This article describes the latest Fintech trends🌠 

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AI and Machine Learning in Fintech: Trends for 2023

Many businesses prioritize caution in a highly competitive market, and as a result, outsourcing has risen to become the second most common trend in software development.

However, just offsetting development responsibilities is not enough to develop a strong team or to ship out a great product.

When utilizing the agile approach in conjunction with outsourced software development, it facilitates improved project management for the team while also establishing a versatile communication platform between the outsourcing vendor and the customer.

One may wonder if it is feasible to maintain agility while outsourcing software development. With diverse teams, various resources, potential time zone differences, and the risk of miscommunication, is it achievable to sustain an agile development process?

Incorporating agile methodologies while outsourcing is crucial for surviving in the fast-paced digital world. Without it, the question arises whether survival is even possible in the Digital Darwinian era.

## What is Agile project management?

Agile project management is a methodology used to manage software development projects, while outsourced software development refers to the process of hiring external vendors or contractors to develop software applications or systems.

Agile project management emphasizes collaboration, flexibility, and continuous feedback throughout the development process. It involves breaking the development process into smaller, iterative cycles, with frequent reviews and adjustments made based on user feedback. Agile project management is designed to accommodate changing requirements and shifting priorities as the project progresses.

Outsourced software development, on the other hand, refers to the process of hiring external vendors or contractors to handle the development of a software application or system. This can involve hiring developers, designers, project managers, and other experts to handle various aspects of the development process. Outsourced software development can be used for a variety of reasons, including to access specialized expertise, reduce costs, or to scale up development capacity.

While Agile project management can be used for both in-house and outsourced software development, outsourced software development projects often require additional considerations such as communication protocols, contract negotiation, and project governance to ensure successful collaboration with external vendors or contractors.

Adopting Agile methodology in outsourcing development is the smartest way. It helps companies to access a larger talent pool, reduce cost, and ensure flexibility with Agile development processes.

Before you opt for the Agile software development models, it is important to keep in mind the four values of the Agile Manifesto. These 4 foundation values are applied in different ways and help in guiding development while ensuring the delivery of high-quality software.

## The Agile values

- Individuals’ interactions over various processes and tools.
- Working the documentation part over software development.
- Letting customers collaborate over contract negotiation.
- Responding to the changes while following the plan adequately.

Apart from these 4 values, there are 12 principles that are considered as the guiding principles for Agile custom software development solutions:

- Ensuring customer satisfaction from the start of software delivery.
- Make amendments to the requirements throughout the development process.
- Frequent delivery of software at various stages of development.
- Collaboration between software developers and business stakeholders throughout the project.
- Support, trust, and motivate the people involved in the entire process of software development.
- Enable face-to-face interactions.
- Measure the primary progress of software development through working software.
- Support consistent development through Agile processes.
- Agile helps development by ensuring the correctness of technical details and designs.
- Simplicity in Software Development Processes
- Self-organized and motivated teams deliver great architectures, requirements, and designs.
- Regular enhancements to deliver more effective software.

These values and principles are intended to align the software development life cycle and guide those who are willing to follow Agile development.

## Why do we need agile project management?

The agile management process helps us focus on the things that matter. Becoming agile in organizations and teams allows flexible adaptation and helps deliver value by continuously receiving feedback. The objective is not agile, just improvement. Our incremental approach improves predictive capabilities and controls risks. Please find out more.

## Why do Companies Use Agile Custom Software Development Services?

Most custom software development companies across the world use the agile scrum method to develop successful and relevant end products. Agile is all about delivering projects with outstanding teamwork and smart roadmaps. It ensures flexibility throughout development.

Here’s why Agile development is the most preferred by the most custom software solutions providers:

**1. Quick Feedback**

After receiving feedback from prospective customers, companies can make the required changes in their project requirements. So, it’s important to stay updated with the latest market trends and customers’ interests.

It does not matter how fast your custom software development company can deliver the product if it can fulfill the required specifications. Receiving quick feedback from customers can help accommodate instant changes in agile sprints.

**2. Smart Software Development Management**

Agile sprints help companies to manage software projects with more efficiency. From sprint planning to sprint meetings and reviews, everything can guide team members to stay focused on the end goal.

It gives a proper idea of the project and helps them understand the effort they must put into the project to get the desired results.

**3. Amazing Team Building**

To ensure hassle-free Agile Development, you must have an amazing Agile team too.

Although, it takes a lot of time to build a healthy, engaging, and enthusiastic environment to motivate the team members. So, there should be a smart working strategy to consolidate the team efforts.

Here are the four stages the agile teams go through:

- **Forming Stage** where team members interact with each other better, share useful information, and understand the rules to be followed throughout the project.
- **Storming Stage,** where team members must follow certain guidelines and rules to keep themselves on the same page of the software development lifecycle.
- **Norming Stage,** where the company builds strategy and the project roadmap based on which the team plans their efforts.
- **Performing Stage,** is where the team members collaborate and work on a shared product to deliver greater value in the market.

**4. Smart & Effective Use of Tools**

While working in teams, people need relevant tools to organize, assign, and categorize tasks to work efficiently. Using the right tools in Custom Web App Development helps in the following ways:

- Categorizing the project requirements.
- Prioritizing important tasks.
- Assigning the task to people with the required skill set.
- Following the project’s timeline to ensure timely delivery.
- Change the project status from in progress to review to complete.

**5. Greater Productivity**

A team with clear goals and a timeline can accomplish the task with greater productivity. Because of this higher level of transparency, developers individually and as teamwork towards achieving their separate goals.

## What are the principles of an Agile way of working?

The agile management model is designed to empower people and their interactions and provide timely, consistent value to a firm. Iterative or agile project management emphasizes providing maximum value for business priority within the time and budget available, especially if the drive for the product exceeds its risk. 

## Agile principles

Agile principles are a set of core values and beliefs that guide the agile project management approach. While all the agile principles are valuable, here are five of the best agile principles that have proven to be highly effective:

- **Customer collaboration over contract negotiation:** This principle emphasizes the importance of active collaboration and engagement with the customer throughout the project. It prioritizes building a strong relationship with the customer, understanding their needs, and incorporating their feedback into the development process. By fostering collaboration, teams can ensure that the final product meets the customer's expectations and delivers maximum value.
- **Individuals and interactions over processes and tools:** Agile places a strong emphasis on the value of people and their interactions within the development team. This principle recognizes that effective communication, teamwork, and collaboration are essential for project success. It encourages open and frequent communication, knowledge sharing, and a supportive team environment where individuals can contribute their expertise and work together towards a common goal.
- **Responding to change over following a plan:** Agile methodologies embrace change and recognize that requirements can evolve over time. This principle encourages teams to be adaptable and flexible, embracing changes in priorities, technology, and market conditions. It emphasizes the need for regular feedback loops, continuous improvement, and a willingness to adjust plans as necessary to deliver the most valuable software solution.
- **Working software over comprehensive documentation:** This principle emphasizes the importance of delivering working software as the primary measure of progress. While documentation has its place, agile methodologies prioritize the tangible outcome of functional software that can be tested, validated, and used by the customer. By focusing on delivering working software, teams can quickly gather feedback and make adjustments, leading to faster value delivery and customer satisfaction.
- **The sustainable pace and self-organizing teams:** Agile recognizes the significance of maintaining a sustainable pace of work. This principle emphasizes the need to avoid overloading team members with excessive work or unrealistic deadlines. Agile teams are encouraged to self-organize, determine the best way to accomplish their goals, and make decisions collectively. Empowering teams to take ownership of their work and allowing them to self-manage leads to increased motivation, productivity, and a healthier work-life balance.

While these five principles represent some of the best agile principles, it's important to note that the effectiveness of agile project management lies in the collective application and understanding of all the principles. Each principle complements and reinforces the others, creating a framework that promotes collaboration, adaptability, and continuous improvement for successful software development.

## Who uses Agile project management?

The Agile methodology is developed in the early years of software development and has become increasingly adopted by more than just IT teams. Those businesses that look at agile methodologies and other agile frameworks for the design and delivery of innovations in uncertain conditions include: Many organizations have great potential for agile project management, and it is easily established and utilized. In the software industry, when it comes to developing existing technology, an end product is difficult to define. Agile provides such uncertainty because of its flexibility in the direction of development as projects advance.

## Get the right people on board

Agile methodologies rely upon hiring excellent people who can do great things. This is also defined by agile values: people over processes. That means you have to hire the best employees. Find the right people and let them use their talents to solve problems rather than rushing them.

## Final thoughts

In conclusion, the benefits of agile project management for outsourced software development cannot be overstated. Agile methodologies have revolutionized the way software projects are executed, bringing increased efficiency, flexibility, and collaboration to the development process.

