In 2026, all three hyperscalers — AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud — are synchronously restructuring their DevOps tools to align with the concept of platform engineering. Against this backdrop, the demand for Kubernetes, Terraform, and CI/CD expertise worldwide has increased by more than 40 percent over two years.

Major cloud providers are shifting their focus from individual DevOps tools to ready-made enterprise platforms: developer portals, self-service environments, standardized pipelines, and end-to-end observability. For companies, this means accelerating releases while simultaneously enhancing security and cost control. In 2026, AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud almost simultaneously introduced updates aimed specifically at platform engineering teams. For businesses in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, this is a window of opportunity: the market is not yet overheated, and the demand for local integrators and outsourcers, such as Alashed IT (it.alashed.kz), is rapidly growing.

Cloud and DevOps: How AWS Restructures the Ecosystem for Platform Engineering

At the beginning of 2026, AWS clearly shifted towards a platform model: at conferences and service updates, the focus is on creating enterprise developer platforms on top of AWS infrastructure. The main focus remains on EKS (Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service), ECS, CodePipeline, CodeBuild, and CodeDeploy, but the key change is the connectivity of these services into unified end-to-end pipelines. According to Amazon's 2025 fiscal year report, the AWS segment's revenue grew to approximately $100 billion with an annual growth of about 13 percent, with a significant portion of new contracts coming from large corporate deployments of DevOps and platform solutions.

In 2024-2025, AWS actively promoted the concept of 'paved roads' — ready, proven paths for development and deployment that DevOps and platform teams can replicate within companies. This is reflected in the emergence of template pipelines based on CodePipeline and GitHub Actions, typical infrastructure modules using Terraform and AWS CloudFormation, and tighter integration with EKS Kubernetes clusters. For example, a typical scenario: developers create an application in a container, push the code to GitHub, after which an image is automatically built in Amazon ECR, tests are run, and deployment is performed in EKS in different environments.

A separate emphasis is placed on observability and cost management. AWS is expanding the functionality of CloudWatch, X-Ray, and AWS Cost Explorer so that platform teams can see performance metrics, request traces, and financial indicators for each microservice and namespace in Kubernetes from a single dashboard. This is critical for large distributed systems where dozens or hundreds of services may be running in production. For companies that previously used the cloud only as a virtual machine hosting, the transition to this model requires process restructuring but simultaneously opens the path to organization-wide automation.

For clients in Kazakhstan, this is especially important: many large companies already work with AWS through foreign legal entities and consulting firms, but the real effect of the cloud is often limited to IaaS migration without deep DevOps transformation. Now, integrators who are ready to build their own development platforms on top of AWS, implement Kubernetes, IaC, and centralized monitoring are coming to the fore. It is in this segment of the chain that the maximum added value is created, where companies like Alashed IT (it.alashed.kz) can offer a local language of communication, take into account the requirements of the Kazakh regulator, and SLAs in convenient time zones.

Azure and Kubernetes: DevOps as a Service and the New Role of Platform Teams

The Microsoft Azure ecosystem in 2026 is strengthening its focus on DevOps-as-a-service and Kubernetes-centric architecture. Azure DevOps and GitHub Actions are becoming the standard layer for CI/CD orchestration, on top of which enterprise platforms are built. The key driver is Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), which, according to Microsoft, showed double-digit growth in resource consumption in 2025, including migration from classic virtual machines and PaaS solutions. Microsoft systematically promotes the idea that AKS should become the 'core' layer for microservices, and the developer surface is already portals and templates created by platform teams.

In Azure's product line, there is a noticeable strengthening of tools for platform engineers. Bicep and Terraform are used for infrastructure as code, Azure Policy and Defender for Cloud for centralized policy and security management, and Azure Monitor and Application Insights for unified application and infrastructure monitoring. Together, this allows for the construction of self-sufficient platforms where developers get a ready-made environment in a few clicks: a namespace in AKS, a connected database, secrets in Key Vault, and a pipeline in GitHub Actions. The platform team sets standards, and developers work within these 'rails' without spending time on networks, access rights, and configurations.

