. This approach ensures consistency and makes it easy to manage infrastructure at scale.

Why IaC Skills Matter

By treating infrastructure as code, you can automate deployment and ensure version control, which leads to more predictable and reliable systems.

5. Monitoring and Observability

Implementing Monitoring Tools

Proficiency with tools like Prometheus, Grafana, and ELK Stack is essential for setting up monitoring and observability frameworks. Engineers need to track performance metrics and respond to incidents before they become critical.

Why Monitoring Matters

Proactive monitoring ensures system reliability and reduces downtime by identifying issues early.

6. Automation and Scripting

Automating Workflows

Knowing how to script in languages like Python, Bash, or PowerShell is crucial for automating repetitive tasks, configuring systems, and managing cloud environments.

Why Automation Matters

Automation saves time, reduces human error, and frees up engineers to focus on more strategic tasks.

7. Security (DevSecOps)

Embedding Security in DevOps

Security is now a core part of the DevOps process, known as DevSecOps. Engineers must be familiar with security practices, including vulnerability scanning, encryption, and automated security testing to safeguard infrastructure.

Why Security Skills Matter

In a world where breaches can cripple companies, embedding security into the DevOps process is crucial for both compliance and safeguarding sensitive data.

8. Soft Skills: Communication and Collaboration

Working Across Teams

Beyond technical expertise, DevOps engineers need excellent communication and collaboration skills. This ensures that operations and development teams work smoothly together to solve problems and meet objectives.

Why Soft Skills Matter

DevOps is about breaking down silos. Engineers who can communicate effectively and collaborate with cross-functional teams will thrive in complex, fast-paced environments.

Ready for DevOps Success?

In 2025, successful DevOps engineers will need a blend of technical expertise and communication skills to thrive. By mastering cloud platforms, CI/CD, automation, and security, engineers will be ready to make a significant impact from day one.

If you’re looking to sharpen your skills, consider Brokee as your secret weapon. Brokee’s DevOps assessments mirror real-world cloud environments, giving engineers and companies the hands-on experience they need to succeed.

The Best DevOps Tools to Streamline Software Development in 2025

What are DevOps Tools and Their Importance?

DevOps tools are essential components in modern software development practices, bridging the gap between development and operations teams.

These tools automate and streamline various aspects of the software delivery process, enhancing collaboration and efficiency within organizations. The importance of DevOps tools lies in their ability to accelerate deployment, improve code quality, and facilitate continuous integration and delivery.

Integrating DevOps tools allows teams to automate repetitive tasks, reduce human errors, and maintain consistency throughout the development lifecycle. By incorporating these tools, organizations can achieve faster time-to-market, increased productivity, and better overall software quality.

Read More: Essential DevOps Statistics and Trends for Hiring in 2025

Role of DevOps Tools in Improving Software Development Practices

DevOps tools serve as enablers for implementing DevOps practices effectively. These tools automate manual processes, enable version control, and enhance workflow visibility, promoting a collaborative and efficient development environment. By leveraging tools that support automation, organizations can achieve faster delivery cycles and improved software quality.

Benefits of Using DevOps Tools for Software Development

The benefits of utilizing DevOps tools in software development are manifold. These tools promote collaboration, automation, and efficiency, leading to faster delivery cycles, reduced time-to-market, and enhanced product quality. By incorporating DevOps tools into development workflows, organizations can streamline processes, eliminate manual errors, and enhance team productivity.

DevOps tools also enable organizations to adopt best practices in software development, such as continuous integration, continuous delivery, and automated testing. These practices contribute to increased code quality, faster feedback loops, and overall project success.

Key Features to Look for in DevOps Tools

When selecting DevOps tools for your organization, it's essential to consider key features that align with your specific requirements and objectives. Features such as automation capabilities, integrations with popular platforms like AWS and Azure, scalability, and flexibility are crucial for optimizing development workflows.

Configuration management tools play a vital role in managing infrastructure as code, ensuring consistency across environments, and enabling quick provisioning of resources. Additionally, collaboration features, reporting capabilities, and user-friendly interfaces are key aspects to consider when evaluating DevOps tools for your organization.