First and foremost, agile project management promotes a customer-centric approach. By involving the client throughout the development cycle, agile methods ensure that the final product meets their specific needs and expectations. Regular feedback loops and frequent iterations allow for quick adjustments and course corrections, resulting in a software solution that aligns closely with the client's vision.

Additionally, agile project management enables better adaptability to changing requirements. In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, software development projects often face shifting priorities, emerging technologies, and evolving market demands. Agile methodologies, with their iterative and incremental approach, provide the flexibility to incorporate changes as they arise. This allows for faster delivery of valuable features and a reduced time to market.

Another significant benefit of agile project management is enhanced collaboration. By fostering cross-functional teams and encouraging open communication, agile methodologies promote collaboration between developers, designers, testers, and stakeholders. This leads to better problem-solving, increased innovation, and a shared sense of ownership, resulting in higher-quality software and improved project outcomes.

Furthermore, agile project management provides greater transparency and visibility into the development process. Through practices such as daily stand-up meetings, sprint reviews, and visual project boards, stakeholders have a clear understanding of the project's progress, potential risks, and upcoming deliverables. This transparency builds trust and helps manage expectations, reducing the likelihood of misunderstandings or dissatisfaction.

Lastly, agile project management supports continuous improvement. By regularly reflecting on the development process, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing changes, agile teams can enhance their efficiency, productivity, and overall project outcomes. This iterative approach allows for ongoing optimization, ensuring that the software development process evolves and adapts to meet the needs of the project and the client.

In summary, the benefits of agile project management for outsourced software development are numerous. From customer-centricity to adaptability, collaboration, transparency, and continuous improvement, agile methodologies offer a comprehensive framework that drives success in software development projects. Embracing agile practices can enable businesses to maximize the value they receive from outsourced software development, leading to higher-quality solutions, faster time to market, and improved client satisfaction.

This blog post shows the benefits of Agile management for outsourced software development🏆🏆🏆

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The Benefits of Agile Project Management for Outsourced Software Development

🔍👀This blog post explores the fundamental principles of microservice architecture and how they can be applied to create a reliable and efficient system.💡💻

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Microservice Architecture Principles: What They Are and Why They Matter

Although DevOps is a practice, not a tool, tools are needed to implement it. Creating visibility and trust between all the teams involved in delivering software and technology is challenging. With the right tools, integrations and automation across functional teams can be seamless, open, and scalable.

In this article, we look at the top tools used in DevOps pipelines.

## How to select the right DevOps tools?

DevOps cannot be ordered just by anyone. Software, only one vendor will provide some functionality required to support DevOps practices or pipelines. Knowing what tools to choose when you've decided upon a product or tool can be helpful. These objectives vary depending on the organization's structure, operation, and environment. Several important factors should be considered when selecting the appropriate tool for a particular project.

### Step 1: Establish a collaboration

DevOps opposes waterfall methods of planning out all the work and dependencies for a release. Agile Development reduces risk and improves visibility as software is built and tested in smaller chunks, and customer feedback is iterated upon. Due to this, many teams plan and release in sprints of around two to four weeks.

It's important to consider feedback from the previous sprint's retrospective when your team shares their ideas and plans at the start of every new sprint. This will help you improve your team and services on a continuous basis. You can create a plan using various tools to organize your learning and ideas. The first step is to identify your target personas and map customer research data, feature requests, and bug reports to them. Then, user stories are created by grouping common themes and using sticky notes. By mapping user stories to specific personas, you can ensure that customer value is emphasized. Finally, tasks are organized and prioritized using a tool that tracks project burndown and daily sprint progress.

### Step 2: Create a request-tracking system

The DevOps process should not be bypassed when implementing changes. Whenever the software needs to be changed or added, DevOps should capture the request. By automating the process, the system can accept change requests from both the business and the DevOps team - for example, making software changes to improve database access.

### Step 3: Implementing Agile Kanban project management

The primary advantage of Kanban is that it promotes teamwork by encouraging teams to improve the system's flow. Kanban helps teams continuously deliver the work they have completed as they adopt it. Kanban can aid in the gradual release of new product features or fixing defects by dividing them into smaller, manageable chunks. Kanban's continuous delivery and deployment feature makes it an ideal tool for DevOps.

Moreover, Kanban provides a visual representation of your entire value stream and ensures smooth flow. This allows you to combine the workflows of different functions and activities from development to integration, testing, deployment, and monitoring. You will be able to work more collaboratively with your team of developers and operators. All Dev and Ops activities can be integrated into a single team and workflow over time. As a result of Kanban, the entire process can be seen - and the transformation into a DevOps culture is easier.

### Step 4: Usage of tools to Log Metrics

In both automated and manual processes, one should always use tools that help understand the productivity of the DevOps processes. It is possible to determine whether it favors one's interests from this. The first step is to determine the metrics that are most relevant to the DevOps process, such as speed to effective action versus errors. The next step involves utilizing an automated process to address and resolve issues without the need for human intervention. For example, you are trying to automatically scale software on a digital cloud platform.

### Step 5: Start implementing

Automated testing has many parts, but it is only one of them. It involves the implementation of code and data and the resulting solution to ensure its high quality. With DevOps, continuous testing is essential.

## Step 6: Performing acceptance tests

Testing acceptance is necessary to ensure the infrastructure is accepted after each part is deployed. Apps, data, and test suites should also be subjected to acceptance tests as part of the testing process. To ensure that the selected criteria align with the tests, a considerable amount of time is required to test and retest DevOps. A new instruction is fed into an application as it develops, so testing should be done again as it evolves.

**Testing automation**

By automating your testing and development cycles, you can save time and money over time. Moreover, in a DevOps environment, awareness is essential.

To ensure successful development builds, Operations require insight into the testing process and its thoroughness. Automated tests offer an advantage over manual testing as they are executed consistently and with equal rigor each time. Moreover, they generate trend graphs and reports that highlight any potential risks.

It is impossible to mitigate risks that you cannot anticipate when it comes to software. Make your operations team part of the process. To enable everyone to contribute to the project, choose a tool that supports wallboards. Tools that make it easy for Operations to participate in blitz testing and exploratory testing are more effective.

### Step 7: Provide continuous feedback

Regularly discussing an employee's strengths and weaknesses is crucial for providing ongoing feedback and coaching. The primary objective is to recognize gaps and inefficiencies in the app, and constant feedback helps achieve this. Feedback loops significantly enhance automated conversation between tests. Manual or automatic mechanisms should be equipped with the right tools to identify any issues. A collaborative approach should be taken to solve problems and achieve impeccable results.

**Release dashboards**

The most challenging part of shipping software is getting all the changes, tests, and deployment information into one place. Before a release, no one wants to spend time in a long meeting discussing its status. This is where release dashboards come in.

It's a good idea to seek out tools that seamlessly connect your code repository with your deployment tool. A centralized platform that displays all of your branches, builds, pull requests, and deployment alerts are highly beneficial.

## The DevOps tools
![3176ae14-78ec-4e5c-a898-c622f6b96dc0.jpeg](https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/media.ecdevstudio.com/uploads/2023/4/20/3176ae14_78ec_4e5c_a898_c622f6b96dc0_cbd4fa19d8.jpeg)

The DevOps tool categories include the following:

**Version control:** a set of apps that track any changes made in a set of files in due course of time. It tracks software both manually and automatically. Compared to early version control systems, modern Version control uses distributed storage using either one primary server (subversion) or a web of distributed servers (git or mercurial). Version control systems, such as type, brand, and database, track dependencies in a version.

**Building and deployment:** a set of tools that automate the building and deployment of software throughout the DevOps process, including continuous development and continuous integration.

**Functional and non-functional testing:** tools that provide automated testing in DevOps's functional and non-functional aspects. A set of testing tools should provide an integrated unit, check performance updates, and ensure the app's security. The sole motive of these testing is to check the whole automation system.

**Provisioning: **Configuration management is part of provisioning. That's using a tool like Chef, Puppet, or Ansible to configure your server. "Provisioning" often implies it's the first time you do it. Configuration management usually happens repeatedly. The tools that help create provisions podium required for deployment of the software and monitor the functions along with logging any changes that might occur to the configuration of the data or software. It helps in getting the system back in a state of equilibrium.

## The Top-rated DevOps tool list
![1669536631600-Devops Tools and Technologies-02.png](https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/media.ecdevstudio.com/uploads/2023/4/20/1669536631600_Devops_Tools_and_Technologies_02_017ec5e76e.png)

### Jenkins

Jenkins is a leader in DevOps tools for monitoring and implementation for repeated jobs. By merging changes and accessing outputs, DevOps teams can quickly identify problems.

**Key Features:**

- Self-contained Java-based program ready to run out of the box with Windows, Mac OS X, and other Unix-like operating systems
- Continuous integration and continuous delivery
- A web interface facilitates setup and configuration
- Hundreds of plugins in the Update Center

**Website:** [https://www.jenkins.io/](https://www.jenkins.io/{externalnofollow})

**Price:** Free

### Ansible

DevOps professionals recommend Ansible as the preferred tool for orchestrating, automating, configuring, and managing IT infrastructures. In DevOps, Ansible enables scalability and response to demand.

