Category: Cloud Native

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Understanding Cloud-Native Collaboration and DevOps Culture for the New Engineer

As a new engineer, understanding cloud-native collaboration and DevOps culture is important for several reasons.

First, it is essential for building and deploying cloud-native applications. These practices emphasize collaboration and communication between teams such as development, operations, and security, and aim to streamline the development and deployment process. By understanding how they work, you can build, deploy, and manage cloud-native applications more effectively.

Second, they allow for faster time-to-market. By promoting collaboration and communication between teams, development and deployment can be sped up, leading to faster time-to-market.

Third, they promote better quality of the applications. By promoting collaboration and communication between teams, more thorough testing and debugging can be done, resulting in better quality of the application.

Fourth, they allow for better scalability. By promoting collaboration and communication between teams, resources can be allocated and scaled up or down as needed, without incurring additional costs.

In summary, understanding cloud-native collaboration and DevOps culture is important because it is essential for building and deploying cloud-native applications, allows for faster time-to-market, promotes better quality of the applications, and allows for better scalability. It is a powerful tool for building and deploying applications in a cloud environment and is essential for any engineer working in the field today.

Learning Materials

Here’s a list to get you started learning about cloud-native collaboration and DevOps culture. Note that some of these links may not be free and may require a subscription or payment. I receive no affiliate payments for these links.

Beginner:

Intermediate:

Advanced:

Videos to Watch

Cloud Native DevOps Explained

This video outlines the steps for migrating an application to a cloud-native approach, including breaking it into a pipeline, building and packaging components, running tests, and scanning for vulnerabilities. It also covers the use of DevOps and continuous delivery, as well as frameworks for test-driven development.

A Possible Learning Path

Hands-on experience: Start by setting up a simple Kubernetes cluster and experimenting with different DevOps tools such as Jenkins, Ansible, and Helm. This can be done by following tutorials and guides, and deploying these tools on a cloud platform like AWS, Azure, or GCP.

Theoretical learning: Once you have a basic understanding of DevOps, you can begin to explore the underlying concepts and technologies such as continuous integration, continuous delivery, and infrastructure as code. This can be done through online resources such as tutorials, courses, and documentation provided by Kubernetes, as well as books and blogs on the topic.

Understanding the principles and best practices: DevOps is an important aspect of a microservices architecture, so it’s important to understand the key principles and best practices of DevOps, such as collaboration, automation, and monitoring.

Joining a community: Joining a community of Kubernetes enthusiasts will help you connect with other people who are learning and working with DevOps for Kubernetes. This can be done through online forums, meetups, and social media groups.

Practice, practice, practice: As with any new technology, the best way to learn is by doing. The more you practice deploying and using DevOps tools in a Kubernetes cluster, the more comfortable and proficient you will become with the technology.

A Note from the Architect

OK, let’s talk about DevOps. So, what is it exactly? Well, DevOps is all about breaking down the barriers between development and operations teams, and promoting a culture of collaboration and communication. The goal is to speed up the software delivery process, improve quality, and increase efficiency.

Now, you might be wondering why we want to practice DevOps. Well, in the past, development and operations teams often worked in silos, which led to a lot of delays and inefficiencies. With DevOps, we’re able to bring those teams together and get everyone working towards the same goal: delivering high-quality software quickly and efficiently.

There are a few key principles of DevOps that we like to follow. One of the most important is automation. By automating as many processes as possible, we’re able to speed up the delivery process and reduce the likelihood of errors. Another key principle is continuous integration and delivery. By integrating code changes frequently and delivering them to production as soon as they’re ready, we’re able to get feedback and make improvements more quickly.

Now, when it comes to cloud native approaches like developing on Kubernetes, they fit really well within DevOps practices. By using containerization and orchestration, we’re able to automate the deployment and scaling of our applications, which helps us move faster and be more efficient.

As an individual team member, you can contribute to the DevOps culture by being open to feedback and suggestions, and by being willing to work collaboratively with other teams. Some good practices for a new engineer or developer to pick up include learning how to use automation tools, getting familiar with containerization and orchestration, and practicing continuous integration and delivery.

You might be wondering how DevOps is related to agile and SRE. Well, DevOps is closely related to agile, as both focus on delivering software quickly and efficiently. SRE, on the other hand, is all about ensuring the reliability and availability of software in production. All these practices come together to make sure the software is delivered fast, reliable and with high availability.

Finally, let me tell you, before DevOps became a common practice, IT departments faced a lot of problems. There were often delays in getting new features or updates to production, and there were also a lot of communication issues between development and operations teams. DevOps helps us to overcome all these problems.

Well, dear reader, we’ve come to the end of our series of blog posts on cloud native technologies and practices, and especially Kubernetes. Well, this won’t be my last post on Kubernetes, but at least as far as it relates to this series. I hope you’ve found the information we’ve covered to be helpful and informative.

Throughout the series, we’ve talked about a lot of different topics, including security, CICD, DevOps, and containerization. These are all critical concepts for anyone working in the cloud, and I want to emphasize that these concepts aren’t just short-lived trends, but tools and ideas that will serve you well for many years of your career.

We’ve covered a lot of ground in these posts, but there’s still so much more to learn about cloud native technologies and practices. As you continue to grow and develop your skills, I hope you’ll keep these concepts in mind and continue to explore the many different ways that they can be applied in your work.

I also want to take a moment to thank you for your time, support, and the conversations we’ve had throughout the series. Your feedback and input have been invaluable in helping to make these posts a success, and I appreciate the time you’ve taken to read and engage with the content.

