VSHN.timer #261: Pipeline Power – Tools & Tips for real‑World DevOps

Welcome to another VSHN.timer! Once again, here are 5 links related to Kubernetes, OpenShift, CI / CD, and DevOps; all stuff coming out of our own chat system, making us think, laugh, or simply work better.

DevOps is more than buzz – it’s about choosing the right tools and refining workflows that deliver code fast, reliably – not to mention securely. From GitOps automation to AI-powered pipelines and platform engineering, 2025’s DevOps toolkit is all about empowering teams while mitigating risk. Here are five deep-dive reads that get practical.

1. Best tools, practices and trends shaping DevOps in 2025
   This article highlights today’s toolbox essentials: AI-driven automation (think GitHub Copilot, Jenkins X), Kubernetes and lightweight orchestration, GitOps, DevSecOps (with Trivy, Snyk), platform engineering, FinOps, and full-spectrum observability. It’s packed with practical pointers for staying ahead.
   https://medium.com/@vlad.koval/best-tools-practices-and-trends-shaping-devops-in-2025-f5a52c70d3af
   
2. LADs: Leveraging LLMs for AI‑driven DevOps
   This academic paper introduces “LADs” – a framework where LLMs automate cloud config, handle logs, suggest optimizations, and iteratively learn from failures. It’s a forward-looking blueprint showing how generative AI can lighten the ops burden.
   https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.20825
   
3. DevOps best practices for 2025: Staying ahead in modern software development
   AI-powered observability, platform engineering via internal self-service platforms, GitOps 2.0 with policy-as‑code, zero‑trust DevSecOps, Kubernetes/Serverless-first approaches, progressive delivery, and FinOps cost controls – this is a tactical guide to modern pipeline evolution.
   https://hightechgrowth.com/blog/devops-best-practices-2025
   
4. Breaking silos: Unifying DevOps and MLOps into a unified software supply chain
   As organisations continue to integrate AI and ML into everyday operations, many are discovering that their DevOps practices aren’t keeping pace with the demands of MLOps. This article explores why treating ML models as first-class software artefacts – and integrating DevOps and MLOps into a single software supply chain – is key to faster, more reliable, and secure deployments.
   https://www.techradar.com/pro/breaking-silos-unifying-devops-and-mlops-into-a-unified-software-supply-chain
   
5. Top DevOps tools for automation in 2025
   From a tool-focused perspective: ArgoCD for GitOps CI/CD, Kyverno for Kubernetes policy-as-code, StackGen for multi-cloud IaC, Cilium for eBPF-powered networking, Helm for Kubernetes packaging, and Kubeflow for ML pipelines – this article zeroes in on today’s workhorse utilities.
   https://stackgen.com/blog/top-10-tools-for-devops-automation-in-2025-boost-your-workflow-efficiency

Speaking of which: You can download our hot-off-the-press study on the state of DevOps in Switzerland in 2025 here: https://www.vshn.ch/en/devops-report-2025/

Together, these versatile reads cover: your essential DevOps toolkit, deployment and policy best practices, GitOps and IaC in action, AI-enhanced pipelines, and extending security to ML artifacts. They’re a ready-made blueprint for teams driving efficiency, reliability, and security from code to production.

Which tools in your stack – like ArgoCD, Kyverno, or Snyk – have become indispensable, and why? Have you explored leveraging LLMs for automated operations or pipeline optimization yet? If your team uses ML, are your models versioned and secured just like your application code? Get in touch with us, and see you next week for another edition of VSHN.timer.

PS: check out our previous VSHN.timer editions about DevOps: #5, #13, #29, #31, #42, #110, #133, #153, #165, #188, #213, #230

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