DZone
Thanks for visiting DZone today,
Edit Profile
  • Manage Email Subscriptions
  • How to Post to DZone
  • Article Submission Guidelines
Sign Out View Profile
  • Post an Article
  • Manage My Drafts
Over 2 million developers have joined DZone.
Log In / Join
Refcards Trend Reports Events Over 2 million developers have joined DZone. Join Today! Thanks for visiting DZone today,
Edit Profile Manage Email Subscriptions Moderation Admin Console How to Post to DZone Article Submission Guidelines
View Profile
Sign Out
Refcards
Trend Reports
Events
Zones
Culture and Methodologies Agile Career Development Methodologies Team Management
Data Engineering AI/ML Big Data Data Databases IoT
Software Design and Architecture Cloud Architecture Containers Integration Microservices Performance Security
Coding Frameworks Java JavaScript Languages Tools
Testing, Deployment, and Maintenance Deployment DevOps and CI/CD Maintenance Monitoring and Observability Testing, Tools, and Frameworks
Culture and Methodologies
Agile Career Development Methodologies Team Management
Data Engineering
AI/ML Big Data Data Databases IoT
Software Design and Architecture
Cloud Architecture Containers Integration Microservices Performance Security
Coding
Frameworks Java JavaScript Languages Tools
Testing, Deployment, and Maintenance
Deployment DevOps and CI/CD Maintenance Monitoring and Observability Testing, Tools, and Frameworks
  1. DZone
  2. Culture and Methodologies
  3. Agile
  4. Ensure Your Database Doesn't Bottleneck Transformation

Ensure Your Database Doesn't Bottleneck Transformation

As the software world moves toward Agile and DevOps, include your database teams in your thought processes so it doesn't become a roadblock.

Robert Reeves user avatar by
Robert Reeves
·
Feb. 10, 17 · Opinion
Like (4)
Save
Tweet
Share
6.14K Views

Join the DZone community and get the full member experience.

Join For Free

Over the past year, I’ve seen a shift in how we speak about delivering applications. More and more of us use the term “digital transformation” to describe the business results of adopting Agile, DevOps, and the cloud. It’s about time companies understand and embrace the impact that building and delivering apps The Right Way provides.

The first digital transformation step companies typically take is using new technologies on a green field application. This will be an application built using newer stack technologies. Also, the application will have no dependency on legacy applications. When all is said and done, the application is a huge success. Changes are delivered quickly using Agile software development. The application deployment is automated using DevOps tools to the cloud. The IT leaders in the company are able to show how they are taking visible, impactful steps toward digital transformation.

So if success is attainable with green field applications, why are companies still struggling to execute in their transformation initiatives?

Simply put, companies reach the Plateau of Frustration with their initiatives when they start to tackle their legacy applications. Legacy applications are the backbone of the enterprise. They hold customer data, were built prior to these new green field technologies, and make a TON of money. Rewriting the application is not going to work. Forklifting the stack to the cloud won’t work, either, due the manual care and feeding the application requires.

At first, the development team embraced Agile and started delivering smaller application releases faster. What was once a quarterly or yearly (!) release cycle is now measured in weeks. Quickly, the release team adopted DevOps tooling to help orchestrate the release of the application. The release schedule drove them to adopt a new way of releasing applications. This all resulted in their database team simply working harder, longer hours. Quality suffered as corners were cut. “Get it out the door!”

Prior to Agile, DevOps, and the cloud, our release schedule allowed us the time to have our DBAs manually review releases. However, now that the release schedule has compressed, we no longer have that luxury. We need a new approach. We need a better solution.

Two things that need to be part of our digital transformation is circumspection and diligence. You need to be aware of all parts that are required for your release. If you are not looking around to include all stakeholders, you will be disappointed when you hit a roadblock. I believe the biggest one will be your database. Second, realize that digital transformation is a process. Simply taking advantage of new technology like the cloud is not good enough. You must continue to transform, improve your business. Lather, rinse, repeat. You must diligently require your entire organization to constantly improve, become faster, more efficient. After all, your competitors are doing the same.

application Database Release (agency) agile

Opinions expressed by DZone contributors are their own.

Popular on DZone

  • Key Considerations When Implementing Virtual Kubernetes Clusters
  • Distributed SQL: An Alternative to Database Sharding
  • How To Use Terraform to Provision an AWS EC2 Instance
  • Understanding gRPC Concepts, Use Cases, and Best Practices

Comments

Partner Resources

X

ABOUT US

  • About DZone
  • Send feedback
  • Careers
  • Sitemap

ADVERTISE

  • Advertise with DZone

CONTRIBUTE ON DZONE

  • Article Submission Guidelines
  • Become a Contributor
  • Visit the Writers' Zone

LEGAL

  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy

CONTACT US

  • 600 Park Offices Drive
  • Suite 300
  • Durham, NC 27709
  • support@dzone.com
  • +1 (919) 678-0300

Let's be friends: