SRE vs. DevOps Guide: Differences, Job Descriptions, Salaries

Written by Coursera Staff • Updated on

Learn about the similarities and differences between SRE and DevOps, what it takes to work in these roles, and how to get started.

[Featured Image] A prospective engineer researches SRE vs. DevOps to choose the role that best meets their goals and skill set.

On the surface, the roles of site reliability engineers (SREs) and DevOps engineers appear quite similar, as they require similar skill sets and use similar tools to accomplish the same goals. However, one role may suit you better depending on your interests, personality, and work style.

Explore the following quick guide for an overview of the difference between SRE and DevOps engineering jobs to help you determine which might be right.

SRE vs. DevOps: Key differences

One significant difference is that DevOps teams create and refine software. In contrast, SRE teams work with already-built software to ensure it functions correctly and integrates with other software and systems. SRE and DevOps share more similarities than differences, but it’s helpful to note their vital distinctions.

Approaches to SRE and DevOps differ

On a deeper level, the two approaches differ in their fundamental approaches to work. The DevOps approach is more philosophical, while the SRE approach focuses more on practices. 

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At its core, DevOps's fundamental purpose is to break down the barriers that divide two separate units (development teams and operations teams) to facilitate faster and better work. In that sense, principles, not systems, steer DevOps, and the units want to create the best product possible by implementing gradual improvements. On the other hand, SRE focuses on planning and testing products, including ensuring scalability and developing the necessary infrastructure. 

What is SRE?

Site reliability engineering refers to safeguarding systems and ensuring their continuous functionality. Marked by a focus on maintenance, SRE teams work to automate ways to keep their applications functioning. You can think of SRE teams as playing the peacekeeper role within the IT family. They keep all the applications, servers, and teams talking to each other and focus on what they see as the prime directive—delivering a working product. 

The SRE approach began at Google in 2003 as a systematic way to ensure their service remained continuously usable. The approach measures service-level indicators (SLI) that indicate how often the service does what its users want it to do. For example, when you enter a product name into a search engine, you expect to get results about the product. However, sometimes errors occur. An SLI tracks how often those errors occur and notifies the SRE team when they happen too frequently.

SRE roles

SREs are proactive and reactive. As an SRE, you will always look to fix known issues and determine ways to prevent future downtime or hiccups. You monitor websites and services to discover errors, such as latency issues and traffic problems, that can threaten the user experience. SREs are also the first call when something goes wrong.

On a day-to-day basis, you will work on a triage system as an SRE. You'll tackle issues based on their potential for harm, handling the biggest or most pressing problems first. SRE teams work shifts 24 hours daily at more prominent firms, so someone is always available in an emergency.

At smaller companies, you will trade “on-call” shifts and share responsibility for after-hours crises. When you’re not fixing availability and reliability issues, you'll use your programming knowledge to write automated processes to keep things working smoothly. You may also build software to monitor site performance and alert teams when issues arise.

What is DevOps?

Although many think of DevOps as a single team, it represents the combination of two historically distinct entities: development and operations.

Initially, the development unit created software, while the operations team tested that software and plugged it into a broader system. When operations found bugs, problems, or inefficiencies, they reported back to the development folks, who would work to iterate a new version of the software or fix their original code. 

As you can imagine, this approach could have been better. Companies realised combining these groups into a single team made more sense. DevOps represents an integrated approach that has proven to be faster and more responsive. 

Today, DevOps teams are responsible for creating and testing new software. The old two-team format has been combined at every stage of the software lifecycle, allowing for a continuous approach to refinement and remediation. 

DevOps teams strive to create the best software possible as quickly as possible. A DevOps team is a variety of workers with widely divergent skill sets who all work on the same project simultaneously. By eliminating the silos that previously kept these workers separate, the DevOps approach seeks to streamline how to create and launch great products.

DevOps engineer roles

Because of the nature of a DevOps team, DevOps engineers wear many hats. They create software, test it, and refine it. They continually work to make their products better before and after launch. As a DevOps engineer, you look to solve problems at a theoretical level. If you find an issue, you don’t simply try to solve it. You think of why it happened, what could prevent it in the future, and what other similar issues may arise from the same kind of thinking.

Collaboration is a significant part of a DevOps engineer’s role, and this approach requires constant communication and teamwork. You work alongside various other workers with different skills and abilities.

While a DevOps engineer is typically trained in operations but deployed to solve issues in the development process, an entire DevOps team will also include engineers who specialise in development. A DevOps career may be a good fit if you enjoy creating new products and communicating with others.

DevOps environment vs. SRE environment

Another difference between DevOps culture and SRE is the emphasis on breaking down organisational silos. Working as an engineer on a DevOps team means collaborating with many different kinds of colleagues. You’ll work alongside UX designers, QA experts, testers, and more. The best DevOps engineers are good at communicating with others and work well in team settings. Once firmly rooted in a DevOps team, you may have a chance to contribute to many aspects of a product. 

Conversely, SRE has a more practical and systematic bent. Instead of focusing on building new products, SRE teams work to keep existing products running smoothly. They don’t look at problems as opportunities for refinement. Instead, they look for errors threatening the service’s availability and reliability. When they find those errors, they quickly act to fix them. The SRE ethos is concerned with promoting efficiency and usability.  

If you become an SRE engineer, you’ll work as part of a team of software engineers with similar (but probably not identical) skill sets. You’ll be amongst like-minded people who tend to approach problems in similar ways. While you’ll still collaborate, you will spend much of your day coding automation that keeps sites or products running smoothly. An SRE engineer’s primary function is to solve problems.

