Docker Benefits – Effective Ways To Overcome Problems Using Docker

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Docker Benefits – Effective Ways To Overcome Problems Using Docker

Introduction to Docker

Docker is the new age of container virtualization which is rapidly growing in an IT organizations. The three main characteristics which were driven with the help of docker are Build, Ship & Run. Let us first start with how the process evolves.

  • The first developer writes a code that defines the dependencies and the requirement of an application in an easy-to-write docker file which is consumed in the form of a package.
  • The package is further shipped into a docker file which builds a docker image. So, whatever dependencies are required for a particular application are present inside the docker image.
  • Now, the docker image runs the docker container, which is the run-time instance of the docker image.
  • The docker image is loaded onto the Docker hub. Docker Hub is nothing but the git or version control repository for the docker image.
  • QE/Production team will pull the image from the Docker hub and prepare their own containers.

Example

The Docker images are the ones that are huge in size and that require a lot of network bandwidth. We use this type of workflow in order to save that network bandwidth.

Over here we use a Jenkins server. Let us see what exactly this workflow states –

Workflows to save network bandwidth

  • A developer writes code within an easy-to-write docker file and then,
  • Push the code to the Git repository
  • Then the CI tool i.e. Jenkins pulls the code from Git and builds an exact environment that we needed and that will fulfill all the dependencies required for the microservices and,
  • That environment is deployed onto the Testing, Staging, and Production.

Benefits of Docker In-Use

There are the most common obstacles that the industry was facing:-

PROBLEM – 1: Inconsistent Environment

The developer has built an application, that works fine on his own environment but when it reaches Production there were certain issues with that application.

Now the question is – why this happens? What’s the reason behind this?

This happened because of the difference in computing environment between DEV, TEST (Staging) & PROD. This might be because of the software i.e. In the Dev environment an upgraded software is there. But in PROD there might be present an old version.

Solution 1: Now, Let’s move towards the solution of not having a consistent environment for all. Docker Containers are the one that provides a consistent environment for all like DEV, TEST, and PROD.

Docker Container is one that packages up the code and all its dependencies. Due to this, the application runs so fast and reliably from one computing environment to another.

PROBLEM – 2:  Virtual machine for starting multiple Microservices – 

There are multiple virtual machines which present on top of the host machine and each of them contains a dependency on one microservices.

So, we must be thinking what are the cons here?

The major problem is, the wastage of resources like RAM, Disk space, Processor over the VM and which are not utilized completely by the microservices running in this VM.

Let’s move further toward the solution to the microservice problem –

Solution 2: We can run many of the microservices on the same VM by running the various Docker Containers for each microservices. For example – There is a host machine and on top of that machine there is a VM on top of that, there are several Docker Containers and each of them contains the dependencies for one microservice.

Basically, in how DC functions, there is no need to define the preallocated resources such as RAM, Disk Space, etc as it will take the resources on run time according to the requirement of the application.

FAQs

  • What are the five advantages of using Docker containers?

These are the top five advantages of utilizing Docker:

  1. A Consistent Setting
  2. Quickness and agility
  3. Effective Multi-Cloud Environment Management.
  4. Safety
  5. Cost Optimization
  • What are the benefits of using docker?

There are numerous benefits to using Docker for developing and distributing applications:

  1. Storing a group of containers in the cache
  2. Fluid resource allocation
  3. Scalability: A single host can accommodate a large number of containers
  4. Using equipment that is significantly less expensive than typical servers to run your business
  • What are the main problems with Docker?
  1. For applications that demand a robust GUI, Docker is not ideal.
  2. Large numbers of containers are challenging to manage.
  3. Docker does not offer cross-platform compatibility, an application that creates to run in a Windows Docker container cannot run in a Linux Docker container.
  • What problems solve by Docker?

Docker addresses issues such as improper or missing application dependencies, such as libraries, interpreters, code, and users; For instance, running a “legacy” third-party application that depends on an outdated Glibc or a Python or Java application with the appropriate interpreter/VM.

  • What is the main benefit of using Docker?

A software platform called Docker makes it simple to develop, test, and deploy applications. Software is packaged by Docker into standardized units called containers that contain all of the necessary code, libraries, system tools, and runtime.

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