An important trend in 2025-2026 is the convergence of the traditional role of a DevOps engineer and a platform engineer. If previously DevOps was mainly concerned with building and deploying, now it requires product thinking: creating and maintaining a platform as an internal product for hundreds of developers. This is reflected in the requirements of job vacancies from major global integrators such as Capgemini: the ability to build cloud environments on Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud, configure Kubernetes, networks, and security, and create scalable CI/CD pipelines.

For companies from Kazakhstan already using Microsoft 365 and the Microsoft ecosystem, the transition to Azure and AKS seems like a logical step: licensing and integration are often easier than with competitors. However, to unlock the potential of this combination, it is not enough to just deploy a Kubernetes cluster. You need teams or external partners who can build a fully functional development platform around AKS, with templates for different languages, business domains, and typical integrations. Companies like Alashed IT (it.alashed.kz) can take on the architecture design of AKS, implement Terraform modules, configure GitHub Actions, and integrate with corporate Active Directory, which significantly speeds up the path from pilot to industrial exploitation.

Google Cloud, Kubernetes, and the Growth of IaC and CI/CD Demand in 2026

Google Cloud is traditionally associated with Kubernetes due to the fact that this orchestrator originated within Google. In 2026, the provider is actively capitalizing on this legacy by developing Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) and the associated stack of DevOps tools. According to Alphabet's reporting, the Google Cloud segment exceeded $40 billion in annual revenue in 2025, showing growth of more than 25 percent year-over-year. A significant part of this growth is associated with the migration of complex microservices systems and data platforms for which performance and depth of integration with Kubernetes are critical.

Infrastructure automation tools play a special role in Google Cloud's roadmap. Terraform support has become a de facto standard: most GCP reference architectures are published as Terraform modules, and the proprietary Infrastructure as Code tool — Google Cloud Deployment Manager — is increasingly used in conjunction with Terraform or Pulumi. The competitive struggle in 2026 is shifting to the plane of developer convenience: how quickly can a typical stack of 'GKE + Cloud SQL + Cloud Storage + Cloud Logging/Monitoring' be set up via IaC and connected to GitHub Actions or GitLab CI.

In the CI/CD sphere, Google is betting on tight integration with Git platforms and hybrid pipelines. Cloud Build and Cloud Deploy are positioned as native GCP tools for build and deployment, but companies are increasingly using hybrid scenarios: for example, GitHub Actions for orchestrating the pipeline and Cloud Build as the backend executor when scaling container builds is needed. This allows build times to be reduced to minutes even for large mono-repositories, and most of the heavy operations can be moved to the cloud.

For engineering teams in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, Google Cloud is attractive due to its combination of advanced Kubernetes stack and developed data services (BigQuery, Dataflow, Vertex AI). This makes GCP an attractive platform for fintech, e-commerce, and media, where analytics and machine learning are critical. However, this also poses a challenge: finding specialists who simultaneously master Kubernetes, Terraform, CI/CD, and the specifics of GCP. Here, outsourcing and integrator companies like Alashed IT (it.alashed.kz) come to the fore, able to assemble cross-functional teams for a specific project and close the expertise gap on the client side.

Platform Engineering vs. Classic DevOps: What Changes in 2026

In 2026, the industry is increasingly distinguishing between classic DevOps and platform engineering. While DevOps traditionally focuses on automating processes between development and operations, platform teams create and develop internal platforms used by dozens and hundreds of product teams. Research by analytics firms shows that organizations that have implemented platform engineering reduce the time to market for new services by 30-60 percent while simultaneously increasing compliance with security and compliance standards.

Structurally, the platform includes several mandatory components: an infrastructure layer (cloud and Kubernetes), an infrastructure-as-code layer (Terraform, CloudFormation, Bicep, Pulumi), a CI/CD layer (Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Azure DevOps, AWS CodePipeline, Google Cloud Build), and observability (Prometheus, Grafana, ELK/EFK, cloud monitoring). Developer portals and self-service catalogs are built on top of all this, where a developer can order a new microservice, sandbox environment, or data pipeline in 5-10 minutes. Instead of chaotic scripts and manual administration, standardized 'products' of the platform team appear.

