Using Docker & Kubernetes Together to Maintain Infrastructure

Docker and Kubernetes, the two popular containerization technologies, have already enhanced the concept of OS-level virtualization by creating better isolated systems.

In this blog post, let’s find out how the combination of both these open-source tools help in the right maintenance of your infrastructure.

Docker: Pack and Ship Your Apps in Containers 

Docker is a technology that builds containers on top of a single operating system. A container consists of an app’s code, runtime, tools, libraries and other dependencies packed into a standalone unit and isolated from the rest of a system’s processes and resources.

To create a container, Docker builds an image using the Dockerfile which defines the building and running process of your app. All the dependencies are fed into a single command, and this makes the app portable to run seamlessly on any computing environment.

Kubernetes: Deploy and Scale Your Apps with Ease

Now, after containerizing the app, it has to be deployed on an infrastructure and managed well. This is where Kubernetes comes into the picture. It is an orchestration platform used to automatically deploy, manage and scale containerized apps. 

Kubernetes also schedules workload, checks the health of containers, aids in service discovery and increases or decreases the number of containers running at a time.

When Docker and Kubernetes Collaborate with Each Other

The traditional way of running an app on an infrastructure was very cumbersome and time-consuming for operations teams. It had to be ensured that all the app dependencies were correctly set up on the server and that they worked smoothly without conflicting one another. Things became difficult when the app had to be moved to a new environment. 

Enter Docker and Kubernetes, and the job got easier! Superior performance and faster app deployment became the norm. Both utilize declarative commands to run and deploy apps, and this greatly improves the productivity of developers and saves them considerable time. 

For instance, if a Docker container breaks down, Kubernetes automatically creates a new one as it continuously inspects the state of deployment according to the yaml definition given. Hence, there is no need to manually restart a container.

Another great benefit of Docker and Kubernetes implementation is the reduced infrastructure costs. Due to its lightweight nature, Docker containers can be hosted on a single infrastructure. Also, the duo uses infrastructure resources efficiently – CPU and RAM usage limits can be defined in Kubernetes, which automatically applies it to the containers.

Conclusion

With cloud infrastructures ruling the roost, many companies are already adopting container-based cloud deployment. So, if you want to experience the true potential of Docker and Kubernetes, you can always avail the services of an established technology vendor.