As you continue your journey in cloud native technologies, keep in mind that it’s a constantly evolving landscape, and there will always be more to learn and explore. But with the concepts and tools we’ve covered in this series, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate this exciting and rapidly changing field.

Thanks again for reading and I hope you enjoyed the series. Let’s continue the conversation and explore even more of this exciting field together!

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Connect with Shawn

Connect with me on LinkedIn. It’s where I’m most active, and it’s the easiest way to connect with me.

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Getting Started with Cloud-Native App Development: Best Practices, Learning Materials, and Videos to Watch

As a new engineer, understanding the concept of cloud-native app development is important for several reasons.

First, cloud-native app development is a key aspect of building and deploying applications in the cloud. It is the practice of using technologies, tools, and best practices that are designed to work seamlessly with cloud environments. By understanding how cloud-native app development works, you will be able to build, deploy, and manage cloud-native applications more effectively.

Second, cloud-native app development allows for better scalability and cost efficiency. By using technologies, tools, and best practices that are designed to work seamlessly with cloud environments, it allows for resources to be automatically allocated and scaled up or down as needed, without incurring additional costs.

Third, cloud-native app development promotes better collaboration and DevOps culture. By using technologies, tools, and best practices that are designed to work seamlessly with cloud environments, it becomes easier for different teams and developers to work together on the same application.

Fourth, cloud-native app development allows for better security, by using technologies, tools, and best practices that are designed to work seamlessly with cloud environments, it ensures that the application and infrastructure are protected from threats and can continue to operate in case of an attack or failure.

In summary, as a new engineer, understanding the concept of cloud-native app development is important because it is a key aspect of building and deploying applications in the cloud, allows for better scalability and cost efficiency, promotes better collaboration and DevOps culture, and allows for better security.

Learning Materials

Here’s a list to get you started learning about cloud-native app development. Note that some of these links may not be free and may require a subscription or payment. I receive no affiliate payments for these links.

Beginner:

Intermediate:

Advanced:

Videos to Watch

Best practices in Kubernetes app development

This document outlines best practices for developing with Kubernetes, such as using a tailored logging interface, debugging with CLI commands, and creating project templates with Cloud Code. Google Cloud DevTools are introduced as a way to simplify the process of incorporating best practices into the Kubernetes development workflow.

A Possible Learning Path

Hands-on experience: Start by setting up a simple Kubernetes cluster and experimenting with different app development tools such as Kubernetes Deployments, Services, and ConfigMaps. This can be done by following tutorials and guides, and deploying a simple application on a cloud platform like AWS, Azure, or GCP.

Theoretical learning: Once you have a basic understanding of app development, you can begin to explore the underlying concepts and technologies such as Kubernetes pods, services, and volumes. This can be done through online resources such as tutorials, courses, and documentation provided by Kubernetes, as well as books and blogs on the topic.

Understanding the principles and best practices: App development is an important aspect of a microservices architecture, so it’s important to understand the key principles and best practices of app development such as containerization, scaling, and rolling updates.

Joining a community: Joining a community of Kubernetes enthusiasts will help you connect with other people who are learning and working with app development for Kubernetes. This can be done through online forums, meetups, and social media groups.

Practice, practice, practice: As with any new technology, the best way to learn is by doing. The more you practice deploying and using app development tools in a Kubernetes cluster, the more comfortable and proficient you will become with the technology.

A Note from the Architect

Hey there, let’s talk about cloud native application development. So, what is it exactly? Well, it’s all about developing applications that are specifically designed to run in a cloud environment, like Kubernetes, which is one of the most popular container orchestration platforms out there.

What makes cloud native application development different from other approaches is that it’s all about leveraging the benefits of the cloud, like scalability and flexibility, to create applications that can easily adapt to changing workloads and environments.

When it comes to developing applications for Kubernetes, there’s a typical software development workflow that you’ll need to follow. First, you’ll need to choose the right programming languages and frameworks. Some of the most popular languages for cloud native development are Go, Java, Python, and Node.js.

Once you’ve chosen your languages and frameworks, you’ll need to design your application architecture to work well with Kubernetes. Some of the best patterns for Kubernetes include using microservices, containerization, and service meshes. On the other hand, monolithic applications and stateful applications are not well suited for running on Kubernetes.

And finally, let me tell you, we really like VS Code around here. It’s one of the best tools for cloud native application development, especially when working with Kubernetes. It provides a lot of great features for working with containerization and orchestration, like excellent plugins for Kubernetes, debugging, and integration with other popular tools like Helm and Kustomize. So, if you haven’t already, give it a try, you might like it too.

Be sure to reach out on LinkedIn if you have any questions.

Connect with Shawn
Connect with Shawn

Connect with me on LinkedIn. It’s where I’m most active, and it’s the easiest way to connect with me.

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Master Cloud Native Governance: The Essential Guide for New Engineers

As a new engineer, understanding the concept of cloud-native governance is important for several reasons.

First, it is a key component of cloud native application development. It uses governance tools and technologies that are native to the cloud and designed to work seamlessly with cloud-native applications. This allows for better deployment and management of cloud-native applications.

Second, cloud-native governance ensures compliance and security. It ensures that the application and infrastructure meet compliance requirements and are protected from threats.

Third, it promotes better collaboration and DevOps culture. Different teams and developers can work together on the same application, and the organization’s policies and standards are followed.

Fourth, it allows for better cost management. Resources can be monitored and controlled, and the organization is not overspending on the cloud.