In many companies, the transition to this model begins with the allocation of a small core team of 3-7 people who take responsibility for Kubernetes clusters, Terraform modules, and basic CI/CD templates. Gradually, this team becomes a center of expertise to which product teams come for new templates and improvements. The key success indicator is the proportion of developers who use the platform voluntarily, without mandatory regulations. If the platform saves them hours and days on routine tasks, adoption grows naturally.

For businesses, the transition to platform engineering means a change in the investment model: instead of dozens of fragmented DevOps initiatives, a single strategic product used by all teams is implemented. This requires a serious management decision and long-term planning, but the return on investment is noticeable within 6-18 months due to accelerated releases and reduced incidents. External partners, such as Alashed IT (it.alashed.kz), play an important role in this, who can audit existing DevOps practices, design a target platform architecture, and gradually implement it on top of AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.

Below is a hypothetical example of a Terraform module for creating a typical Kubernetes namespace and network policies, which can be part of the platform:


module "team_namespace" {

source       = "git::ssh://git@example.com/platform/terraform-modules.git//k8s-namespace"

team_name    = "payments"

environment  = "prod"

resource_quota = {

cpu    = "8"

memory = "32Gi"

}

}

Such reusable modules are the foundation of effective platform engineering, allowing best practices to be quickly replicated across the organization.

What This Means for Kazakhstan: DevOps Talent Shortage and the Role of Outsourcing

The cloud technology and DevOps services market in Kazakhstan has grown especially noticeably in recent years. According to estimates by international analytical agencies, total spending on public clouds in Central Asian countries is measured in hundreds of millions of dollars per year and is growing at double-digit rates. Kazakhstan, as the largest economy in the region, takes a significant portion of this growth due to the activity of banks, telecom operators, large retailers, and government agencies. In practice, this means that more and more companies are launching projects on AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, building Kubernetes clusters, and implementing CI/CD practices to accelerate the release of new products and reduce dependence on monolithic systems.

However, the demand for DevOps and platform engineers significantly outpaces supply. Salaries for qualified specialists with experience in Kubernetes, Terraform, and clouds in Almaty and Astana are often comparable to levels in Eastern Europe: according to recruitment agencies, the median compensation for an experienced DevOps engineer easily exceeds $800-2500 per month and higher, depending on the stack and English language proficiency. At the same time, finding a team that can not only set up pipelines but also design a fully functional development platform becomes a separate challenge.

This niche is gradually being occupied by local integrators and outsourcing companies, such as Alashed IT (it.alashed.kz), which specialize in DevOps, cloud migration, and platform solution building. For Kazakh businesses, this approach allows combining local expertise in legislation and industry specifics with access to the best global practices of AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and Kubernetes. Instead of spending years training internal teams, companies enter into SLAs for platform support and development, receiving predictable results and clear ownership costs.

An additional factor driving demand is the growing requirements for the sustainability and security of IT systems. The banking sector, fintech startups, large e-commerce, and government agencies are simultaneously facing the tasks of continuous availability, change auditing, and compliance with international standards. Cloud and DevOps approaches with platform engineering provide tools to solve these tasks: automated pipelines, repeatable infrastructure, centralized monitoring, and log management. For regional players, the transition to this model in 2026 can become a key competitive advantage, not just a technical upgrade.