**Key Features:**

- 750+ built-in modules for automating, configuring, deploying, and orchestrating the IT infrastructure
- Agentless system for easier management and storage

**Website:** [https://www.ansible.com/](https://www.ansible.com/{externalnofollow}) 

**Price:** Contact sales

### Docker

Container-based distributed applications can be created, shipped, and operated with the Docker technology stack. Users will be able to build programs from components on this platform, develop applications, and exchange container images with enterprises.

**Key Features:**

- Fast deployment, trial run, and rollback capabilities enable a consistent and isolated environment at a cost-effective price.
- Provide consistent performance across multiple environments, including AWS, Azure, Google, and others.
- Organize, manage, and configure image caches privately and publicly with a public registry for sharing and collaboration

**Website:** [https://www.docker.com/](https://www.docker.com/{externalnofollow}) 

**Price:** Free — $5/license/month

### Kubernetes

Kubernetes automates application deployment, scaling, and management using open-source code. Compute cluster nodes are scheduled on them, and they are actively managed so that their state is in accordance with the intentions of their users.

**Key Features:**

- Run anywhere: on-premise, hybrid, or public cloud
- Automated rollouts, rollbacks, and scaling
- Service Discovery and load balancing
- Storage orchestration
- Helm charts to deploy multiple projects with the same customized applications
- Largest community among container orchestration tools

**Website:** [https://kubernetes.io/](https://kubernetes.io/{externalnofollow}) 

**Price:** Contact sales

### Git

Git is an open-source, free, and highly efficient version control system for handling small and very large projects.

**Key Features:**

- Allow team members to collaborate and manage code repositories together
- Intuitive integration with Eclipse, Visual Studio Code, and IntelliJ

**Website:** [https://git-scm.com/](https://git-scm.com/{externalnofollow}) 

**Price:** Free 

### Monit

This tool acts as a watchdog to ensure that a specific process runs smoothly on the software. It is user-friendly and can be easily set up and configured for use in a multiservice architecture.

**Key Features:**

- Small open-source utility for managing and monitoring Unix systems
- Conducts automatic maintenance and repair
- Executes meaningful causal actions in error situations

**Website:** [https://mmonit.com/monit/](https://mmonit.com/monit/{externalnofollow})

**Price:** Free

### Vagrant:

Vagrant can aid in facilitating a DevOps culture within your organization, while also improving the development and operational processes of Puppet for both developers and professionals.

**Key Features:**

- No complicated setup process; download and install within minutes on Mac OS X, Windows, or widespread distribution of Linux
- Create a single file for projects describing the type of machine you want, the software you want to install, and how you want to access the device, and then store the file with your project code
- With a single command "Vagrant up," Vagrant creates your complete development environment so that all members of the DevOps team have the same development environment

**Website:** [https://www.vagrantup.com/](https://www.vagrantup.com/{externalnofollow})

**Price:** Free

### Chef

With Chef, developers can express infrastructure, security policies, and application lifecycles as code, modernizing how applications are developed, packaged, and delivered to any platform.

**Key Features:**

- With little human interaction, deploy simple or complex system changes to a large number of servers
- Easily automate legacy desktop applications that are hard to automate. 

**Website:** [https://www.chef.io/](https://www.chef.io/{externalnofollow}) 

**Price:** Contact sales 

### Prometheus

Prometheus is a widely-used tool in the DevOps community, often used alongside the Grafana framework. As an open-source service monitoring system, it offers a flexible query language that allows for efficient analysis of time series data, generating useful alerts, tables, and graphs. With support for over ten languages and the ability to execute custom libraries, it is a user-friendly and versatile option.

**Key Features:**

- A flexible query language for slicing and dicing collected time series data to generate graphs, tables, and alerts
- Scales through functional sharing and federation of memory and local disk storage
- Supports more than ten languages and includes easy-to-implement custom libraries
- Signals based on Prometheus's flexible query language
- Alert manager handles notifications and silencing

**Website:** [https://prometheus.io/](https://prometheus.io/{externalnofollow})

**Price:** Free

## Final thoughts

DevOps tools and technologies are vast and constantly evolving, with new tools and techniques always emerging. However, based on our analysis and research, we can confidently recommend several top tools and technologies to help organizations streamline their development, testing, deployment, and operations processes.

These tools include popular automation tools like Jenkins and Travis CI, containerization technologies like Docker and Kubernetes, collaboration platforms like GitHub and GitLab, configuration management tools like Puppet and Chef, and monitoring tools like Prometheus and Grafana.

While the tools and technologies an organization uses may vary depending on their unique needs and requirements, implementing these best-in-class DevOps tools can help businesses achieve greater agility, efficiency, and productivity in their software development and delivery efforts. 

In today's fast-paced, technology-driven world, organizations can stay ahead of the curve by utilizing the right DevOps tools and practices.

This article describes the best DevOps tools and technologies💪🧑‍🔧

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The Best DevOps Tools and Technologies

Cloud migration has many benefits, and few will argue that it is not worth the effort and investment. In spite of this, organizations transitioning to the cloud will encounter challenges along the way.

Nevertheless, knowing the common pain points of cloud migration can go a long way toward helping make your organization’s cloud journey more seamless and less problematic.


>The cloud can stimulate profit growth by up to 11.2% in organizations that migrate at least 60% of their IT operations and systems to the cloud. It is impossible to beat total reliance on on-premise computing!

However, if you're implementing this level of digital transformation internally or with the help of cloud migration service providers, you'll encounter some prevalent challenges. Here are some statistics to look at: 

- The failure rate of 50% of projects is high{arrow} 
- Approximately 56% of CIOs encounter compliance and security risks{arrow}
- Approximately 55% of business leaders are not able to optimize their processes to fit clearly defined business objectives{arrow}
- CIOs fail to plan adequately for migration 44% of the time{arrow}

Based on the preceding trends, nearly half of IT-driven organizations are battling cloud migration challenges. In this article, we revise the steps of the cloud migration process, highlight the common cloud migration problems alongside their solutions, and the benefits your business reaps in the long haul. Let's start!

## What is Cloud migration?

Cloud migration is when you move your computer stuff, like apps, data, and systems, from your own place to a cloud-based service, like Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure. It's important because it can save you money, make your work more flexible, and help you focus on what you're good at instead of worrying about maintaining servers and stuff. Plus, it's a lot easier to work with people from all over the place, and the cloud has better security and protection for your data. Basically, cloud migration is becoming super popular because it can make your work easier and more efficient!

## Cloud Migration Strategies: Why are they crucial for businesses?

Cloud migration strategies describe an organization moving data and other business processes to the cloud from its on-premises infrastructure. The strategy involves defining the goals and objectives of the migration, selecting the appropriate cloud service provider, deciding on the type of cloud deployment model (public, private, or hybrid), choosing the migration approach (lift-and-shift, re-platforming, or refactoring), and identifying the necessary tools and resources required to carry out the migration process.

The migration strategy should also include assessing the organization's infrastructure, security and compliance requirements, budget, and timeline. A well-planned cloud migration strategy can help organizations to achieve their desired business outcomes, such as improved scalability, flexibility, cost savings, and enhanced security and performance.

## How does the cloud migration process work?

Before making a decision, the business must fully understand its role. The transition to the cloud is transforming your entire business, and you must first take the entire journey through cloud services. It will allow for identifying capabilities and activities required at each stage of successful cloud migration. Cloud computing is far from a simple technical exercise.

## Why Cloud Migration is Important to Business Growth?

Cloud migration involves the deployment of digital assets and resources to the cloud where the moved data is unattended. Cloud-based applications are becoming more popular as technology has exploded and become increasingly popular among business users. There's no time to think of migration into the clouds. Smart application development and user interfaces - a new industry standard - promote cloud computing success and attract non-cloud users with this disruptive business-changing step.

## A Guide to Successful Cloud Migration

Taking a cloud migration strategy to the cloud successfully requires a unique solution since there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Due to every organization's individual needs and goals, many factors must be considered. 

Here are **some of the steps** you should be aware of before beginning the migration process: 

### Make a plan

A migration journey should begin with a thorough evaluation of the organization's characteristics and goals. You should never lose sight of your company's core business goals regarding cloud migration strategies since they are designed to increase productivity, improve communication, and enhance customer satisfaction. 

To achieve the desired results, planning also involves knowing the existing assets (human and technological).   

### Modeling your cloud in the right way

Every company has its own requirements for cloud computing, which must be clearly defined. Each provider offers various services, and it is vital to have the right information to make the best decision.  

Another alternative is to hire consulting services to help your company develop a precise strategy for migrations and deployments.  

