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The most optimal Developer to DevOps engineer ratio is 5:1. In most large software organizations like Google, Developer to DevOps engineer ratio is 6:1 while in large start-ups, the ratio can be as worse as 15:1.
The important of DevOps cannot be stressed enough.
Developer to DevOps engineer ratio
I get asked multiple times, "Is there a thing as a developer to DevOps ratio?" The answer isn't as simple as a straightforward number, but the concept is important to understand when thinking about your organization's move to a more DevOps culture.
The developer to DevOps ratio is the number of DevOps engineers needed to support a certain number of developers on the team. But why is this number important?
The developer to DevOps ratio is important because it highlights the need for organizations to balance their development and DevOps staff. Too often, we see organizations that are heavily skewed towards one another. This can lead to several problems, including:
- Development staff that are overworked and stressed, leading to lower quality code
- Operations staff that are under-utilised and bored, leading to lower quality work
- A lack of communication and collaboration between the two teams, leading to silos and finger-pointing
What is the usual developer to DevOps ratio?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as it will vary depending on the size and complexity of your organization. However, we generally followed the rule of thumb of 1 DevOps Engineer for every ten developers.
How can we improve the developer to DevOps ratio?
There are a few ways to improve the developer-to-DevOps ratio:
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Hire more DevOps Engineers! This will help alleviate some of the development team's stress and workload and allow for more collaboration between the two teams.
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Automate as much as possible. This will free up time for developers and DevOps Engineers and help improve efficiency.
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Improve communication and collaboration between the two teams. This can be done through regular meetings, pair programming, or informal chats.
The most important thing is to find what works best for your team and organization and to always be open to change. Improving the developer-to-DevOps ratio can be challenging, but it's worth it in the end.
