The 2024 DevOps Dozen Awards, organized by Techstrong Group, have once again recognized the outstanding contributions and innovations within the DevOps community. These prestigious awards celebrate individuals and organizations that have demonstrated exceptional leadership, creativity, and commitment to advancing DevOps practices. This year’s honorees are notable for their significant impacts across various domains, ranging from community engagement to the creation of groundbreaking tools and platforms that push the industry forward.
Celebrating Community Contributions
The DevOps community thrives on shared knowledge and collaboration. This year saw many leaders shine brightly, with their contributions significantly enhancing the community’s collective understanding and practice. One standout in this field is “The Modern Mainframe” by BMC, which captured the Best DevOps-Related Video or Audio Podcast award. This podcast is notable for keeping mainframe topics relevant in today’s fast-evolving technological landscape. It offers deep insights and analyses on various DevOps subjects within the mainframe ecosystem, serving as an invaluable resource for professionals in the field.
Another major contribution comes from Marc Hornbeek, who penned “Continuous Testing, Quality, Security and Feedback: Essential Strategies and Secure Practices for DevOps, DevSecOps, and SRE Transformations.” His book was awarded the Best DevOps Book of the Year for its strategic guidance, which aids practitioners in successfully navigating transformations into DevOps, DevSecOps, and SRE methodologies. With its in-depth advice and practical strategies, the book has become a cornerstone resource for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of these transformative practices.
Moreover, Giorgi Keratishvili was celebrated as the Top DevOps Community Evangelist for his remarkable role in promoting awareness of DevOps, Site Reliability Engineering (SRE), and Platform Engineering in Georgia and beyond. Keratishvili’s efforts have nurtured a growing and engaged community, enhancing the proliferation of DevOps practices and fostering innovation across the globe.
Recognizing Outstanding Events and Projects
Events and projects are crucial in fostering community engagement and pioneering new developments within the DevOps landscape. This year, GrafanaCON 2024 by Grafana Labs was awarded the Best DevOps Event of the Year. Held in Amsterdam, the event concentrated on the open-source world of Observability, featuring live demos, cutting-edge OSS developments, and the much-anticipated Golden Grot Awards. GrafanaCON provided an excellent platform for practitioners to share knowledge, celebrate achievements, and explore the latest innovations in the field.
Jenkins, another major player in the industry, was celebrated as the Most Innovative DevOps Open Source Project. With widespread adoption by over 11 million developers globally, Jenkins has set industry standards that have profoundly influenced DevOps practices. Its continued evolution and impact on the community underscore its role as a cornerstone tool in the DevOps arsenal.
The Best DevOps.com Article of the Year was awarded to Alexander Simonov for his thought-provoking piece titled “Can AI Replace DevOps Engineers?” In his article, Simonov explores how AI is transforming the DevOps landscape and provides valuable insights on how professionals can adapt to these changes to remain relevant. His work addresses both the opportunities and challenges posed by AI, offering a balanced perspective that has resonated deeply with the community.
Leadership in DevOps
Leaders within the DevOps community play a vital role in steering organizations and practices towards success. This year, Sheree Britt, AVP for Software Engineering Mainframe Modernization at TD Bank Group, was named the DevOps Enterprise Leader of the Year. Her exceptional leadership in leveraging DevOps practices to transform the bank’s culture and processes has set a benchmark for others to follow. Britt’s work illustrates the powerful impact that well-implemented DevOps strategies can have within large, complex organizations.
Anuj Kapur, CEO of CloudBees, received the prestigious title of DevOps Industry Leader of the Year. Under his leadership, CloudBees has spearheaded transformative initiatives in both DevSecOps and AI innovation within the DevOps ecosystem. Kapur’s visionary approach and dedication have driven significant advancements, helping to shape the future of DevOps and its integration with cutting-edge technologies. His efforts have not only benefited his organization but have also set a standard for leadership within the industry.
