Monolithic Vs Microservices Architecture
Trends in software development have changed drastically to support DevOps philosophy and culture. Because of which application architecture has shifted from Monolithic applications to small modular components coupled together, known as Microservices. The Microservices architecture offers a more agile and dynamic approach emphasizing collaborative solutions to reduce the time between deployments without losing on the quality, thus, having profound implications on not only IT services but the Digital Transformation of an entire business.
However, the Monolithic architectural style is still quite alive in the industry, but the emerging allure of Microservices has caused an inevitable debate in the market over “Monolithic Vs Microservices”.
In this article, we are going to compare both architectures to discover why it is worth shifting the whole application from a Monolith to Microservices and how it can help you reach your business goals.
Monolithic Architecture
Monolithic architecture is regarded as a traditional method of developing applications. A monolithic application is made up of a single, indivisible piece of software. Three-tier architecture, namely, a client-side user interface, a server-side program, and a database are often included in such a system. It is unified, with all functions controlled and served from a single location. As the name implies, a monolithic application consists of one system, where parts are all interconnected and dependent on one another.
Monolithic applications are characterized by a single huge code base and a lack of modularity. Developers use the same code base when they wish to update or alter something. As a result, they make modifications to the entire stack at the same time. They also do not require API to interact between different components of the system.
When a Monolithic program grows, it becomes difficult to comprehend and maintain. Changes are more difficult to implement in such a large and sophisticated system with such tight dependencies. Any code update has an impact on the entire system; therefore, it must be carefully planned. The whole development process will take significantly longer as a result of this. Furthermore, even if the change is minor, the entire system must be re-deployed. Besides, reliability is not what you can expect from Monolithic applications, as a single bug in any component (for example, a memory leak) can put the entire operation to a halt.
Microservices Architecture
Contrary to the idea presented above, the word “micro” means small, and Microservices represent a collection of small services to achieve a business logic. It divides the application into discrete, autonomous parts. Each of these parts handles a separate application functionality. As a result, each part has its own logic, database, and functions to perform.
The whole functioning of a microservices architecture is divided into a suite of independently deployable modules that communicate with one another via lightweight communication mechanisms i.e., HTTP resource APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). Each service has its own set of features and can be upgraded, launched, and expanded on its own.
Microservices And Agility
Microservices have significantly improved developers’ ability to easily modify, replace, and scale applications. The figure below illustrates that every developer in the team will have the independence to work on autonomous modules as each service is responsible for its own data management and will have separate code repositories, build, and deployments. Since all the elements are loosely coupled with each other, updates can be performed independent of the rest of the application which leads to quicker application development and version rollouts, increasing the agility of the entire Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
Microservices And Containers
One way to ensure you get the most out of microservices is to couple them with containers and container orchestration. Microservices can be easily deployed in different environments in a lightweight and portable manner by using containers, as they package the function with resourcing. Inside a container are executables, binary code, libraries, and configuration files, all that are necessary to run the microservice. They add simple portability to your applications, allowing you to move them to the various cloud or internal environments. Moreover, orchestration tools like Kubernetes, help to automate the management, scaling, and deployment of microservice applications by providing a consistent approach to access and management even across a hybrid environment.
Microservices And DevOps
The DevOps approach is ideal for Microservices, as it allows for easy development, provides seamless updates, and manages each service without the risk of complete application failures. As each service stays in an independent DevOps pipeline, any problem in a single automated task does not affect the other services. DevOps practices, like (CI/CD) Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery, are used to drive microservice deployments. Experienced DevOps teams are well-equipped to employ microservices architecture in developmental projects.
Also, DevOps brings additional productivity to Microservices-based applications by embracing a common toolset, which can be used for both development and operations. DevOps practice focuses on breaking down huge problems into smaller ones and handling them in order of preference as a team. Similarly, Microservices also work through small teams and make functional changes independently. This common toolset establishes common terminology and processes for requirements, dependencies, and issues.
This simply shows when applied together, DevOps and Microservices in the development process are the fastest ways to enhance operational efficiency and improve the quality of the software.
[Learn More: Adapting DevOps Culture: What is DevOps and how to explain it to a non-DevOps?]
How Planet of IT can help
Did reading this blog make you realize your business could prosper if your system was built on a Microservices architecture instead of the Monolithic architecture? Are you unsure of how to proceed with the migration?
Planet of IT assists in the creation of a monitoring excellence center by simplifying even the most complex infrastructure with Application Insights, Monitoring, Alerting, Log management, and Analytics, which helps to assess, determine, and fix performance issues before they have an impact on business results.
Contact us if you need help or guidance to make the transition from a Monolithic architecture to a Microservices one.
Find out more: info@planetofit.ca
By: Bakhtawar Shafqat