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The world of microservices and container technologies
Editor's note
Opinions on microservice and container technologies seem to be mixed. As senior technology editor Stephen J. Bigelow points out, microservice and container technologies have the potential to help organizations achieve better scalability and use resources more efficiently than traditional software designs. Other analysts, such as Steve Weissman, believe this is just another name for something that's been around for a long time.
Whichever school of thought you belong to, microservices are here and they are making an impact. But leveraging this technology is not a free ride -- there are many security, development and adoption challenges that organizations need to understand and address in order to use this technology effectively.
In this guide, we explore the impact microservice and container technologies have had in the enterprise space and some of the unique ways they are being used by today's organizations. You'll also find expert tips and discover strategies for getting the most out of your adoption of microservices and containers.
1Answers to your questions on microservices
As popular as microservices have become, there is still plenty to be learned about the technology. In this section, experts answer some of the questions developers and app managers have about microservices today.
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Article
What's the real difference between SOA and a microservices architecture?
Contributor Todd Biske shows us the three major differences between SOA architecture and a microservices architecture. Discover what they are and why they are a critical part of the decision to move onto microservices or stick with SOA. Read Now
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Article
What's the relationship between microservices and the cloud?
Contributor Tom Nolle talks about the combination of microservices and the cloud. He points out that assuming the cloud will go hand-in-hand with a microservices architecture is a mistake and explains the approach developers can take in order to create a happy marriage between the two. Read Now
2Key strategies for microservices and container use
The adoption of microservice and container technologies is not a free ride, but implementing the right strategies can keep issues to a minimum. In this section, experts share their knowledge concerning the adoption and proper use of these technologies.
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Article
What app managers need to know about microservices
Brad Irby goes over the pros and cons of a microservice architecture and explains where exactly these considerations fit into the decision to leverage microservices. Find out what every technology manager must know about this approach. Read Now
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Article
Key strategies needed to leverage container technologies
In this tip, we learn how having the right tools and support structure in place could make the difference between success and failure in your adoption of container technologies. Follow along with Chris Riley as he explains the key strategies needed in order to avoid security issues, sprawl and more. Read Now
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Article
How developers can rethink modular programming for microservices
Learn the new mentality required behind modular programming now that microservices are making their way into the enterprise. Nolle examines gRPC, an RPC framework that allows an application or component to be built as though all the pieces of code were a monolithic build, and how it can help simplify programming microservices. Read Now
3Key terms and definitions
Here are a few key terms to know when it comes to microservice and container technologies.
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Definition
Microservices
Microservices, or microservice architecture, is an approach to application development in which a large application is built as a suite of modular components or services. Read Now
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Definition
Containers
In Sun Microsystems' JavaBeans component architecture and in Microsoft's Component Object Model (COM), a container is an application program or subsystem in which the program building block known as a component is run. Read Now
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Definition
Remote Procedure Call
Remote Procedure Call (RPC) is a protocol that one program can use to request a service from a program located in another computer on a network without having to understand the network's details. Read Now
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Definition
Structured programming (modular programming)
Structured programming, sometimes known as modular programming, is a subset of procedural programming that enforces a logical structure on the program being written to make it more efficient and easier to understand and modify. Read Now
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Definition
Service-oriented architecture
Service-oriented architecture (SOA) is a software development model for distributed application components that incorporates discovery, access control, data mapping and security features. Read Now
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Definition
VM Sprawl
Virtualization sprawl is a phenomenon that occurs when the number of virtual machines (VMs) on a network reaches a point where the administrator can no longer manage them effectively. Read Now
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Definition
Cloud computing
Cloud computing is a general term for anything that involves delivering hosted services over the Internet. These services are broadly divided into three categories: Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). Read Now