Choosing the Right DevOps Tools for Your Project

When selecting DevOps tools for a project, consider the following factors:

• Integration Capabilities: Ensure the tool integrates seamlessly with your existing technology stack and other DevOps tools.

• Scalability: Choose tools that can scale with your project as it grows.

• Community and Support: Opt for tools with active community support and comprehensive documentation.

• Ease of Use: Select tools that are user-friendly and require minimal learning curve.

• Cost: Evaluate the cost of the tool relative to your budget and the value it provides.

Factors to Consider When Selecting a DevOps Management Tool

When selecting a DevOps management tool, it's crucial to consider the following key aspects:

• Integration Capabilities: Ensure the tool integrates seamlessly with your existing technology stack, other DevOps tools, and services to maintain a cohesive workflow.

• Scalability and Flexibility: Choose a tool that can easily scale with your project’s growth and adapt to changing requirements without significant reconfiguration.

• User Community and Support: Opt for tools with an active community, comprehensive documentation, and robust support channels to aid in troubleshooting and best practices.

• Ease of Use and Learning Curve: Evaluate how user-friendly the tool is, considering the skill level of your team, and how quickly they can get up to speed.

• Cost and Licensing: Assess the total cost of ownership, including initial investment, maintenance, and potential licensing fees, to ensure it aligns with your budget and provides good value.

Read More: Hidden Costs of Your Hiring Pipeline

List of Best DevOps Tools for 2025

As we look ahead to 2025, the landscape of DevOps tools continues to evolve, offering a plethora of options to streamline development processes and enhance productivity.

Exploring Automation in DevOps Tools

Automation plays a pivotal role in DevOps practices, allowing teams to streamline workflows, reduce manual errors, and accelerate software delivery. Automation tools like Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, and Bamboo enable teams to automate build, test, and deployment processes, enhancing efficiency and reliability.

By automating repetitive tasks, teams can free up resources, focus on high-impact activities, and iterate quickly on software updates. Automation tools also support continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) practices, ensuring that code changes are tested, integrated, and deployed in a timely manner.

CI/CD Automation Tools

Bamboo helps practice continuous delivery by tying automated builds, tests, and releases into a single workflow. Features include multi-stage build plans, triggers for starting builds upon commits, parallel automated tests, and tight integration with Jira and Bitbucket.

Jenkins is essential for automating CI/CD pipelines, building, testing, and deploying code changes efficiently. Its flexibility and extensive plugin library make it adaptable to diverse development environments, supporting seamless automation and delivery.

CodeFresh is a Kubernetes-native CI/CD platform that streamlines the building, testing, and deployment of applications. It offers advanced features like built-in GitOps, support for multiple pipelines, and robust integration with popular DevOps tools. CodeFresh excels in managing microservices and complex workflows, making it ideal for cloud-native environments.

ArgoCD is a declarative, GitOps continuous delivery tool for Kubernetes. It automates the deployment of desired application states from a Git repository, ensuring consistency and reliability. ArgoCD supports multiple deployment strategies, integrates seamlessly with other Kubernetes tools, and provides a rich UI for managing application deployments and rollbacks.

Configuration Management in DevOps Tools

Ansible stands out for its simplicity and versatility in automating repetitive tasks, provisioning infrastructure, and managing configurations. Its agentless architecture, using SSH for communication, and declarative language make it accessible for both beginners and seasoned professionals. Ansible's extensive library of pre-built modules supports diverse environments, enabling efficient, scalable, and rapid deployment of applications and services while minimizing manual errors and enhancing security.

Chef automates server provisioning, configuration, and maintenance, enhancing efficiency and consistency across infrastructure. Its integration with cloud providers and containerization technologies makes it adaptable to evolving tech landscapes. It features “cookbooks” for infrastructure coding, integration with cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and GCP, and configuration as code.

Puppet automates and simplifies critical manual tasks by managing and extracting configuration details across various operating systems and platforms, helping scale and maintain servers efficiently.

Version Control Tools

GitHub is one of the largest and most advanced development platforms globally, enabling millions of developers and companies to build, ship, and maintain their software. Its key features include collaborative coding, automation for CI/CD, enhanced security for enterprise customers, and project management capabilities.

