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Containerization is a software deployment process that bundles an application's code with OS libraries and dependencies necessary to run the code on any infrastructure. Containers are now the standard compute unit for contemporary cloud-native apps since they are more portable and resource-efficient than virtual machines (VMs).

In traditional computing, for smooth running of an application, a version compatible to the machine's operating system needs to be installed. Containerization on the other hand, provides a portable environment that is compatible with all operating systems.

Every possible thing an application needs to run, i.e., configuration files, dependencies, and libraries, are encapsulated within a container. The term “lightweight” describes containers that share the machine’s kernel and save the overhead of associating an operating system with each application. The containerized applications can therefore run on several types of infrastructure, including bare metal, VMs, and the cloud, without the need to refactor them for each environment.

Why containerization?

Containerization has become the latest buzzword in cloud computing. Enterprises are rapidly adopting Containerization. Containerization has many advantages over virtualization and hence the shift. 

Virtualization is essential when distributing many operating systems (OS) on a single server, but Containerization is more versatile and granular. Containerization provides a portable software-defined environment that enables businesses to update outdated software and develop new, scalable cloud-native applications. Containerization also allows developers to create and deploy applications faster and more securely whether the application is a monolith (a single-tiered software application) or a microservice.

Technology Types of Containerization

Docker Containerization

Docker Engine is open source run time container. Software developers can create, distribute, and test containerized applications on various platforms using the Docker framework.

Linux Containerization

Linux is an open-source OS with built-in container technology. Containers run in self-contained environments that allow different Linux-based applications to run on a single host machine. Software engineers use Linux containers to deploy applications using big data. Containers do not copy the entire OS to the VM environment. Instead, the containers include essential features allocated in the Linux namespace.

Kubernetes Containerization

Software engineers utilize Kubernetes, a well-liked open-source container orchestrator, to launch, scale, and manage many microservices. It has a declarative model, which facilitates container automation. The declarative model ensures Kubernetes executes the proper action to meet the requirements based on configuration files.

Containerization Benefits

By utilizing fewer resources and faster execution times, Containerization enhances virtualization processes. Businesses save money using containers as they can run several applications on a single machine. The significant benefits of containers are listed below:

 

Kubernetes Containerization
Kubernetes Containerization

Portability

A container provides an executable software bundle independent of the host operating system. The executable program is portable and can run uniformly and consistently across any platform or cloud.

Agility

The Docker Engine for running containers began as the industry standard for application containers with simple developer tools plus a universal approach that worked for Windows and Linux operating systems. That container ecosystem has now shifted to engines under the Open Container Initiative (OCI) management. Therefore, developers can continue using DevOps tools and processes for rapid app development and enhancement.

Speed

Containers are ” lightweight” as they share the machine’s operating system (OS) kernel. Thus, the additional overhead does not burden them. In addition to increasing server efficiency, this also lowers server and licensing costs while shortening startup times, as there is no OS to boot.

Fault isolation

In Containerization, the applications are not only isolated from each other but are also isolated from the underlying system. Failure of one container does not affect the continued processing of any other container. Development teams can find and fix technical problems within a single container without affecting other containers.

Efficiency

Developers can share the app layers between containers since software executing in containerized environments communicates the OS kernel with the host computer. Furthermore, compared to virtual computers, containers naturally have a reduced capacity. Developers can run numerous containers using one virtual machine’s computational capability. Containers utilization boosts server efficiency and reduces server and license costs.

Ease of management

Installing, managing, scaling workloads and services can all be automated using a container orchestration platform. You may simplify management operations through container orchestration, like deploying new app versions, scaling containerized apps, or offering monitoring, logging, and debugging features.

Developer-Friendly

With Containerization, the image your team builds locally is the same one they run in production. Containers are developer-friendly because you can utilize one environment for development and production.

How is Security ensured in Containerization?

Due to the ability to function as separate processes and be independent of others, containerized applications inherit high level of security. Isolation prevents malicious code from affecting other containers or invading the host. Application layers within a container, though, are frequently shared between containers. Although this improves resource efficiency, it also leaves room for interference and security breaches across containers. 

The “secure-by-default” approach of Containerization holds that security should be built into the platform rather than being a separate, deployed, and configured solution. The container engine supports the operating system’s built-in default isolation features to achieve this. Security permissions can be defined to automatically block access to unwanted components that seek to enter other containers or limit communications.

Example

Suppose you are collaborating with a development team outside of your network. In this case, you can share the necessary resources outside your network without compromising sensitive data.

Containerization and microservices

A microservices architecture allows for the development of applications as a set of autonomous parts that individually function as a service. Microservices enable development teams to update specific areas of an application without altering the entire application, resulting in faster development, testing, and development.

Containerization and microservices are software development processes based on the same phenomenon. The principle is; transforming applications into collections of more microservices that are portable, efficient, scalable, and easier to manage.

The microservices developed inside the container inherits all built-in benefits of the container. The benefits include agility, fault isolation, server efficiency, installation automation, scaling, maintenance, and many layers of Security, among others.

With the help of cloud computing, microservices, and containers, it is now possible to develop and deliver applications at a high level. These cutting-edge methods improve the software development life cycle’s agility, optimization, dependability, and security, which leads to fast delivery of software applications and enhancement for end users and the market.

 

Containerized Microservices
Containerized Microservices

“The apps are portable, but the data may not be”. What’s particularly intriguing about Containerization is how you can combine the two, making the data as portable as the apps. In a nutshell, virtualization eliminates the requirement for an entire server for a single application. Containerization removes the need for a whole OS for each application.

Arcana is a provider of portable data planes that customers can access and orchestrate through Containers. Arcana utilizes VMware Tanzu to offer containerization (Kubernetes) services. Arcana combines the power of tech giant platforms like IBM, AWS, Microsoft Azure, Redhat, etc., to facilitate clients with the highest level of services.

Arcana Services

Modernization Strategy

Identify the best strategy for application modernization to achieve goals like optimization, security, and scalability.

Apps and Microservices Development

Arcana develops cloud applications following agile development methods and strategies to ensure the use of microservices and advanced APIs.

Container Adoption

Arcana offers containerized solutions for the deployment of modern and advanced distributed applications.

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