1.7 Cloud Native Flashcards
What does “Cloud Native” mean, and what are its promises?
Cloud Native is a modern approach to building and running applications that are designed specifically for the cloud. It focuses on creating web-scale applications that are highly available (always up and running) and scalable (can handle more users or data as needed).
The main promises of Cloud Native are:
Increased agility: Developers can ship new features faster without breaking the application.
Better scalability: Applications can grow to handle more users or data effortlessly.
Faster response to customer demands: Businesses can adapt quickly to changing needs.
In simple terms, Cloud Native is like building a house with modular parts that can be easily replaced or expanded, rather than building a single, rigid structure.
What is the difference between Cloud Native and Cloud Computing?
Cloud Computing is about using computing resources (like servers, storage, and databases) provided by cloud providers (e.g., AWS, Google Cloud) instead of owning and managing physical hardware. For example, moving an existing app to the cloud is Cloud Computing.
Cloud Native is about designing applications specifically for the cloud from the ground up. It uses modern practices like microservices, containers, and automation to make apps more scalable, reliable, and faster to update.
Think of Cloud Computing as renting a pre-built house, while Cloud Native is designing and building a custom, modular home optimized for your needs.
What are the four key pillars of Cloud Native applications?
Application Architecture:
Cloud Native apps are built using microservices, which are small, independent services that work together. For example, an e-commerce app might have separate services for shopping carts, payments, and inventory.
This is different from monolithic apps, where everything is bundled into one big piece of code.
Containers and Container Orchestration:
Microservices are packaged in containers, which are lightweight and include everything needed to run the service.
Container orchestration tools like Kubernetes manage these containers, ensuring they run smoothly and scale as needed.
Development Process:
Cloud Native relies on DevOps, which combines development and operations teams to automate processes like testing and deployment.
CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery) is a key practice that automates code merging, testing, and deployment.
Adoption of Open Standards:
Cloud Native uses standardized tools and practices, like Kubernetes for orchestration, Istio for service mesh, and Jaeger for distributed tracing.
These standards help developers focus on building their apps instead of worrying about common infrastructure tasks.
What are microservices, and why are they important in Cloud Native?
Microservices are small, independent services that make up a larger application. Each microservice handles a specific task, like managing user accounts or processing payments.
Why are they important?
Independence: Teams can develop, test, and deploy microservices separately, speeding up development.
Scalability: Only the parts of the app that need more resources can be scaled, saving costs.
Fault Isolation: If one microservice fails, it doesn’t bring down the whole app.
For example, in an e-commerce app:
The shopping cart service handles adding/removing items.
The payment service processes transactions.
The inventory service tracks product availability.
This modular approach makes apps more flexible and easier to manage.
What are containers, and how does Kubernetes help in Cloud Native?
Containers are lightweight packages that include everything a microservice needs to run: code, libraries, and dependencies. They work consistently across different environments, like development, testing, and production.
Kubernetes is a container orchestration tool that manages containers at scale. It:
Deploys containers: Automatically decides where to run them.
Scales containers: Adds or removes containers based on demand.
Monitors containers: Detects and fixes failures.
Balances load: Ensures no single container is overwhelmed.
Think of containers as shipping containers for apps, and Kubernetes as the port manager that ensures everything runs smoothly.
What is DevOps, and how does CI/CD fit into Cloud Native
DevOps is a practice that brings development and operations teams together to collaborate and automate processes. It ensures apps are built, tested, and deployed quickly and reliably.
CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery) is a key part of DevOps:
Continuous Integration (CI): Developers regularly merge their code into a shared repository, and automated tests check if the code works.
Continuous Delivery (CD): Code is automatically deployed to production environments using pipelines.
For example, when a developer updates a microservice, CI/CD automatically tests it and deploys it to the cloud without manual intervention. This speeds up development and reduces errors.
When is it a good idea to adopt a Cloud Native strategy?
Adopting Cloud Native is a good idea when:
Your app is large and complex, with many features or users.
You need high scalability to handle growing demand.
You want faster development cycles to release new features quickly.
However, for small or simple apps, a traditional monolithic architecture or simpler deployment model might be enough.
For example:
A startup with a simple app might not need Cloud Native yet.
A large e-commerce platform with millions of users would benefit from Cloud Native’s scalability and reliability.
The decision should be based on your app’s needs and your team’s resources.