Что это значит для Казахстана

For Kazakhstan and Central Asia, what is happening in the cloud and DevOps world has direct practical significance. According to market estimates, public clouds in the region are growing at double-digit rates, and large clients are already actively experimenting with AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. Banks, telecom operators, major retailers, and government agencies are launching Kubernetes pilots, moving parts of their systems to containers, and building CI/CD pipelines to accelerate the release of new products and reduce dependence on monolithic systems. This creates a chronic shortage of DevOps and platform engineers: good specialists are becoming a rare resource, snatched up by international companies offering remote employment and salaries in foreign currency. Many local businesses are left with two options: either spend years training internal teams or engage external partners with ready-made expertise. This is where companies like Alashed IT (it.alashed.kz) come in, specializing in implementing AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Kubernetes, and Infrastructure as Code for clients from Kazakhstan and neighboring countries. They can quickly design cloud architecture, build a development platform, and take over operations, allowing businesses to focus on the product rather than the infrastructure. On the horizon of 2026-2028, it will be the organizations that first build sustainable platform solutions and establish DevOps processes that will gain a significant advantage in the speed of launching new services and the quality of digital experience for customers.

The Google Cloud segment in 2025 exceeded $40 billion in annual revenue, showing growth of more than 25 percent year-over-year, primarily due to Kubernetes and DevOps projects.

The current course of AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud towards platform engineering shows that the cloud has ceased to be just infrastructure and is becoming the foundation for corporate development platforms. For businesses, this is a chance to accelerate releases, standardize security, and reduce operational risks, but only if DevOps approaches are implemented systemically, not point-by-point. For Kazakh companies, it is important not to miss the moment: the window of opportunity for technological breakthrough is open, and the demand for platform solutions is growing faster than the market can prepare the workforce. Partnering with specialized integrators, such as Alashed IT (it.alashed.kz), can be the very factor that turns cloud experiments into a sustainable competitive advantage.

Часто задаваемые вопросы

What is platform engineering in the cloud and how is it related to DevOps?

Platform engineering is an approach where a dedicated team creates an internal development platform on top of AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud using Kubernetes, Terraform, and CI/CD. Instead of fragmented scripts and manual settings, standardized templates for environments, pipelines, and services appear. DevOps thus becomes part of the platform, not a separate initiative: build, test, and deployment processes are embedded in the platform's 'rails'. As a result, dozens of teams can release new product versions faster and more securely.

When should a business switch to Kubernetes and CI/CD in AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud?

It makes sense to seriously consider Kubernetes and CI/CD when a company has 5-10 or more actively developed services and regular releases several times a month. At this point, manual deployments and virtual machine management begin to slow down development and increase the risk of errors. The transition to Kubernetes in the cloud and automation through GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, or Azure DevOps usually takes 3 to 9 months depending on the scale. After the first 2-3 automated services, companies see a reduction in release time from weeks to hours.

What are the risks when implementing DevOps and platform engineering in the cloud?

The main risks are related to a lack of competencies and a lack of clear architecture: chaotic implementation of Kubernetes and CI/CD can lead to a 20-40 percent increase in costs and a rise in the number of incidents. It is also dangerous to underestimate security and access management, especially when the cloud is used by dozens of teams. Risks are reduced by a phased implementation strategy, pilots on a limited number of services, and the involvement of experienced partners, such as Alashed IT (it.alashed.kz), for auditing and architectural design. It is important to lay observability and cost control from the start to avoid losing transparency of operations.

How long does it take to build a cloud DevOps platform based on Kubernetes?

A typical project to build a platform on AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud using Kubernetes, Terraform, and CI/CD takes 4-12 months. A pilot phase on 1-3 services can be implemented in 6-10 weeks to test the approach and measure the effects. Scaling to dozens of services and several development teams requires additional time for template refinement, training, and migration of existing systems. Integrator companies like Alashed IT (it.alashed.kz) usually work iteratively to ensure that the first results are visible within 2-3 months after the project starts.

How to save on DevOps and cloud infrastructure without losing quality?

Savings start with the right design: using autoscaling in Kubernetes, shutting down unused environments, and an IaC approach reduces costs by 20-30 percent compared to manually managed virtual machines. It is also important to standardize stacks and pipelines to avoid maintaining dozens of unique configurations that increase the workload of the DevOps team. For medium-sized businesses, it is beneficial to engage outsourcing: companies like Alashed IT (it.alashed.kz) can provide a team of 3-5 engineers instead of hiring 7-10 full-time specialists. An additional effect is provided by regular cost audits in AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud with adjustments to reservations and instance types.

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