In summary, understanding the concept of cloud-native governance is important for any engineer working in the field today. It is a powerful tool for building and deploying applications in a cloud environment.

Learning Materials

Here’s a list to get you started learning about cloud-native governance. Note that some of these links may not be free and may require a subscription or payment. I receive no affiliate payments for these links.

Beginner:

Intermediate:

Advanced:

A Possible Learning Path

Hands-on experience: Start by setting up a simple Kubernetes cluster and experimenting with different governance tools such as Open Policy Agent (OPA), Kubernetes Policy Controller, and Kube-bench. This can be done by following tutorials and guides, and deploying these tools on a cloud platform like AWS, Azure, or GCP.

Theoretical learning: Once you have a basic understanding of governance, you can begin to explore the underlying concepts and technologies such as Kubernetes role-based access control (RBAC), Namespaces, and NetworkPolicies. This can be done through online resources such as tutorials, courses, and documentation provided by Kubernetes, as well as books and blogs on the topic.

Understanding the principles and best practices: Governance is an important aspect of a microservices architecture, so it’s important to understand the key principles and best practices of governance such as security, compliance, and auditing.

Joining a community: Joining a community of Kubernetes enthusiasts will help you connect with other people who are learning and working with governance for Kubernetes. This can be done through online forums, meetups, and social media groups.

Practice, practice, practice: As with any new technology, the best way to learn is by doing. The more you practice deploying and using governance tools in a Kubernetes cluster, the more comfortable and proficient you will become with the technology.

A Note from the Architect

Ok, let’s talk about cloud native governance. So, why do we need to practice it? Well, as we all know, the cloud is a constantly evolving landscape and it can be pretty overwhelming to keep up with all the new technologies and best practices. That’s where governance comes in – it’s all about making sure we’re using the cloud in a consistent and efficient way across our organization.

So what exactly is cloud native governance? It’s all about using policies and tools to manage the resources in our cloud environment. This includes things like setting up guidelines for how our teams use the cloud, automating tasks to keep our environment in check, and monitoring for any potential issues.

Now, you might be wondering why cloud native governance was created. Well, as organizations started moving more and more of their workloads to the cloud, they realized they needed a way to keep everything in check. Without governance in place, it can be easy for teams to create resources in an ad-hoc way, which can lead to wasted resources, security vulnerabilities, and inconsistencies in how the cloud is being used.

Now, let’s talk about the major tools on Kubernetes that help with cloud native governance. One of the most popular is Kubernetes itself, which provides a way to manage and scale containerized applications. Another popular tool is Helm, which helps with managing and deploying Kubernetes resources. There’s also Kustomize, which helps with creating and managing customized resources. And finally, there’s Open Policy Agent (OPA) which allows to define and enforce policies on k8s resources.

It’s important to note that governance is similar to security, and it requires a continuous practice. Governance policies and tools need to be regularly reviewed and updated to ensure they are still effective and aligned with the organization’s goals and requirements. It’s all about making sure we’re using the cloud in the best way possible.

Be sure to reach out on LinkedIn if you have any questions.

Connect with Shawn
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Connect with me on LinkedIn. It’s where I’m most active, and it’s the easiest way to connect with me.

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Understanding Cloud-Native Observability for Kubernetes: Principles, Best Practices, and Tools

As a new engineer, understanding cloud-native observability is important for several reasons.

First, it is a key component of cloud-native application development. It uses monitoring and observability tools native to the cloud, designed to work seamlessly with cloud-native applications. This helps build, deploy, and manage applications more effectively.

Second, cloud-native observability provides better visibility and troubleshooting. It provides a comprehensive view of the application and its underlying infrastructure, helping to identify and troubleshoot issues quickly.

Third, it promotes better collaboration and DevOps culture. By providing insights into the performance and behavior of the application, it becomes easier for different teams and developers to work together.

Fourth, it allows for better security. By using monitoring and observability tools native to the cloud, it enables quick detection and response to security threats.

In summary, understanding cloud-native observability is important for building and deploying applications in a cloud environment. It is a key component of cloud-native application development, provides better visibility and troubleshooting, promotes better collaboration and DevOps culture, and allows for better security. It is essential for any engineer working in the field today.

Learning Materials

Here’s a list to get you started learning about cloud-native observability. Note that some of these links may not be free and may require a subscription or payment. I receive no affiliate payments for these links.

Beginner:

Intermediate:

Advanced:

Videos to Watch

LF Live Webinar: Kubernetes Observability with OpenTelemetry and Beyond

Martin Fuentes and Cedric, product managers at Instantana, discussed Kubernetes resource management and how to observe Kubernetes workloads. They explained how CPU and memory are the most important resources managed by Kubernetes, and how requests and limits can be configured for containers. They also discussed the different types of scaling, such as horizontal and vertical scaling, and how HPA (Horizontal Pod Autoscaling) can be used to automatically scale containers.

A Possible Learning Path

Hands-on experience: Start by setting up a simple Kubernetes cluster and experimenting with different observability tools such as Prometheus, Grafana, and Elasticsearch. This can be done by following tutorials and guides, and deploying these tools on a cloud platform like AWS, Azure, or GCP.

Theoretical learning: Once you have a basic understanding of observability, you can begin to explore the underlying concepts and technologies such as Kubernetes metrics, logging, and tracing. This can be done through online resources such as tutorials, courses, and documentation provided by Kubernetes, as well as books and blogs on the topic.

Understanding the principles and best practices: Observability is an important aspect of a microservices architecture, so it’s important to understand the key principles and best practices of observability, such as metrics collection, log aggregation, and tracing.

