Orchestrating Microservices: Communication and Integration in the Strangler Pattern

Orchestrating Microservices: Communication and Integration in the Strangler Pattern

A robust microservices effort can transform your monolithic mainframe application in a Strangler Pattern strategy context.

If your organization is committed to just such an effort, focus and care should be applied to orchestrating microservices, which is crucial for seamless communication and integration.

In this article, we explore the challenges associated with orchestrating microservices in the context of the Strangler Pattern and the best way to overcome them with key communication patterns and integration strategies. We also outline how CM evolveIT can help get it done better and faster.

Communication Patterns in Microservices

Microservices rely on well-defined communication patterns to interact with each other and exchange data. Two common communication patterns in a microservices architecture are synchronous and asynchronous communication.

Synchronous Communication

In synchronous communication, services directly call each other using request-response mechanisms, leading to a tightly-coupled relationship. As such, they can break and cause performance issues. Carefully consider the implications of synchronous communication and assess the need for tight coupling between microservices to clear the way for a successful Strangler Pattern project.

Asynchronous Communication

In asynchronous communication, interactions between microservices are event-driven. Events are emitted and consumed by different services at any given time, enabling loose coupling and improved scalability.

This communication pattern is well-suited for the Strangler Pattern as it allows independent development and deployment of microservices. In addition, cutting down on the number of dependencies will go a long way to facilitating gradual modernization.

Integration Strategies for Microservices

Integrating microservices within the Strangler Pattern requires robust strategies to ensure seamless data flow and interoperability.

Here are some integration approaches to consider:

API Gateway

An API gateway creates a single entry point for clients to interact with multiple microservices, providing a centralized layer for managing authentication, routing, and traffic control. It will not only simplify the integration process, but it will also enhance security and governance.

Event-Driven Architecture

Before establishing an event-driven architecture, you'll want to take steps to manage the event traffic better. For example, look to event brokers or message queues to achieve a smoother event communication flow.

Service Mesh

A service mesh is an infrastructure layer that provides service-to-service communication, traffic management, and observability. It simplifies the integration process by handling cross-cutting concerns such as load balancing, service discovery, and circuit breaking. Adopting a service mesh architecture streamlines communication between microservices and enhances observability.

Use CM evolve IT for Effective Orchestrating

Our CM evolveIT platform arms you with tools and services to help you understand your application on a deeper and more granular level, setting the foundation necessary for effectively orchestrating microservices within a Stangler Pattern approach.

You'll be well on your way to unleashing the full potential of microservices architecture as a critical player in your modernization effort.

Start your journey with CM First Evolve IT today and unlock the power of microservices in your mainframe.