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DevOps by example: Tools, Pros and Cons of DevOps Culture

There are several steps between apps and websites being conceived and finally released, including design, programming, QA and deployment. Check out some practices of the DevOps movement.

CONVENTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF SOFTWARE: DEV VS. OPS

There are traditionally distinct teams and processes for the various states of a project, from the initial stages of analysis and design, to the actual development and testing, to deployment and maintenance. There is a good reason for the differentiation. They all demand different skill sets. Nevertheless, a stringent and in some instances bureaucratic separation of duties could add plenty of unnecessary delays, and experience prove that blurring some of the lines could be beneficial for all parties, as well as for the process as a whole.

THE DEVOPS THING

DevOps is considered a cultural change for the win, as the intersection of development, operations and QA. The same as with agile development, DevOps is not a specific tool or technique that could be implemented and then done. Instead, it is a culture or a mindset even that the organization and the team could adopt and would make processes smoother. What is DevOps exactly? Consider developers able to do some of the tasks that normally are assigned to system admins, like making production sites updates, building new servers and deploying applications. Furthermore, consider sysadmins sharing some tasks with developers and managing multiple servers at once.

BENEFITS OF DEVOPS

Enterprises that embrace DevOps culture report significant enhancements, and various surveys done among some of them seem to confirm the claims. Some of the enhancements include:

Accelerated time-to-market, shortened time it takes from when an idea is conceived until it becomes available for sale or in production.
Cost reduction with reports of an average 20 percent reduction.
Improved productivity with continuous delivery, testers and developers saving time in setting up and fixing working environments, as well as deployments considerably faster.
Building the right product and developers get quicker feedback from users.
Improved quality of product. Companies report a very significant decline in open bugs and other concerns, by over 90 percent.
Reliable releases. With frequent and smaller releases, the code changes, and thus the bugs introduced and the impact are smaller as well.
Enhanced customer satisfaction. Not surprisingly, this is a byproduct of all the previous improvements.
THE CONS OF DEVOPS CULTURE

Switching to DevOps culture could bring several benefits, but also comes with some challenges to overcome as well.

The first is at the organizational level. As development and deployment constraints are removed and sysadmins and programmers have more independency, those who are involved would have to adopt a different mindset, and the right mechanisms for feedback loop from Ops to Dev would have to be set in place, like boards of discussions, issue trackers and the like.

The second key challenge is about the processes. Developers and server administrators no longer use their time to test after changes individually. What is needed is automating the testing processes, to allow various teams to make changes and check that things are still in place quickly, and reverse the changes should problems occur.

There is also the technology challenge. Once an organization has thoroughly reviewed the processes from end to end, one may have to adopt or build a technology that addresses the type of automation and feedback loop that better fits the processes and the organization.

AUTOMATING ENVIRONMENTS CREATION
Automating environment creation is key in DevOps. When a patch or update is needed, the QA team would simply patch the image and changes would be duplicated in each new container that’s launched. This provides independence to designers and programmers for launching environments that are updated frequently and know to work, and even deploy changes to live platforms, since the QA people maintain the environments and have set the appropriate tests already. Also, it provides a communication channel with server administrators, since basically they are working together to have a working environment that is good for production and development alike. This is valid also if development and deployment are done by the same people, as in one freelance developer, as these concerns for testing and implementing a live app in various environments still are valid despite of who is in charge

DEVOPS TOOLS

DOCKER
Everything about Docker is changing IT environments has been said already. It is great, life changing. The tool eases configuration management, scaling by letting containers to be moved from one place to another and control issues.

JENKINS
It is really easy to use and has a great ecosystem of add-ons and plugins. Moreover, it’s optimized for easy customization. It is a great tool for building code, running tons of tests and pushing staging or production.

KANBAN
The software development method is getting plenty of attention lately, particularly for its ability to enable DevOps. Some organizations even are going so far as to move from Scrum to Kanban to boost efficiencies. The end-of-sprint demos to stakeholders and sprint lock are invaluable.

The key is to comprehend that just deploying a tool or a broad solution even without thinking through the unique scenario and the present state of the value stream and the current restraints is foolish. DevOps tools could be used, such as the examples above and yet one never actually be doing DevOps if he or she is unable to relay to the people at the other side of the chain.

No doubt about it, DevOps culture is making waves in the software development industry. There are various tools that could be used for effective DevOps operations.

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Enhance the Value of Your Money: Invest in the Small-Cap Funds

Don’t you know that you can increase the value of your money manifold? If you already know about it, then why you are left out of the amazing world of mutual fund investments! And if you don’t have any idea about what the starting line is all about, then read below to understand the concepts of small-cap funds so that you too can reap multiple benefits from them.

What Are Small-Cap Funds?

The mutual fund schemes which invest in the stocks of small companies or basically start-ups are termed as small-cap funds. The small-cap companies are those who have a market capitalisation ranging from Rs. 500 crore to Rs. 1000 crore. There are several unique features in this category which make them the most opted one among the others. They are also known for generating high capital appreciation in the long term. Here are some of the amazing facts about the small-cap stocks which you will love to know.

