Azure Kubernetes: All advantages of the orchestration software at a glance
ESYON is switching the online stores it manages to Azure Kubernetes Services (AKS) step by step. In this blog post, we explain what Kubernetes is all about and what advantages the switch brings with it.
What is Kubernetes?
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Kubernetes is an orchestration software for deploying, managing and scaling containers. Also known as K8s, it was originally designed by Google before being donated to the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) and has since been open-sourced. The name is derived from the Greek word for “helmsman”, which also describes the function of Kubernetes very well.
Nowadays, application software is predominantly programmed on a container basis. Each application requires its own configuration and has specific dependencies. As the number of containers increases, managing them becomes more complex. Kubernetes provides an API that automates control processes, monitors computer utilization, and adjusts resource allocation within a network as needed.
A sizable community has formed around Kubernetes as open source software, with numerous digital corporations including Microsoft. With expertise in Microsoft Azure as an integrated and flexible cloud solution, ESYON also relies on Azure Kubernetes Services.
More about ESYON and Microsoft Azure
Benefits of Azure Kubernetes Services for our customers
We are gradually moving our customers’ online stores to AKS, resulting in the following advantages:
Accelerated time to market
With Kubernetes, ESYON is able to provide homogeneous staging, test and production environments automatically. Continuous CI and CD processes (CI = Continuous Integration, CD = Continuous Deployment), in interaction with our development environment based on Azure DevOps, enable us to make rapid development sprints available.
Increased stability and availability
Kubernetes increases the degree of automation of software integration. This ensures increased stability and minimization of error sources. System failures are automatically detected by the orchestration software and application restarts are initiated. During load peaks, the system also scales automatically and provides additional servers.
Cost and effort reduction
Kubernetes independently optimizes the packing density of the containers and ensures a more efficient utilization of the system. This results in a reduction of the infrastructure, which lowers the operating costs.
Performance
Kubernetes can ensure high performance of the store system by distributing the system load.
What are the benefits of Azure Kubernetes in conjunction with OXID eShop?
The connection between OXID eShop and Azure Kubernetes Services is an extremely useful one. The modern OXID platform can be run in AKS without any problems. Concerns about compatibility are unfounded. In AKS, the various store services are isolated into their own containers and monitored, expanded or restarted as needed. Thus, within an OXID-eShop instance, the Apache web server, the PHP engine, and the cron services are started in their own pods. MySQL databases, which are characterized by high stability, performance and security, serve as the database. Depending on the requirements and size of the store, a needs-based infrastructure can be provided. For example, it is possible to mirror the online store to different data centers. In the event of a server failure, operations can continue seamlessly without downtime or data loss. The fact that Kubernetes automates container management minimizes the maintenance effort. This allows ESYON to fully take care of its customers’ projects and optimally implement their e-commerce strategies.