These are some of **the categories of cloud computing services** you should be aware of:   

- **IaaS** has the essential components of cloud computing and provides access to network functions, computers (virtual or dedicated hardware), and data storage space. Offers flexibility and management control over IT resources. 
- **PaaS** allows organizations to dispense with managing the underlying infrastructure and focus on deploying and managing applications. This reduces maintenance tasks to keep applications running. 
- **Serverless computing** allows applications to be built without needing infrastructure management, but both models have differences. For example, serverless computing (which does not imply that there are no servers) enables faster scalability because it does not require developer configuration. Another distinction is that this model is pay-as-you-go rather than a flat fee like PaaS. 
- **[SaaS](https://www.ecdevstudio.com/blog/awesome-saas-ideas-for-product/)** offers a complete product run managed by the service provider. 

### Select a Cloud provider that meets your needs

When [hiring a cloud service provider](https://calendly.com/ecdev-studio/discovery-meeting?month=2023-04), we are entrusting some of the most valuable assets of a company: data and applications. That is why it is essential to **take these aspects into account before making the purchase**:  

- Reliability
- Security and compliance with data protection policies  
- Legal protections and SLAs  
- Performance  
- Disaster recovery  
- Support 

### Develop a team to make the project a success

Once the plan is defined, you will need the right professionals to execute it smoothly. [A team of developers with the proper knowledge and experience](https://www.ecdevstudio.com/blog/how-to-hire-developer-for-startups-in-ukraine/) will increase the chances of a successful migration. 

These are some of **the critical positions** an organization needs to make a successful migration to the cloud:   

- Project Manager 
- Solution Architect 
- DevOps Engineer 
- Cloud Administrator 
- Cloud Security Manager 

## Best Practices for safe Cloud Migration

### Invest in security

[Security](https://www.ecdevstudio.com/blog/cyber-security-meaning-options-tools-best-practices/) is the most crucial aspect of cloud migration. The cloud can only be protected if data and workloads are protected carefully. Customers and providers share responsibility for cloud security, as customers are responsible for cloud infrastructure security, and providers are responsible for cloud security. 

Some of **the issues to consider when thinking about cloud security** are:  

- Governance  
- API vulnerability  
- Regulatory and compliance requirements  
- [Disaster recovery](https://www.ecdevstudio.com/blog/cloud-disaster-recovery-services-critical-business-need-in-2023/)    

### Establish your goals

Migration to the cloud is not a goal, just as digital transformation processes are not a goal in themselves. Making the process more efficient requires companies to analyze its benefits and challenges. Documenting each stage of the process and communicating progress to the entire team are two other essential aspects to keep in mind. 

### Think about outsourcing

Outsourcing providers can help organizations move to the cloud, and they can also recruit the best talent for critical roles in the application development process. Professionals with experience and skills in these technologies are crucial to the successful migration process. 

## What is the best provider for your business?

There is a wide variety of cloud products and services with high security, quality, and performance standards. The differences between the benefits of the world's leading providers are very subtle. To make the best decision and hire the service that best suits your needs, you will have to analyze each company's pros and cons in detail. 

The following are **some of the features of the leading cloud platform providers** that share most of the market share: 

#### AWS

Amazon Web Service is the [number 1 provider in the market](https://aws.amazon.com/{externalnofollow}). It offers excellent flexibility and ease of use. It lets you choose the operating system, programming language, web application platform, database, or other services. Its flexibility lets you focus resources on other core business aspects instead of infrastructure. 

AWS services also are recognized for agility and scalability thanks to a wide range of tools that allow you to always have access to resources and storage. 

AWS employs a comprehensive approach to infrastructure protection, including physical operational and software measures. And has certifications and accreditations to manage companies' IT infrastructure in a secure and long-term way. 

#### Azure

It is the second-largest platform in the market. It is a cloud service suitable for companies and incredibly convenient for those who have contracted the entire Microsoft ecosystem. 

The pricing scheme shows that it is up to [5 times cheaper](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/#product-pricing{externalnofollow}) than other clouds precisely because the optimization scheme is very efficient. 

Azure can provide both a public and private cloud in a computing environment that allows your applications to be shared between them. It will enable the flexibility and convenience to customize the needs that best suit your business, and you can feel secure whether you choose a SaaS or PaaS route.  

Cybersecurity has an AI system with the ability to prevent threats. It also allows you to encrypt backup information and data transferred to the cloud. 

It is compatible with multi-cloud environments, so it can manage AWS and GPC solutions to provide companies with better management of their clouds.  

#### Oracle

Oracle's differential is the [adaptive intelligence](https://www.oracle.com/technical-resources/articles/cloud/building-adaptive-intel-process.html{externalnofollow}) that allows for identifying market trends, generating a competitive advantage. Supplying a more personalized service is also possible to improve the customer experience. 

#### GCP

It stands out for easing [innovation for organizations](https://cloud.google.com/{externalnofollow}) because it supplies the latest tools to work on AI, machine learning, and Big Data projects.  

In terms of security, it has end-to-end encryption to reduce cyber-attack chances. 

Another of its advantages is restoring data in a noticeably short time compared to other providers. 

## Top Cloud Migration Challenges
![top.png](https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/media.ecdevstudio.com/uploads/2023/4/20/top_feaa25531f.png)

Moving to the cloud is a solution to a number of challenges. So, here are **the most prevalent cloud migration problems** and their solutions:
### Data Security and Compliance Risks

Data safety and compliance risks remain among organizations' top cloud migration security challenges. These risks can emanate from data breaches during the migration or weak access control over sensitive enterprise data. 

#### Solution

While cloud services are inherently secure, it will help if you pass your data through a safe path inside the firewall when migrating it. You can add an extra layer of assurance by encrypting the data and ensuring that your strategy follows industry compliance standards.

### Uncertain Cost of the Cloud Migration Process

Although a successful cloud migration can cut IT operating costs in the long haul, the biggest challenge arises when estimating the upfront investment. This cost can shoot up the roof when other indirect project expenses come into play. This includes costs for transforming the organization for cloud computing and the vacated data center capacity fees. 

#### Solution

You can prevail over this uncertainty by planning carefully with your service providers and factoring in the hidden migration costs in the budget. Overall, you are looking at the following cloud migration costs: 

**Pre-migration** 

- Consultations 
- On-premise data management 
- Database upgrade 

**Migration** 

- The project itself
- Refactoring 
- Application and code changes 

**Post-migration**

- A monthly or yearly license 
- System maintenance 

### Wrong Cloud Migration Strategy

You may encounter various cloud migration challenges if your team doesn'tdoesn't deliberate on a well-hatched plan. Many get it wrong—that planning is all about anticipating migration bottlenecks and creating remediation contingencies, forgetting to focus on understanding the current infrastructure and target cloud. 

#### Solution

With that in mind, you would want to devise a well-thought strategy that covers all intricate approaches to successful migration, such as app modernization and platform refactoring. A thorough assessment of the current infrastructure must be conducted to optimize cloud performance.

### No Internal Capacity to Perform the Cloud Migration–Skill Gap

Switching to a cloud computing environment means deploying new technologies, processes, or third-party integrations. In most cases, your current employees may lack the necessary skills and qualifications to fulfill IT roles under the new infrastructure and don'tdon't fail the process. 

#### Solution

You can overcome this barrier by hiring an experienced cloud migration company to assist with the process and upskill your team. The experts will determine the right strategy that complements a smooth transition process with everyone on board. Alternatively, you can hire fresh talents to fill the new IT positions.

### Migration Complexities

Your organization can experience a cloud migration challenge if you underestimate the project's complexity. For example, some organizations think they can port legacy software to the cloud as it is. This can lead to severe downtime and loss of critical functionalities, leading to unhappy customers and lost productivity.

#### Solution

To overcome this challenge, you need to assess your current infrastructure to identify any compatibility issues or dependencies that could impact your migration, create a roadmap outlining the migration process, and choose the right cloud provider to meet your business needs.

### Low Application Performance After Migration

One of the most overlooked post-cloud migration problems is low performance after migration. Legacy systems often feature several components hosted on multiple servers, which lowers their flexibility when migrated to the cloud. At the same time, on-demand computing solutions come with varying storage options and services – it'sit's elementary for legacy systems to face performance issues.  

#### Solution

Application performance challenges can be addressed through cloud capacity planning. This process analyzes and measures the performance of your applications against predictive demand. With this approach, your team can provide and allot the resources needed to meet that specific demand.

### Network Bandwidth

You can also experience database migration to cloud challenges if you don'tdon't specifically define the network bandwidth requirements of cloud-powered applications. Typically, these applications should match or exceed the performance of on-premise deployments. You need to describe the bandwidth requirements accurately so that the migrated applications will experience latency, resulting in poor user experience and unmet business requirements. 

#### Solution

You can solve this problem by factoring in network constraints before migration with the help of network technology modeling tools. This will help you evaluate current application performance to determine areas that need improvement before the migration process.

