Something is wrong with the infrastructure, and no one really knows why
Often, we forget what is key for us when we are under stress and have to create and ship a deliverable. Somehow, we make it to develop the solution as a team, but then, at the last moment, we struggle to get it up and running.
Something is wrong with the infrastructure, and no one really knows why. So, as a team, we need to investigate. Yet, most small companies and teams have one thing in common: No Ops professionals can help in such a situation or help with optimizing it – and that is nothing bad because of limitations.
Of course, people like freelancers or contractors are helping you with that. However, with the limitations of small companies, we should think twice about whether this is the right choice; in my experience, there has been a better solution over the last few years: PaaS.
👉 Live Event Friday (Today) 12CET about “Why Small Teams Need PaaS – Focusing on What Matters Most: Value.”
The Wrong (traditional) Approach
Time and talent that should be funneled into innovation and adding value to your product
Alright, let's break this down in a more relaxed tone. Imagine this: you've got this brilliant idea for an app or a piece of software that could really shake things up. To bring this vision to life, you need a solid foundation, a platform that won’t crumble under the first sign of trouble. This isn't just a big company luxury; small businesses need this just as much, if not more, because, let's face it, we're often running with a tighter ship and fewer hands on deck.
But here's where it gets tricky. The old-school way of setting up servers manually or having that one heroic ops person (if you’re lucky) juggling servers and updates isn’t just outdated; it's like tying one hand behind your back while trying to scale a mountain. Most of the time, it ends up being the senior devs diverting their precious coding time to put out IT fires.
🍪 That’s time and talent that should be funneled into innovation and adding value to your product. So, if you ask me, relying on traditional IT setups is a path you want to swerve away from. It's about getting smart with your resources and ensuring your tech talent is laser-focused on what they do best – creating and innovating 🚀.
Infrastructure and Ops are Cost-Factors
diving deep into infrastructure operations doesn’t really add to the bottom line.
In many small to medium-sized companies, the team's heart and soul are the developers and software engineers. These folks thrive on coding and creating, not managing servers or updating firewalls. The reality is that diving deep into infrastructure operations doesn’t really add to the bottom line. It’s a necessary evil, but not where the value lies. The value is in the product, the solutions, and the code. So, the smart move? Outsource this beast. But, as we all know, outsourcing isn’t a silver bullet. It often comes with strings attached—obligations, dependencies, and sometimes, a headache.
PaaS – The Alternative?
Invest in tools or services that take this burden off your shoulders, allowing you to realign your focus toward what you do best. Yes, there will be times when you'll need to find workarounds, especially when dealing with unique requirements. However, from what I've seen and written about, including my takes on tools like Tailwind, hitting a complexity ceiling is more of an exception than a rule.
There’s a tendency to over-engineer, to prepare for a future that may never come, or to implement features "just because we can." It’s crucial to resist this urge. Focus on what’s needed now, on what adds real value. After all, the goal isn’t to have the most intricate infrastructure but to build something meaningful that resonates with your users. Keep it simple, lean, and value-driven. That’s the path to real impact.
Current Solutions
Diving into the world of cloud solutions, you'll find that some providers offer the whole shebang in one neat package. Think of it as your development and deployment toolkit on steroids: CI/CD pipelines, repository management, automatic updates and rollbacks, monitoring, stats, alerts, etc. It’s like having a Swiss Army knife for your software development lifecycle. But here’s the kicker: while some services tout a “tailored to you” approach, it can be a double-edged sword. Sure, customization sounds great, but it also ties you down to the whims and schedules of key experts who know your setup. Suddenly, you’re not just hiring a service; you’re adopting a handful of new team members, for better or worse.
What do you need to look for:
The real gem lies in finding a platform that’s broad enough to cater to your needs right out of the box, built on industry best practices and proven workflows. These aren’t just slapped together; they're the culmination of collective knowledge and experiences designed to save you from the pitfalls they've already navigated. By embracing such a platform, you're not confining yourself to custom-made constraints but aligning with a system honed by the trials and successes of a wider community.
🍪 This isn’t about fitting your processes into a pre-designed box; it’s about leveraging a foundation built on solid, battle-tested principles, allowing you to focus on what’s truly important: creating value. So, before you decide to go down the path of custom solutions, consider the platforms at your disposal that might make your life a whole lot easier—and your product a whole lot better.
Some Key Aspects of PaaS:
The following aspects are in the context of having only “Software Engineers” in place, and no pure Ops professionals.
Boosting Productivity: PaaS hands us this magical shovel that digs through all the deployment muck. We get to focus on cranking out code and features rather than wrestling with server configs. It's all about getting more done with less fuss.
Scaling on the Fly: Imagine your app suddenly hits the limelight and user traffic spikes. PaaS is like that calm tech guru who says, “I got this,” scaling up resources so smoothly that you don’t sweat.
Cutting Costs: It’s not just about slashing the upfront costs of servers and hardware. PaaS helps us dodge those sneaky, creeping operational costs. More money saved means more room for experimenting with new ideas.
Reliability Is Key: With PaaS, it's like having a watchdog that ensures everything runs smoothly around the clock. Stable and consistent – the vibe we get makes our lives less stressful.
Speedy Deployments: PaaS makes this journey lightning-fast, from having a eureka moment to seeing it live. It's all about keeping the momentum going and getting instant gratification from seeing your work.
Operation Simplification: PaaS is like the ultimate Swiss Army knife for development needs – one platform to rule them all. It declutters our workflow, making life simpler and more streamlined.
Fostering Teamwork: It’s easier to collaborate and share progress. PaaS serves as the campfire where we can gather, share our puzzle pieces, and see the bigger picture emerge together.
Encouraging Creativity: With the heavy lifting handled, we've got more mental space and resources to dream big and innovate. It’s about breaking new ground without getting bogged down by the old.
Staying Ahead of the Curve: PaaS keeps us in the loop with the latest tech without having to constantly chase after new trends ourselves. It's like having a tech-savvy friend who keeps us cool and relevant.
Streamlined Development: It nudges us to focus more on coding and less on the nitty-gritty of infrastructure. We get to dwell in the realm of creation, where we belong.
Have a great weekend!
Adrian
Seeking guidance? Whether it's a collaborative journey for your team or a personalized 1-on-1 mentoring experience, I'm here to help. Reach out, and let's find the perfect fit for you.
Why Small Teams Need Platform-as-a-Service