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This article mainly introduces "how to use containerization and Docker to achieve DevOps". In daily operation, I believe many people have doubts about how to use containerization and Docker to achieve DevOps. Xiaobian consulted all kinds of materials and sorted out simple and easy-to-use methods of operation. I hope it will be helpful to answer the doubts of "how to use containerization and Docker to achieve DevOps". Next, please follow the editor to study!

Basic knowledge of using containerization and Docker to implement DevOps

With Docker and containerization, DevOps can be easier, faster, and more secure

DevOps is all the rage in the IT industry. Wikipedia describes DevOps as a set of practices that combine software development (Dev) and information technology maintenance (Ops) to shorten the system development life cycle and provide high-quality continuous delivery. The main reason for the popularity of DevOps is that it enables enterprises to develop and improve products faster than traditional software development methods.

As our work environment changes faster and faster, the demand for rapid delivery and repair in the software development market is increasing. As a result, the need for late errors to produce high-quality output in a short period of time and limited later errors spawned DevOps.

You may be interested: Docker and DevOps: developing stateful applications and deploying them in Docker

Just as we have discussed the importance of moving to DevOps software development, we are now changing conversations to containerization, an easy-to-use technology that is often used to make DevOps implementations smoother and easier. Containerization is a technique that makes DevOps practices easier to follow. But what exactly is containerization? Let's find out!

What is containerization?

Containerization is the process of packaging an application and its required libraries, frameworks, and configuration files so that it can be run efficiently in a variety of computing environments. To put it simply, containerization is the encapsulation of an application and its required environment.

Recently, it has gained a lot of attention by overcoming the challenges of running virtual machines. The virtual machine simulates the entire operating system within the host operating system and requires a fixed percentage of hardware allocation to run all processes of the operating system. Therefore, due to the high overhead, this leads to unnecessary waste of computing resources.

At the same time, it takes time to set up virtual machines, and so does the process of setting up specific applications in each virtual machine. This results in a lot of time and effort spent just setting up the environment. Containerization, popularized by the open source project Docker, solves these problems and improves portability by packaging all necessary dependencies in a portable image file with the software.

Let's take a closer look at containerization, its benefits, how it works, how to choose containerization tools, and how it outperforms the use of virtual machines (VM).

Some popular container providers are as follows:

Linux containers, such as LXC and LCD

Docker

Windows Server container

What is Docker?

Docker has become a popular term in the IT industry. Docker can be defined as an open source software platform that provides a simplified way to build, test, protect, and deploy applications within a container. Docker encourages software developers to collaborate with cloud, Linux, and Windows operating systems to deliver services easily and quickly.

Docker is a platform that provides containerization. It allows applications and their dependencies to be packaged into a container, helping to simplify development and speed up software deployment. It eliminates the need to replicate the local environment on each machine on which the solution should be tested, thus helping to maximize output, saving valuable time and effort, which will be devoted to further development.

Dockerfile can be quickly transferred and tested between staff. Docker also simplifies the process of managing container images and quickly changes the way we develop and test applications on a large scale.

Containerization-- implementing DevOps

Docker has popularized the concept of containerization. Applications in Docker containers have the ability to run on a variety of operating systems and cloud environments, such as Amazon ECS, and so on. There are no technical or supplier limitations.

Let's understand the requirements for implementing DevOps using containerization.

Initially, the required software development, testing, deployment, and oversight are carried out in phases, and the completion of one phase will lead to the beginning of the other.

Like AWS ECS, DevOps and Docker image management technologies make it easy for software developers to operate IT, share software, collaborate with each other, and increase productivity. In addition to encouraging developers to work together, they have also succeeded in eliminating conflicts between different work environments that previously affected applications. Simply put, containers are dynamic, allowing IT professionals to build, test, and deploy pipelines without complexity, while bridging the gap between infrastructure and operating system distributions, creating a DevOps culture.

Software developers can benefit from containers in the following ways:

The environment of the container can be changed for better production deployment.

Quick startup and easy access to operating system resources.

Unlike traditional systems, they provide enough space for applications to fit a machine.

Provides agility for DevOps to help easily switch between multiple frameworks.

Helps to run workflows more effectively.

The following illustrates the steps to be followed for successful containerization using Docker:

Developers should make sure that the code is in the repository, such as Docker Hub.

The code should be compiled correctly.

