Containers are a hot topic of discussion at many companies. But what are these discussions really about – and what does the technology shift mean in terms of new opportunities and challenges? At Iver, we’d like to share our insights and experiences.
When we talk about containers, we are primarily referring to Kubernetes, as well as applications and platforms that are cloud native – designed and built specifically for cloud environments. Cloud native is a modern technology stack for building and deploying applications in the cloud and involves the use of containers orchestrated in platforms such as Kubernetes.
One of the major benefits is faster development cycles and a higher degree of automation – something that both increases efficiency and reduces the risk of manual errors.
A common mistake is neglecting basic functions such as monitoring, security, maintenance, backup of persistent storage, and documentation. We also see that the absence of, or disorder within, Git repositories makes it difficult to track errors or update code.
These are aspects that have long been handled in traditional IT operations for virtual servers, but are often overlooked when transitioning to containers – which can lead to incidents and data loss.
To succeed with containers, it’s important to:
have a clear plan for monitoring and incident management,
implement proper network isolation to prevent unauthorized access,
define roles and permissions to minimize security risks,
plan for maintenance, patching, upgrades, and backups,
and document the environment in a structured way.
We have a strong consulting organization that can support our customers with everything from advisory services to building complete Kubernetes environments and CI/CD pipelines. Our operations team delivers secure, tailored solutions, and we have extensive experience operating and managing mission-critical services in container-based environments. This enables us to ensure high availability for our customers’ applications.
In addition, we offer our own secure cloud, Cleura, where customers can create container clusters in just a few minutes – providing a reliable and scalable platform for modern applications. Combined with our Security Operations Center (SOC), which monitors security around the clock, we deliver a unique mix of safety, performance, and flexibility.
At Iver, we are a reliable and forward-looking partner for companies that want to get started with – or further develop – their container solutions.