DevOps Tools Categories and Their Available Tools

Introduction

To improve collaboration and swiftly produce high-quality software products, a set of practices known as DevOps combines software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops). DevOps practices have revolutionized the software development lifecycle. Various DevOps tools power these practices by automating and streamlining multiple development, testing, deployment, and monitoring aspects. In this reading, we will explore different categories of DevOps tools and list some popular tools available for each type.

1. Version Control tools:

Version control systems enable teams to manage and track changes to source code, facilitating collaboration and ensuring code integrity. Developers can work on their copies of the code and merge their changes seamlessly. Some widely used version control tools are:

• Git: An open-source distributed version control system that allows efficient branching and merging of code, with popular platforms like GitHub and GitLab providing hosting services.
• Subversion (SVN): A centralized version control system known for its simplicity and ease of use.
• Mercurial: A distributed version control tool that offers an intuitive user interface and supports fast and efficient handling of large codebases.
• Perforce: A centralized version control system known for its robustness and ability to handle large binary files commonly found in game development and other industries.
• Bitbucket: A web-based platform that provides Git and Mercurial repositories alongside issue tracking and collaboration features.
• IBM Rational Team Concert: A collaborative tool that provides version control, work item tracking, and build automation capabilities.
• IBM Rational ClearCase: A centralized version control system that enables teams to manage and track changes to source code and other digital assets.

2. Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) tools:

CI/CD tools automate the build, integration, testing, and deployment processes, allowing developers to deliver software more frequently and reliably. They ensure that the software always remains in a releasable state. Popular CI/CD tools include:

• Jenkins: An open-source automation server that supports building, testing, and deploying software projects across various platforms.
• Travis CI is a cloud-based CI/CD platform designed for GitHub projects.
• CircleCI: A cloud-based CI/CD platform that offers easy configuration and integrates well with popular version control systems.
• GitLab CI/CD: Integrated within the GitLab platform, it offers a complete CI/CD pipeline with a built-in container registry and Kubernetes integration.
• TeamCity: A robust CI/CD tool supporting various programming languages, extensive customization options, and seamless integration with other JetBrains IDEs.
• Bamboo: A continuous integration server by Atlassian that provides robust CI/CD capabilities and seamless integration with other products.
• IBM UrbanCode Deploy: An application release automation tool that enables continuous delivery and automates the deployment of applications across different environments.
• IBM UrbanCode Build: A tool that provides continuous integration and builds automation capabilities, allowing teams to automate the building and testing of applications.

3. Configuration Management tools:

Configuration management tools automate the provisioning and management of infrastructure and software configurations, ensuring consistency and reproducibility. They ensure consistency and reproducibility across different environments. Some prominent configuration management tools are:

• Ansible: A powerful automation tool that uses declarative language to define infrastructure configurations and application deployments.
• Puppet: An open-source configuration management tool that provides a model-driven approach to automate infrastructure and application management.
• Chef: An infrastructure automation framework that uses a domain-specific language to define infrastructure configurations.
• SaltStack: An open-source infrastructure automation and configuration management platform that uses a simple and scalable architecture.
• Terraform: A tool for infrastructure as code, allowing you to define and provision infrastructure resources across multiple cloud providers.
• CFEngine: A lightweight configuration management system that focuses on scalability and ensuring the desired state of infrastructure and applications.
• IBM UrbanCode Deploy: Apart from its deployment capabilities, UrbanCode Deploy also offers configuration management features, enabling teams to manage and control application configurations effectively.

4. Containerization and Container Orchestration tools:

Containerization tools enable packaging applications and their dependencies into lightweight, portable containers, while container orchestration tools manage and scale containerized applications. Key tools in this category are:

• Docker: A popular platform that enables building, packaging, and distributing applications as containers.
• Kubernetes: An open-source container orchestration platform that automates containerized applications’ deployment, scaling, and management.
• Podman: A lightweight container runtime and alternative to Docker, offering a compatible command-line interface and secure container execution.
• Amazon Elastic Container Service (ECS): An AWS service that fully manages container orchestration and makes large-scale container deployment and management simple.
• HashiCorp Nomad: A container orchestration and scheduling platform that supports both containers and non-containerized applications, providing flexibility in deployment.
• IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service: A managed Kubernetes service provided by IBM Cloud, allowing teams to deploy and orchestrate containerized applications on a scalable and reliable platform.
• IBM Cloud Private: A container-based platform that enables the deployment and management of containerized applications across hybrid cloud environments.

5. Monitoring and Logging tools:

Monitoring and logging tools help track the performance, availability, and logs of applications and infrastructure, aiding in identifying and resolving issues. Some well-known tools for monitoring and logging include:

• Prometheus: An open-source monitoring system that collects metrics from configured targets and provides powerful querying and alerting capabilities.
• ELK Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana): A combination of tools that facilitates centralized logging and log analysis.
• Grafana: An open-source analytics and visualization platform that integrates with various data sources and provides real-time monitoring dashboards.
• New Relic: A cloud-based observability platform that provides end-to-end monitoring and analytics solutions for applications, infrastructure, and user experience.
• Datadog: A monitoring and analytics platform that offers real-time insights into the health and performance of applications, infrastructure, and cloud services.
• Splunk: A powerful log management and analysis tool that allows you to collect, search, visualize, and analyze log and machine data from various sources.
• IBM Cloud Monitoring with Sysdig: A monitoring and troubleshooting tool that provides deep visibility into applications and infrastructure, helping teams identify and resolve issues quickly.
• IBM Cloud Log Analysis with LogDNA: A log management and analysis tool that allows teams to aggregate, search, and analyze logs from various sources, enabling effective troubleshooting and monitoring.

6. Collaboration and Communication tools:

Collaboration and communication tools promote efficient communication, knowledge sharing, and teamwork among development and operations teams. These tools provide real-time messaging, file sharing, issue tracking, and integration with other DevOps tools. Special tools in this category include:

• Slack: A famous team collaboration platform that offers real-time messaging, file sharing, and integrations with various other tools.
• Microsoft Teams: A chat-based collaboration platform that integrates with Microsoft’s suite of productivity tools.
• Jira: A widely used project management and issue-tracking tool that facilitates team collaboration.
• Mattermost: An open-source, self-hosted messaging platform that offers secure team communication and integrates with popular DevOps tools.
• Asana: A project management tool that facilitates collaboration, task tracking, and workflow management, enabling teams to stay organized and focused.
• Trello: A flexible and visual project management tool that uses boards, lists, and cards to help teams prioritize and track their work.
• IBM Engineering Workflow Management: A collaborative tool that integrates work item tracking, version control, and build automation, facilitating effective communication and collaboration among team members.
• IBM Rational DOORS Next Generation: A requirements management tool that enables teams to collaborate, track, and manage requirements throughout the software development lifecycle.

Conclusion 

These are just a few examples of DevOps tools available in each category. The choice of tools depends on specific project requirements, team preferences, and the technology stack in use. It’s essential to thoroughly evaluate the features, integration capabilities, and suitability of tools for your specific requirements. Organizations can streamline their processes, foster collaboration, and deliver high-quality software products efficiently by selecting the right combination of DevOps tools.