Businesses seem to be endlessly changing and adapting to new technologies and it’s imperative that they do so in order to remain competitive, meet customer expectations and continue to grow.
Software and applications are key to every industry and finding ways to speed up processes, reduce costs, heighten security and optimise scalability is something all developers need and want. Cloud native architecture is providing these features toorganisations in every sector.
Going cloud native applies to how applications are managed, run and created as opposed to where this is happening. Below is our guide on why businesses should adopt a cloud native approach with the benefits of being cloud native.
Discrete Services
When developers write small and discrete services, they are able to reap one of the best cloud native benefits. By developing applications in this way, developers can understand the full function of the app quickly.
This allows developers to begin iterating and gives business value faster than ever before compared to monolithic apps which are typically much larger and more complex.
With cloud native development, deployment automates testing independently and they can make any changes to cloud native applications without interrupting usability for customers. This also provides a platform for potential independent failure which means analysis for the route cause for it far easier.
With the addition of containers for these apps, this reassures the main principles of using microservices with a portable, lightweight and single-purpose app.
Scalability
Knowing the scalability means knowing how a service is handling a load. It’s an imperative metric to make sure an application isn’t running over or under resources which could impede on the number of users an application can serve or how much is being spent on cloud infrastructure costs.
To increase loads, businesses can provide an application with more Ram or CPU and to scale out, instances dealing with the load can be increased.
The more efficient method is to scale out as it provides the ability to scale down again if loads decrease which in turn reduces costs.
Cloud native provides a means to scale the underlying infrastructure of an application and have the flexibility to adapt to fluctuating demand.
Being Resilient
Any good application should be able to function normally when faults and other challenges are present. These issues are typically down to external elements, for example, targeted attacks or instances being removed. However, this could also be due to components being misconfigured within the system makeup.
Scheduling features within cloud native services provides a platform to handle the challenges with anything going down. It generates services across data centres that are highly available and with network traffic routing being made complex, targeted attacks are minimised and blocked.
Perceptibility
Cloud native applications have great perceptibility and observability. This allows developers to evaluate the whole system for possible faults, alongside differentiation in the behaviour of its users with intelligent monitoring and reporting.
This will not only allow businesses to focus quickly on any fault, which will help to prevent deadly downtime but will also allow developers to really understand users. After all, new features and updates are all completed with the user in mind and know how they utilise apps in one of the most important pieces of information a developer can have.
This feedback can be taken and turned into new features and bug fixes that can be rolled out on a small scale. Instead of impacting every user, a select few can be chosen to trial new coding, meaning any issues will only impact a small percentage and reduce the risk of increased numbers of dissatisfied users.
Security
Without prior knowledge or expertise in security matters, on-premises can be at larger risk of targeted attacks through open ports or firewalls and tracking this can be an incredibly tricky task.
With cloud native, the risk of an attack is dramatically reduced. Creating a container or serverless function means no one with authority can access this, without having to already possess extensive knowledge of how cyber security works.
These security measures can quickly and easily be replicated throughout all of the infrastructures, reducing any risks, saving costs and time. If anybody within the organisation attempts to deploy anything that breaks these security rules, it will be flagged before any damage can be done.
With security being made easy, one of the largest barriers to fast and effective measures within security is instantly removed by using auto scripts, this is instantly scalable while also allows more teams and individuals to fully understand how this works.
When businesses exploit the benefits of the cloud, it allows faster innovation and increased competitiveness. In such a fast-paced world, businesses need to stay on top of user demand as much as possible and always be one step ahead of competitors, going cloud native allows developers to do so.
