Azure Kubernetes Service
A Kubernetes service is a logical abstraction for a deployed group of pods in a cluster (which all perform the same function).
Since pods are ephemeral, a service enables a group of pods, which provide specific functions (web services, image processing, etc.) to be assigned a name and unique IP address (clusterIP). As long as the service is running that IP address, it will not change. Services also define policies for their access.
Components of Kubernetes
Kubernetes services connect a set of pods to an abstracted service name and IP address. Services provide discovery and routing between pods. For example, services connect an application front-end to its backend, each of which running in separate deployments in a cluster. Services use labels and selectors to match pods with other applications. The core attributes of a Kubernetes service are:
- A label selector that locates pods
- The clusterIP IP address and assigned port number
- Port definitions
- Optional mapping of incoming ports to a targetPort
Services can be defined without pod selectors. For example, to point service to another service in a different namespace or cluster.
Azure Kubernetes
Microsoft Azure is a world-renown cloud platform for SMBs to large-scale businesses, while Kubernetes is a modern-day approach that is rapidly becoming the regular methodology to manage cloud-native applications in a production environment. Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) has brought both solutions together that allow customers to create fully-managed Kubernetes clusters quickly and easily.
AKS is an open-source fully managed container orchestration service that became available in June 2018 and is available on the Microsoft Azure public cloud that can be used to deploy, scale, and manage Docker containers and container-based applications in a cluster environment.
Azure Kubernetes Service offers provision, scaling, and upgrades of resources as per requirement or demand without any downtime in the Kubernetes cluster and the best thing about AKS is that you don’t require deep knowledge and expertise in container orchestration to manage AKS.
AKS is certainly an ideal platform for developers to develop their modern applications using Kubernetes on the Azure architecture where Azure Container Instances are the pretty right choice to deploy containers on the public cloud. The Azure Container Instances help in reducing the stress on developers to deploy and run their applications on Kubernetes architecture.
Azure Kubernetes Service Benefits
- Efficient resource utilization
- Faster application development
- Security and compliance
- Quicker development and integration
Use Cases of AKS
- Migration of existing applications
- Simplifying the configuration and management of microservices-based Apps
- Bringing DevOps and Kubernetes together
- Ease of scaling
- Data streaming
Case study
- LinkedIn: California-based LinkedIn, acquired by Microsoft in 2016, helps connect the world’s professionals and companies to make them more productive and successful. The company’s IT security team monitored multiple queues to prioritize and respond to alerts. After deploying Microsoft Azure Sentinel, LinkedIn improved the efficiency of both alert triage and incident investigation. In many cases, the team reduced resolution times from hours to minutes; investigating long-term user actions is now 100 percent to 142 percent faster.
- BMW Group: To keep pace with rapid technological advancement and increasing customer expectations, manufacturers must modify production lines more and more frequently and on much shorter notice. Considering this situation, the BMW Group is using a flexible solution on a production line at its plant in Dingolfing, Germany. The solution combines reprogrammable, lightweight industrial robots, computer vision, and AI-based learning models. This has increased flexibility and optimized quality control.
- American Cancer Society: American Cancer Society funds and conducts research, supports patients and educates the public to help people live free from cancer. Its recent digital transformation helps the nonprofit drastically reduce overhead, raise more money in a changing fundraising climate, and make each dollar raised stretch further. By adopting a cloud-first posture, the American Cancer Society embraces efficiency and innovation in its battle against cancer.
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