The move to integrated “DevOps” (a concatenation of development and operations) is producing a dramatic change in the way we develop and deploy software and IT systems.

The result is faster time to market, more resilient and more malleable systems, and systems that can be used to test potential innovations faster from a scalable production environment.

As DevOps continues to challenge the status quo and improve business outcomes for software systems, many of the world’s larger enterprises also need to identify how to scale these practices across large, complex systems composed of hardware, firmware, and software.

The ability to iterate and deploy faster allows companies to adapt to changing needs, reduce cycle time for delivery, increase value for money, improve transparency, and leverage innovations.

However, there is an industry-wide misconception that this form of rapid iteration and improved flow applies only to software or small applications and systems.

In this paper, we will provide an extended definition for DevOps as it applies to large, complex cyber-physical systems, and offer some recommendations on how to effectively leverage continuous delivery and DevOps these systems.