Cloud Microservice Architecture Versus Monolith

The Cloud is not always the Cloud

Almost every program today is promoted as Cloud or Cloud-ready. Often it is the exact same program that was installed locally in your company a few years ago. The only difference is that the software is now provided on a server in a server center and offered to you as a package. In principle, there is nothing wrong with this approach. It even helps, in part, in that the company can focus on their core business and obtain software as a so-called managed service, or in other words lease it.
However, the integration of new programs, continual process automation and outstanding customer interfaces are challenges which require a different sort of software in companies. Specifically, systems which allow companies to integrate existing legacy systems, to grow with demands and to use up-to-date, intuitive interfaces. And not just “wine in new bottles.”
This is where microservices from the Cloud come into play.

What does Cloud computing mean for companies?

Cloud computing means providing IT infrastructure. There are three different service models of Cloud solutions for companies: Platform as a Service (PaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).

Digitization is not a project

Once you begin with digitization, you won’t just stop at some point. Digitization is a competency that belongs or will belong to the core competencies of all companies. Not only does digitization continue to advance, in recent years the technological transformation has proceeded at an ever faster pace. It is all the more important to rely on software and technologies in companies which facilitate the optimal support of this permanent development and ensure good time-to-market for innovations. Be it new functions, user interfaces or technology interfaces, software must provide innovations quickly and easily without negatively affecting the existing applications. This is not a simple task, even for software manufacturers, because existing software in companies is often still developed as a monolith. In other words, a centrally installed program which provides all modules as a whole. And the larger the monolith, the riskier it is to provide new functions quickly.

Microservice architecture guarantees investment protection

One way out of this dilemma can be found in software with microservice architecture. This software is not developed as a large, inflexible monolith, but rather consists of many small, individual services which are connected to each other. Each of these microservices is self-contained and has only the one task for which it is intended. That way, it is very simple to add additional microservices without endangering the stability of the entire program. The development of services is also much simpler, because the complexity is significantly reduced. A program which is based on a paradigm of this sort can accompany you optimally on the road to digitization, since it offers high stability while at the same time facilitating rapid development.

Cloud-based microservices grow with their requirements

Another effect offered by modern software of this sort is that the services can be scaled. While in a monolith, every function is only available once and only scales with the entire monolith, microservices can be available as often as desired. An example here would be a search service. If you determine that the users of the program search a great deal, then multiple instances of precisely this service can be made available. However, it is not necessary to start other services multiple times, but only those which you need multiple times. This ability not only makes the software extremely powerful, it also leads to it being economically very efficient.

Microservices make the difference

As you can see, the Cloud is not always the Cloud. The challenges of digitization will be mastered only by those who use a technology which will optimally support them over a long period and provide innovations without risking what already exists. Scaling and efficiency are also crucial points which should be considered in the selection of the right software.