SRE vs. DevOps: Similarities

The SRE and DevOps approaches share several overlapping qualities. They both arose as better ways for technology teams to function, aim to create bug-free products that enhance the customer experience, and spend much time assessing products to find their weaknesses before anything goes awry. The most unifying aspect of both approaches is their shared goal of creating a more effective IT ecosystem.

The DevOps and SRE approaches developed concurrently and focused on resolving similar problems, so it’s no wonder they’re more alike than different. They use similar tools, such as automation, to solve the issues they discover.

SRE engineer role requirements

If you want to work in SRE as an engineer, you’ll need to strengthen your skills, knowledge, and experience to qualify for a role. Potential candidates often need serious computer science aptitude, coding skills, familiarity with different operating systems, and an understanding of automation technology and cloud computing. It also helps to have proficiency in networking, security, and systems administration. While that sounds like a lot, you have several clear-cut paths to attaining all the necessary skills and credentials to start working as an SRE engineer.

Companies typically look for someone with a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a similar area of study that will help you build your skills in software development and systems operations. Because this is typically a mid-level role, you’ll also need professional experience, preferably in entry-level SRE positions. Pursuing certifications, such as SRE Foundation Certification or the Certified Reliability Professional credential, can also help you build and validate valuable skills. 

DevOps engineer role requirements

To become a DevOps engineer, you must demonstrate a thorough understanding of software development to employers. That usually means earning a bachelor’s degree in computer science and having skills in specific technical areas, including automation and software security. 

DevOps roles typically require experience with the Linux operating systems and an understanding of at least one (but preferably more) coding language, such as Python, Perl, Ruby, or Java. Employers like to emphasise their preference for “Agile development,” which means DevOps engineers must know how to work in a collaborative and fast-paced environment. 

Earn certifications in specific software tools to stand out or qualify for higher-paying DevOps roles. Becoming a Docker Certified Associate, adding a Kubernetes Certification, or passing the AWS Certified Engineer Professional Exam are great ways to strengthen your resume but aren’t necessary for entry-level positions. 

What are the career prospects for SRE and DevOps engineers?

SRE and DevOps engineers have many paths for mobility within their professions. 

For example, after starting as a DevOps engineer, you could be promoted to senior DevOps engineer and then up to software release manager. Suppose you discover you’d like to specialise along the way. In that case, you can move from a DevOps engineer role to become an automation engineer, a software tester, an integration specialist, a security engineer, or even an SRE with many of the same skills you’ve developed.

The future looks bright for SRE and DevOps engineers because demand for those skill sets steadily increases. A quick browse on Naukri and other job sites will reveal thousands of openings for those with the necessary skills and experience. 

SRE and DevOps engineers' job titles and salaries

Most job titles for DevOps engineering and SRE roles are straightforward, but it’s essential to understand the subtle nuances and variations. 

If you decide to become a DevOps engineer, you can expect to earn an average of ₹8,00,000 per year, according to Glassdoor India’s June 2024 data [1]. With experience, your earnings will likely increase. The average annual salary for a senior-level DevOps engineer is ₹18,60,000 [2]. 

Meanwhile, if you pursue becoming a site reliability engineer, you can expect to earn an average of ₹15,00,000, according to Glassdoor India [3]. However, your experience, technical skills, and company size may affect your compensation amount. For example, mid- and late-career SREs, usually called senior site reliability engineers, are likely to earn up to ₹27,00,000 [4]. 

While similar roles typically use SRE engineers, a few other standard terms for these positions include reliability engineer and automation engineer. Sometimes, a company will look for SRE engineers with extra training or skills in a specific area and post ads seeking something like “SRE engineer—security.”

Should I pursue SRE or DevOps engineering?

If you’re trying to decide between SRE and DevOps engineering, consider your personality, work style, and interests. While the roles share many basic skills, their different philosophical approaches to work and day-to-day tasks make them very different jobs. 

You will experience a greater variety in your day-to-day tasks as a DevOps engineer. You’ll also need more human skills than SRE engineers because of the high cross-department collaboration often accompanying the role. The multifaceted nature of the job also means DevOps roles are well-suited for those who can multitask well or have excellent time-management skills.

If you enjoy troubleshooting and don’t mind the occasional emergency, a job in SRE could be the right fit. SRE engineers have more solo work than DevOps engineers and tend to write a lot of code. You may have worse working hours or on-call duties. SRE engineers also operate by a more rigid system with more apparent targets, which works better for some employees. SRE jobs require more skills, experience, or specialisations than DevOps jobs, so you may need more work upfront. Becoming an SRE engineer may be your calling if you want a more systematic approach to work.

Get started with Coursera

SREs and DevOps engineers share many similarities, including the goal of creating user-friendly products, enhancing the customer experience, and proactively evaluating products for potential weaknesses. No matter your career path, a helpful place to start your education is with the DevOps, Cloud, and Agile Foundations Specialisation programme offered by IBM on Coursera. This online, beginner-friendly course will introduce you to the essential tools and concepts of DevOps and site reliability engineering, which may help you choose the path you want to focus on. With IBM's DevOps and Software Engineering Professional Certificate, also beginner level, you can master DevOps, Agile, Scrum, CI/CD, and Cloud Native with hands-on, job-ready skills.

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Article sources

1

Glassdoor India. “DevOps Engineer Salaries in India, https://www.glassdoor.co.in/Salaries/india-devops-engineer-salary-SRCH_IL.0,5_IN115_KO6,21.htm?clickSource=searchBtn.” Accessed 7 June 2024.

Updated on
Written by:
Coursera Staff

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