Innovations in Tools and Services
The development and implementation of innovative tools and services are at the heart of DevOps practices. This year, FIS’s Operation Joined Arrows (OJA) program was recognized as the Best DevOps Industry Implementation. This ambitious program revolutionized FIS’s processes by instituting a seamless and secure software development lifecycle, setting a new industry benchmark for efficiency and security. The OJA program exemplifies how strategic implementation of DevOps practices can transform organizational operations.
Another prominent recognition went to JFrog for “The Software Supply Chain State of the Union 2024” report, which was awarded the Best DevOps Survey/Analysis/Research. This report offers critical insights into technological innovations, particularly within the AI domain, making it a valuable resource for practitioners looking to understand the latest trends and developments. JFrog’s research highlights the evolving landscape of software supply chains and their impact on the broader DevOps community.
The Best End-to-End DevOps Platform award went to the JFrog Software Supply Chain Platform. Known for its ongoing innovation and ability to enhance the speed and efficiency of development teams, JFrog’s platform has become indispensable for practitioners. It seamlessly integrates various aspects of the development lifecycle, facilitating streamlined processes and improved productivity.
Advancements in AI and Security
The integration of artificial intelligence into DevOps tools marks a significant step forward in the evolution of the field. GitLab Duo earned the award for Best Application of AI in DevOps Tool/Platform due to its ability to enable organizations to integrate AI while maintaining robust data security. This innovative tool exemplifies the potential of AI to enhance DevOps practices, making complex processes more efficient and effective while ensuring data integrity and security.
Checkmarx One was recognized as the Best DevSecOps Solution. This tool is essential for secure application development from the initial coding stages through to cloud deployment, highlighting the critical importance of security throughout the development lifecycle. Checkmarx One’s comprehensive capabilities in identifying and mitigating security vulnerabilities make it a key asset for development teams committed to maintaining high security standards.
Enhancing Observability and Data Management
Observability and data management have become increasingly crucial in managing today’s complex IT environments. This year, Splunk Observability Cloud was honored with the award for Best Observability Solution. Its effectiveness in enabling IT and DevOps teams to detect, investigate, and resolve critical incidents has made it a vital tool for practitioners. Splunk’s robust observability capabilities enhance operational transparency, paving the way for more proactive and informed decision-making.
In the realm of data management, EDB Postgres AI emerged as the Best DevOps for DataOps/Database Solution. This tool facilitates unified, scalable, and secure data management tailored specifically for DevOps teams. As data integrity and availability become ever more critical, EDB Postgres AI addresses these challenges by providing comprehensive solutions that manage data effectively across various environments.
Recognizing New and Innovative Tools
Breakthrough tools continue to drive the advancement of DevOps practices. StackGen was named the Best New DevOps Tool for its ability to accelerate cloud provisioning using infrastructure as code. This innovative tool aids platform engineering teams in quickly deploying resilient applications, offering a streamlined approach to managing cloud infrastructure that enhances both efficiency and reliability.
Tricentis SeaLights received recognition as the Best Testing Service/Tool. This sophisticated tool balances code quality with speed to market, enhancing cycle times and reducing production risks. By providing detailed insights into testing processes, Tricentis SeaLights enables development teams to maintain high-quality standards while meeting tight deployment deadlines.
Excellence in Platform Engineering
The 2024 DevOps Dozen Awards, hosted by the Techstrong Group, have once again highlighted the outstanding contributions and innovations within the DevOps community. These highly esteemed awards honor both individuals and organizations that have showcased exemplary leadership, creativity, and unwavering dedication to advancing the principles and practices of DevOps. This year’s award recipients have made remarkable impacts in various areas, from fostering community engagement to developing cutting-edge tools and platforms that drive the industry forward. Whether by creating new software that revolutionizes workflows or by building stronger, more collaborative communities, the honorees have significantly influenced the landscape of DevOps. Their work not only propels technological advancements but also inspires a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration within the tech industry. These achievements underscore the importance of innovation and leadership in fostering growth and evolution in DevOps practices, ensuring the field remains dynamic and forward-thinking.