GitLab is an all-in-one DevOps tool for rapid software delivery, supporting tasks from planning to SCM, delivery, monitoring, and security. It features a single interface for project management, CI/CD for automation, and built-in functionality for automated security, code quality, and vulnerability management.

Bitbucket is popular with over 10 million registered users, offering a platform for hosting code and beyond. It enables teams to plan projects, collaborate, test, and deploy from a single interface. Notable features are tight integration with Jira and Trello, built-in CI/CD, efficient pull requests and code reviews, and robust cloud security with IP whitelisting and two-step verification.

Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

Terraform brings consistency, version control, and automation to infrastructure operations, reducing manual errors and streamlining DevOps workflows. Its ability to define and deploy infrastructure as code ensures efficient and reliable application deployment.

Pulumi allows you to write Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using familiar programming languages like Python, Go, and JavaScript. It offers flexibility and ease of use, especially for developers already familiar with these languages. Pulumi integrates seamlessly with existing development workflows and tools, making it ideal for software development teams adopting IaC practices.

Monitoring and Logging Tools in DevOps

Prometheus is renowned for its robust metric collection and analysis capabilities, crucial for dynamic scaling and cloud-native environments. Its open-source nature and active community support make it an adaptable solution for diverse infrastructure needs, providing visibility into containerized and microservices architectures.

Grafana is a powerful open-source platform for monitoring and observability, offering rich visualizations and dashboards. It integrates seamlessly with various data sources, including Prometheus, Elasticsearch, and InfluxDB, providing a unified view of metrics and logs for better analysis and alerting.

ELK (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana) ELK is essential for effective log management, real-time data indexing, and visualization. Elasticsearch’s scalability, combined with Logstash’s data processing and Kibana’s user-friendly interface, offers comprehensive insights, enabling quick problem resolution and proactive monitoring.

EFK (Elasticsearch, Fluentd, Kibana) is a robust logging solution that enables efficient log collection, storage, and visualization. Fluentd aggregates logs from various sources, Elasticsearch indexes and stores them, and Kibana provides an intuitive interface for searching and visualizing log data, enhancing troubleshooting and monitoring.

SignalFx excels in real-time monitoring and observability, allowing organizations to proactively detect anomalies and trace issues across microservices. Its advanced alerting and incident response capabilities ensure high availability and optimal resource utilization, addressing performance issues before they impact end-users.

Raygun focuses on application performance monitoring and error tracking. It provides actionable insights into application errors and performance bottlenecks, enabling proactive issue resolution and enhancing user satisfaction through improved software quality.

Security DevOps Tools

Splunk is used for monitoring and exploring SaaS and on-premises infrastructure. Features include monitoring across physical, virtual, and cloud infrastructures, modernizing applications for better customer experiences, predictive alerting and auto-remediation with AIOps and machine learning, and improved MTTA with automated incident response.

Phantom Phantom enhances security automation and incident response, reducing response times and increasing consistency in incident handling. It automates security workflows, from threat detection to risk mitigation, freeing up resources from repetitive tasks.

Security features offered by tools like SonarQube, Fortify, and Checkmarx are critical for protecting applications from vulnerabilities, ensuring code quality, and adhering to security best practices. By integrating security tools into the development pipeline, organizations can identify and remediate security threats early in the software development lifecycle.

Container Management Tools

Docker is a lightweight tool designed to simplify and accelerate various workflows in the SDLC with an integrated approach. Docker container images include everything needed to run an application, offering standardized packaging, container runtime for multiple OSs, collaborative development, and Docker Hub for exploring millions of images.

Kubernetes is an open-source tool for automating the deployment and management of containerized applications. Its features include automated rollouts and rollbacks, service delivery and load balancing, storage orchestration, and self-healing capabilities.

Read More: We've Added New Tests: Kubernetes and GPC Tests

Mesos is a tool for managing computer clusters, functioning as a distributed systems kernel for resource management across datacenter and cloud environments. It supports launching containers with Docker and AppC images, running cloud-native and legacy applications in the same cluster, and scaling to tens of thousands of nodes.

Nomad is a flexible, easy-to-use container orchestration tool that simplifies the deployment and management of containerized and non-containerized applications. It supports diverse workloads, offers native integrations with Consul and Vault, and provides a single, consistent workflow for deploying applications across multiple datacenters and cloud environments.