Joining a community: Joining a community of Kubernetes enthusiasts will help you connect with other people who are learning and working with observability for Kubernetes. This can be done through online forums, meetups, and social media groups.

Practice, practice, practice: As with any new technology, the best way to learn is by doing. The more you practice deploying and using observability tools in a Kubernetes cluster, the more comfortable and proficient you will become with the technology.

A Note from the Architect

Ok, let’s talk about observability. It’s a pretty important concept to understand, especially if you’re working in a DevOps culture. Even if you’re not, it’s a great practice to start using when you think about building out your solutions.

So, what is observability? Essentially, it’s the ability to understand the internal state of a system by observing its external behavior. This means that you can use metrics, traces, and logs to understand what’s happening inside your system, even if you don’t have direct access to the internal state.

There are three main principles of observability:

  1. Measurability: The ability to collect and aggregate data from your system. This includes metrics, traces, and logs.
  2. Understandability: The ability to understand the data that you collect. This includes using visualization tools and dashboards to make sense of the data.
  3. Explainability: The ability to explain the data that you collect. This includes using tracing and logging to understand the cause of issues.

So, how does observability fit into a DevOps culture? Well, in a DevOps culture, you’re focused on smooth, but rapid development and deployment. This means that you need to be able to quickly understand and fix issues that arise in your system. Observability gives you the tools to do that, by providing a way to understand the internal state of your system.

Now, let’s talk about some tools that can help with observability on Kubernetes. Here are a couple of popular options:

  1. Prometheus: Prometheus is an open-source metrics collection and monitoring tool. It’s great for use cases where you need to collect and aggregate metrics from your system.
  2. Jaeger: Jaeger is an open-source tracing tool. It’s great for use cases where you need to understand the cause of issues in your system.

Both of these options are great choices for different types of observability, and they’re both built specifically to work with Kubernetes.

So, what are the consequences of not practicing observability? Well, if you’re not practicing observability, you’ll have a hard time understanding what’s happening inside your system. This means that you won’t be able to quickly fix issues that arise, which can lead to downtime and lost revenue. Additionally, you won’t be able to understand the performance of your system, which can lead to poor performance and a bad user experience. So, observability is a crucial practice to ensure the smooth running of your system.

So, that’s the basics of observability. It’s a powerful tool that can help you build robust and scalable solutions on Kubernetes. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!

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Connect with me on LinkedIn. It’s where I’m most active, and it’s the easiest way to connect with me.

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Learn the Benefits of Logging and Monitoring in Cloud-Native Environments

As a new engineer, understanding the concept of logging and monitoring is important for several reasons.

First, logging and monitoring are key components of cloud-native application development. They involve collecting, analyzing, and visualizing data from an application and its underlying infrastructure. By understanding how logging and monitoring work, you can build, deploy, and manage cloud-native applications more effectively.

Second, logging and monitoring provide better visibility and troubleshooting. By collecting, analyzing, and visualizing data, you can understand the behavior and performance of the application, identify problems, and troubleshoot issues quickly.

Third, logging and monitoring promote better collaboration and DevOps culture. By providing insights into the performance and behavior of the application, it becomes easier for different teams and developers to work together on the same application.

Fourth, logging and monitoring allow for better security. By collecting and analyzing data from different sources, you can detect and respond to security threats quickly.

In summary, as a new engineer, understanding the concept of logging and monitoring is important because it is a key component of cloud-native application development, provides better visibility and troubleshooting, promotes better collaboration and DevOps culture, and allows for better security. It is a powerful tool for building and deploying applications in a cloud environment and is essential for any engineer working in the field today.

Learning Materials

Here’s a list to get you started learning about logging and monitoring. Note that some of these links may not be free and may require a subscription or payment. I receive no affiliate payments for these links.

Beginner:

Intermediate:

Advanced:

Videos to Watch

Monitoring, Logging, And Alerting In Kubernetes

This video provides an overview of the different components of a self-managed monitoring and logging stack for Kubernetes clusters, such as Prometheus, Node Exporters, Push Gateway, and Alert Manager. Robusta is also mentioned as a platform for Kubernetes notifications, troubleshooting, and automation.

A Possible Learning Path

Hands-on experience: Start by setting up a simple Kubernetes cluster and experimenting with different logging and monitoring tools such as Prometheus, Grafana, and Elasticsearch. This can be done by following tutorials and guides, and deploying these tools on a cloud platform like AWS, Azure, or GCP.

Theoretical learning: Once you have a basic understanding of logging and monitoring, you can begin to explore the underlying concepts and technologies such as Kubernetes API objects, metrics, and alerting. This can be done through online resources such as tutorials, courses, and documentation provided by Kubernetes, as well as books and blogs on the topic.

Understanding the principles and best practices: Logging and monitoring are important aspects of a microservices architecture, so it’s important to understand the key principles and best practices of logging and monitoring such as observability, log retention, and monitoring dashboards.

Joining a community: Joining a community of Kubernetes enthusiasts will help you connect with other people who are learning and working with logging and monitoring for Kubernetes. This can be done through online forums, meetups, and social media groups.

Practice, practice, practice: As with any new technology, the best way to learn is by doing. The more you practice deploying and using logging and monitoring tools in a Kubernetes cluster, the more comfortable and proficient you will become with the technology.

A Note from the Architect

Believe it or not, in my early days of development a rarely created logs in production. I’m not sure if it was “bro science,” but many of us were of the opinion that writing logs would slow down our applications. It was almost as though many of us believed you could drive faster if you kept your eyes closed.

