Getting Started with Kubernetes
As discussed in a previous article Kubernetes is a powerful container management technology, but just how can you get started?
It is becoming more and more popular among developers, driven largely by a committed Open Source community that has created a fly-wheel effect in terms of the growth of new features and capabilities.
So how should your organisation get started to take advantage of the many benefits (including improvements in flexibility, portability and performance) for your application environment?
My suggestion is simple: spin up a Kubernetes cluster in your cloud infrastructure, whether that be Azure or AWS, start deploying apps in the cluster and figure out how to tackle the challenges.
This may sound abrupt, but the simple fact is that the real power of Kubernetes is to empower your developers – and the only way for them to unleash that power is to work with Kubernetes.
For those who are unused to Kubernetes, this can be a steep learning curve: it takes time to get up to scratch and really understand how to get the best out of it.
But that is what developers want, what they strive for: increased knowledge, flexibility and ability to use new technology to build better apps.
While the business case for investing in Kubernetes may be difficult to convey to non-technical users, its real value lies in its ability to empower your engineering teams, helping unlock innovation and design efficiencies that will bring business value further down the line.
It will make your organisation more attractive to development talent, many of whom would be unwilling to work for a company without Kubernetes. It will help retention as your own engineers see the opportunity for their own development to grow.
Take the example of banks where security is so vital in everything they do. If the bank’s apps are all set up within Kubernetes clusters, then the security is taken care of. With Kubernetes handling security your development team has the bandwidth to innovate, deliver new system functionality and unlock new business opportunities.
The full focus can be on Customer Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) rather than manual deployments giving Kubernetes a head-start over similar platforms.
At Storm, we have a strong team of Kubernetes experts who can support your developers to deploy their apps in Kubernetes, enabling your organisation to modernise their code and apps, lower the security risk and build for future growth.
We have expertise in designing infrastructure on Azure, including Infrastructure as Code, as well as an extensive portfolio of application modernization. Get in touch today to find out more.