Make sure you pack correctly.

Ensure that all plug-in requirements and dependencies are met.

Use Docker to create a container image.

Transfer it to any environment of your choice.

For ease of deployment, use clouds such as Rackspace, AWS, and Azure.

Benefits of using containers

Many companies choose containerization to bring a variety of benefits. Here is a list of the advantages you will enjoy using containerization technology:

1. DevOps friendly

Containerization packages applications and their environmental dependencies together to ensure that applications developed in one environment can work in another. This helps developers and testers work together on applications, which is what DevOps culture is all about.

two。 Multi-cloud platform

Containers can run on multiple cloud platforms such as GCS, Amazon ECS (Elastic Container Service) and Amazon DevOps Server.

3. Born portable

The container is easy to carry. The container image can be easily deployed to the new system and then shared as a file.

4. Faster scalability

Because the environment is packaged into an isolated container, it can scale more quickly, which is very helpful for distributed applications.

5. No need for a separate operating system

In VM systems, the host operating system of bare metal servers is different from that of VM. In contrast, in the container, the Docker image can take advantage of the kernel of the host OS of the bare metal physical server. Therefore, containers are more efficient than virtual machines.

6. Resource utilization maximization

Containerization can maximize the use of computing resources such as memory and CPU, and uses much less resources than VM.

7. Quick updates to applications

With the rapid update of the application, delivery occurs in less time, making it easier for the platform to perform more system development. The machine can change resources without restarting.

With the automatic scaling of the container, CPU utilization and machine memory optimization can be achieved taking into account the current load. And unlike the extension of virtual machines, resource limits can be modified without restarting the computer.

8. Simplified security updates

Because the container provides process isolation, it is more convenient to maintain the security of the application.

9. Good value for money

Containerization is beneficial in terms of supporting multiple containers on a single infrastructure. Therefore, despite the investment in tools, CPU, memory, and storage, it is still a cost-effective solution for many enterprises.

A complete DevOps workflow with an implementation container can benefit software development teams in the following ways:

It provides the ability to automatically perform tests at each step to detect errors, so there are fewer opportunities for defects in the final product.

Faster and easier delivery of features and changes.

The nature of the software is more user-friendly than the VM-based solution.

A reliable and changeable environment.

Promote collaboration and transparency among team members.

It is cost-effective in nature.

Ensure proper use of resources and reduce waste.

The difference between container and virtual machine (VMS)

Virtual machines can run multiple instances of multiple operating systems on the host without overlap. The host system allows Guest OS to run as a single entity. The Docker container does not put as much burden on the system as the virtual machine, because running OS requires additional resources, which reduces the efficiency of the computer.

The Docker container does not burden the system and uses only the minimum resources needed to run the solution without having to simulate the entire operating system. Because running Docker applications requires fewer resources, it allows a large number of applications to run on the same hardware, thereby reducing costs.

However, it reduces the isolation provided by VM. It also adds homogeneity, because if the application runs on Docker on one system, it will also run on Docker on other systems without any failure.

Both containers and VM have virtualization mechanisms. But for the container, the operating system is virtualized. In the latter, hardware virtualization is performed.

VM performance is limited, while compact and dynamic containers with Docker perform better.

VM requires more memory, so it has more overhead, and they are computationally expensive compared to Docker containers.

Docker terminology

Here are some common Docker terms:

Dependency-contains the libraries, frameworks, and software needed to form the environment that simulates the media that executes the application.

Container image-A software package that provides all the dependencies and information needed to create a container.

Docker Hub-A public image hosts the registry where you can upload and process the image.

Dockerfile-contains text instructions on how to build a Docker image.

Warehouse-A network-based or Internet-based service for storing Docker images, with private and public Docker repositories.

Registry-A service that stores repositories from multiple sources. It can be public or private.

Docker Compose-A tool that helps define and run multiple container Docker applications.

Docker Swarm-A cluster of machines created to run Docker.

Azure Container Registry-Registry provider for storing Docker images

Orchestrator-A tool that helps simplify cluster and Docker host management.

Docker Community Edition (CE)-tools that provide a development environment for Linux and Windows containers.

Docker Enterprise Edition (EE)-another set of tools for Linux and Windows development.

Docker containers, images, and registry

Create a service using Docker, and then package it into a container image. A Docker image is a virtual representation of a service and its dependencies.

