You see a single application, but behind the scenes is a group of self-contained micro applications coupled to offer wide-ranging functionalities. How does it impact your business?
Cloud Native Applications leverages Cloud Computing with a robust Cloud Native Architecture that follows a process of splitting the application framework.
With cloud-native applications, you can:
Take the more resourceful way without direct and active user management.
Deploy your application faster..
Cut down on your hardware costs.
Work flexibly with your remote team.
Make high-level changes and enhancements to your application.
Tackle the halting or slowing down of app operations.
Before we deep dive into the world of Cloud Native Applications, let us understand the use cases and features of Cloud Native Applications and what’s in it for you.
What are Cloud Native Applications?
Staying true to its name, the Cloud Native applications are built, developed, run, and updated only on the cloud. They aren’t just limited to hardware, software, and integration but also demonstrate flexibility, agility, and scalability.
“Cloud Native application developers should never know the physical infrastructure. Cloud is where they experience an infrastructure that is built for their specific service requirements.”
Tom Golway, Chief Technologist – Hewlett Packard Enterprise
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In 2015, the Cloud Native Computing Foundation launched Cloud Native Applications that work on a splitting architecture to deploy top-notch features. Companies prefer Cloud Native Architecture for the microservices packaged in a container corresponding to the application. Instead of presenting the application as a whole, it is divided into a set of combinations of independent microservices.
The 7-Layer OSI Model
Cloud Native applications not only divide the functionalities of the application layer but loosely split the 7-layer OSI model. Each microservice environment might use different development languages, frameworks, and technologies. Microservice, on its own, can be built, upscaled, and upgraded without hindering the operation of another such microservice or application.
For microservices to exist in an application, they perform a packaging framework known as containerization. This process leads the application layer to divide itself into different user spaces loosely coupled together. Containers communicate with each other via HTTP APIs.
What happens next?
In each one of the containers, a microservice is developed inside for quick deployment to cloud platforms. Splitting the application into containers reduces the dependency of the development environment on the application.
The workflow for the application gets divided into different teams, which in turn enhances the speed of operation. In such an environment, each microservice container offers specific business functionality. Other containers are left undisturbed and fully operational if functionality is added to a particular microservice.
The system of microservices working independently with a loose connection lets the application enhance its operation with an increased scope of collaboration. Later, the loosely coupled microservices are integrated into a single application presented to the end user. Once the application is developed, the DevOps team can independently work on the microservice functionality to provide and update the features.
But that’s not it…
Cloud Native Applications are not limited to a physical server but are a dynamic environment which splits it into sub-systems based on functionality and business logic, known as microservice. Such sub-systems are connected loosely to each other and run by different teams.
Here’s Andrea Crawford from IBM explaining Cloud Native Apps:
But there are different elements attached to cloud native applications too!
While building an entire system with Cloud Native Applications is the next-step, every good side comes with its set of myths as well.
Busting the Myths
There are many misconceptions about Cloud Native Applications. Pointing toward the complexity and security myths, organizations fall into the trap of baseless fallacies.
Let us demystify some concepts to understand why cloud computing is a better option.
Myth 01: Having a New Programming Language.
The architecture of Cloud Native applications splits it into containers of microservices. There is no “special or new programming language” to use Cloud Native Applications.
Myth 02: Being Complex.
Complexity is a common myth. Due to splitting the application into microservices, the Cloud Native applications are easier to use by the service-specific expert teams on the respective container.
Myth 03: Staying Limited to Cloud.
If you want to use Cloud Native Applications, you don’t need to be fully Cloud Native. The workload for your organization can continue on-prem with additional space for cloud computing.
(Did you know, you can be ready to launch your applications within two to three days by using Cloud Native Applications!)
Myth 04: Didn’t Start with Cloud Native? That’s Too Late.
Even if your operations have no connection to cloud computing, you can still transform into a functional Cloud Native Business. According to a survey report, 75% of companies focus on shifting to Cloud Native Applications from monolithic architecture or on-premises servers.
Myth 05: It is a One-Time Thing.
