If you’ve been paying attention to the climate of cloud computing then you’re aware of how containers have changed the game. The game-changers? Docker used advancements that had occurred throughout the 2010s to pioneer microservices in 2013 using their perfectly suited interface. Google, not being one to fall behind in anything software-related, introduced Kubernetes as an extension of this momentum the following year. Kubernetes’ offering took Docker’s foundation and answered many questions about how to scale container management with multiple container runtimes.
This blog covers the association between Docker and Kubernetes and how each has contributed to the advancement of container management. We’ll explain the specifics of features they have in common, as well as how they differ, and most importantly, how the two can work together in one ecosystem.
If you’d like to speak to an expert about container management using cloud-based infrastructure, feel free to click the button below. A FogOps expert will be happy to explain how it can benefit your specific operation(s).
Docker and Kubernetes: What’s The Difference?
If Docker is like an application, then Kubernetes is like an operating system. That is, Docker is one of many container platforms that can work inside Kubernetes or any other compatible container management platform.
Docker handles the micromanagement of containers, specifically their creation, by packaging dependencies and libraries into a single, transportable entity. Sharing the same operating system kernel allows containers to use less resources than virtual machines, the previous go-to for cloud computing, which is still in heavy use.
Kubernetes is the orchestrator of containers, handling the configuration, automation, and scheduling among its tasks. The word is Greek for ‘governor’, which accurately describes Kubernetes’ role in any cloud deployment pipeline. It wasn’t just Google’s entry into the container market, but an answer to their own internal need for a system to manage millions of different containers per day. As a result, Kubernetes became the industry standard for handling heavy workloads.
About Docker Swarm and Docker Compose
As Docker is synonymous with container creation and packaging, virtually every container management software must be compatible or be rendered far less useful. Kubernetes is no exception; in fact, it was created to work with Docker before each developer underwent changes that led to more independence from one another. For Kubernetes, it was moving beyond its exclusive compatibility with Docker to include other container creation tools.
For Docker, it was the creation of such applications as Docker Swarm and Docker Compose, adding their own mechanisms for container orchestration. Docker Swarm is designed to be much simpler than Kubernets, allowing users to get their ideas off the ground quicker, but with less automation without third-party platforms handling some of the action (like Kubernetes). Docker Swarm is completely capable of providing container orchestration for an application or website, though there should be some considerations for external software.
Docker Compose is used to facilitate applications with multiple containers within the same host. Compose is a configuration tool rather than a container orchestration tool, but it can be considered an extension of Docker Swarm’s functionality. Presumably, you would use an instance of Docker Swarm for the container orchestration of the individual containers that deploy to various location, and use Compose to organize these files into a build and share it publicly. Sharing publicly either be used as a way to work ona shared projects remotely, to deploy microservices to end-users, and all practices in between.
Managed Services and Containerization
Both Docker and Kubernetes are deeply involved with providing platform-as-a-services (PaaS). And while both continually add features that make managing cloud-based deployment much easier, their inherent complexity might still be a challenge. Companies without IT departments can freely leverage external expertise about container management without extending themselves too much by finding in-house talent.
Even tech-based operations that have their own understanding of computing often rely on third-party managed services to handle the administrative aspects like naming conventions and best practices for high security. If nothing else, it frees creative problem-solvers to focus on building the next great app instead of worrying about the availability of certain libraries and runtimes while they collaborate.
Expert Help With Containerization
Foghorn Consulting is a leading provider of these cloud engineering services. Beyond the surface-level scope of what is described here, there are many configurations and custom setups that can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of container management software exponentially. To find out more, consider any one of the service pages listed below:
- Kubernetes Resources:
- Docker Resources:
