The document discusses the implementation and evolution of DevOps at NBCUniversal, emphasizing the importance of database automation alongside traditional software development and operations practices. It highlights the challenges faced, such as delays and manual processes in database changes, and the benefits gained through the integration of automated database deployment. Overall, it asserts that effective DevOps practices have significantly improved the company’s ability to meet business demands and enhance application release quality.

1. Achieving DevOps
Automation for the
Database at NBCUniversal
John Comas
Manager, Platform DevOps
NBCUniversal
Robert Reeves
CTO
Datical

2. Panelists
John Comas
Manager, Platform DevOps
NBCUniversal
Robert Reeves
CTO
Datical

3. Software as Inventory
3

4. What is the phrase DevOps?
4
The word DevOps is a portmanteau (a fancy catch phrase)
which combines DEVelopment and OPerationS
DEV PS

5. Industry Definition of DevOps
5
• “DevOps is a software development and delivery process that
emphasizes communication and collaboration between
product management, software development, operations
professionals and close alignment with business objectives. It
supports this by automating and monitoring the process of
software integration, testing, deployment, and infrastructure
changes by establishing a culture and environment where
building, testing, and releasing software can happen rapidly,
frequently, and more reliably.”
• From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DevOps

6. How Do We Define DevOps?
So How Does the DevOps Team at
NBCUniversal Define DevOps?

7. The 5 C’s of DevOps
Continuous Integration
Code changes are merged with the
mainline multiple times per
day. Every commit results in a build.
Integrated unit testing and TDD make
up the core of CI.
Continuous Delivery
Develop code in short cycles and
deploy/release as often as possible.
Continuous Testing
Code is continually tested throughout
the SDLC to ensure quality before
releasing.
Continuous Feedback
Determine the current state of the
project at any given moment.
Continuous Monitoring
Provides real-time status of the
application in production.

8. That’s great, but why did we need DevOps at NBCU?
8
?

9. Because we needed to deliver at the pace of business!
9
• DevOps tools and practices modernize our
technology capabilities to align with the business
strategy.
• DevOps allows us to be more competitive to stay
ahead of our corporate rivals.
• DevOps allows us to easily respond to changes in
the marketplace and empowers IT to keep up
with the business requirements.
• DevOps allow us to integrate much more quickly
and cost effectively with mergers and
acquisitions.

10. Improvements
10
So what did DevOps improve?

11. Improvements
11
Q
uality
Assurance
(Q
A)
Developm
ent
(Softw
are
Engineering)
Technology
Operations
United
Silos

12. DevOps SDLC
12
Merging disparate practices into one seamless workflow
Change
Management
Shift Left
Testing
Release
Pipeline &
Execution
Monitor
&
Manage
Assets
Measure
Collaborate & Feedback
Version Management

13. DevOps 1.0 – Our Newborn DevOps
13
When we embarked on our newborn DevOps 1.0
workflow, we began with integrating the typical
DevOps practices of:
• Agile Project Management
• Source Code Management
• Build Automation
• Deployment Automation
• Unit Testing Integration
• QA Test Automation

14. Lessons Learned from DevOps 1.0
• Most of our applications have releases which consist of a
code deployment and a DB backend dependency.
• Although we were able to build and deploy apps much more
quickly and reliably through CI/CD, sprint cycle times were
not greatly improved due to the continued need for manual
database changes.
• We weren’t able to achieve the desired process and speed
improvements until we automated the database portion
(DevOps for the DB).
• If we could do it all over again, would have done our
DevOps automation of the Database FIRST!
• Automation of code deployments and database objects
must be done together.

15. Slowing Releases
75% of DBAs report release
delays due to database
change process are
increasing.
Need
Automation
Over half respondents
report automation is key
to release speed. Same
amount report current
automation does not
meet their needs.
Errors Increasing
30% report errors have increased
over last 12 months. 42% of DBAs
report same.
Dev Managers say
database change
process delay
releases.
90%
DBAs say database
change process
delay releases.
91%
Survey: The Database is the New DevOps Constraint
15

16. Enterprises Have a Application Release Velocity Gap
80% of all application
releases require a change to
the database
• Delays time-to-market
• Impacts team productivity
• Decreases application quality
16
#ofReleases
Time
Database Deployments
Application Releases
The
Velocity
Gap
The Application Release Velocity Gap

17. Application Release and the Database
17

18. Datical Closes the Application Release Velocity Gap
Datical Database Release
Automation
• Datical radically improves and
simplifies the application release
process by modernizing and
automating the database release
process.
18
#ofReleases
Time
Database Deployments
Application Releases
The Application Release Velocity Gap

19. POLL QUESTION
Are database change deployments slowing
down your application release process?

20. DevOps 2.0 – DevOps Matures
20
In 2016, we matured with our DevOps 2.0 workflow and
expanded DevOps to integrate:
• Agile Project Management
• Source Code Management
• Database Forecasting Automation
• Database Release Automation
• Build Automation
• Deployment Automation
• Unit Testing

21. Why is DB Automation So Important?
• Most CI/CD platforms automate the front-end
code, but leave the DB portion stuck in a
manual process. In this scenario, the true
benefits of DevOps are not gained.
• When you have applications that have a
front end release coupled with a DB
dependency, you really unlock the power of
DevOps though automation of both the front-
end and DB release.
• Developers/testers no longer need to wait for
the manual DB portion to be completed in
order to move forward.

22. DB Deployments Can’t Be “Good Enough”
Good
Enough

23. Development and DBAs
23

24. Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
24

25. POLL QUESTION
Has your organization automation its
database deployment process?

26. Summary
• Database Forecasting and Deployment Automation has elevated our
DevOps practice to be among the most comprehensive in the industry.
• Our state-of-the-art DevOps SDLC is robust enough to support any
technology platform and deployment endpoint.
• DevOps has empowered our IT to enable the business to achieve its
goals and continue to accelerate our growth and leadership in the
industry.

28. Thank you!
28
Learn more!
Check out the white paper
How to get Started with
Database Release Automation
in 4 easy Steps