### Cloud Environment Adoption Resistance

Employees may feel that cloud adoption will reduce their control over data and processes, leading them to resist the change. Resistance toward change is common, and switching to a cloud computing environment means more change and disruption around processes, systems, or leadership. 

#### Solution

Train your employees on the new cloud environment and the tools and processes used. To ensure everyone is okay and ready for the new IT strategy, develop a change management plan and implement it before, during, and after the migration. Also, involve them in the cloud adoption process and address their concerns. This is supposed to smooth out difficulties.

## Final thoughts

So, moving to the cloud is still gonna be super important for businesses in 2023. But it's not all smooth sailing - there are some big challenges to tackle if you wanna make a move successfully. First up, companies gotta take a good look at what they've already got in place and figure out which bits can make a move to the cloud. Once they know that, they need to make a solid plan for the migration, keeping security, performance, cost, and vendor lock-in on top of mind. Oh, and it's a good idea to bring in some cloud migration experts to help out too. With the right planning, execution, and ongoing management, businesses can enjoy all the sweet benefits of cloud computing while keeping the risks and challenges to a minimum.

🧐This article describes the most prevalent cloud migration challenges for businesses in 2023.

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Cloud Migration Challenges in 2023

It's no secret that IT outsourcing is on the rise!

By 2027, [Statista](https://www.statista.com/statistics/662991/worldwide-cio-survey-outsourced-it-functions/{externalnofollow}) predicts IT outsourcing revenues to reach 145.7 billion dollars! That's a lot of money, isn't it?

In recent years, outsourcing has become more sophisticated, driven by technological advancements, changing market dynamics, and the emergence of new service delivery models.

The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted organizational functioning and has transformed organizations toward the digital world where cybersecurity is critical. Almost 87% are now transferring key processes and procedures to the cloud owing to the impact of remote work and focus on enabling faster and easier enterprise environments.

## So, what's the big deal with outsourcing?

Cost-effectiveness is one of the answers to this question! Even if start-ups lack technical expertise, outsourcing companies can help them hire experts. As a bonus, these outsourcing providers have developers waiting for new projects, which saves you even more time! 

IT outsourcing has become an essential strategy for many companies looking to reduce costs and improve operational efficiencies. In recent years, outsourcing has become more sophisticated, driven by technological advancements, changing market dynamics, and the emergence of new service delivery models.

Visit [our blog](https://www.ecdevstudio.com/blog/benefits-of-outsourcing-software-development/) to read more about the benefits of outsourcing software developement.

And now, let's review the hottest outsourcing trends in 2023, including all the cutting-edge technologies!

## Top IT Outsourcing Trends to Watch in the coming years
![Frame.png](https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/media.ecdevstudio.com/uploads/2023/4/12/Frame_616e87b24b.png)

### Focus on Multi-Sourcing

Previously, companies often relied on a single outsourcing provider to manage all their IT needs. However, this approach is now being replaced by a multi-sourcing strategy that involves working with multiple providers to achieve better outcomes. Multi-sourcing allows companies to leverage the unique strengths of different providers and increase competition, driving innovation and improving quality.

### Adoption of Cloud-Based Solutions

Cloud computing has become a game-changer in outsourcing, offering more flexibility, scalability, and cost savings. As more companies look to adopt cloud-based solutions, outsourcing providers are also evolving their offerings to include cloud-based services, including infrastructure, platform, and software as a service (IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS).

Cloud-based services include:

- **Software as a Service (SaaS):** An internet-based platform that hosts software rather than installing it and makes it accessible to end users.
- **Platform as a Service (PaaS):** This enables businesses to create, manage, and operate their own apps without developing and maintaining their infrastructure.
- **Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS):** IT infrastructure outsourcing is another trend. The cloud-based service offers storage and virtualization services based on your needs and is a pay-as-you-go service. The user is responsible for their operating system, data, and programs.

The development and implementation of software applications are expensive from a cost and time perspective but can be challenging without a professional software engineer. Valued time devoted to the development of applications on the ground could be more effectively used for implementing revenue-generating business initiatives. Outsourced services through partnerships with [trusted professionals](https://www.ecdevstudio.com/hire-react-developers/) are a critical part of every company-transforming project.

### Cyber Security

Cyber attacks and data breaches increased by as much as 4 percent from 2017 onwards, and the overall cost was up 6% from 2017. The IT industry is at the highest level seen in nearly 17 years. Data protection is a central theme for the future. Gartner estimates the global IT security market to grow to 1.7 billion by 2020. Cyber attacks and data thievery pose incredibly high concerns for executives and companies looking for outsourcer solutions for their operations.

As cyber threats become more sophisticated, security has become a top priority for outsourcing providers and clients. In the coming years, outsourcing providers must invest in security measures to protect client data and infrastructure from cyber-attacks. Companies will also demand greater transparency and accountability from their outsourcing providers, including regular security audits and reports.

However many organizations do not have paid for a higher level of cyber risk for the challenging task at hand. Many of them however are especially interested in regional or local deliveries. The problem will only worsen with increased cyber security incidents and the increased complexity of business.

**Also, read** [Cyber Security: meaning, options, tools, and best practices](https://www.ecdevstudio.com/blog/cyber-security-meaning-options-tools-best-practices/)

### Growing Importance of Artificial Intelligence

AI is a top global IT outsourcing trend since it refers to machines or systems that mimic human intelligence and can accomplish tasks.

AI has the potential to transform outsourcing by automating repetitive tasks, enhancing decision-making, and improving productivity. Outsourcing providers are already using AI to automate routine tasks such as data entry and customer service. As AI becomes more sophisticated, outsourcing providers must adapt their services to incorporate AI solutions and help clients leverage these technologies.

### The emergence of "Outstaffing"

Outstaffing is a relatively new outsourcing model that involves hiring developers and other IT professionals directly from a talent pool rather than working with a provider that manages the entire outsourcing process. Outstaffing can offer significant cost savings, greater control over the hiring process, and improved communication and collaboration with the remote team.

### Focus on Sustainability

[Sustainability](https://www.bluecube.tech/blog/what-is-sustainable-it#:~:text=Sustainable%20IT%2C%20also%20known%20as,and%20other%20computer%20related%20products.{externalnofollow}) has become an increasingly important issue in IT outsourcing. As companies seek to reduce their carbon footprint, outsourcing providers respond by developing sustainable solutions, such as renewable energy data centers and eco-friendly supply chains.

### Continued Growth of Nearshoring

Nearshoring, the practice of outsourcing to companies located in nearby countries or regions, has become an increasingly popular outsourcing model. Nearshoring offers many benefits, including cultural and linguistic proximity, lower costs, and reduced travel time and expenses.

### Machine Learning Automation

It is the next top outsourcing trend. According to previous research, MLA is projected to [reach USD 8.81 Billion by 2023 from USD 1.03 Billion in 2016](https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/machine-learning-market-263397704.html{externalnofollow}). The goal of machine learning automation is to mimic how people learn and boost accuracy through data and algorithms.

As the demand for talent in this field grows, machine learning is becoming one of the hottest IT services outsourcing trends. Software development companies provide competent service at a fraction of the cost of hiring these experts in-house. 

### WEB 3.0: The Metaverse, Blockchain Services

Using blockchain technology, developers can create applications that securely store data across multiple decentralized computers. [Web 3.0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tZFQs7qBfQ&t=32s{externalnofollow}) uses blockchain, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to allow real-world human contact. [Metaverses](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaverse) give users the opportunity to move through virtual environments that resemble the real world using technology like virtual reality (VR).

Since the idea of a decentralized web is appreciated by everyone, [blockchain services](https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-blockchain{externalnofollow}) will be the most prominent IT outsourcing trend in the future. As more businesses switch to blockchains and the demand for competent software vendors increases, this digital transformation will become a critical asset in the business world. 

IT outsourcing continues to evolve, and companies that keep up with the latest trends will be better positioned to take advantage of new opportunities and remain competitive in the marketplace. By adopting multi-sourcing, embracing cloud-based solutions, prioritizing security, leveraging AI, exploring outstaffing, focusing on sustainability, and nearshoring, companies can stay ahead of the curve and achieve better outcomes.

## Crucial skills for developers in future

The future will require developers to master several key skills to stay competitive and relevant as technology evolves and shapes the world around us. The following are some of the top skills developers will need in the future:

**1. AI and ML:** As AI and machine learning advance, you can see fundamental changes in how you interact with technology. Engineers who can master these technologies will be in high demand in the future.

**2. Data Science:** With the explosion of big data, developers skilled in data science and analytics will be highly sought after. With the help of these developers, organizations can make sense of and act on the vast amounts of data they collect.

**3. Cyber Security:** Cybersecurity-skilled developers are essential. They will be responsible for building secure applications and systems that can withstand cyber attacks.

