So, why does the “shift left” process matter to you? Well, you’ll have to attend our happy hour to figure that one out. However, below is a summary of why you should want to know why it does matter.


The Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) is the process used by teams to design high-quality, low-cost software, in the shortest possible production time. SDLC is cyclical—planning, coding, building, testing, releasing, deploying, operating, monitoring, and then repeating.


Now, when I think of a “cyclical” process, I imagine a circle. The software development lifecycle, however, is more in line with an infinity symbol, containing a distinct left and right side.


On the left side of the loop, teams plan, develop, and test software in pre-production. The main concern is building software that meets design criteria.



Software is then “released” on the right side of the loop to end users. The main concern being to maintain reliable software that meets business goals.

So, what does Shift left mean in DevOps?


Shift left is the practice of moving testing, quality, and performance evaluation to the beginning stages of the development process. Rather than focusing purely on planning, coding, and building, the shift left process takes into account the end goal of the software. 


  • The Shift Left approach allows teams to:
  • Test functionality sooner
  • Check that software meets customer requirements
  • Identify improvements early on that could enhance customer experience
  • Identify security issues sooner


Ultimately, Shift Left makes development more efficient and it reduces costs by detecting defects early in the development cycle

The Shift Left and Right processes are critical for microservices and architecture. Microservices are small, modular, flexible units of software that fit together with other services to deliver complete applications. Microservices are growing in popularity over monolithic. A 2020 survey found that 61% of polled organizations have been using microservices for a year or longer, with 92% reporting a successful experience.


Microservices, DevOps, and CI/CD are closely tied to one another.


Shift, Left, Shift Right, or Both?


Shift right is always going to be valuable because you’re able to test your software under real conditions; however, that doesn’t negate the value of continuously testing your software throughout SDLC.


One thing that should never be in question is whether you ought to have the best tools in place. As constituent demand for quicker and more efficient services (such as microservices) increase, technology in the public sector must become more advanced.


Dynatrace’s full-stack observability and monitoring allows for end-to-end analysis across all phases of development. The platform combines broad and deep observability and continuous runtime application security with advanced AIOps to provide answers and intelligent automation from data. This enables innovators to modernize and automate cloud operations, deliver software faster and more securely, and ensure flawless digital experiences. Dynatrace blends AI, Automation and Observability to bring solutions to the enterprise’s IT infrastructure.


GitLab’s continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) allows developers to act rapidly on defects identified by Dynatrace while helping test for security issues early in the software development pipeline. GitLab’s DevSecOps platform is the end-to-end secure software solution that helps plan, create, deploy, secure, and manage modern software and the infrastructure upon which it relies. GitLab provides the visibility and controls necessary to protect the integrity of software development and its deliverables.

 

Red Hat OpenShift was designed to help teams deliver and manage microservices-based applications, allowing for rapid application creation and deployment at scale and across infrastructure footprints. Built on Kubernetes, it delivers a consistent experience across public cloud, on-premise, hybrid cloud, or edge architecture.


To learn more about Shift Left, DevOps, CI/CD, microservices, and everything in between, attend our event on March 9th, 2023 (You can RSVP here). Can’t make it on March 9th? Reach out to our sales team to learn more information.

Works Cited:


Gunja, S. (2022, October 27). Shift Left vs. Shift Right: A DevOps Mystery Solved. Retrieved from Dynatrace: https://www.dynatrace.com/news/blog/what-is-shift-left-and-what-is-shift-right/


Livens, J. (2022, July 6). What are Microservices, and What are their Benefits? Retrieved from Dynatrace: https://www.dynatrace.com/news/blog/what-are-microservices/


Synopsys. (n.d.). Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). Retrieved from Synopsys: https://www.synopsys.com/glossary/what-is-sdlc.html