Build Tools

Maven is a pivotal tool for managing project dependencies, building, and lifecycle management in Java-based development environments. It simplifies complex build processes by streamlining compilation, testing, packaging, and distribution. Maven ensures consistent and reproducible builds, making it easier for development teams to collaborate efficiently and deliver high-quality software.

Gradle Build Tool is the most popular build tool for open source JVM projects on GitHub. Many popular projects, including Spring Boot, have migrated from Maven to Gradle.

Application Lifecycle Management

Jira is a well-known platform for tracking issues and managing projects, available as both a SaaS and on-premises solution. It allows for agile software development with drag-and-drop interface for creating automation rules.

Cloud Computing and Storage (AWS)

AWS offers a robust set of tools for implementing DevOps practices, focusing on continuous integration, deployment, and cloud solutions. Here are the top AWS DevOps tools:

AWS Cloud Development Kit: An open-source tool for modeling and provisioning cloud application resources.

AWS CodePipeline: Continuously delivers code, providing a visual representation of the entire delivery process.

AWS CodeCommit: Allows developers to create and clone repositories locally, facilitating efficient code management.

AWS CodeBuild: A cloud-based integration service that scales builds, runs tests, and prepares software packages for deployment, automating various processes.

AWS Device Farm: Ensures the quality of web and mobile apps by testing across different devices and AWS cloud desktop versions.

AWS CodeStar: Provides a user-friendly interface for building, developing, and deploying applications in AWS.

Other notable AWS microservices include AWS Lambda, Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service, AWS Fargate, Amazon Elastic Container Service, Amazon CloudWatch, AWS X-Ray, AWS CloudTrail, and AWS Elastic Beanstalk. These tools support various DevOps tasks and enhance cloud solutions.

Read More: AWS DevOps Interview Questions and Answers for 2025

Best Test Orchestration Tools

Katalon TestOps is an orchestration platform for automated testing that unites test management, planning, execution, and quality analytics. TestOps connects the team with feedback loops that are instant, actionable, and insightful for both QA, product, and DevOps teams.

Application Performance Monitoring Tools

Dynatrace covers application performance, digital experience, business analytics, AIOps, and infrastructure monitoring. Key features are automated orchestration with open APIs, extensive cloud support, automatic quality checks and KPIs, and AI-driven problem detection and resolution.

AppDynamics provides real-time insights into application performance, monitoring all transactions flowing through applications. Features include intelligent agents, analytics-driven performance problem solving, automatic performance normalization, and system-wide data recording.

Deployment & Server Monitoring Tools

Datadog is a SaaS-based tool for server and app monitoring in hybrid cloud environments, including Docker containers. Its features include seamless aggregation of metrics and events across the DevOps stack, end-to-end user experience visibility, prioritization of business and engineering decisions with user metrics, and visibility across teams.

Sensu is an open-source tool for monitoring cloud environments, easily deployable through Puppet and Chef. Features include the Sensu Observability Pipeline for integrated, secure, and scalable monitoring, declarative configurations, and a service-based approach to automating workflows.

Test Automation Tools

Test.ai is an AI-powered automation testing tool that builds tests without coding, accelerates testing to match DevOps speed, scales testing across platforms, and maintains tests automatically to improve quality.

Ranorex offers an all-in-one solution for automated testing across browsers and devices, with tools included in a single license, support for real devices or simulators, and integration with CI servers and issue tracking tools.

Selenium automates web applications for testing with components like WebDriver for browser-based regression automation, IDE for simple record-and-playback, and Grid for scaling tests across multiple machines and environments.

Artifact Management Tools

Sonatype Nexus efficiently distributes parts and containers to developers as a single source of truth for all components, binaries, and build artifacts. Features include universal support for popular build tools and flexibility to empower development teams.

JFrog Artifactory serves as a single source of truth for container images, packages, and Helm charts, with features like active/active clustering, multi-site replication, tool stack integration, and pipeline automation via powerful REST APIs.

CloudRepo manages and shares private Maven and Python repositories, ensuring high availability with multi-server storage, client access control, and integration with major CI tools.

AI and Codeless Test Automation Tools

AccelQ leads in codeless test automation, allowing testers to develop test logic without programming syntax concerns. It supports a design-first approach, handles dynamic controls, and supports advanced interactions for robust test development.

