The mission of the IT professionals on the GRM team is to provide clients with fully functional and secure websites and software products. One of the people who makes that mission a reality is DevOps Engineer Abdullah Katerji. This week, we had the opportunity to talk to him and learn more about the role he plays at the digital marketing agency .
Thank you for taking the time to talk to us! To begin, briefly tell us what the DevOps position at GRM Digital entails.
Well, DevOps is not one of those positions where tasks go from point A to point B. DevOps engineers have to keep a lot of things in mind every day, so this position is not that easy to explain. However, we can start with the name itself, which is a combination of the words development and operations , and it somewhat reveals what it is really about.
When it comes to the GRM team specifically, I am actually the only DevOps engineer, so my role is quite different from the others in the agency. However, to successfully perform DevOps tasks, close cooperation with other departments is necessary, so teamwork is still a key part of my job.
Some of my daily tasks include building and maintaining security systems for clients' software and websites, system improvements, collaborating with web developers on software implementation, quality assurance (together with QA engineers ), and quickly resolving any issues.
Can you tell us what you would highlight as the most important aspects of a DevOps position? And what specific activities do you perform as part of your job?
As a DevOps engineer, I have to make sure that all of our clients' websites, services, and applications are running flawlessly 24/7. Everything we deliver to our clients must be fully functional, and any issues must be resolved as quickly as possible.
It is important to emphasize that safety is one of the highest priorities in my job. Namely, safety issues can have huge, long-term consequences for the business, especially when it comes to large organizations such as our clients Danone and Ingersoll Rand.
The specific activities I perform are building infrastructures of various types (e.g. cloud, hybrid or on-premise), configuring and monitoring key services and logs, CI/CD procedures ( continuous integration and continuous delivery - coding methods that enable faster and more reliable code changes), and, finally, comprehensive work on the security of applications, services and networks.
Simply put, my tasks include system analysis, regular maintenance procedures, troubleshooting, process testing to reduce the risk of errors, and planning strategies to improve business processes and IT solutions used by our clients.
The ultimate goal of the GRM team is to provide customers with products and services they can fully rely on. In addition to security, everything I do as a DevOps engineer aims to provide businesses with the ability to be proactive, save time and operational costs, and ultimately increase revenue. Overall, the focus of my work is, therefore, to provide top performance and complete security, reduce the likelihood of failures, and increase the system recovery rate.
You've been part of the GRM team for 11 months, but tell us how you originally entered the world of digital marketing and web development.
Like most of my colleagues, I discovered my love for the IT industry back in lithuania phone number data my school days. It's a calling that always seemed like the right choice for me, and even then it was obvious that the IT sector was the future and that it was one of the most stable areas when it came to work. I started researching more and more about it, and already in high school I tried my hand at developing systems and testing their security.
I also always liked to be involved in the entire process of what is in front of me. Therefore, even when something is not technically part of my job, I still try to look at and analyze the procedure from start to finish. This is actually very useful for my current role, because a DevOps engineer always needs to have an overview of all processes in order to perform all their tasks as efficiently as possible.
I gained my first work experience as an administrator, and then worked as a security specialist, but I decided to take a step further in my career. I was looking for a company that would provide me with professional stability, but at the same time flexibility in the sense that I had enough space for individuality and personal development. As a member of the Bit Alliance, the GRM Digital agency seemed like a good option, so I decided to apply.
What does a typical DevOps engineer career path look like? And, in your opinion, what are the most important characteristics that every good DevOps engineer has?
During their career path, a DevOps engineer will encounter a variety of technologies and procedures. My journey began as a network administrator. Once I gained enough practical knowledge in that area, I moved to the position of system administrator.
That's when I started working with local clients and it became clear to me how important good communication with them really is. I learned that it's really important to put clients first and really try to understand their wants and needs. Otherwise, the solutions you provide them will not be of high quality, no matter how skilled you are at your job.
I have also worked as a security analyst , where my main responsibility was maintaining application and infrastructure security. All positions I have worked in so far have been invaluable to my professional development, especially when it comes to problem-solving skills, which are the core of a DevOps position.
A good DevOps engineer definitely needs to have the ability to break down complex problems into smaller parts and enjoy doing so. The process can be extremely complicated, so it is very important to have a strong will and desire to work on it. Those who are not attracted to this may be better suited to another position.
In addition, I would say that a good DevOps engineer is always up to date with the latest trends in the world of technology, and has a desire to master a wide range of tools, methods, architectures, and communication styles.
Do you hold any certifications/qualifications? If so, how has this contributed to delivering GRM to clients?
Since safety is my biggest responsibility, I have acquired various certifications in this area. The training I have received has helped me to improve my skills and approach. As a result, I am able to efficiently find the best possible solution for each individual problem, which is extremely important for delivering GRM to clients.
It is worth noting that GRM Digital continuously provides employees with training opportunities and courses. The world of web development and digital marketing is truly dynamic, and it is crucial to keep up with all these constant innovations and trends in order to ensure a high level of client satisfaction.
Customers are the main driving force of every business, and the more we expand our knowledge and develop our competencies, the better we can meet and even exceed the expectations and demands of our clients, and build long-term partnerships with them.
How do you overcome challenges in working with clients and with your team?
Challenges are part of every job, but what matters is how you approach them. In my opinion, the key to successfully completing tasks lies in communication. This is especially true in the DevOps position, since my role is closely related to the work of other departments. We all really attach importance to healthy and effective communication, and I can say that we function great as a team.
When it comes to clients, the biggest challenge is usually to get a clear picture of the end goal. Most people in this business would probably say the same thing. It often happens that clients are not sure what they are really aiming for. That is why the GRM team strives to have detailed discussions with all clients, because it is important that we are on the same wavelength in terms of expectations, possibilities, requirements and potential results.
Therefore, in order to achieve pleasant cooperation and to keep both parties satisfied, we approach each project with maximum patience and meticulousness.