Logging and monitoring are like a detective and a spy for your application. They help you to understand what’s happening inside your application and detect any issues that might arise.

In a cloud-native environment, logging and monitoring are essential for understanding the health and performance of your application. Logging is the process of capturing information about what’s happening inside your application, such as error messages or performance metrics. Some of the common tools used for logging in cloud-native environments are Elasticsearch, Logstash, and Kibana (ELK stack), Fluentd, and Graylog. A typical log file might look like this:

[2022-11-01T09:15:00Z] [INFO] Server started on port 80
[2022-11-01T09:15:02Z] [ERROR] Failed to connect to database
[2022-11-01T09:15:03Z] [INFO] Successfully connected to database

Monitoring is the process of collecting and analyzing data about the performance and health of your application. Some common monitoring tools used in cloud-native environments are Prometheus, Grafana, and InfluxDB. These tools allow you to collect metrics about your application, such as CPU usage, memory usage, and network traffic. They also provide visualizations of the metrics, which makes it easy to understand what’s happening inside your application.

In Kubernetes, logging and monitoring are built into the platform and can be easily configured with Kubernetes resources. This allows you to collect and analyze data about your applications and systems.

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Connect with me on LinkedIn. It’s where I’m most active, and it’s the easiest way to connect with me.

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Understanding Cloud-Native Storage for Kubernetes: What It Is and How It Works

As a new engineer, understanding the concept of cloud-native storage is important for several reasons.

First, it is a key component of cloud native application development. It is the practice of using storage solutions that are native to the cloud and designed to work seamlessly with cloud-native applications. By understanding how cloud-native storage works, you will be able to build, deploy, and manage cloud-native applications more effectively.

Second, it allows for better scalability and cost efficiency. By using storage solutions that are native to the cloud, resources can be automatically allocated and scaled up or down as needed, without incurring additional costs.

Third, it promotes better collaboration and DevOps culture. By using storage solutions that are native to the cloud, it becomes easier for different teams and developers to work together on the same application.

Fourth, it allows for better data availability. By using storage solutions that are native to the cloud, data is stored in multiple locations and can be accessed from any location.

In summary, understanding the concept of cloud-native storage is important because it is a key component of cloud native application development, allows for better scalability and cost efficiency, promotes better collaboration and DevOps culture, and allows for better data availability. It is a powerful tool for building and deploying applications in a cloud environment and is essential for any engineer working in the field today.

Learning Materials

Here’s a list to get you started learning about cloud-native storage. Note that some of these links may not be free and may require a subscription or payment. I receive no affiliate payments for these links.

Beginner:

Intermediate:

Advanced:

Videos to Watch

CNCF Webinar – Introduction to Cloud Native Storage

This webinar provides an overview of the evolving cloud native storage requirements and data architecture, discussing the need for layered services that can be seamlessly bound for the user experience. It explores the extensible, open-source approach of abstractions and plugins that give users the choice to select the storage technologies that fit their needs. It also looks at the importance of persistent volumes for containers, allowing for the flexibility and performance needed for stateful workloads.

A Possible Learning Path

Hands-on experience: Start by setting up a simple Kubernetes cluster and experimenting with different cloud-native storage options such as Kubernetes Persistent Volumes (PVs), Persistent Volume Claims (PVCs), and StatefulSets. This can be done by following tutorials and guides, and deploying these options on a cloud platform like AWS, Azure, or GCP.

Theoretical learning: Once you have a basic understanding of cloud-native storage, you can begin to explore the underlying concepts and technologies such as Kubernetes storage classes, storage provisioners, and storage backends. This can be done through online resources such as tutorials, courses, and documentation provided by Kubernetes and storage providers, as well as books and blogs on the topic.

Understanding the principles and best practices: Cloud-native storage is an important aspect of a microservices architecture, so it’s important to understand the key principles and best practices, such as data replication, data durability, and data accessibility.

Joining a community: Connect with other people who are learning and working with cloud-native storage for Kubernetes by joining online forums, meetups, and social media groups.

Practice, practice, practice: The best way to learn is by doing. The more you practice deploying and using cloud-native storage options in a Kubernetes cluster, the more comfortable and proficient you will become with the technology.

A Note from the Architect

Hey there! I’m glad you’re interested in learning more about cloud native storage. It’s a pretty important concept to understand, especially if you’re working with Kubernetes.

So, what is cloud native storage? Essentially, it’s a type of storage that is built specifically for use in cloud environments. This means that it’s designed to work seamlessly with cloud technologies like Kubernetes, and can handle the unique challenges that come with a cloud environment, like scalability and high availability.

Why is it necessary for certain solutions built on Kubernetes? Well, Kubernetes is a powerful tool for managing containerized applications, but it doesn’t come with its own storage solution. So, if you’re building a solution on Kubernetes, you’ll need to use a separate storage solution that’s compatible with it. That’s where cloud native storage comes in – it’s designed to work with Kubernetes, so it’s the perfect match.

Now, let’s talk about how it works. Essentially, cloud native storage solutions provide a way to store and access data that’s running on Kubernetes. They do this by creating a “volume” that can be mounted to a Kubernetes pod, which allows the pod to access the data stored in the volume. This way, you can store data in a persistent way, even if the pod is deleted or recreated.

Here are a couple of popular Kubernetes cloud native storage options and the types of solutions they’re used for:

  1. Rook: Rook is an open-source storage solution for Kubernetes. It’s great for use cases where you need to store data in a distributed way, like a big data analytics solution or a large-scale data storage system.
  2. GlusterFS: GlusterFS is another open-source storage solution for Kubernetes. It’s great for use cases where you need to store data in a highly available way, like a web application or a database.

