What is the Certified DevOps Manager Certification?
The Certified DevOps Manager certification is tailored for professionals who want to take on the responsibility of managing and optimizing DevOps practices at the organizational level. With DevOps playing a pivotal role in modern software development, the need for capable managers who can oversee the automation, integration, and delivery pipelines is more significant than ever. This certification is your pathway to mastering the skills necessary to lead DevOps teams, streamline software delivery processes, and ensure that all systems work in harmony across both development and operations teams.
Provider: DevOpsSchool
Who Should Take This Certification?
The Certified DevOps Manager certification is designed for professionals who already have a foundational knowledge of DevOps and wish to expand their expertise into management. This certification is ideal for:
- Experienced DevOps Engineers looking to step into managerial or leadership roles.
- Platform Engineers or Cloud Engineers seeking to enhance their understanding of managing DevOps practices at scale.
- Engineering Managers who need to enhance their understanding of DevOps processes to lead teams more effectively.
- Security Engineers and Cloud Engineers who want to better integrate DevOps strategies and lead in a collaborative environment.
What Skills Will You Gain?
By achieving the Certified DevOps Manager certification, you will acquire the following skills:
- Leadership in DevOps: Effectively managing cross-functional teams to ensure smooth DevOps workflows.
- Automation and CI/CD Pipelines: Designing and optimizing automated deployment pipelines for continuous integration and delivery.
- Cloud Infrastructure Management: Overseeing cloud-based infrastructure and leveraging automation tools to manage and scale services.
- Security Best Practices (DevSecOps): Ensuring security is integrated into every stage of the development lifecycle.
- Performance Monitoring and Optimization: Implementing systems for monitoring application health, optimizing resource usage, and ensuring uptime.
- Governance and Compliance: Managing compliance within the DevOps pipeline to meet legal and regulatory standards.
Real-World Projects You Can Lead After This Certification
As a Certified DevOps Manager, you will be prepared to lead complex DevOps initiatives such as:
- Designing End-to-End CI/CD Pipelines: Building automated workflows to ensure continuous integration and deployment.
- Managing Cloud Infrastructure: Implementing scalable cloud architectures and automating the provisioning of cloud resources using tools like Terraform and Kubernetes.
- Leading DevSecOps Initiatives: Embedding security practices throughout the DevOps lifecycle to reduce vulnerabilities.
- Incident Management & Disaster Recovery: Leading efforts to ensure high availability, disaster recovery plans, and incident response for production systems.
- Performance Optimization: Monitoring the performance of infrastructure and applications, identifying bottlenecks, and optimizing resource usage.
- Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Leveraging IaC practices to automate the creation, management, and scaling of infrastructure.
How to Prepare for the Certification?
7–14 Days Preparation Plan:
- DevOps Fundamentals: Start by revisiting the core DevOps concepts—version control, CI/CD pipelines, and containerization.
- Hands-On Practice: Work with tools like Jenkins, Docker, Kubernetes, and AWS/Azure to set up automated workflows.
- Leadership Skills: Focus on building communication and leadership skills that are essential for managing DevOps teams.
30 Days Preparation Plan:
- Deep Dive into Automation: Learn how to manage automated deployments using tools like Terraform, Ansible, and Jenkins.
- Cloud Management: Familiarize yourself with cloud services (AWS, Azure) and how to deploy applications and infrastructure efficiently.
- Advanced Security Integration: Explore DevSecOps practices and understand how security can be integrated into the CI/CD pipeline.
60 Days Preparation Plan:
- Advanced DevOps Practices: Master the art of infrastructure automation, CI/CD pipeline design, and application performance monitoring.
- Team Leadership: Focus on leadership practices that help foster collaboration among DevOps, security, and operations teams.
- Mock Projects: Work on real-world case studies and mock projects that require you to manage DevOps pipelines and teams.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Neglecting Team Management: Managing a DevOps team requires leadership and interpersonal skills, not just technical expertise.
- Overlooking Security in DevOps: Failing to incorporate security into the development pipeline (DevSecOps) can expose the organization to significant risks.
- Failing to Automate: Not automating repetitive tasks within the pipeline results in inefficiencies and delays.
- Ignoring Cloud Skills: As most DevOps work revolves around cloud infrastructure, not mastering cloud platforms can hinder progress.
- Focusing Too Much on Tools: While tools are important, managing the overall process and the team is just as essential to success.
Best Next Certifications After This
After completing the Certified DevOps Manager certification, here are three excellent next steps:
- Same Track: Certified DevOps Architect (CDA) – Dive deeper into advanced DevOps practices and architecture design.
- Cross-Track: Certified DevSecOps Professional – Focus on integrating security throughout the DevOps process.
- Leadership: Certified Agile Leader – Enhance your leadership capabilities in agile and DevOps contexts.
Choose Your Path
Here are 6 learning paths you can pursue based on your career interests:
DevOps Learning Path:
- Certified DevOps Engineer
- Certified DevOps Manager
- Certified DevOps Architect
DevSecOps Learning Path:
- Certified DevSecOps Professional
- Certified Secure DevOps Engineer
SRE Learning Path:
- Certified Site Reliability Engineer
- Certified Cloud Infrastructure Architect
AIOps/MLOps Learning Path:
- Certified AIOps Engineer
- Certified MLOps Practitioner
DataOps Learning Path:
- Certified DataOps Engineer
- Certified Big Data Architect
FinOps Learning Path:
- Certified FinOps Practitioner
- Certified Cloud Financial Engineer
Role → Recommended Certifications Mapping
| Role | Recommended Certifications |
|---|---|
| DevOps Engineer | Certified DevOps Engineer, Certified DevOps Manager |
| SRE | Certified Site Reliability Engineer, Certified DevOps Manager |
| Platform Engineer | Certified DevOps Manager, Certified Cloud Engineer |
| Cloud Engineer | Certified Cloud Architect, Certified DevOps Manager |
| Security Engineer | Certified DevSecOps Professional, Certified DevOps Manager |
| Data Engineer | Certified DataOps Engineer, Certified DevOps Manager |
| FinOps Practitioner | Certified FinOps Practitioner, Certified Cloud Financial Engineer |
| Engineering Manager | Certified DevOps Manager, Certified Agile Leader |
FAQs
- Is Certified DevOps Manager very difficult?
It is moderately difficult. If you already work in DevOps and deal with real incidents, releases, and cross‑team work, you will find the questions logical and scenario‑based. - How much time do I need to prepare?
Most working professionals need about 30 days of part‑time preparation. Very experienced DevOps leads can be ready in 7–14 days, and newer engineers may prefer a 60‑day plan. - Do I need to complete CDE first?
It is strongly recommended to either complete CDE Foundation or Professional, or have equivalent real‑world DevOps experience, before attempting Certified DevOps Manager. - Can freshers take Certified DevOps Manager?
This certification is not ideal for freshers. They should start with CDE Foundation, build 2–3 years of experience, and then move into the manager track. - Will this certification help me switch jobs?
It can help your profile stand out for senior DevOps, SRE, and Engineering Manager roles, especially when combined with real improvements you have delivered in your projects. - Is it useful outside India?
Yes. DevOps and SRE practices are global. The certification content focuses on principles and patterns that apply in any region, though you still need domain and product knowledge for local markets. - What kind of questions appear in the exam?
Expect scenario‑based questions where you choose the best decision as a DevOps leader in situations like failed releases, repeated incidents, or team resistance. - Do I need to write code in the exam?
No heavy coding is expected. You should understand how pipelines and automation work, but the focus is more on design and decision‑making than on syntax. - Is Certified DevOps Manager better than cloud architect certifications?
They solve different problems. Cloud architect certifications prove deep cloud design skills, while Certified DevOps Manager proves your ability to manage delivery and operations across teams. Both together are very strong. - Will this certification increase my salary?
According to salary and certification guides, advanced DevOps and leadership‑oriented credentials can support better salary prospects when combined with clear, measurable impact in your work. - Can software engineers in product teams benefit from this?
Yes, especially if they are already acting as tech leads, handling releases, or coordinating with Ops/SRE. The certification helps them formalise that leadership responsibility. - How does this fit into a long‑term career plan?
It fits as a mid‑to‑senior step after CDE, before or along with cloud architect and higher leadership roles. It helps you move from “implementing tickets” to “owning delivery outcomes”.
FAQs – Certified DevOps Manager
Is Certified DevOps Manager still relevant if tools change quickly?
Yes. The value lies in how you manage people, processes, and outcomes. Tools will change, but principles like continuous delivery, feedback, and reliability will stay important.
What topics are covered in the Certified DevOps Manager syllabus?
The syllabus covers DevOps principles, team structures, CI/CD governance, SRE basics, incident and change management, metrics, stakeholder communication, and cultural change.
Do I need formal people‑management experience?
A formal manager title is not required, but you should have some experience influencing decisions, driving improvements, or mentoring others in your team.
Can I prepare while working full‑time in a busy job?
Yes. The 30‑day plan is designed for busy professionals, with focused study blocks and reflection on your real projects rather than heavy theory alone.
Is this certification only for DevOps Engineers?
No. It is also suitable for SREs, Platform Engineers, Cloud Engineers in lead roles, and Engineering Managers who are responsible for software delivery and reliability.
What is the main difference between CDE and Certified DevOps Manager?
CDE focuses on hands‑on DevOps implementation skills, while Certified DevOps Manager focuses on leading people, processes, and strategy on top of that implementation.
How should I study if I have weak theory but strong practical experience?
Focus on reading structured guides and case studies, then connect them to your projects. Treat your own incidents and releases as study material and ask, “What would a good DevOps Manager do differently?”.
What should I do right after passing the exam?
Pick one improvement initiative (for example, reduce failed deployments or incident MTTR), drive it end‑to‑end, measure results, and record this as a case study in your CV and LinkedIn.
Training & Certification Support Institutions
Several top institutions provide high-quality training for the Certified DevOps Manager certification:
- DevOpsSchool: Offers real-world training with live sessions and expert guidance.
- Cotocus: Specializes in enterprise-level DevOps training and automation.
- ScmGalaxy: Known for its comprehensive DevOps curriculum and certification preparation.
- BestDevOps: Provides CI/CD and cloud-focused training programs.
- DevSecOpsSchool: Focuses on integrating security into DevOps workflows.
- SRESchool: Provides specialized training for Site Reliability Engineering.
- AIOpsSchool: Focuses on AI-driven DevOps practices.
- DataOpsSchool: Offers DataOps certifications for professionals in data engineering.
- FinOpsSchool: Specializes in financial operations and cloud cost optimization.
Conclusion
The Certified DevOps Manager certification provides you with the leadership and technical expertise to manage and optimize complex DevOps environments. It equips you with the skills necessary to manage teams, automate workflows, and lead cross-functional initiatives that bridge the gap between development and operations. Start your journey today and enhance your career by becoming a certified DevOps leader.