Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Word of the Day: container management software

Word of the Day WhatIs.com
Daily updates on the latest technology terms | July 31, 2019
container management software

Container management software is programming that automates the creation, destruction, deployment and scaling of software containers in an information technology (IT) infrastructure.

Containerization isolates processes that share an operating system (OS) and binds application or microservice libraries and dependencies into one deployable unit. Containers are used to create cloud-native, distributed applications and to package legacy applications for increased portability and deployment simplicity.

Containers have surged in popularity as IT organizations have embraced DevOps, which emphasizes rapid velocity in the deployment of applications. Container management and orchestration software features include container schedulers, security tools, storage and virtual network management systems, and monitoring tools.

Container management software pros and cons

Since many more containers than VMs can reside on a server host, the chief benefit of container management software lies in the simplified administration of densely populated hosting environments. Without the automation provided by container management software, the sheer number of containers can quickly outstrip a human operator's ability to keep up with changes, particularly at rapid speed.

An advantage of containers over VMs is that they are lightweight and have separate application configuration information from the host OS, which offers containerized applications increased interoperability, regardless of whether heterogeneous server OSes or public cloud infrastructures support them. Container management software automates the deployment of container-based applications to these various infrastructures.

A drawback to container management software, particularly container orchestration platforms such as Kubernetes and Mesos, is complexity. Administrators must understand the relationships between clusters of host servers, as well as the container network and how it corresponds to applications and dependencies. Also, container orchestration tools' installation and setup is arduous and error-prone.

Container management software usage

Containers are quickly deployable via management software, which suits the rapid change applications undergo in a DevOps strategy. Forward-thinking enterprise IT organizations and startups alike use containers and container management tools to quickly deploy and update continuously developed applications.

The lines between different container management software categories -- orchestration, security, networking and so on -- blur as container orchestration platforms, such as Kubernetes and Docker's Swarm mode, add native support for additional management capabilities. Container management technology is also being folded into or connected with larger software suites that manage underlying server hosts and VMs.

A number of container management software systems have been created by open source communities, and others are proprietary tools marketed by commercial vendors. Some commercial vendors offer support for open source components or embed them into products. Continue reading...

Quote of the Day

 
"Containers can be crucial to a business' modernization efforts. To ensure a successful application modernization strategy, learn how to evaluate container management software." - Kurt Marko

Learning Center

 

Get to know data storage containers and their terminology
Things are looking up for data storage containers, partly thanks to the complexity and costs of using virtual machines. We've put together a glossary of terms to know when considering containerization.

Effectively manage containers and improve workload performance
To properly manage containers, admins should have a strong understanding of the pros and cons of containers, different management tool features and how improper management might affect their workloads.

The history of Docker's climb in the container management market
Since its early conception, container technology has been a topic of conversation for IT developers and users. With the emergence of Docker, interest in container management software skyrocketed. Learn more about the history of Docker and its influence in the container management market.

When assessing container management software, think interoperability
Businesses using containers to help execute application modernization strategies need to know how to evaluate container management software.

Rounding up leading container management software in detail
Acquiring effective container management software is a complicated process. Read these comprehensive product descriptions to find the best vendor -- or vendors.

Quiz Yourself

 
If you're not _______ well-versed in microservices and containers, you're behind the pack.
A. already
B. all ready

Answer

Stay in Touch

 
For feedback about any of our definitions or to suggest a new definition, please contact me at: mrouse@techtarget.com

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