Both of these options are great choices for different types of solutions, and they’re both built specifically to work with Kubernetes.

So, that’s the basics of cloud native storage. It’s a powerful tool that can help you build robust and scalable solutions on Kubernetes. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask on LinkedIn!

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Secure Your Cloud Native Applications: Understanding the Principles and Best Practices

As a new engineer, understanding the concept of security is important for several reasons.

First, security is a fundamental aspect of cloud native application development. It is the practice of protecting applications, data, and infrastructure from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction. By understanding how security works, you will be able to build, deploy, and manage cloud-native applications more effectively and securely.

Second, security allows for better protection of sensitive data. By implementing security controls and best practices, it ensures that sensitive information is protected and kept confidential.

Third, security promotes better compliance with industry standards and regulations. By implementing security controls and best practices, it ensures that the application and infrastructure meet compliance requirements for various regulations such as HIPAA, SOC2, PCI-DSS, and more.

Fourth, security allows for better resilience and availability of the system. By implementing security controls and best practices, it ensures that the application and infrastructure are protected from threats and can continue to operate in case of an attack or failure.

In summary, as a new engineer, understanding the concept of security is important because it is a fundamental aspect of cloud native application development. It allows for better protection of sensitive data, promotes better compliance with industry standards and regulations, and allows for better resilience and availability of the system. It is a critical component of building and deploying applications in a cloud environment and is essential for any engineer working in the field today.

Learning Materials

Here’s a list to get you started learning about security. Note that some of these links may not be free and may require a subscription or payment. I receive no affiliate payments for these links.

Beginner:

Intermediate:

Advanced:

Videos to Watch

Understanding Security In The Cloud Native World

The Cloud Native Computing Foundation’s survey found that while companies recognize the need for modernizing security, there is still a gap in expertise and tooling to map compliance requirements to cloud native technologies. CNCF is working to bridge this gap through education, security control mapping, and creating an interactive map to help organizations navigate the cognitive security paper.

A Possible Learning Path

Hands-on experience: Start by setting up a simple Kubernetes cluster and experimenting with different security tools such as Kubernetes Network Policies, Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), and Secrets Management. This can be done by following tutorials and guides, and deploying these tools on a cloud platform like AWS, Azure, or GCP.

Theoretical learning: Once you have a basic understanding of security, you can begin to explore the underlying concepts and technologies such as Kubernetes API objects, encryption, and authentication. This can be done through online resources such as tutorials, courses, and documentation provided by Kubernetes, as well as books and blogs on the topic.

Understanding the principles and best practices: Security is an important aspect of a microservices architecture, so it’s important to understand the key principles and best practices of security such as least privilege, defense in depth, and threat modeling.

Joining a community: Joining a community of Kubernetes enthusiasts will help you connect with other people who are learning and working with security for Kubernetes. This can be done through online forums, meetups, and social media groups.

Practice, practice, practice: As with any new technology, the best way to learn is by doing. The more you practice deploying and using security tools in a Kubernetes cluster, the more comfortable and proficient you will become with the technology.

A Note from the Architect

Security is important, but it’s not something you can ever get completely covered.

Cloud native architecture poses many risks, such as data breaches, unauthorized access to sensitive information, and denial of service attacks. These risks can have significant consequences for both the organization and its customers.

One main area of concern in cloud native architecture is access control. In a cloud environment, it’s easy for unauthorized users to gain access to sensitive information if proper access controls are not in place. To mitigate this risk, it’s important to implement identity and access management (IAM) policies that limit access to resources based on user roles and permissions.

Another area of concern is data encryption. In a cloud environment, data is often stored and transmitted over networks, making it vulnerable to interception and theft. To mitigate this risk, it’s important to encrypt sensitive data both at rest and in transit.

A third area of concern is network security. In a cloud environment, networks are often shared among multiple tenants, making them vulnerable to attacks. To mitigate this risk, it’s important to implement network security measures such as firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS), and virtual private networks (VPNs).

It’s important to note that security is a constant practice and not a one-time event. It’s important to regularly review and update security policies, implement security updates and patches, and conduct regular security audits to ensure that the systems and applications are secure.

It’s also important to educate developers on the security best practices and make them aware of the potential risks and ways to mitigate them. This will help ensure that security is built into the development process from the beginning, rather than an afterthought.

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Unlocking the Power of Service Discovery in Kubernetes

As a new engineer, understanding the concept of service discovery is important for several reasons.

First, it is a key component of microservices architecture. Service discovery allows services to find and communicate with each other, regardless of their location or IP address. This makes it easier to build, deploy, and manage microservices-based applications.

Second, service discovery enables greater scalability and flexibility. Services can be added or removed without affecting the rest of the system, and new services can be introduced without changing existing code.

Third, service discovery facilitates better collaboration and DevOps culture. By making it easy for services to find and communicate with each other, different teams and developers can work together on the same application.

Fourth, service discovery allows for better resilience. It enables the system to automatically route traffic to healthy instances of a service, even if some instances are unavailable.

In summary, understanding service discovery is important for any engineer working in the field today. It is a powerful tool for building and deploying applications in a microservices environment and is essential for achieving greater scalability, flexibility, collaboration, and resilience.

Learning Materials

Here’s a list to get you started learning about Service Discovery. Note that some of these links may not be free and may require a subscription or payment. I receive no affiliate payments for these links.

Beginner:

Intermediate:

Advanced:

Videos to Watch

What is Service Discovery?