Small-Cap Stocks: The Facts

Temporary Price Dis-connectivity : Mostly the small-cap schemes are known for their highly rewarding nature, but there is a contradictory fact which reveals the other face. Basically, in the initial years, the small companies keep competing for their survival in the industry. But, at that time least people bother to invest in their stocks as they do not see any growth opportunity in them. When one or the other such small company start chasing the growth, it comes under the notice of the investors. It attracts the herd to invest in these stocks, and in this way, with time it turns into a bigger entity resulting in the increase in value of the assets. The investors who stay invested in the small caps since their inception earns the utmost benefits. However, they face temporary price dis-connectivity in the initial years, they may also get enriched with extreme capital growth in the long run.
Thinly Traded Market : The small companies experience a phase in their initial stage where least people are aware of them. However, the shrewd investors know the benefits of investing in such stocks and rest remains unaware. That is why, initially, the traffic of the flocks remains less in the small cap mutual funds, and they provide a thinly traded market to the potential investors. Over time, when the value of these stocks grow, more people become aware of them and start deploying their money in them. The increasing demand for investments in these stocks kicks up their value, thus helping them achieve new heights of growth.
Hidden Gems : One of the amazing facts about the small companies is that they can be proved to be a hidden gem for you. Yes, you heard it right. They can turn your small capital investment into an impressive corpus. It is also because of the same reason that the small entities remain undiscovered from the eyes of the herd. And their growth keeps rolling over time and burst out attaining new heights in the long run. The wise investors always keep an eye on the whereabouts of the targeted small-cap stocks to reap benefits from their growth.
So, what are you going to do now? The best is to know about all the small-cap funds so that you can recognise one as per your investment requirements. Do it before you miss it! And fetch the big returns from the small-cap funds in the long-term period.

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Marathon Lovemaking Tips – Making it Last

Marathon lovemaking is a great way to break up a couple’s bedroom routine. Sometimes, the busy nature of life and the fatigue it causes end up confining lovemaking to quickies, during which partners tick off their favorite sensual boxes and then wrap it up. Though this may be fun and satisfying for a while, many people dream of a day or night when their escapade leisurely spans several hours. Along with practicing proper manhood care, there are several things men can do to facilitate a successful marathon lovemaking session they and their partners are sure to appreciate. Below, men can find steps to prepare for and last during a marathon session, along with aftercare advice.

Before:

• Self-pleasure daily. Frequent solo play can help a man build stamina in the sack. This is especially true if he implements the technique of edging – bringing himself to the brink of release, backing off, then repeating three or four times before allowing release.
• Exercise. Muscular and cardiovascular strength are important for bedroom endurance. Strong muscles allow a man to hold positions longer, and cardio strength promotes ample blood flow to the male organ, which is necessary for getting and maintaining a wicked hard-on.
• Stock up on lube. Even if one’s partner produces plenty of natural lubrication, it’s bound to run low when a couple is going at it for hours. Have a quality product on hand to make sure lovemaking remains appropriately slick.
• Consider desensitizing barriers. For men who have a hard time lasting, barriers with numbing agents can promote lasting longer without completely deadening pleasure.
• Don’t drink heavily. A drink or two can get one nice and relaxed, but more than that may inhibit tumescence.

During:

• Choose positions wisely. For men with long refractory periods – the amount of time it takes for them to get hard again after releasing – it’s important to choose positions that don’t cause a tremendous amount of stimulation. What positions those are may vary from one man to the next. Also, switching positions regularly can both keep things fresh and allow a guy to last longer.
• Incorporate sensual breaks. It’s not realistic for most people to go at it for hours without any kind of break. Breaks may include a quick snack and hydration, but couples can also incorporate sensual elements to keep both parties fired up and ready for more. This is a great time for a man to orally and manually stimulate his partner, perhaps breaking out some of his partner’s favorite toys.
• Experiment with kinks. Couples with kinks such as bondage can prevent monotony during a marathon session by switching from regular lovemaking to kinky lovemaking. Handcuffs, whips, blindfolds, restraints – the possibilities are endless.

After:

• Wash and moisturize. Once both partners have attained satisfaction from their marathon lovemaking session, it’s time to focus on hygiene and recovery. Washing the naughty bits is a good idea, as is urinating to clear the urethra of any bacteria that may have worked its way in. This is especially important for women to do, since urinary tract infections are more likely to occur if they don’t urinate after lovemaking.

Men may notice that their male organs are sore from the prolonged friction of marathon lovemaking – not to mention the chafing of daily self-gratification. They can care for their skin by making use of a quality male organ health crème (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil) after washing their equipment. A product that contains both Shea butter and vitamin E will moisturize the delicate member skin without causing irritation. Vitamin A is another great ingredient, since it can help fight bacteria that causes unwanted odors. Taking proper care of his male organ will allow a man to recover faster and be ready for his next session, whether with hand or partner.

Visit http://www.menshealthfirst.com for additional information on most common male organ health issues, tips on improving organ sensitivity and what to do to maintain a healthy member. John Dugan is a professional writer who specializes in men’s health issues and is an ongoing contributing writer to numerous websites.

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