**4. Cloud Computing:** Skills in cloud technologies like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud will be highly valued.

**5. Mobile Development:** Developers with experience in mobile app development will be in high demand as mobile devices become more prevalent. These engineers will be responsible for building mobile apps that are user-friendly, responsive, and secure.

**6. DevOps:** This set of practices brings together software development and IT operations to provide faster and more reliable software deployments. By using DevOps, developers can streamline their development processes and deliver software faster.

The most successful developers will be those who stay current with the latest technologies and trends. Developers can ensure they remain competitive and valuable in the job market by continuing to learn and develop their skills.

**Also, read** [What you should know about hiring remote developers](https://www.ecdevstudio.com/blog/what-you-should-know-about-hiring-remote-developers/)

## Final thoughts

Studying these trends can guide you to develop successful business plans for the coming years. Learning about an outsourcing trend can also help you handle uncertainties in your business and manage internal stakeholders effectively. You can review the top outsourcing trends above to develop a strategic plan for successful outsourcing in the coming years.

As the IT outsourcing market evolves, IT outsourcing providers must stay current with these trends to ensure they remain competitive. Customers-centricity, transparency, and trust will appeal to leading partners.

Keeping up with the newest technologies and protecting customer data will soon become more important. Sharing risk can lead to great success and effective partnerships.

Market leaders in the next decade might gain a competitive edge by implementing these top IT outsourcing trends.

Here you can find the overview of the top OT outsourcing trends to watch in the coming years👀🌎

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The Top IT outsourcing trends to watch in the coming years

The demand for outsourced software development is increasing for various product development needs, including web development, mobile app development, and voice development. Nowadays, many companies prefer this approach to product development by outsourcing multiple services and solutions related to development and maintenance. Regarding web development outsourcing, businesses can transfer development activities to a self-managed company with the necessary controls over the project. Depending on the complexity of the software, security requirements, and other factors, a development plan is created to build and maintain a SaaS product for companies.

## What is software development outsourcing?
Software outsourcing refers to allocating third-party vendors for the required software development activities. The most common services outsourced are web design and development, mobile application development, and other related development and maintenance activities.
Considering modern business needs, the demand for outsourcing services is only growing. Companies of different sizes are constantly looking for a way to build new products and thus consider hiring dedicated remote resources to deliver value at a reduced cost.
After considering your development needs, a decision must be taken about outsourcing software development to a software developer. In-house development enables you to employ internal software developers to create software. In outsourcing, you will use a professional provider specializing in quickly developing your project.

## Why should your startup outsource software development?
![Why should your startup outsource software development.png](https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/media.ecdevstudio.com/uploads/2023/1/24/Why_should_your_startup_outsource_software_development_16e8ab2b0c.png)

Startups are outsourcing software development at an increasing rate. Unless you have professional knowledge of product development or in-depth technical expertise in the relevant fields, it is recommended to opt for professional services. But that's not it.
Let's dive into the main reasons why your startup should outsource software development.

## Benefits of Outsourcing

- **Application of the Agile methodology**

The conventional waterfall process is used in traditional software development. Teams should create a clear project strategy before launching it through a linear, step-by-step development process. They have stringent timelines with no room for error. If you need to modify something later, you won't be able to; if you do, it will be pretty expensive.
This is where Agile teams come in - rather than preparing the entire project ahead of time, Agile teams focus on planning continually throughout the project, giving you the flexibility to make changes as needed. And to make the best out of the Agile methodology, you need good experience in it. Software development outsourcing ensures your product is developed under the experts' supervision while utilizing the Agile method correctly.
- **Access to deep knowledge and experience**

There must be more than a well-defined plan to develop a competitive product. You must follow the proper development process, adopt the most influential tech stacks, and take the appropriate architectural approach while developing a product.
And that's why you need more theoretical knowledge to launch it successfully. Outsourcing software development from professionals with years-long experience ensures that your product is developed with the proper expertise. Such in-depth knowledge and experience during product development are only possible if you use third-party professional software development services.
- **Access to a superior-tech talent pool worldwide**

You need a tech background with expertise and experience in diverse technical domains to understand the technological areas during the development, the relevant technical trends, their applicants, and other tech-related factors. Basic knowledge of the technologies will be necessary for quality product development.
And that's where outsourcing software development works wonders. As per your requirements, budget, technical requirements, and product development requirements, you can have a lot of options to choose from, no matter where you are located.
- **Ability to assemble the best professional team for the project**

You must opt for professional developers and testers to develop your product. Because no matter which type of product you are developing, the market for that is expected to be quite competitive.
It is essential to have a professional approach during product development to launch a competitive product that fits the target audience's requirements properly. Opting for software development outsourcing opens the path to establishing a quality product that aligns with your startup's goals.
- **No need for micromanagement**

Through software development outsourcing, you get a fully-managed software development solution that doesn't require any micromanagement or even much management from your side. The professional team looks after everything, including the development workflow, process, milestones, and deadlines. As a result, you can focus on the more critical areas of your startup instead of micromanaging everything.
- **Optimal balance of skills and rates**

Having the proper skill sets is pivotal for any product development. But at the same time, it requires heavy investment to hire in-house experienced tech professionals.
Furthermore, you may not need the professionals' services once the app is developed. So, instead of going through such a costly and lengthy process, you can outsource software development to have your preferred skills onboard within your budget.
- **Easy scalability**

Scalability is a significant factor to consider while developing your product. How easily can you scale it up to cater to the growing demand of the end users? How well can your product adapt to the changes? How easily can you integrate it with different platforms, third-party systems, and solutions? Outsourcing software development ensures your product has all the qualities to aid in high scalability.
- **Effective communication within the team**

Communication is often the key to successful product development. Software development outsourcing ensures proper communication among the team members, as all are dedicated to your project and aim to make the best out of it. You can also take timely updates and effectively communicate with the team to have a transparent idea about the development process.

## Cons of Outsourcing

- **Limited motivation**

Little motivation implies that the outsourced team needs encouragement to give their best or finish the project on time. It is mainly common when startups hire freelancers without proper professional expertise or proven experience, or there is a communication gap that leads to a lack of understanding of your project, or if your budget needs to be higher to motivate them. You can avoid such a scenario only by working with a professional team, preferably a third-party product development company with various services and solutions.
- **Lack of clarity**

Lack of clarity can be an issue for outsourced software development if you don't plan it well or don't have a detailed contract with the outsourced team. However, it can be avoided by making a software requirements specification document and discussing every detail of your project before the development process starts.

## Software development outsourcing models

It's important to have a clear idea on various software development outsourcing models. Each outsourcing model has its own advantages and disadvantages, and it is important for companies to carefully evaluate their needs and choose the model that best fits their goals and budget. Let's delve into this.

## Models of contracts in IT outsourcing services
![Models of contracts in IT outsourcing services.png](https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/media.ecdevstudio.com/uploads/2023/1/24/Models_of_contracts_in_IT_outsourcing_services_a3d237edea.png)

### Fixed-price

#### Pros
- A predictable outcome
- An easy-to-manage process
- Transparency

#### Cons
- A lack of accountability
- Inflexibility

In the fixed price model, every project detail is well-defined and fixed, including the cost, scope, specifications, and others. Also, the pricing is set for each milestone completion. This can be a suitable model if you have a strict budget or a very well-defined project scope that doesn't need much modification.

### Time and Materials

#### Pros
- Dynamic work scope
- Ability to change
- Better timing

#### Cons
- Low budgeting control
- Deep involvement

The time and materials model is a famous software development outsourcing model. This model is based on the hours required from the developers and the relevant resources to be used. This model is easy to adopt and offers high flexibility to a startup to change or modify their requirements related to the project development, such as their features, solutions, scope, and others.

### Dedicated Development Team

A dedicated team model lets you hire a full team that includes developers, testers, QA engineers, designers, and others utterly devoted to your product development.
As this model doesn't require hiring an in-house team and enables you to launch a quality product without much hassle, it is often the first choice of startups.

### Should be used when:

- Projects require a team of a tester, developer, QA engineer, and others.
- Projects that require high expertise.
- When you need an in-house developer team.
- Complex projects for competitive markets.

## How to set up your outsourcing strategy?
Once you are ready with your preferred software development outsourcing model, you must set up your outsourcing strategy.
The following steps will let you nail it like a pro.
![How to set up your outsourcing strategy_.png](https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/media.ecdevstudio.com/uploads/2023/1/24/How_to_set_up_your_outsourcing_strategy_17c2dd93a7.png)

### Define your goals
A well-defined set of goals helps you throughout the software development process and ensures that your product is developed exactly as per your requirements. The following pointers will help you with this step.

