Enterprises are showing an increasing affinity for using containers due to the advantages they offer, including portability, scalability, cost-efficiency and dependability. With the help of tools like Kubernetes and Docker Swarm, development teams are able to create, test and deploy applications and services that can be dynamically scaled to meet varying demand.
Moreover, containers make it easy to deploy complicated stacks and applications with a single command. Programs can be quickly and easily deployed through the command line or a graphical user interface manager (such as Portainer) rather than the more tedious and laborious process of traditional application development.
It is evident that there is a substantial learning curve associated with the implementation of containers, particularly with Kubernetes, for organizations that have yet to adopt this technology. In reality, there may be a steep learning curve involved in deploying and managing containers efficiently.
It is essential to consider how to equip your developers with the necessary tools to overcome container security. Let us review some potential solutions that could be of great help in their transition.
Context for Evaluation
Establishing a test environment is the primary focus, therefore the initial step is to set up a test environment. Rather than engaging a cloud hosting provider for their personnel to gain experience in situ, it is usually preferable to keep this in-house. This is partly due to the fact that cloud hosting fees can be exorbitant if containers are not configured correctly. To prevent disruption from other appliances on your local area network, create a dedicated server or a cluster of servers on a private network. This will ensure that your team’s developers can safely experiment with container development in this environment.
Docker
It is not recommended to introduce your engineers to Kubernetes as it is more complex than alternatives such as Docker. Therefore, Docker is the most efficient and straightforward way to understand containers. Docker is a free containerization software which can be installed on a local server or desktop computer, making it easy for your engineers to learn and develop container applications and deployments. Alternatively, Podman is a suitable replacement for Docker and still supports Kubernetes integration, even if Docker cannot be installed on your selected operating system.
Desktop Docker
Application for Desktop Docker Docker Desktop is a commercial container management system designed with an intuitive graphical user interface. It offers several advantages, including the ability to set up a complete Docker and Kubernetes environment on platforms such as macOS. This makes it an ideal choice for those looking to work with containerized applications, without having to install the more complex Kubernetes on multiple platforms for learning purposes.
Portainer
Portainer is a great GUI tool that can be installed on a server and made accessible through a web browser, allowing the whole development team to benefit from it. With its emphasis on teamwork and collaboration, it is an excellent choice for larger and more interdependent work settings. Furthermore, Portainer is free for businesses of all sizes, offering additional advantages over Docker Desktop.
The Regional Archive
A local image repository can be a beneficial resource when educating new container users. It is common for inexperienced container developers to begin by downloading images randomly from DockerHub, a practice that could lead to the inadvertent acquisition of a malicious image. This is not the ideal way for developers to start their training, so setting up a local repository is an excellent way to teach them about good container development practices and the importance of container security, despite the extra effort required.
Instructional Programs
A web search will uncover a wealth of educational resources available for container development. To ensure your engineers are suitably equipped for their journey into the dynamic world of containerization, it is advisable to provide them with introductory training to learn the fundamentals. Taking a course on using containers can be beneficial to a developer’s initial learning. Investing in this could yield long-term dividends for your organization.
Linux
Your development team will need to become familiar with Linux to keep up with the technologies. Providing them with a Linux test environment will help to gain a deeper understanding of containers and the Linux operating system they will be using to create and deploy containers. Utilizing a Linux container running on a cloud provider’s virtual machine will be necessary in most cases for launching containers.
Conclusion
Gaining comprehensive knowledge of container technology can be a challenging process. To ensure your developers have a smooth experience and are able to reach proficiency quickly, it is important to provide them with the right preparation and tools. Additionally, it is critical to have developers who can manage both the container development and deployment environments.
Ensure developers have the best possible start on this project by providing them with the necessary resources. Understandably, it may take some time for those unfamiliar with container technology to become familiar with it. Therefore, patience should be exercised to enable them to become proficient.
