What is our primary use case?
There are two versions of Azure DevOps: the cloud version and the on-premises version. We use the cloud version in very few situations, but most of our software is based on Azure DevOps on-premises.
We are a software house, and we develop software. We use it to store our source code; that is, it is the repository for our source code.
We have different teams working on different products, and each one uses a different methodology and a different process. Azure DevOps helps with that. For instance, one group may be using Scrum as a methodology to develop their software. The other group could also be using Scrum but with CDCI (continuous development, continuous integration), which helps a lot when you have to develop, test, and deploy the solution.
What is most valuable?
I think the most usable thing is that you can follow the whole progress of the development process. This makes it very useful for us.
What needs improvement?
As for improvement, the first one is pricing. For us, luckily because we are partners, it's free. Microsoft gold partners do not have to pay, but if you're not a partner, the product is very expensive.
The second would be that the tool should integrate with some of the competitors. It doesn't matter if it's a big market; it's difficult when you have to integrate with other competitor's tools, like JIRA, for instance.
If you look at the competitor's tools, they integrate easily with Microsoft, but on Microsoft's side, it's not as easy. They have been changing, but still, there are a number of gaps there.
I've got teams that want to use Microsoft Project, not only to control the whole process of the development but also to control the whole project and software. I think Project should be integrated with DevOps.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using this solution for 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is very stable. I think the system is down only a couple of hours per year, so it's very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's very scalable. We started using this solution 10 years ago, and it has evolved, We also have grown our software production, and so far, we have scope with all these situations.
How are customer service and support?
We haven't had any problems with the product, but every time we had some questions, technical support staff answered pretty fast, in less than 24 hours.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is pretty easy.
For the deployment, I think we had two people: one person from infrastructure and one who was a specialist in Azure DevOps. For maintenance, because we have about 80 people using this software, we only have one and a half people taking care of the software. That is, the infrastructure person does this part-time. He doesn't spend the whole day taking care of DevOps.
What was our ROI?
The ROI is very positive for us, but it's difficult to say how it would be if we had to pay for the solution. It's a very worthwhile product, but again, we don't have any comparisons because we don't pay anything for it.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Microsoft Azure DevOps is an expensive solution.
What other advice do I have?
Get to know the product because it is complex and has many different possibilities.
It is worth having it, but you have to have an in-depth understanding and know what it is capable of doing. Otherwise, you're going to install it, and then it will be like having a very nice car in your garage that you don't know how to drive.
On a scale from one to ten, I would rate Microsoft Azure DevOps at eight.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner