Driving Sustainable IT Transformations: Insights from Roman Burdiuzha, DevOps Visionary and Co-Founder of Gart Solutions
Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with Roman Burdiuzha, an experienced DevOps leader, cloud architect, and technology enthusiast. Roman is the co-founder and CTO of Gart Solutions, a company specializing in DevOps, cloud solutions, and infrastructure optimization services.
With over a decade of experience in the IT industry, Roman has established himself as an expert in cloud platforms, high-scale system architecture, and DevOps practices. His professional journey spans working with industry giants like SoftServe, where he led DevOps teams and facilitated the adoption of cutting-edge technologies.
At Gart Solutions, Roman and his team partner with SaaS companies across various industries, including retail, fintech, blockchain, and IoT, to help them secure their performance, automate data infrastructure, optimize cloud costs, and implement tailored DevOps solutions.
In this interview, we’ll delve into Roman’s motivations for founding Gart Solutions, his approach to leading a team of DevOps professionals, and his insights into the future of cloud computing and DevOps practices. We’ll also explore some of the most challenging projects his company has undertaken and the lessons learned along the way.
Please introduce yourself and briefly share your background and experience in the IT industry.
My journey in the IT industry spans over a decade, during which I’ve had the opportunity to work with various technologies, including databases, enterprise applications, cloud platforms, and DevOps practices. I hold a specialist degree in Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications from the Odessa National Telecommunications Academy.
After graduating, I kickstarted my career in the banking sector, working as a system administrator and later as a banking and payment systems administrator. This experience allowed me to gain hands-on expertise in administering and modifying critical banking applications, developing scripts, and ensuring compliance with security standards like PCI DSS.
My passion for DevOps and cloud computing led me to SoftServe, a global digital authority, where I served as a DevOps Technical Lead and later as a DevOps Architect. During this tenure, I honed my skills in guiding DevOps teams, automating processes, and creating consistent, verifiable, and automated infrastructures.
With a strong foundation in cloud technologies like Azure, AWS, and GCP, coupled with expertise in Kubernetes, Terraform, and Infrastructure as Code, I co-founded Gart Solutions in 2020. Our mission is to help businesses focus on growth by addressing their infrastructure and cloud challenges through tailored DevOps and cloud solutions.
Throughout my professional journey, I’ve had the privilege of working with diverse teams, tackling complex projects, and continuously expanding my knowledge in this ever-evolving technology landscape.
What motivated you to start your own company, Gart Solutions? What was the main vision behind founding the company?
The main driving force behind founding Gart Solutions stemmed from witnessing the challenges businesses face when trying to bring their solutions to market efficiently. During my professional experience, I saw firsthand the obstacles companies encounter when attempting to launch their digital products and scale their operations.
As businesses strive to move to the market faster, they often grapple with infrastructure complexities, cloud migration hurdles, and cost optimization concerns. I recognized an opportunity to leverage my expertise in DevOps and cloud solutions to help organizations overcome these roadblocks and accelerate their growth trajectories.
My vision for Gart Solutions was to create a company that could serve as a trusted partner, enabling digital solutions to thrive by providing tailored DevOps and cloud strategies. I understood the power of these technologies to streamline processes, enhance scalability, and optimize costs, ultimately empowering businesses to focus on their core offerings rather than being bogged down by infrastructure and cloud challenges.
What are the key principles and values you strive to instill in your team at Gart Solutions?
Firstly, we place a strong emphasis on continuous learning and growth. The technology landscape is constantly evolving, and it’s crucial for our team members to remain at the forefront of industry developments. We encourage a mindset of curiosity, ongoing education, and the sharing of knowledge within our team.
Secondly, we prioritize client-centricity. Our clients’ success is our success, and we strive to understand their unique business needs, challenges, and goals. This client-centric approach allows us to tailor our solutions precisely to their requirements, ensuring maximum value and impact.
As a founder of a technology company, what have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced, and how did you overcome them?
One of the biggest hurdles I’ve encountered is the constant need to adapt and evolve in the face of rapidly changing technology landscapes.
The world of DevOps and cloud computing is incredibly dynamic, with new tools, methodologies, and best practices emerging continuously. Keeping our team’s skills and knowledge up-to-date has been an ongoing effort, requiring a strong commitment to continuous learning and professional development.
To overcome this challenge, we’ve fostered a culture of curiosity and knowledge sharing within our team. We regularly host internal training sessions, encourage attendance at industry events and conferences, and promote the pursuit of relevant certifications. Additionally, we’ve established a dedicated research and development initiative, allowing our team members to explore and experiment with emerging technologies.
Another significant challenge has been navigating the ever-changing regulatory landscape, particularly when it comes to data security and compliance. As we work with clients across various industries, ensuring adherence to industry-specific regulations and data protection standards has been crucial.
To address this challenge, we’ve invested in building a robust security and compliance framework, leveraging industry best practices and partnering with experts in the field. We’ve also implemented rigorous security protocols, regular audits, and ongoing training to ensure our team remains vigilant and up-to-date with the latest compliance requirements.
Why did you choose to specialize in DevOps and cloud solutions? How do you see the future of these technologies?
As for the future of these technologies, I believe we are just scratching the surface of their potential. The adoption of DevOps and cloud solutions will continue to accelerate as more organizations recognize the competitive advantages they provide.
We can expect to see further advancements in areas such as serverless computing, edge computing, and the convergence of DevOps with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning. These developments will enable even greater automation, efficiency, and intelligent decision-making within IT operations.
Additionally, the focus on security and compliance will remain paramount, with cloud providers and DevOps practices evolving to address the ever-increasing complexity of cyber threats and regulatory requirements.
What advice would you give to companies just starting their cloud transformation or DevOps adoption journey?
For companies embarking on their cloud transformation or DevOps adoption journey, my primary advice would be to approach it as a cultural shift, not just a technological change. Successful cloud and DevOps implementation requires a mindset shift across the entire organization.
First and foremost, ensure you have buy-in and support from leadership. Cloud and DevOps initiatives often involve changes to processes, tools, and ways of working, which can be met with resistance if not properly communicated and championed from the top.
Invest in training and upskilling your teams. Cloud and DevOps technologies require specialized skillsets, and it’s crucial to provide your employees with the necessary training and resources to adapt to the new paradigm. Consider partnering with experienced consultants or service providers who can guide you through the initial phases and share best practices.
Start with a pilot project or a specific use case that aligns with your business goals. This allows you to learn and iterate without disrupting your entire infrastructure. Celebrate small wins and use them as a foundation to build momentum and confidence within the organization.
Embrace automation and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) principles. One of the core tenets of DevOps is automating repetitive tasks and managing infrastructure through code. This not only increases efficiency but also promotes consistency, reproducibility, and reduces the risk of human error.