The instance of the mirror is used to create a container to run on the Docker host. The image is then stored in the registry. A registry is required to deploy to the production coordinator. Docker Hub is used to store it in its public registry at the framework level. Then deploy the image and its dependencies to the environment of your choice. It is important to note that some companies also provide private registries.

Business organizations can also create their own private registries to store Docker images. If the image is confidential and the organization wants a limited delay between the image and the environment in which the image is deployed, a private registry can be provided.

How does Docker perform containerization?

Docker image containers or applications can be run locally on Windows and Linux. As long as the Docker engine directly interacts with the operating system, it can be realized by using the system resources.

To manage clustering and composition, Docker provides Docker Compose, which helps you run multiple container applications without overlapping each other. Developers can also connect all Docker hosts to a single virtual host through Docker Swarm mode. After that, use Docker Swarm to extend the application to multiple hosts.

Thanks to the Docker container, developers can access the container's components, such as applications and dependencies. The developer also has the framework for the application. Multiple containers on a single platform that are interdependent are called deployment manifests. At the same time, however, professionals can pay more attention to choosing the right environment for deployment, expansion, and monitoring. Docker helps limit the chances of errors, which can occur during application transfer.

When the local deployment is complete, they are further sent to code repositories such as the Git repository. The Dockerfile in the code repository is used to build a continuous integration (CI) pipeline to extract the underlying container image and build the Docker image.

In the DevOps mechanism, developers are committed to transferring files to multiple environments, while management professionals are responsible for managing the environment to check for defects and send feedback to developers.

Containerization strategy for the future

It's always a good idea to predict the future and prepare for scalability based on project requirements. As time goes by, projects become more and more complex, so it is necessary to implement large-scale automation and provide faster delivery.

Dense and complex containerized environments require proper processing. In this case, software developers can adopt PaaS solutions to focus more on coding. There are many choices when choosing the most convenient platform to provide better and advanced services. Therefore, it is very troublesome to determine the right platform based on the application of the organization.

For your convenience, we have listed some parameters to consider before choosing the best containerization platform:

1. Flexible and natural

In order to achieve smooth performance, it is important to manually pick a platform that can be easily adjusted or changed according to the nature of the requirements and can be done automatically.

two。 Lock level

In fact, PaaS solution vendors are usually proprietary and therefore tend to lock you in an infrastructure.

3. Innovation space

Choose a platform with a wide range of built-in tools and third-party integration technologies to encourage developers to make way for further innovation.

4. Cloud support option

When choosing the right platform, it is critical to find a platform that supports private, public, and hybrid cloud deployments to cope with new changes.

5. Pricing model

Since it is natural to choose a containerized platform that supports long-term commitment, it is important to know which pricing model to offer. There are many platforms that can provide different pricing models on different operating scales.

6. Time and energy

Another key aspect to keep in mind is that containerization is not achieved overnight. Professionals need to take time to restructure the infrastructure. They should be encouraged to run microservices.

In order to move from a traditional structure, large applications need to be broken down into smaller parts, which are further distributed into multiple connected containers. Therefore, it is recommended to hire experts who will make every effort to find a convenient solution to handle virtual machines and containers on a single platform, because it takes time to make the organization completely dependent on containers.

7. Compatible with older applications

When it comes to modernization, legacy IT applications should not be ignored. With the help of containerization, IT professionals can take advantage of the benefits of these classic applications to take advantage of investments in legacy frameworks.

8. Multi-application management

Take full advantage of containerization by running multiple applications on the container platform. Invest in new applications at the lowest cost and modify each platform by making them friendly to current and older applications.

9. Security.

Because the containerized environment has the ability to change faster than traditional environments, it has some major security risks. Agility can benefit developers by providing quick access. However, if you cannot ensure the required level of security, it will fail.

One of the major problems encountered when dealing with containers is that dealing with container templates packaged by third parties or untrusted sources can be risky. Therefore, it is best to validate publicly available templates before using them.

Organizations need to enhance and integrate their security processes to develop and deliver applications and services without worry. With the modernization of platforms and applications, security should become a top priority for enterprises.

At this point, the study on "how to use containerization and Docker to achieve DevOps" is over. I hope to be able to solve your doubts. The collocation of theory and practice can better help you learn, go and try it! If you want to continue to learn more related knowledge, please continue to follow the website, the editor will continue to work hard to bring you more practical articles!

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