Cloud Native – What does this Mean?
Cloud native stands for applications which are developed exclusively for operation in a cloud datacenter such as, for example, Amazon Web Services (AWS). It also defines a software development method on the basis of which applications are designed from the get-go for “exclusive use” in the cloud, as it is the case for ATAMYA Product Cloud. The result of this are cloud-native applications (NCAs) that make full use of the strengths of the cloud-computing architecture.
What Advantages do Cloud-Native Applications Provide to Companies?
Companies that utilize cloud-native applications by developers such as eggheads | ATAMYA enjoy many privileges. Before anything else, this includes the ease with the solution can be scaled, organizational flexibility, access from anywhere, and, of course, reduced operation and hardware costs. In order to draw from the full potential available, companies need to opt for applications which are specifically engineered for and which can be operated in a cloud environment. And it is here where cloud native plays a decisive role.
Cloud Native and Microservices – Synergy with Benefits
Providers of cloud-native software invest a lot of development resources into the cloud-native approach. The effort centers around programming applications in the form of individual microservices which run on container-based, agile platforms, as opposed to the classic approach with “on-premises” (for local operation).
The Four Central Pillars of a Cloud-Native Application
To this end, a cloud-native application rests on four pillars that reciprocally complement each other. This includes microservices and container technologies that are developed specifically for the cloud environment and constitute foundational elements in cloud-native development, coupled with continuous delivery and standardized APIs (interfaces):
(1) A microservice fulfills exactly one function and is housed in a container together with all necessary functions required for its operation.
(2) Containers, in turn, are portable and provide development teams with a high degree of flexibility when it comes to testing and rolling out new services.
(3) To achieve this end, continuous delivery is added as the third central pillar defining cloud-native applications. Cloud-native apps are created in close collaboration between the development teams and operation teams, commonly referred to as DevOps. This collaboration is what allows you to add new software features to a microservice without the need to interrupt the operation of the software with maintenance downtimes for updates. Thanks to continuous-delivery processes, new software features are rolled out automatically.
Cloud-native applications are composed out of multiple individual microservices. What connects everything with everything is the communication established with (4) standardized APIs. From the end user’s point of view, everything runs and feels like one single coherent application.
High Scalability of the Cloud Service
Cloud-native-software such as ATAMYA Product Cloud distinguishes itself thanks to its system stability and high degree of automation. An improvement in performance does not necessarily entail the need to scale up the entire software but, instead, scaling up individual microservices that operate independently from one another – while still boosting the application’s total performance.
On-premises software often times comes with a downtime for the roll-out of updates of the respective services. Cloud-native apps enable developer teams to roll out software changes such as new software features in real time without interruptions of services. As a result, there are no notable limitations when updating or upgrading the service.
Strong Points of Cloud-Native Applications
Putting everything together, what are the most important advantages of using cloud-native apps?
- The most important reason lies in the flexibility. A company can react in a flexible manner to needs and scale the app as necessary. Growing requirements do not translate into expensive hardware upgrades.
- Using an application with so-called “multitenant capacity,” multiple companies share one and the same cloud infrastructure, leading to enormous cost advantages. As part of this, built-in security mechanisms or separate data storages for individual customers fulfill the corporate data compliance requirements.
- Companies no longer need IT professionals on standby for the operation of apps. All this is taken care of by the provider of the cloud service, translating into even more cost savings.
- In cloud-native apps, updates and software changes are available instantly. This allows companies to respond to customer requirements in the most flexible and fastest possible manner.
- The high degree of automation minimizes the risk of human configuration and operation errors.
The rapid availability, simple scalability, cost savings, and a relatively high reliability come together to constitute a decisive competitive edge for companies.
