Interview With Dmitry Kubyshkin: What Makes DevOps Engineers so Valuable for Businesses?

Dmitry Kubyshkin discusses the hiring of specialists and how to identify the most qualified ones.

In today’s digital landscape, companies are seeking more than just adept front-end/back-end developers and designers to make their apps and services appealing to users. Increasing attention is also being paid to specialists who ensure the reliability of the IT infrastructure, notably DevOps engineers.

Dmitry Kubyshkin, a seasoned professional in this field, has had the opportunity to serve as a DevOps engineer in some of the largest banks and marketplaces in the CIS. Thanks to his and his colleagues' efforts, the mobile and desktop applications of these companies were less susceptible to DDOS attacks and experienced consistent stability during sale periods. Dmitry shed light on how DevOps engineers tackle these challenges and why their role is advantageous for businesses.

Q: In most tech companies, there are two main types of IT professionals: coders who create software and system administrators who maintain the infrastructure. Could you explain why there is a need for a bridging role like that of a DevOps specialist?

A: The role of a DevOps specialist is broader than many realize.  It's not accurate to say that we exist merely to facilitate communication between programmers and system administrators for faster releases. DevOps approach can differ significantly from one company to another, but generally, a DevOps engineer should have comprehensive knowledge in related areas - such as development, system administration, security, and testing - so they can offer the most suitable solutions to the team.

We code to establish infrastructure - the backbone on which specific services are later deployed. We also test these solutions, select the most efficient method for infrastructure development, plan for its resilience, duplicate critical data on backup sites, and ensure scalability.

Q: Is it accurate to say that skilled professionals like yourself can help a company reduce its financial expenditures?

A: Indeed, one of the key ways we can help cut costs is through infrastructure optimization. For instance, when setting up the infrastructure, we assess the resource consumption of the target application within its specific environment. Unused resources can then be redirected to another team or completely discarded, thereby reducing the company's expenses.

Additionally, we can also achieve cost reductions through our dealings with various vendors.  Employing a FinOps approach can be useful too, where an engineer devises a strategy to optimize revenue or business value via cloud utilization.

Q: Is there a high market demand for DevOps specialists?

A: Absolutely. The business demand for DevOps engineers is on the rise. But it's not just about cost-saving. The reality is that DevOps professionals are equipped to handle a broad spectrum of tasks, and many employers perceive them as 'jacks of all trades capable of engaging in development, testing, and operations.

These individuals are seasoned professionals, often having backgrounds in development or administration, and gradually shift their focus towards DevOps to tackle more complex challenges. You'll find that such specialists typically don't emerge directly from university training.

Q: What measures can a company take to ensure that a DevOps engineer they are considering hiring is genuinely competent?

A: Primarily, evaluating an engineer's experience is crucial - examine the projects they've worked on, their role within those projects, and the outcomes they've achieved. Both hard and soft skills must be assessed - it's not just about being proficient in the field but also having the ability to communicate effectively with the team and reach mutually beneficial solutions. Additionally, it's important to confirm that the engineer is consistently pursuing their own development, staying current in an industry where constant learning is vital.

Q: Let's delve into your personal experience. You've had roles in the banking sector and also ensured the robustness of marketplace infrastructure. Are there different approaches to DevOps across these industries?

A: Each company has its own interpretation of what DevOps means and how it should function.  However, specific characteristics of each sector do leave a distinctive mark on a DevOps specialist's responsibilities.

For instance, in marketplaces, DevOps engineers primarily focus on ensuring fault tolerance, security, and scalability - this approach aims to minimize future system failures. Special emphasis is placed on preparing for 'peak seasons' - such as sales periods. During my tenure at Sbermegaarket, I was actively involved in testing and readying the primary systems for high-traffic volumes.

Q: You mentioned the crucial aspect of infrastructure resilience - how is this attained?

A: This is accomplished through process automation and the application of contemporary solutions and technologies. For instance, we have a clustered Kubernetes solution that aids in managing server-hosted applications more efficiently.

In part, my task of migrating the infrastructure of internal services to the cloud was also targeted toward enhancing fault tolerance.

Q: Could you describe how the role of a DevOps engineer differs within the banking sector?

A: In the banking industry, there's a significant focus on ensuring security. Even the job title is slightly different, often referred to as DevSecOps. This requires engineers to work closely with the security team. For instance, the documentation needed for project implementation must be prepared by a company analyst: they detail all the necessary infrastructure access points, present this data schematically, and submit it for approval to the security team to check for vulnerability in the solutions.

I personally experienced these specifics in my work. During my time at Alfa Bank, I took on analyst duties as well. Consequently, I was directly involved in presenting the technical documentation to the architectural committee and the bank's security service, collaborating to find optimal solutions to implement certain features without posing serious risks or causing system downtime. I was also part of a project that involved analyzing developers' code and centralizing existing solutions. At Raiffeisenbank, I contributed to the implementation of a customer card loyalty program.

So, even though banks place exceptional emphasis on information security, the role of a DevOps engineer can still be highly versatile.

Q: These days, many banks have fully embraced digitization. It might seem that this transition would significantly reduce the workload for software engineers. Are there still opportunities for digital advancement in such companies?

A: I believe the main trajectory lies in implementing novel solutions to support existing services. This applies not just to banks but to other enterprise-level companies as well. Such entities are often reluctant to make changes, as any misstep or malfunction can lead to not just loss of profits but also damage to their reputation.

However, at some point, they recognize the need to stay current. There's often a rush to catch up with competitors. In my view, companies should exhibit greater courage in decision-making and improve their preparedness for rolling out new releases. This would enable all updates to be implemented safely.