Unlocking Business Potential with Cloud Native Architecture

Have you ever wondered what's the secret to Netflix's success as the largest on-demand streaming service today? In addition to impeccable timing, and Blockbuster's lack of ability to change with time, one of the key decisions that aided in the rise of Netflix was its shift to a cloud-native environment. The company was one of the pioneers of the cloud-native concept, transitioning from a mail-order business to the OTT behemoth it is now. Not only Netflix, but most modern companies are making the switch. According to a study by Druva, around 59% of organizations are moving to a cloud-native environment to improve data security and compliance. Let's dive deep into what cloud-native is, why the shift is happening at an unprecedentedly rapid pace, and how you, as a business, can unlock your potential by making the switch.

What is Cloud Native?

Cloud-native technology can be referred to as the machinery of building and running network functions that take full advantage of the cloud-computing model - which packages services in containers deployed as 'micro-services' and incorporates a CI/CD approach (continuous integration & continuous delivery) along with automated lifecycle management. Kubernetes, an open-source infrastructure for managing containerized applications at scale, has been one of the key levers in cloud-native adoption. At its core, cloud-native architecture is about designing applications to run in the cloud, using cloud-specific services and APIs. The cloud-native approach allows organizations to develop and operate highly scalable applications in contemporary and dynamic environments, making loosely coupled systems manageable and resilient. When coupled with strong automation capabilities, high-impact changes can be executed with minimal effort, focusing on scalability, agility, and automation.

Components of Cloud-native Architecture

Let's take a deeper look at the components of cloud-native architecture.

The cloud-native architecture is built on the foundation of combining dev-ops, software development, and cloud computing ideas with taking full advantage of the cloud ecosystem. In order to produce scalable and fast-to-market applications, cloud-native repeals complex networks, servers, data centers, OS, and firewall infrastructures. Removing these layers and defining them in code using microservices. The main components of cloud-native architecture are:

Microservices

Microservices break down complex apps into smaller, manageable parts that communicate with others using language-agnostic APIs. They are 'loosely coupled' stateless services that operate independently, ensuring that the developers can change one part of the microservices without updating the entire application.

Containers

Containers are small software packages containing all the resources to run the desired code. Applications are often 'containerized,' making them portable and manageable to install. They act as virtual machines for applications to run but are extremely lightweight.

CI/CD

Continuous integration and delivery is an integral part of the cloud-native approach to support seamless software experiences and development cycles, allowing various silos to work together while continuously integrating any changes through automated integration.

How cloud-native can transform your business

Shifting to cloud-native architecture may seem daunting initially, but its benefits can transform business execution and revenue. The New York Times managed a 99% reduction in deployment time by transitioning from web to cloud-native, swapping legacy VM deployment with Kubernetes. Here are some of the key benefits of a cloud-native approach.

Reduced Development Costs

Containers automate the orchestration process, thus reducing the time and effort required in deployment and management. Furthermore, microservice architecture offers a stable deployment environment irrespective of the cloud environment and accelerates the application development process.

Resilient Cloud Security

The cloud-native environment focuses on continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD), which enables enterprises to repair any unprotected app stacks, repatch stacks, reduce downtimes and rotate access tokens and certificates frequently, thus improving security.

Improved Customer Experience

Cloud-native environment empowers faster and more robust testing, which aids in fixing bugs, and implementing user feedback, simultaneously reducing post-deployment troubleshooting to enable developers to focus on application innovation and customer satisfaction.

Final Thoughts

According to a market study, Comcast reduced its time-to-market by 75%, while reducing its operational labor costs from 20% to 10% within a couple of years after cloud-native adoption. Additionally, an IBM survey indicated that more than 72% of IT executives, development executives, and developers agreed that the cloud-native model helped them achieve quicker development and roll-out.

The ever-changing digital world requires agility, collaborativeness, and a customer-centric approach. A cloud-native provides all the key ingredients to enable this transformation and allows businesses to gain a competitive advantage and rise above the crowd. At QueryPie, we understand the importance of cloud-native architecture and how it can unlock the business potential to turn industry leaders into heroes. Our cloud data protection platform is built in the cloud and for the cloud. We've helped hundreds of data teams safeguard their critical data by providing cloud-native security. To learn more about how you can progress to a cloud-ready world, connect with our technical experts today.