Cloud Native Applications: Implementation Strategy

Cloud native is an approach to building and running applications that takes advantage of the cloud computing model. It leverages modern technologies, methodologies, and architectures to provide scalable, resilient, and agile systems. In this blog post, I'll discuss/explain the implementation strategy for cloud native applications along with the examples from top cloud providers.

"The cloud-native approach is a way of thinking about applications that is fundamentally different from the traditional approach."?- James Governor, analyst at RedMonk

1. Identify Business Objectives and Use Cases:

Before starting any implementation, it's important to identify the business objectives and use cases that the cloud native application will address. This will help in determining the appropriate technologies and architectures that will be needed. Also, this will help in designing the application in a way that aligns with business goals and outcomes.

2. Choose a Cloud Platform:

The next step is to choose a cloud platform that meets the requirements of the application. The major cloud platforms include Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). The choice of a cloud platform will depend on factors such as cost, scalability, security, and integration with existing systems.

Examples: Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS), Amazon Elastic Container Service (ECS), AWS Lambda, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), Azure Container Instances, and Azure Functions.

3. Select a Cloud Native Architecture:

Cloud native architectures are designed to be scalable, resilient, and agile. They are also container-based, which makes it easy to deploy and manage applications. Some popular cloud native architectures include Kubernetes, Docker Swarm, Azure Service Fabric, Mesos, etc. The choice of an architecture will depend on the specific requirements of the application.

4. Use Infrastructure as Code (IaC):

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) is a method of managing and provisioning infrastructure using code. This method allows for the automation of infrastructure provisioning, which reduces errors and saves time. Using IaC makes it easy to scale up or down the infrastructure as the application demands change.

Examples: AWS CloudFormation, HashiCorp Terraform, Azure Resource Manager, etc.

5. Implement Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD):

Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) is a practice that enables software development teams to build, test, and deploy software changes quickly and reliably. This approach helps in reducing the time between development and deployment, which ultimately results in faster time-to-market. CI/CD also makes it easy to roll back changes if something goes wrong.

Examples:?Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions to set up a CI/CD pipeline & automation

6. Use Microservices Architecture:

Microservices architecture is a design pattern where an application is broken down into smaller, independent services. These services are loosely coupled and communicate with each other through APIs. Using a microservices architecture makes it easy to update and scale individual services without affecting the entire application.

7. Implement Monitoring and Logging:

Monitoring and logging are essential components of any cloud native application. It helps in identifying and resolving issues before they become critical. Implementing monitoring and logging will enable the development team to understand how the application is performing and identify areas for improvement.

Examples: AWS CloudWatch, ELK Stack, Azure Monitor, Azure Log Analytics, etc.

In conclusion, implementing a cloud native application requires a well-defined strategy that aligns with business objectives and use cases. The strategy should include the choice of a cloud platform, cloud native architecture, IaC, CI/CD, microservices architecture, and monitoring and logging. With these in place, the development team can build and deploy applications that are scalable, resilient, and agile.

Remember, building cloud-native applications is more than just a technological shift; it's a mindset change. Embrace the principles of microservices, scalability, and continuous delivery to drive agility, efficiency, and business growth in the era of cloud computing.