QuerySurge is a continuous data testing solution with a robust API, seamless DevOps pipeline integration, quick data verification, transformation rule validation, and detailed data intelligence and analytics.

Appvance is an AI and ML-powered autonomous testing platform that performs end-to-end testing with self-healing scripts, AI-generated tests, and continuous testing capabilities.

Testim.io is an AI-based UI testing tool that integrates with Saucelabs, Jira, and GitHub, eliminates flaky tests, pinpoints root causes of bugs, and efficiently expands testing operations with control, management, and insights.

Read More: A Guide to AI Tools in DevOps and Cloud Hiring

DevOps Training Tools

Brokee offers hands-on cloud labs designed to provide real-world DevOps training experiences. Unlike traditional learning platforms that focus on theoretical knowledge, Brokee emphasizes practical skills through interactive labs. These labs simulate real-world scenarios, allowing engineers to tackle challenges they would face in their daily work. This makes it an excellent choice for both beginners and seasoned professionals looking to stay ahead in the industry.

In the rapidly evolving field of DevOps, continuous learning and hands-on practice are crucial for keeping up with the latest technologies and methodologies.

Final Word: Explore the Capabilities of Top DevOps Tools

As we move into 2025, the landscape of DevOps tools continues to evolve and expand, offering more sophisticated and integrated solutions to streamline the software development process. 

The future of DevOps tools lies in greater automation, more seamless integrations, and enhanced capabilities that address the complexities of modern software development. 

Stay ahead of the curve by continually exploring and adopting the latest DevOps tools, thereby expanding and refining your arsenal to meet the demands of modern software development.

Read More: Now Providing DevOps Tests for All Major Cloud Providers

7 Signs You Need to Hire a DevOps Engineer in 2025

Discover the top 7 signs that indicate your business needs to hire a DevOps engineer. Plus, we'll explore why DevOps is crucial for businesses seeking to improve their development processes and enhance productivity in 2025.

What is DevOps and Why is it Important?

A modern approach to software development, DevOps combines development and operations to streamline the software delivery process.

Definition of DevOps

DevOps, a combination of "development" and "operations," refers to a set of practices, principles, and cultural philosophies aimed at improving collaboration and communication between software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops) teams.

The primary goal of DevOps is to streamline the software delivery lifecycle, from initial development through testing, deployment, and maintenance, fostering a more efficient and collaborative approach to delivering high-quality software at a faster pace.

A DevOps approach emphasizes automation, continuous integration, continuous delivery, and a culture of shared responsibility, enabling organizations to respond rapidly to changing business requirements and deliver value to end-users more effectively.

Why You Need DevOps Engineers

Signs That Indicate You Need to Hire a DevOps Team

1. Deployment Failures and Slow Time-to-Market:

Frequent deployment failures coupled with a slow time-to-market can be indicative of underlying inefficiencies in the development and deployment pipeline. Delays in bringing products or features to market can significantly impact your competitiveness. A DevOps engineer can address this by implementing robust CI/CD pipelines, ensuring quicker and more reliable releases.

2. Ineffective Collaboration and Low Developer Productivity:

Issues in collaboration between development and operations teams can lead to low developer productivity. A DevOps engineer excels in fostering collaboration, breaking down silos, and implementing automation to enhance overall productivity.

3. Manual and Repetitive Processes

If your organization relies heavily on manual and repetitive processes for tasks like configuration management, provisioning, and scaling, a DevOps engineer can automate these processes, saving time and reducing the risk of human error.

4. High Infrastructure Costs

Rising infrastructure costs without a clear understanding of resource utilization may signal the need for a DevOps engineer. These professionals can optimize infrastructure, implement cloud solutions, and leverage containerization technologies to ensure efficient resource allocation.

5. Lack of Monitoring and Logging

Insufficient monitoring and logging can lead to delayed identification and resolution of issues, affecting system reliability. A DevOps engineer can implement robust monitoring and logging solutions to proactively detect and address potential problems.

6. Security Concerns

Security is a critical aspect of any IT infrastructure. If your organization is grappling with security vulnerabilities or lacks a comprehensive security strategy, a DevOps engineer can integrate security measures into the development and deployment processes, ensuring a more secure and resilient system.

