Cloud computing has revolutionized how we live our lives these days. Among the various implementations of the cloud-based architecture, the Cloud Native applications have become one of the most sought-after options. If you are new to the concept of Cloud Native architecture, do not fret, we will help you understand what this hype is all about.
Cloud Native Architecture
The Cloud Native architecture or the Cloud Native infrastructure is not necessarily any application that runs on the cloud. The Cloud-Native architecture or the Cloud-Native applications are the applications that are specifically designed to work on the cloud. They use a microservices architecture, and the application is broken into smaller components that can be managed easily.
Microservices form a major component of cloud-native architecture. It involves breaking down the applications into smaller and more manageable components. This modular design helps you with better scalability and better fault isolation.
The development of Cloud Native applications essentially involves the design, building, and running of the applications on the cloud using principles such as microservices, containerization, and DevOps.
How does Cloud native architecture differ from traditional applications?
The major differences between a Cloud Native architecture and traditional applications can be checked out using the following elements-
Architecture
The architecture used in the CNAs or Cloud native architecture uses the modular approach. Each of the components is broken into modular ones. They are then deployed and scaled up independently of each other. This can help in maintaining and updating the application very easily.
Deployment
Deployment of the Cloud-native applications happens in the containerized environment. The system makes use of the tools such as Kubernetes. This assists the use of containers that are agnostic to the infrastructure. The containers allow the applications to be portable across environments. This contrasts sharply with how traditional applications are deployed on physical servers. They can be difficult to manage.
Scalability
The CNAs offer a better degree of scalability when compared to traditional applications. Since the components are built using the microservices architecture, you can scale them up independently. In the case of traditional applications, you will need to scale up an entire application; even the change in demand needs you to scale up only one or two components. The horizontal scaling options that you stand to gain with the effective cloud computing should make it the best alternative.
Development processes
DevOps has been in vogue and is not limited to the Cloud-Native architecture alone. But, they have become an integral part of the cloud-native architecture. The DevOps approach makes collaboration and integration rather simple and easy. It can help create an environment where applications can be developed and deployed rapidly per the demand, with minimum interruption. The developers can easily release new features with ease. The traditional applications can have a rigid development process which would make it a little slower to release new features.
The new paradigm shift in the development of applications – The future ahead
What does the future hold for cloud-native architecture? As organizations have been embracing cloud computing, cloud-native architecture holds great potential. Some of the trends and possibilities that this paradigm shift can have would include
Serverless computing – This would be the new trend and help deploy the applications without worrying about the infrastructure or environment. They would introduce much more scalability and cost-efficient app deployment.
Standardization and Interoperability – This positive trend would help industries and organizations develop common standards, best practices, and open-source tools. These enhancements can help in simplified application developments and deployment.
Enhanced Developer Productivity – The growth of Cloud-Native architecture would go a long way in promoting developer productivity to a considerable extent. Even the non-technical developer could gain prominence with low code or no code requirements.
Integration with Emerging Technologies – The Cloud-Native architecture will integrate with emerging technologies, whereby it can help drive newer innovations. Integrating new-age technologies like blockchain, quantum computing, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) can help open the doors for building more advanced applications.
These are just a few of the enhancements that we would foresee. The Cloud-native architecture is set to be the new norm for software development. That way, the organizations will be able to adapt themselves to the changing scenarios and thus remain competitive in the business. The growth of AI and machine learning can also fuel further growth of the Cloud-Native architecture as they need a highly scalable and agile infrastructure for processing a huge amount of data.
The Closing Thoughts
In essence, the Cloud-Native architecture is set to bring a new application and software development paradigm. They can run on almost any cloud platform; thus, the future of Cloud-native architecture is bright and promising. It would indeed witness a huge enhancement in the coming days, and any organization that does not follow suit may vanish.
The journey is long enough, but we are sure it would be among the most rewarding.