Moving from a monolith to a Cloud-based Microservices Architecture presents several challenges, such as Service Discovery, which involves locating resources on a network and keeping a Service Registry up to date. Service Discovery can be categorized by WHERE it happens (Client Side or Server Side) and HOW it is maintained (Self Registration or Third-party Registration). Each approach has its own pros and cons, and further complexities such as Service Mesh can be explored in further detail.

Possible Learning Path (Service Discovery for Kubernetes)

Hands-on experience: Start by setting up a simple Kubernetes cluster and experimenting with different service discovery mechanisms such as Kubernetes Services, DNS, and Load Balancing. This can be done by following tutorials and guides and deploying these services on a cloud platform like AWS, Azure, or GCP.

Theoretical learning: Once you have a basic understanding of service discovery, you can begin to explore the underlying concepts and technologies such as Kubernetes Services, DNS, and Load Balancing. This can be done through online resources such as tutorials, courses, and documentation provided by Kubernetes, as well as books and blogs on the topic.

Understanding the principles and best practices: Service discovery is an important aspect of a microservices architecture, so it’s important to understand the key principles and best practices of service discovery such as service registration, service discovery, and service resolution.

Joining a community: Joining a community of Kubernetes enthusiasts will help you connect with other people who are learning and working with service discovery for Kubernetes. This can be done through online forums, meetups, and social media groups.

Practice, practice, practice: As with any new technology, the best way to learn is by doing. The more you practice deploying and using service discovery mechanisms in a Kubernetes cluster, the more comfortable and proficient you will become with the technology.

A Note from the Architect

So, you know how in a microservice architecture, we have all these different services that need to talk to each other? Well, service discovery is kind of like a phone book for those services (this is DNS). It helps them find each other and communicate with each other.

In traditional networks, service discovery is often done using a centralized server or load balancer. This means that all the services need to know the IP address or hostname of this central server in order to communicate with other services.

But in Kubernetes, service discovery is built into the platform. Each service gets its own unique IP address and DNS name, and Kubernetes automatically handles routing traffic between them. This means that the services don’t need to know anything about other services except their own name.

And the best part? Kubernetes service discovery is dynamic, which means that it automatically updates when new services are added or removed, so you don’t have to manually update the phone book every time something changes.

But that’s not all, Kubernetes also provides a way to expose your services externally, so that you can access them from outside the cluster, which is very useful for example if you want to access your services from the internet.

So, with service discovery in Kubernetes, you don’t have to worry about keeping track of IP addresses and hostnames, and you don’t have to worry about updating a central server when things change. It’s like having a personal assistant who always knows the latest phone number of your services and also makes sure that they are accessible from anywhere.

Basically, service discovery in Kubernetes provides a way for services to easily find and communicate with each other, and it’s built right into the platform. It’s a game-changer for managing and scaling a microservice architecture.

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Connect with Shawn

Connect with me on LinkedIn. It’s where I’m most active, and it’s the easiest way to connect with me.

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Unlocking the Benefits of Configuration Management in Kubernetes

As a new engineer, understanding the concept of Configuration Management (CM) is important for several reasons.

First, CM is a key component of cloud native application development. It is the process of maintaining consistent and accurate configurations across all components of an application, including servers, networks, and software. By understanding how CM works, you can build, deploy, and manage cloud-native applications more effectively.

Second, CM ensures greater consistency and reproducibility. By maintaining consistent configurations across all components of an application, it ensures the same configuration is used across different environments, and that the infrastructure can be easily recreated if necessary. This makes it easier to handle the increasing demand for more computing power and storage.

Third, CM promotes better collaboration and a DevOps culture. By maintaining consistent configurations across all components of an application, it becomes easier for different teams and developers to work together on the same application.

Fourth, CM allows for better tracking and version control of changes. By keeping the configurations in a CM tool, it allows for tracking changes and rollback if necessary.

In summary, as a new engineer, understanding the concept of CM is important because it is a key component of cloud native application development, ensures greater consistency and reproducibility, promotes better collaboration and a DevOps culture, and allows for better tracking and version control of changes. It is a powerful tool for building and deploying applications in a cloud environment, and is essential for any engineer working in the field today.

Learning Materials

Here’s a list to get you started learning about configuration management. Note that some of these links may not be free and may require a subscription or payment. I receive no affiliate payments for these links.

Beginner:

Intermediate:

Advanced:

Videos to Watch

Configuration Management in 2020 and Beyond – Eric Sorenson

Cloud Native concepts are based on good architecture principles, such as declarative automation, continuous deployment, and observability. These principles emphasize short life cycles, high cardinality, and immutability, and have changed the way systems administration is done.

Possible Learning Path

Hands-on experience: Start by setting up a simple Kubernetes cluster and experimenting with different configuration management tools such as Kubernetes Resource Configs, ConfigMaps, and Secrets. This can be done by following tutorials and guides, and deploying these tools on a cloud platform like AWS, Azure, or GCP.

Theoretical learning: Once you have a basic understanding of configuration management, you can begin to explore the underlying concepts and technologies such as Kubernetes API objects, YAML manifests, and declarative configuration. This can be done through online resources such as tutorials, courses, and documentation provided by Kubernetes, as well as books and blogs on the topic.

Understanding the principles and best practices: Configuration management is an important aspect of a microservices architecture, so it’s important to understand the key principles and best practices of configuration management such as separation of concerns, immutability, and version control.

Joining a community: Joining a community of Kubernetes enthusiasts will help you connect with other people who are learning and working with configuration management for Kubernetes. This can be done through online forums, meetups, and social media groups.