If you choose to go Cloud Native, it is a continuous deployment, management, and scalability process.
Myth 06: It’s All About Cost-Cutting.
It is true that Cloud Native Applications reduce costs, but they are much beyond price-cutting. Cloud Native Applications change the infrastructure of IT operations with more automated, flexible, scalable, resilient, and easy-to-use applications.
Myth 07: They’re Unsafe.
While the monolithic architectures use firewalls and other traditional security measures, the same does not apply to Cloud Native Applications. Microservices, APIs, and Containers make the Cloud Native Architecture require authorization at multiple points.
Myth 08: No Server Required in Cloud Computing.
The microservice architecture and the containerization process eliminate the need for servers in application development. But there are still servers involved in Cloud Native Applications.
So, how do they really benefit you?
Independent and Fast
The workflow gets divided because the architecture of Cloud Native Applications is based on Microservices and Containerization. Separate teams are deployed to work on the functionalities. There is less dependence on the application on the infrastructure.
Imagine a single team working on an application’s “N” functions. This model was used in the 2000s when the application developments took time. Now, dedicated teams specializing in their services work for the container in Cloud Native Applications. This makes each function of the Cloud Native applications different, faster, and independent compared to the monolithic counterparts.
Resolution of Issues
With Cloud Native Applications, it is easier to detect the issue/error. Its location is easily identified for troubleshooting.
For instance, if any issue arises in container A of the application, it gets resolved in the same container. Other containers, like B, D, and others, are unaltered and unbothered. Even if there is an infrastructure outage, such applications stay online.
Scalability
The isolation of services deploys a team of experts specializing in that particular operation service. With an expert team working on each functionality, better results are obtained in the form of features. All the operations get perfectly aligned with the business needs of the application.
Cloud Native applications are easily transferable between different clouds creating room for enough scalability. Such an application developed in a Cloud Native environment offers better functionality and features than the traditional one.
Development Environment
With Cloud Native Applications, each team working on the containers can use different development technologies compared to the existing ones. Using better technologies depending on the container’s use case fulfills the need to create such an application.
Effective Internal Communication
Containers inside Cloud Native Applications communicate via REST APIs through HTTP. These APIs are built, developed, deployed, and managed in the cloud to enhance and fasten the internal communication between different Microservices.
Automation
Cloud Native Applications use DevOps to enhance the entire software development cycle with continuous delivery and deployment.
Enhanced Security
Due to the splitting of architecture into Microservices, more gateways are created in the application. Each container has its own authentication and authorization, with limited data shared among the application itself.
Portability
The packaging of containerization makes the application irrespective of physical dependence. Developers can code from anywhere on any device.
Cost Reduction
Native Cloud Applications are cost-effective solutions as they reduce the expenditure on high-end hardware and its load balancing. It has been predicted that by 2023, 500 million applications and services will run on Cloud Native Approach.
A few examples
A famous European fashion platform was one of the oldest to migrate itself to the native cloud environment. It started to rewrite its on-prem set-up for operating worldwide with self-organized scalability. It saw a 2x increase in its customer footfalls and increased revenue.
A business communication application used worldwide by organizations was facing challenges to scale with an increasing number of MySQL queries. The application became Cloud Native without quitting the usage of MySQL.
One of the recently popular OTT giants has also migrated to Cloud Native Applications. It can now manage petabytes of storage and provide on-demand content to its increasing user database.
What Does the Future Hold?
With exceptional features like independence, flexibility, scalability, portability, and automation, Cloud Native Environment is drastically cutting costs. While big organizations have started migrating to Cloud Native Applications, the industry is expected to reach new heights by 2025.
In fact, 90% of applications are estimated to adapt to the Cloud Native Approach. With such future potential, you’d happily build programs and applications to transform your legacy business systems.
At Transpire, we help you build cloud native applications with the help of a team of cloud specialists and architects. Our streamlined and structured model analyzes the business requirement, thus making your business create better growth opportunities.
If you are still stuck with deployment of cloud native applications, we are here to help you out. Get in touch with our experts to get started right away..
