If you are building software to run in a cloud environment, you can be more productive and ensure high quality if you develop and test those applications in the cloud.
Keep in mind: Just because an application runs in the cloud doesn’t mean it was built in the cloud. A cloud-enabled application is legacy software that is migrated to the cloud from an on-premises data center. On the other hand, a cloud-native application is originally created in and for the cloud.
“Cloud-native architecture and technologies are an approach to designing, constructing and operating workloads that are built in the cloud and take full advantage of the cloud computing model,” according to Microsoft.1
The 2022 annual survey conducted by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) shows 30% of respondents have adopted cloud native approaches across nearly all development and deployment activities.2 Estimates vary, but Tigera reports that 75% of companies are focused on cloud-native application development.3
Cloud-native application development eliminates many drawbacks of traditional monolithic application architecture while leveraging the power of cloud, microservices and containers. This development method is growing in popularity because it improves both the development process and the application itself. First, it streamlines the software delivery pipeline. Second, it produces applications that are more suited to the distributed nature of the cloud, enhancing the quality, performance and resiliency of the software.
This blog outlines eight compelling reasons why you should consider developing applications in the cloud:
1. Rapid Provisioning of Resources
In the cloud, developers can benefit from near instantaneous self-service provisioning of resources – in stark contrast to the conventional method, which can take weeks.
“By utilizing the cloud, developers are empowered to quickly create new environments, from websites to virtual machines to databases,” the Stackify blog advises.4
2. High Availability and Resiliency
An on-premises development environment is always at risk of downtime. If this happens, the time that software engineers could have spent innovating new digital products and services turns into time wasted on troubleshooting and recovery. In contrast, the cloud is always available, so there is no disruption to the development process or the applications, as long as the cloud can be accessed.
In addition, cloud-native applications are more resilient because they are built using microservices, which are independent, loosely coupled building blocks that make up the application. Even if one of those components fails, the application continues to function.
3. Automated Application Scalability
When developing software locally, scalability is limited by the compute power of your on-premises data center. In this scenario, the only way to handle an escalating workload is to purchase and manually install additional hardware, always a costly and time-consuming undertaking. Conversely, scalability is automated and virtually unlimited in the cloud, available on demand. This becomes a business-critical advantage for an app or website that experiences unpredictable or seasonal spikes in traffic and usage.
4. Remote Accessibility
The ability to work remotely is the new normal. Building software in the cloud enables stakeholders to access the development environment from anywhere. CoreSite extends this accessibility with a cloud direct connection and offers the performance and security needed to support a remote developer workforce.
5. Simplified Development Process
Cloud-native development simplifies the entire software development life cycle (SDLC) because you are using the same environment for development, integration, testing, deployment and production.
6. High-Quality Applications
Moving development to the cloud allows dev teams to continuously improve applications, resulting in superior software quality. Using microservices, developers only need to update specific components rather than rebuild, test and deploy the entire application every time they implement a change. That’s great for core enterprise business workloads as well as software as a service (SaaS) applications.
“Using a cloud-native approach, the roll-out of a new change would shift from months to a couple of minutes,” according to a report from Capgemini Engineering.5 This approach also empowers developers to update and enhance software more frequently – even daily – to meet customer needs.
7. Accelerated Time-to-Market
Cloud-native development eliminates traditional obstacles such as the burdensome task of managing infrastructure. In addition, this type of agile development optimizes the SDLC with DevOps, containers, automation, and continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD). All these factors expedite development and testing, translating directly to faster time-to-market and, ultimately, giving your company a vital competitive edge.
An IBM report confirms this advantage, revealing that 73% of those surveyed testified that cloud-native development results in quicker development and roll-out.6
8. Reduced Cost
The bottom line is that cloud-native development saves money because you do not have to repeatedly invest in hardware to build, test and run your applications. Your cloud provider takes on that responsibility, and you pay only for the services you use.
And how you connect to the cloud makes a difference – with CoreSite cloud connectivity, you can save up to 60% compared to traditional telco and SDN offerings.7
Cloud-native development is the future of software, offering a range of undeniable benefits, and a direct cloud connection via CoreSite delivers that extra boost to ensure the success of your digital initiatives.
Consult with a CoreSite Solution Architect today to find out how you can move your development environment to the cloud with a fast and reliable cloud direct connection.