Practice, practice, practice: As with any new technology, the best way to learn is by doing. The more you practice deploying and using configuration management tools in a Kubernetes cluster, the more comfortable and proficient you will become with the technology.

A Note from the Architect

In traditional IT systems, configuration management is often done manually, which can be time-consuming and error-prone. It can be a real pain to keep track of all the different configurations and make sure they’re up-to-date across all the servers.

But in Kubernetes, configuration management is built into the platform and can be easily managed using Kubernetes resources like ConfigMaps and Secrets. Just keep in mind that Kubernetes does not encrypt secrets, so it is recommended to use Vault for this purpose. This makes it much more efficient and reliable.

One of the main advantages of using configuration management in Kubernetes is that it allows you to easily manage and update configurations across all the components of your application. This includes environment variables, database connection strings, and other sensitive information.

Moreover, version control can be used for configurations, which makes it possible to roll back changes if something goes wrong (again, secrets should not be stored in the source code repository). This is especially beneficial in a production environment, where mistakes can have serious consequences.

Additionally, by keeping configurations in code, the process of updating and deploying them can be automated, making it easier to manage and maintain over time.

In conclusion, configuration management in Kubernetes enables efficient and reliable management of configurations across all components of an application, as well as version control and automation of configurations. It is like having a personal assistant who keeps all configurations organized and up-to-date, without needing to manually update them.

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Connect with Shawn

Connect with me on LinkedIn. It’s where I’m most active, and it’s the easiest way to connect with me.

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Learning Infrastructure as Code: What You Need to Know for Cloud Native Engineering

As a new engineer, understanding Infrastructure as Code (IAC) is important for several reasons.

First, IAC is a key component of cloud native application development. It is the practice of managing and provisioning infrastructure using code, rather than manual configuration. By understanding how IAC works, you can build, deploy, and manage cloud-native applications more effectively.

Second, IAC allows for greater consistency and reproducibility. By using code to manage and provision infrastructure, it ensures the same configuration is used across different environments and that the infrastructure can be easily recreated if necessary. This makes it easier to handle increasing demand for computing power and storage.

Third, IAC promotes better collaboration and a DevOps culture. By using code to manage and provision infrastructure, it becomes easier for different teams and developers to work together on the same application.

Fourth, IAC allows for better tracking and version control of infrastructure changes. By keeping the infrastructure definition in code, it allows for tracking changes in the same way as code changes and reverting to previous versions if necessary.

In summary, understanding IAC is important because it is a key component of cloud native application development, allows for greater consistency and reproducibility, promotes better collaboration and DevOps culture, and allows for better tracking and version control of infrastructure changes. It is a powerful tool for building and deploying applications in a cloud environment and is essential for any engineer working in the field today.

Learning Materials

Here’s a list to get you started learning about Infrastructure as code (IAC). Note that some of these links may not be free and may require a subscription or payment. I receive no affiliate payments for these links.

Beginner:

Intermediate:

Advanced:

Videos to Watch

Cloud Native Summit – Five ways to manage your Infrastructure as Code at Scale / Ryan Cartwright

This document provides an overview of the challenges of cloud native engineering and the solutions available, such as remote state management, avoiding manual state changes, using CI tools, and implementing a reliable SAS offering. It also covers the features and security essentials that must be included in a terraform CI platform.

Possible Learning Path

Hands-on experience: Start by setting up a simple Kubernetes cluster and experimenting with different IAC tools such as Terraform, Ansible, and Helm. This can be done by following tutorials and guides and deploying these tools on a cloud platform like AWS, Azure, or GCP.

Theoretical learning: Once you have a basic understanding of IAC, you can begin to explore the underlying concepts and technologies such as configuration management, version control, and automation. This can be done through online resources such as tutorials, courses, and documentation provided by IAC tools, as well as books and blogs on the topic.

Understanding the principles and best practices: IAC is an important aspect of modern infrastructure management, so it’s important to understand the key principles and best practices of IAC, such as versioning, testing, and rollback.

Joining a community: Joining a community of IAC enthusiasts will help you connect with other people who are learning and working with IAC for Kubernetes. This can be done through online forums, meetups, and social media groups.

Practice, practice, practice: As with any new technology, the best way to learn is by doing. The more you practice deploying and using IAC tools in a Kubernetes cluster, the more comfortable and proficient you will become with the technology.

A Note from the Architect

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) is one of the most exciting developments in cloud deployments. It is a way of describing and provisioning infrastructure using code, instead of manual configuration. This makes it easier to manage and maintain over time, as well as enabling faster scaling, testing, and deploying of cloud native solutions.

Version control is essential for modern operations teams, as it allows them to track changes to the infrastructure over time and roll back to a previous version if something goes wrong. Developers should also learn it, as it allows them to collaborate more easily with operations teams and to understand the infrastructure that their code is running on.

IaC helps to ensure quality by allowing for automated provisioning and configuration of infrastructure. It also helps to ensure security, as it enables more controlled and automated access to infrastructure, making it easier to identify and isolate any malicious activity.

In conclusion, IaC is a great way to deploy cloud native solutions, as it makes it easier to manage and maintain over time. Version control is essential for modern operations teams, and developers should also learn it. Writing IaC helps to ensure quality and can help with security by allowing for more controlled and automated access to infrastructure.

Connect with Shawn
Connect with Shawn

Connect with me on LinkedIn. It’s where I’m most active, and it’s the easiest way to connect with me.

Shawn’s LinkedIn