Modern engineering teams are recalibrating how they deliver software by balancing speed, safety, and culture. In The Evolution of DevOps: Automation, Scale, and the AI Frontier (Episode 59 of the Scaling Tech Podcast, proudly sponsored by AgilityFeat), Capital One’s Senior Distinguished Engineer Mihir Vora shared lessons from DevOps transformations that succeeded by aligning leadership, process, and trust.
At AgilityFeat, we help companies put those lessons into action by augmenting teams with DevOps and other nearshore engineers from Latin America who accelerate delivery without slowing collaboration. Our teams integrate seamlessly with yours, bringing DevOps experience, automation expertise, and the flexibility to scale as priorities evolve.
In the episode, Mihir describes the practical side of DevOps modernization: how cultural alignment, automation, and intentional risk management enable continuous delivery at scale. His insights offer a clear roadmap for organizations ready to modernize while keeping engineering culture strong.
Watch the full episode or scroll down for insights:
Overcoming Cultural Inertia in Legacy Modernization
The biggest hurdle in upgrading legacy systems is often culture. At Capital One, Mihir saw that real change happens when leaders address the team’s worries directly. Engineers need to know not just what’s changing, but why it matters. Explaining why microservices or serverless make sense for both the business and the engineers builds trust. When people see the benefits and have the freedom to shape solutions, progress speeds up.
Mihir advises:
- Start small. Roll out changes one piece at a time.
- Gather feedback after each launch.
- Build momentum with each win.
Balancing Innovation with Governance
Tech innovation is essential, but the banking world demands strong guardrails. Mihir’s teams mix open source with custom tools, making sure compliance is checked at every move. He thinks of risk as a stakeholder, something to design for early, not after the fact. Policy as code, automated checks, and fast feedback loops give engineers freedom without sacrificing security.
Mihir advises:
- Fold security tests into daily work, not just end-of-cycle audits.
- Use policy engines and automated checks as part of every pull request.
Automation: From Toil to True Continuous Delivery
Fifteen years ago, automation was typically only employed to handle the boring tasks. Now, it’s the backbone of all operations, and this should include compliance practices too. Pipelines cover the whole journey from commitment to deployment. The goal is safe, continuous delivery, not just faster shipping. Teams build confidence with every automated gate and rollback plan in place.
Mihir advises:
- Automate repeat work to free time for real problem solving.
- Standardize paths for deploying and running services.
Architecting for Failure
Mihir says you shouldn’t just hope for uptime, rather engineer for failure up front. Multi-region setups in a single cloud are a smart start. Multi-cloud can come later if the stakes demand it. Every team needs honest answers to: “How long can my users wait?” and a matching recovery plan.
Mihir advises:
- Test failover plans often.
- Balance cost and uptime goals, scaling redundancy as business needs change.
The AI Frontier and Intent-Based Engineering
The next wave of DevOps transformations may be what Mihir calls “Intent-Based Engineering”, which means telling an AI driven DevOps platform what you want (“I need this API, scalable and secure”) and letting it handle the details. The AI will scaffold your application, enforce rules, and build the pipeline necessary for your application, all while meeting the regulatory and compliance needs of your enterprise.
This vision is not in place yet, but DevOps teams can still work towards them by ensuring that they work side by side with technical, business, and compliance stakeholders to architect systems that are safe, self-service systems, and always evolving in small steps to match new needs.
The Team Problem in DevOps Transformation
This constant evolution requires teams who can move quickly, adapt fast, and maintain quality under pressure. At AgilityFeat, we’re often approached by potential clients who say, “We know what we need to do. We just don’t have the people to do it. Our team is already stretched and hiring takes months.”
This is where nearshore teams make DevOps transformation practical instead of theoretical.
At AgilityFeat, we help companies execute their DevOps transformation plans with experienced nearshore engineers who can start contributing in weeks, not months.
- Speed matters. We augment your team with engineers who know DevOps practices, cloud architecture, and modern tooling. They can contribute to your DevOps transformation immediately.
- Culture matters. Our Latin American engineers work in your time zones and integrate with your teams. They become part of your culture, which is critical for DevOps transformation success as Mihir explained.
- Flexibility matters. Start small with one or two engineers. Scale up as your DevOps transformation gains momentum. Scale back when priorities shift. You stay in control.
- Experience matters. Our engineers bring knowledge from working across industries and technologies. They spot problems early and suggest improvements based on what they’ve seen work elsewhere.
Whether you need help with cloud migration, CI/CD pipelines, developer experience improvements, or AI platforms, we can help you build the team your DevOps transformation needs.
How AgilityFeat Supports DevOps Transformation
- Staff Augmentation. Add experienced DevOps engineers, cloud architects, or full-stack developers to your team quickly. They work directly with your internal team, following your processes and culture.
- Dedicated Development Teams. For larger DevOps transformation initiatives, we build complete nearshore teams that operate as extensions of your organization.
- Centers of Excellence. When you’re ready for long-term commitment to nearshore development, we help you establish your own Latin American subsidiary staffed with engineers trained specifically for your DevOps transformation goals.
Start Your DevOps Transformation with AgilityFeat
The best approach: pick one improvement, test it safely, and bring the right team along. That’s how DevOps transformation actually works.
Whether you need to scale your DevOps practice, speed up cloud migration, or build AI capabilities, we can help you assemble the team that makes your DevOps transformation successful. Contact our team to discuss your DevOps transformation plans.
Further Listening:
- Want more real-world lessons from engineering leaders? Check out the Scaling Tech Podcast for practical insights on building strong teams and modern delivery practices.
Further Reading:
- Building Scalable DevOps Infrastructure: Why Growing Teams Need Specialized Expertise
- Invest in AI People, Not Just AI Projects
- Scaling A Remote Team Into An Enterprise Organization Without Losing Its Agile DNA
- Building Production-Ready LLM Applications with Nearshore Teams: From Generative AI to Voice Agents
- From Frustration to Transformation: Why Enterprise Leaders Should Partner with AgilityFeat
- Automating Translation Workflows: AI as an Engineering Multiplier
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