7. Scalability Challenges with Increasing Workloads:

As your business grows, scalability challenges may arise. A DevOps engineer is well-equipped to design scalable architectures, implement auto-scaling solutions, and ensure your systems can handle increased workloads seamlessly.

DevOps Versus Traditional Software Development

The evolution of development and operations teams in DevOps marks a significant departure from traditional software development methods. DevOps culture emphasizes collaboration, transparency, and shared ownership, leading to a more cohesive and efficient development process.

When it comes to the difference between roles, DevOps engineers focus on the development and maintenance of software release systems, collaboration with the software development team, aligning with industry standards, and employing DevOps tools.

In contrast, software engineers focus on developing applications and solutions that operate on different operating systems, catering to specific user needs.

Read More: Cloud Engineer vs Software Engineer

The Role of a Full-Time DevOps Engineer

A DevOps engineer plays a pivotal role in driving the successful implementation of DevOps practices within an organization. Their key responsibilities include promoting collaboration between development and operations teams, automating processes to streamline product delivery, and ensuring the continuous integration and deployment of software.

Organizations need DevOps engineers to harness the full potential of DevOps principles. With their expertise in automation, deployment, and infrastructure management, a dedicated DevOps engineer can transform a conventional development team into a highly efficient and productive unit. 

How many DevOps engineers do you need for your team? While there's not an official number, the ideal Developer to DevOps engineer ratio is 5:1, and in large software organizations, like Google, the ratio is 6:1.

The Benefits of DevOps for Your Business

Benefits of DevOps

Employing a DevOps engineer or team offers numerous benefits, including:

• Improved deployment frequency

• Faster time to market

• Lower failure rate of new releases

• Shortened lead time between fixes

• Enhanced developer productivity

• Contribution to delivering more reliable and customer-friendly software

• Positive shift in customer satisfaction and overall product quality

Additionally, for most modern businesses that have moved to the cloud – such as GPC, AWS, or Azure-- DevOps engineers play a crucial role in managing and optimizing cloud environments. Their expertise extends to various aspects of cloud infrastructure and services, such as FinOps, automation, CI/CD, and more, and they contribute significantly to the effective implementation of DevOps practices in the cloud.

These advantages make having a DevOps engineer or team essential for organizations aiming to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

Importance for Modern Businesses

DevOps is rapidly transitioning from a specialized approach to a mainstream strategy. Its adoption soared from 33% of companies in 2017 to an estimated 80% in 2024, mirroring the broader shift towards cloud computing.

The importance of DevOps in modern businesses cannot be overstated. It is instrumental in creating a culture of collaboration and shared responsibility among development and operations teams. This approach fosters a more efficient and effective workflow, leading to faster product development and deployment.

Read More: Essential DevOps Statistics and Trends for Hiring in 2025

Challenges of DevOps Implementation

Identifying the challenges of DevOps adoption is crucial for businesses looking to implement this methodology successfully. Common obstacles include resistance to change, cultural barriers within the organization, the cost of hiring DevOps engineers, and the complexity of integrating new tools and processes into existing workflows.

To overcome obstacles in implementing DevOps, organizations need to focus on fostering a culture of collaboration and openness to change. Encouraging transparency and communication across teams, providing adequate training and resources, and gradually introducing DevOps practices can help mitigate these challenges.

Another difficulty is hiring high-quality DevOps engineers who can do this complicated and highly technical work. A best practice for hiring DevOps engineers is to use DevOps assessments to ensure you select high-caliber candidates.

Read More: Case Study: DevOps Assessments Streamlined EclecticIQ's Hiring Process

Many Businesses are Adopting Cloud and DevOps Processes

Future of DevOps

The future of DevOps is significant, especially as businesses increasingly rely on software development to drive innovation and competitiveness. 

By 2025, over 85% of organizations are expected to adopt a cloud computing strategy, aligning closely with the integration of DevOps practices. The need to hire a DevOps engineer is more pronounced than ever, given the rapid evolution of technology and the increasing demand for scalable and reliable software solutions.

Embracing DevOps is not just an option; it is a necessity for organizations striving to stay relevant and agile in a constantly evolving marketplace.