The focus of DevOps is ease of collaboration across development and IT teams. But DevOps doesn’t always open every possible channel of communication. That’s where ChatOps comes in. While ChatOps has taken several years to increase in popularity, now that many teams have mastered DevOps’ tools and ideas, they are taking the next step: implementing ChatOps.
Intrigued? Learn more about what ChatOps can do for you.
What is ChatOps?
ChatOps is focused on communication-oriented development. The focus of ChatOps are chatbots that connect teams across companies like in DevOps models. Specifically, however, the chatbots connect people, tools, and automation to make your workflow more transparent.
ChatOps might old-school. Does it sound to you like IRC’s private channel and bot? Maybe, but ChatOps is something different. The new technology used for ChatOps brings work happening behind the scenes into a common channel of communication. This transparency helps close the gap between discussions about the work being done and the work being done itself.
How can ChatOps help me?
The name “ChatOps” sounds so much like “DevOps” because the concepts are closely linked. If your DevOps is already running, ChatOps doesn’t replace that system; instead, it’s a “level up” beyond DevOps. ChatOps adds troubleshooting or automation capacities to your already-implemented DevOps models.
Like DevOps, there are no one-size-fits-all ChatOps, either. Teams customize ChatOps to fit their needs. ChatOps are scalable and stackable, allowing you to increase the power of the teams you already have. You can customize your ChatOps plan by choosing already-created plugins and patterns to find the balance of ChatOps capabilities you need.
Specifically, using a chatbot can help teams collaborate more easily, construct automated processes more quickly, and, overall, work more efficiently.
For example, you could install ChatOps to keep track of all commands executed or learn how your teams are using automation. Or, you could use it to better understand your team’s workflow. The possibilities and customizations for ChatOps are nearly limitless.
How do I get started with ChatOps?
If you’re intrigued by the ChatOps concept but aren’t sure how to get started, Ciklum can get your project up-and-running in an average of four weeks. With our Fixed Project team, we can plan together what you want your ChatOps to look like, plan a budget, and a construct a timeline. Contact us today to learn more about your options.
Thanks for reading! Any questions about DevOps, Chatbots or ChatOps? We’d be happy to help on Twiter @Ciklum or email us directly.
Originally published on Ciklum Blog on May 10, 2017.
