# DevOps and Cloud Deployment UK

Source: https://dijituldevelopments.co.uk/devops-cloud-deployment/
Updated: 2026-10-10

> dijitul developments sets up DevOps and cloud deployment for UK business applications: Git workflows, automated testing and deployment pipelines, Docker, staging environments, zero-downtime releases, backups and monitoring, on UK cloud regions or your own servers. The result is releases that are routine rather than risky. Every project is a fixed-price quote after a free chat.

## Problems this solves

- Releases mean someone copying files over FTP late at night
- There is no staging site, so changes are tested on live
- Only one person knows how to deploy, and they are on holiday
- The server was set up by hand years ago and nobody could rebuild it
- Passwords and API keys are stored in the code repository
- You find out the site is down when a customer tells you

## Key facts

- CI/CD pipelines in GitHub Actions or GitLab CI that test, build and deploy on every merge
- Docker images so development, staging and live run the same environment
- Zero-downtime deployment with automatic rollback when health checks fail
- Infrastructure as code with Terraform or OpenTofu so servers can be rebuilt from scratch
- UK data residency options: AWS London, Microsoft Azure UK South and Google Cloud London regions
- Secrets kept in a secrets manager or encrypted variables, never in the repository
- Monitoring, logging, alerting and tested backups as standard

## Why deployment process matters to the business

DevOps sounds like a developer concern, but the effects are commercial. When releasing is manual and risky, changes get batched up, releases become events, and fixes wait. When it is automated and tested, small changes go out safely whenever they are ready, problems are spotted quickly and rolled back, and the business does not depend on one person's memory.

We set up the process to suit the size of your team and system. A small internal tool does not need Kubernetes. It does need version control, a staging site, a repeatable deployment and backups that work.

## The pipeline

A typical setup for a Laravel, Node.js or Python application looks like this:

- Developers work on branches in Git and open a pull request for review.
- A CI pipeline in GitHub Actions or GitLab CI runs automatically: unit and integration tests, static analysis with PHPStan or ESLint, and `composer audit` or `npm audit` for known vulnerabilities.
- When the pull request is approved and merged, the pipeline builds a Docker image or release bundle once, tags it with the commit reference, and deploys it to staging.
- After checks on staging, a single approval promotes the same build to production.
- The deployment runs database migrations, switches traffic to the new version only when health checks pass, and rolls back automatically if they fail.

Because staging and production run the same build in the same environment, "it worked on my machine" stops being a problem.

## Where it runs

We are not tied to one platform, and we will not push you onto an expensive one you do not need. We choose based on your workload, budget, skills and data requirements:

- **Public cloud**: AWS, Microsoft Azure or Google Cloud, each with UK regions (AWS Europe London, Azure UK South, Google Cloud europe-west2 in London) for data residency
- **Managed platforms** such as Laravel Forge or similar services on top of a cloud VPS, where a simpler setup fits
- **UK VPS or dedicated servers**, including managed hosting through our sister site dijitul DNS
- **Your own infrastructure**, where policy or data rules require it

Infrastructure is described in code with Terraform or OpenTofu, or at least scripted, so it can be rebuilt, reviewed and changed like the application itself.

## Databases, queues and scheduled jobs

Most deployment failures happen around the database rather than the code. We write migrations so the old and new versions of the application can both run against the schema during the switch: add a new column first, deploy code that uses it, and only remove the old column in a later release. Large tables need care too. Adding an index to a table with millions of rows can lock it, so we use online schema change methods for MySQL and MariaDB, or concurrent index builds in PostgreSQL.

Background workers and scheduled tasks are part of the release as well. Queue workers are restarted gracefully so they pick up new code without dropping jobs, and scheduled tasks are set to run on one server only, so a report or invoice run never fires twice when you scale to more than one machine.

## Security and secrets

API keys, database passwords and payment gateway secrets should never be in the code repository. We move them into a secrets manager such as AWS Secrets Manager, Azure Key Vault or encrypted CI variables, rotate any that have been exposed, and give each environment its own credentials. Servers are patched automatically where possible, firewalls allow only what is needed, admin access uses keys rather than passwords, and access is removed when people leave.

## Monitoring, logs and backups

You should know about a problem before your customers do. We set up uptime checks, error tracking with tools such as Sentry, centralised logs, and alerts for disk space, failed queues and slow responses. Database backups run automatically with off-site copies, and we restore them on a schedule to prove they work. The restore steps are written down so anyone on your team can follow them.

For applications that need ongoing care afterwards, see software maintenance. Every DevOps project is a fixed-price quote after a free chat.

## What we deliver

- A Git branching and review workflow suited to your team size
- CI pipelines running tests, static analysis and dependency checks
- Docker configuration for local development, staging and production
- Automated deployments with database migrations, health checks and rollback
- Infrastructure as code for servers, databases, storage and networking
- Monitoring, centralised logs, uptime checks and alerting
- Backup schedule, off-site copies and a documented restore procedure

Technologies: GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Docker, Terraform, AWS, Microsoft Azure, Sentry, Linux

## FAQs

### What is CI/CD?

CI/CD stands for continuous integration and continuous delivery. Every code change is automatically tested and built, then deployed through staging to production with a repeatable process. dijitul developments sets this up in GitHub Actions or GitLab CI so releases become routine and low risk.

### Can our application be hosted in the UK?

Yes. AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud all have London-based regions, and UK VPS and dedicated hosting is widely available, including through dijitul's sister hosting service. dijitul developments helps you choose based on data residency, budget and what your team can manage.

### Do we need Docker or Kubernetes?

Docker is useful for most projects because development, staging and production run the same environment. Kubernetes is only worth its complexity for larger, multi-service systems. dijitul developments recommends the simplest setup that meets your needs.

### Can you set up deployment for an existing application?

Yes. We put the code into Git if needed, add automated tests for the most important paths, create a staging environment, script the deployment and add monitoring and backups. dijitul developments can do this for applications built by other developers.

### What is zero-downtime deployment?

The new version is started alongside the old one, checked, and traffic is switched over only when it passes health checks. If the checks fail, the old version keeps serving users. Database changes are planned so both versions can work during the switch.

### How is DevOps work priced?

dijitul developments quotes a fixed price for an agreed setup after a free chat and a look at your application and hosting. Ongoing hosting and monitoring costs depend on the platform chosen, and we estimate them before you decide.

## Pricing and contact

Every project gets a fixed-price quote after a free initial chat and a short scoping stage. You own the code and the data. Book a free chat: https://dijituldevelopments.co.uk/contact/ · 01623 650333 · info@dijitul.uk