- What is the primary goal of developing the product?
- What are the required features, solutions, and overall product quality?
- What is your target market and audience?
- What is your targeted market positioning for the product?
- What are your available resources and budget?
- What expertise do you have relevant to product development?
- Do you have an in-house coder, tester, or anyone with proper technical knowledge?
- Do you have enough exposure in the product category and the associated market?
- What are your preferred outsourcing location and upper cap of budget?
- What are your expectations from the team regarding product development approaches, process flow, and others?

A transparent idea of all these will help you develop a proper outsourcing strategy.

### Define tasks for delegation
Defining your tasks ensures that all your requirements are met, and there is no confusion during or after the development process. A well-defined study implies that all the project-related information, milestones, specifications, criteria to meet, quality to maintain, and others are detailed and conveyed to the team for smooth execution.

### Determine your technological profile
Undoubtedly technology plays a crucial role in software development. And it would be best if you determined your technological profile so that the relevant technological prowess can be classified as per a predefined system or scale. It will also help you strategize the technical aspects of the product development process. It will ensure that the technical expertise of the outsourced team is efficient in bringing out the best in your product.

### Create a positive work environment
Looking after what the outsourced team feels while working on your project is essential. You can only optimize its efficiency when the work environment is motivating.
This applies to more than just onsite work and even to remote work. To establish a good job climate, you must be transparent about the work policies, rules, and ethics while maintaining good communication, timely payout or rewards if needed, and a delicate and neutral working approach. These all together will help you strategize your software development outsourcing process.

## How is software development usually done?
Even if you opt for software development outsourcing, you should know the software development process to monitor and assess the progress for good product development. Let's take a look at the steps of a software development process.
![How is software development usually done_.png](https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/media.ecdevstudio.com/uploads/2023/1/24/How_is_software_development_usually_done_68533aff22.png)

### Ideation
In the software development process, ideation is the first step, meaning one needs a clear idea of what software product to develop. You need to have a clear concept from the product type and category to its key or competitive features.
Apart from defining your product's functional and non-functional requirements, you need to focus on the competitiveness of all its features and solutions. For instance, what can be the USP of the product or what's unique in its solutions, etc.?

### Planning
In this phase, one needs to plan everything about software development. What will be the starting point for the software development, which architectural method will be followed, what will be the project development approach, which tech stacks or programming languages will be used, and what will be the milestones and the respective deadlines - these all are planned in this stage.

### Design
Software design is the next step which is a more technical approach to define and represent the whole software architecture, design, and related specifications. In this phase, a professional mainly outlines and designs a software artifact to align with your product development goals.

### Coding
In this phase, the developers begin coding and building your product. The programming languages or tech stacks, and the coding approach are all determined in the previous phases. Based on the design, architectural method, and product development requirements, a developer opts for the coding best practices for fast, smooth, and quality product development.

### Testing
The product is tested for any possible bugs, issues, or loopholes in the testing stage. And they are fixed and tested again to ensure the final product is error-free and efficient.
Some of the most popular software testing methods are Unit testing, Environment testing, Regression testing, and Automated testing, to name a few. The professional tester chooses the most suitable testing method for your product.

### Deployment and maintenance
Once the above phases are completed, now is the time to deploy your product and maintain it thoroughly to keep it updated, efficient, and relevant. Apart from reviewing the technical aspects regularly, you must consider the current market trends, audience demand, and other competitive factors. You need to maintain, modify, and update your product accordingly to keep it relevant.

## How much does outsourcing cost, and where can you find it?
Now comes the most crucial question, where and how to outsource your software development to launch a high-quality product? You have a specific set of requirements in mind. You already know what you want to achieve. Budgets and timelines have been established. Finally, it's time to seek a software development firm capable of translating your specifications into high-quality software.
Also, knowing the cost efficiency is essential as it will help the business get the best developer at affordable prices. Moreover, the business house must know how and when to spend to maintain the balance of cost efficiency. To reduce costs, you should never compromise on product quality. It is not a healthy business practice and will take you nowhere in the long run.
Below is a table that will give you a bigger picture. This table explains how regional differences impact the hourly rate of software outsourcing companies.

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## Benefits of Outsourcing Software Development: Final words
Software development outsourcing isn't just a cost-effective technique anymore. It's a common practice among both established companies and startups that benefits business growth. 
It helps you develop, test, and launch the product faster. You cannot do software outsourcing with your eyes shut, but preparing for it reduces risks and ensures your expectations are met. 


This article describes the benefits of outsourcing software development and why you should consider it to grow your business. 😉📈📈

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Benefits of Outsourcing Software Development: Why Outsourcing it's a Smart Business Strategy

**DevOps** is an essential part of modern software development. The term DevOps refers to the integration of software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops) with the goal of creating a more agile, efficient, and reliable software development process. DevOps engineers are critical to this process and play a vital role in ensuring that the DevOps pipeline is optimized for maximum efficiency.
In a Grand View Research, Inc. study, DevOps Engineers ranked No. 4 on [Glassdoor's list of the 50 Best Jobs in the USA](https://www.glassdoor.com/List/Best-Jobs-in-America-LST_KQ0,20.htm{externalnofollow}) in 2022. By 2025, the global DevOps market is expected to reach US$12.85 billion, growing at a compound annual rate of 18.60%. 

DevOps has seen a substantial increase in investment from companies in recent years. It is common for users to leverage tools like Chef, Docker, and Puppet. Due to this, there is an increasing need for qualified DevOps engineers.

## What does a DevOps engineer do?

DevOps engineers are involved in coding and scripting for various software development kit components, including APIs.

A DevOps engineer is responsible for bridging the gap between development and operations teams by automating the software development lifecycle and streamlining software delivery. They create a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement to help organizations achieve faster time-to-market, improved product quality, and more reliable software delivery.

Automation tools, containerization tools, cloud computing platforms, and monitoring and logging tools are among the tools and technologies that DevOps engineers typically use. The tools automate the software development process, integrate and deploy code changes, and monitor and troubleshoot applications.

Working effectively with cross-functional teams requires strong communication, collaboration, and technical skills. Building and maintaining solid relationships with developers, operations, and other stakeholders is their responsibility.

A DevOps engineer is critical to software development, ensuring that software is delivered quickly, reliably, and with high qualifications.

## 7 Must-have DevOps Engineer skills

Here are some essential DevOps engineer skills you should know:

### Understanding of the software development lifecycle

A DevOps engineer must have a solid understanding of the SDLC and be familiar with Agile methodologies. Additionally, they should be able to assist developers in writing code that is ready for testing and deployment.

### Knowledge of automation tools

Automation is a core part of DevOps, and DevOps engineers must be familiar with various automation tools. Tools that can automate infrastructure, such as Ansible or Puppet, as well as continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) tools like Jenkins and containerization tools like Docker, can be utilized to automate these tasks.

### Cloud computing skills

DevOps engineers need a good knowledge of cloud computing and databases. With the rise of cloud computing, DevOps engineers must have knowledge of cloud-based services such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform. They should also be familiar with cloud deployment models such as Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS).

### The ability to use source control systems

Source control systems are essential tools for facilitating collaboration between developers. As DevOps brings together individuals from various sectors, it is critical for DevOps engineers to have expertise in source control or version control systems. These systems enable tracking changes in an application and maintaining different versions of the application. Becoming proficient in version control systems requires effort, as each tool has advantages and disadvantages.

Understanding the importance of version control systems in the DevOps culture is crucial. For example, they prevent dependency issues in modern containerized applications, directly impact DevOps performance, and help build more reliable applications.

Therefore, every DevOps engineer should have experience working with at least one of the following tools: Git, CVS, SVN, or Mercurial. By mastering these tools, DevOps engineers can streamline collaboration and contribute to the successful delivery of high-quality software products.

### Networking and security principles

Almost everyone needs a strong knowledge of security, particularly DevelOps coding skills. DevOps skills include code analysis, change management, threat research, security courses, and vulnerability assessments.DevOps engineers need a strong understanding of networking and security principles, such as TCP/IP, DNS, firewalls, and VPNs. Furthermore, they should be knowledgeable about privacy and security regulations, such as HIPAA and PCI DSS.

### Collaboration and communication skills

As DevOps engineers work closely with developers, operations teams, and other stakeholders, they must possess excellent communication and collaboration skills. Working in a team, communicating complex technical concepts, and bridging departmental gaps are all skills they should possess.

### Problem-solving skills

DevOps engineers must be capable of troubleshooting complex technical issues and developing solutions quickly. As well as being able to think critically and creatively when faced with challenges, they should also be able to come up with efficient and effective solutions.

## Final thoughts

Becoming a DevOps engineer requires a wide range of skills, including understanding the SDLC, knowledge of automation tools, cloud computing skills, networking and security, collaboration and communication skills, and problem-solving skills. Any organization looking to streamline operations and improve software development processes can benefit from these skills. By mastering these essential skills and continually developing new ones, DevOps engineers can ensure that their teams are working efficiently and effectively while delivering value to their customers. With the right skills and mindset, DevOps engineers can truly make a difference in today's rapidly evolving technology landscape.

