2025-05-02 –, Inspiration A/B (track sponsored by Aikido Security)
Scaling DevOps practices across large, distributed teams and diverse technology stacks is an intimidating challenge. This talk explores real-world experiences of implementing DevOps in complex environments, focusing on what works, what doesn’t, and why. Attendees will gain practical insights into overcoming silos, automating legacy systems, and fostering collaboration between traditionally disconnected teams. The session will also cover cultural resistance, skill gaps, and unexpected technical hurdles encountered during the journey to scale. This is a candid discussion about the messy reality of scaling DevOps, offering lessons learned to help others navigate similar challenges.
DevOps often begins with small, nimble teams, but scaling it to enterprise-level environments introduces a host of new complexities. This talk takes a deep dive into the journey of scaling DevOps in organizations with diverse architectures, distributed teams, and deeply entrenched silos.
Key themes include:
1. Breaking Down Silos: Addressing organizational resistance and fostering collaboration between development, operations, security, and business units.
2. Modernizing Legacy Systems: Practical strategies for automating and integrating legacy systems without disrupting ongoing operations.
3. Building DevOps Culture: Overcoming cultural barriers and creating a mindset shift to embrace automation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
4. Skill Development and Talent Retention: Managing the evolving skill sets required for a DevOps transformation and retaining talent in the face of change.
5. Technical Challenges at Scale: Insights into handling bottlenecks like pipeline optimization, security integration, and managing sprawling toolchains.
Through real-world examples and lessons learned, this session offers actionable advice for DevOps practitioners and leaders tasked with scaling practices across large, complex environments. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of the common pitfalls to avoid and strategies for success when taking DevOps to the next level.
Chaitanya Rahalkar is a highly skilled software security engineer with expertise in cloud-native security pipelines, detection systems, and robust DevOps practices. With a Master’s in Cybersecurity from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering from Savitribai Phule Pune University, Chaitanya excels in the development and implementation of innovative security solutions. His professional journey includes impactful roles at Block Inc., Praetorian Security, and Meta, where he contributed to security engineering, vulnerability detection, and fuzzing systems.
Chaitanya is proficient in a wide range of programming languages, frameworks, and security tools, including Rust, Python, AWS, Docker, Kubernetes, and advanced threat modeling methodologies. His academic contributions, including multiple peer-reviewed publications, highlight his commitment to advancing research in cybersecurity and privacy.
Beyond his technical expertise, Chaitanya is an advocate for continuous learning, mentorship, and collaboration, which have defined his approach to driving success in both technical and organizational transformations.