Cloud containers have been a hot topic in the Information Technology world for the past few years. A cloud container has special significance, especially regarding security. But what is a cloud container all about?
Storing data and executing applications have been thoroughly changed due to cloud computing. It has allowed the users to use powerful storage units and powerful machines. Nevertheless, in spite of all, there has been a bit of trouble.
The applications developed and deployed on the cloud were Operating System dependent, meaning that users could not shift their application from one cloud to the other cloud service provider.
This wasn’t possible even if it was hosted remotely. But the presence of a cloud container solved all these problems, so users building applications who might consider future migrations should get themselves acquainted with a cloud container.
What is a cloud container?
A cloud container is a part of the software that combines an application’s dependencies and codes, supplying an isolated environment. The applications developed and deployed can run smoothly in this environment.
A cloud container is placed on the top of the server, its container engine and Operating System. This allows a container to communicate with the Operating System and use the resources within.
A container, when spun up, shares all the resources of the host Operating System. This also includes binaries and libraries. This virtualization at the Operating System level avoids the requirement to replicate the Operating System code or the underlying computer whenever the user spins up a new cloud container, such as a VM (virtual machine) would. Thus, a user’s server can run several workloads with one Operating System installed, making them lightweight and deployed in seconds.
Cloud Container- How do they work?
A standardized cloud container management involves four stages for applications. The services they have are:
- Creation
- Deployment
- Expansion/Scaling
- Destruction
Containerized apps are all linked to their dependencies as one single deployable unit. A cloud container enables the applications to work smoothly in all environments by leveraging the capabilities and features of the host Operating system.
Containerization also ensures that none of those mentioned above stages depends on an Operating System Kernel. Thus, cloud containers do not carry any guest Operating System, just like VMs.
What are cloud containers used for?
Cloud containers offer a logical packaging mechanism. All the applications can be easily abstracted on this mechanism from the environment where the applications actually run.
The presence of this decoupling allows all container-based apps to get deployed easily as well as consistently. This happens regardless of whether the chosen environment is a public cloud, private data center, or a developer’s personal computer or laptop.
Benefits of Cloud Containers
Agile development: Cloud containers allow the user or the developers to move at a faster speed and avoid all concerns about environments and dependencies.
Efficient operations: Cloud containers are lightweight; thus, containers in cloud computing allow the user to use only the computing resources they require. This, in return, runs the user’s applications smoothly and efficiently.
Run-on any environment: Cloud containers can run virtually in any environment. Wherever users wish to run their software, they must use cloud containers.
To conclude
All the organizations benefit by introducing cloud containers to their infrastructure. The profit both internally as well in the cloud, combined with their low rates, makes a cloud container a fabulous alternative to full-blown VMs. However, there are organizations that both need VMs and cloud containers for their infrastructure.