DevOps always prioritizes the customer, recognizing that delivering a product that satisfies their needs is paramount. To achieve this, DevOps engineers must have a comprehensive understanding of the big picture and a clear understanding of the customer's requirements. However, DevOps engineers often lack this ability, many of whom come from a software development background without specific DevOps training. Consequently, there is a significant gap between software development and DevOps engineering. To successfully bridge this gap, it is crucial for DevOps engineers to appreciate the broader context and focus on satisfying the customer. At the same time, a software developer is primarily responsible for coding what has been requested. By understanding this distinction, a DevOps engineer can deliver high-quality products that meet customer expectations.

⚡️This article describes essential DevOps engineer skills for successful collaboration and delivery 🤝

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7 Must-Have DevOps Engineer Skills for Successful Collaboration and Delivery

As businesses continue to rely more and more on technology, the importance of having a comprehensive disaster recovery plan in place is becoming increasingly critical. In the event of a disaster, whether a natural disaster or a cyberattack, a well-designed disaster recovery plan can help ensure that your business can quickly and effectively recover and resume normal operations.

Cloud disaster recovery services have emerged as a popular solution for businesses of all sizes, offering several key benefits over traditional disaster recovery solutions.

## What is Cloud disaster recovery?

Disaster recovery in the cloud (cloud DR) involves backing up data, applications, and other resources to a public cloud or a dedicated service provider. When a disaster occurs, the enterprise can restore the affected data, applications, and other resources to the local data center - or the cloud provider.

Cloud DR has the same goal as traditional DR: to safeguard valuable business resources and ensure they can be accessed and recovered to maintain business continuity. Any business continuity (BC) strategy must include disaster recovery (DR).

## In what ways does CDR work?

Traditional disaster recovery methods differ significantly from cloud disaster recovery methods.

There is no comparison between the system and dedicated servers with the same operating system (OS), software applications, and patches as the previous configuration. A cloud solution stores all software, data, patches, and the operating system. Virtual server images contain all of this information. 

Virtual server images can be quickly accessed in a secure virtual environment if a disaster occurs. All data within the organization is fully restored, allowing users to access resources and software as before the disaster. A few minutes are needed to accomplish this.

It is unnecessary to have hardware installed before using a virtual server image. As a result, all data assets can be transferred quickly from a data center to the cloud environment, much faster than using a traditional method. 

## Cloud Disaster Recovery: Who Needs It?

IT-related issues should not be the focus of disaster recovery plans, which should work alongside an overall business continuity plan. Planning and coordinated processes are also necessary to overcome disruptions caused by external factors.

To protect your data and business operations, disaster recovery has become even more crucial in light of the growing trend of cybercrime targeting companies of all sizes.  

To be sure that cloud disaster recovery is right for your organization, you must ask yourself these **five questions** below: 


1. **_Are you able to access your backup data easily?_**
2. **_If your hardware fails, can you quickly obtain and set it up?_**
3. **_After restoring the system, how easy will it be for your users to access software and data?_**
4. **_Will your plans be fully protected once they have been restored?_**
5. **_Does your IT department know what to do in case of a disaster?_**

If any of these questions are answered no, then a cloud DR solution may be the best option for avoiding unnecessary downtime and inefficiency caused by a standard key. 

Getting your business back online as soon as possible after a disruption is essential. A disaster recovery strategy can ensure operations can restart almost immediately during a disaster. 

## What is a Cloud Disaster Recovery Strategy?

A cloud-based disaster recovery strategy (CDR) allows organizations to quickly recover digital assets and restore systems, whether artificial or natural, following a disaster. A managed solution allows remote access to all systems within the organization, minimizing downtime or eliminating it. 

The traditional disaster recovery strategy relies on secondary data centers to back up assets and systems. It can be a time-consuming and expensive process. Recovery times are also much slower when compared to a cloud solution. 

With a cloud disaster recovery strategy, there is no need for any traditional infrastructure. The service can work seamlessly with your existing IT department to ensure rapid recovery at lower costs.

## Why is a cloud disaster recovery plan important?

A comprehensive disaster restoration plan ensures the rapid recovery of essential business data needed for the return of normal business activities. Traditional disaster recovery strategies can be difficult. Adding cloud infrastructure may make your calculations even longer. It makes establishing and maintaining a proper recovery process a critical component of a recovery process. The use of cloud technology for backups requires more significant expertise than traditional DR techniques. Cloud DR still is relatively new for many organizations, but your DR plan should include all critical elements for disaster recovery.

## What do Cloud disaster recovery services mean?

Cloud disaster recovery services are a type of cloud computing service that provides businesses with the ability to recover their data and IT infrastructure in the event of a disaster, such as a natural disaster, cyber attack, or other disruptive events.

These services typically involve replicating data and applications to a remote location in the cloud, which can be accessed and used in the event of a disaster. Cloud disaster recovery services can provide businesses with a number of benefits, including reduced downtime, improved data protection, and lower costs compared to traditional disaster recovery solutions.

Some **examples of cloud disaster recovery services** include Amazon Web Services (AWS) Disaster Recovery, Microsoft Azure Site Recovery, and Google Cloud Disaster Recovery. These services typically offer features such as automated failover, continuous data replication, and flexible recovery options to meet the specific needs of businesses.

- **Amazon Web Services (AWS) Disaster Recovery:** This service provides an automated disaster recovery solution for your critical workloads running on AWS. It offers a fully managed, cloud-based disaster recovery service that replicates your applications and data to a secondary region.
- **Microsoft Azure Site Recovery:** This service provides disaster recovery for applications and workloads running on-premises or in the cloud. It offers replication, failover, and failback capabilities, with support for multiple platforms and workloads.
- **Google Cloud Disaster Recovery:** This service provides a fully managed, cloud-based disaster recovery solution for your Google Cloud Platform (GCP) workloads. It offers replication to a secondary region, automated failover, and continuous data protection.
- **IBM Cloud Disaster Recovery:** This service provides a comprehensive disaster recovery solution for your mission-critical applications and data. It offers rapid failover and failback, with support for hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
- **Zerto:** This service provides disaster recovery and business continuity solutions for virtualized and cloud environments. It offers continuous data protection, automated failover and failback, and multi-cloud support.

These are just a few examples of today's many cloud disaster recovery services. Each service has unique features and capabilities, so evaluating your specific needs and requirements is essential before choosing a solution.

In addition to public clouds, many dedicated disaster recovery vendors now offer Disaster recovery as service products that enable access to dedicated clouds.

**Top DR providers** include:

- Bluelock
- Expedient
- IBM DRaaS
- Iland
- Recovery Point Systems
- Sungard AS
- TierPoint

DR as a service is also being offered by **more traditional backup vendors**, such as:

-  Acronis
-  Arcserve UDP
-  Carbonite
-  Databarracks
-  Datto
-  Unitrends
-  Zerto

It is essential to regularly update and test DR platforms to ensure they are available and perform as expected.

## Benefits of Cloud disaster recovery services

The benefits of cloud disaster recovery services include the following:

- **Cost-effectiveness:** Cloud disaster recovery services can be significantly more cost effective than traditional disaster recovery solutions, as they eliminate the need for expensive hardware and software.
- **Scalability:** Cloud disaster recovery services can quickly scale to meet the changing needs of your business, whether you need to recover a few files or an entire data center.
- **Reliability:** Cloud disaster recovery services are designed to provide reliable and consistent performance, ensuring your data is always available when needed.
- **Security:** Cloud disaster recovery services often incorporate advanced security features, such as data encryption and multi-factor authentication, to help protect your data from unauthorized access.
- **Accessibility:** Cloud disaster recovery services allow you to access your data from anywhere with an internet connection, making it easy to recover your data even if your physical location is affected by a disaster.

## Final thoughts

Cloud disaster recovery can reduce downtime and data loss, reduce the risk of data loss or other damage and ensure compliance with regulations. If an earthquake, tornado or flood destroys your manufacturing system, downtime could ruin you and your business. With cloud disaster recovery, the company synchronizes your data and backup to an infrastructure located 150 miles from your production network. This geographically isolated location is crucial if you wish to minimize a possible loss of data on production systems or cloud recovery sites.

In 2023, the need for cloud disaster recovery services will likely continue to grow as businesses become more reliant on technology and as the threat landscape continues to evolve. By implementing a cloud disaster recovery plan, companies can help ensure that they are prepared for any disaster that may occur and can quickly and effectively recover their critical data and systems.

A cloud disaster recovery plan is a viable alternative to a traditional disaster recovery plan in practically every way. From simple deployment to lower costs, and faster recovery, it is a viable strategy for organizations of any size. 

A cloud solution also offers additional security as the backup server can be located anywhere worldwide, further protecting sensitive data. 

This article explores why cloud disaster recovery services are so essential for business continuity in 2023.

Insights about technology and software outsourcing