In the previous blog post on “Managing Kubernetes” we have looked at where Kubernetes came from and what the state of Kubernetes today is. This post will go into the detail of how VMware has set out a strategy to help our customers Build, Run and Manage applications using both virtual machines and containers using Kubernetes.
With digital transformation there is an increasing need for more applications within companies. For that to happen new applications need to be developed – build. And when they have been built, they will need to be run and managed. This is where we see Developers, Application Operators, Platform Engineer and Cloud Administrators needing to work more closely together.
Specifically when it comes to Kubernetes, as it is one of the main application frameworks used to deliver new applications at a rapid pace.
In general, there are three types of people that want to make use of Kubernetes:
- Consumers: Developers and application operators and that will consume and operate Kubernetes. They need to have the ability to easily consume Kubernetes to be able to build and deploy applications;
- Providers: These are the people that need to provide Kubernetes to whomever wants to consume it. Typically, these are the platform engineers and cloud administrators.
- Control: It’s not only the technical aspect of Kubernetes that needs to be taken into account. We also need to provide the ability from a cost, security and overall governance perspective. IT management should be in control of how Kubernetes is implemented and deployed within the organisation.
Given the fact that different personas within IT have different challenges that need to be addressed it is clear that there is a lot of innovation taking place in this space. Also, it needs to be taken into account that IT typically is not a greenfield environment. There is also a lot of debt that needs to be taking into account.
VMware to help with Build, Run and Manage
This is where VMware can help given the fact that over the last decade, we have been revolutionising IT with our software-defined approach. VMware has outlined its Build-Run-Manage strategy, to help different people within the IT organisation of our customers to handle the challenge of Kubernetes. The goal is to have our customers implement Kubernetes in the most effective way possible and to integrate it seamlessly into their current IT portfolio.
For that VMware has created and evolved its products to facilitate its customers. As we already in our previous blog VMware is industrialising and productising Kubernetes.
- Infrastructure Layer: VMware is evolving the core datacenter products to be Kubernetes capable. vSphere, VSAN and NSX are now capable of handling Kubernetes workload. Especially vSphere has evolved into a platform where Kubernetes workloads can be hosted natively. For more information see here Of course this also applies to the vSphere-as-a-Service offering such as VMC on AWS, VMware Solutions on Azure, etc.
- Application Layer: With the acquisitions of Heptio and Pivotal there has been a huge investment in the commitment of VMware to support application transformation. The Tanzu product portfolio is the flagship product line when it comes to empowering that transformation. Kubernetes is at the heart of this. For more information see here.
- Management Layer: All infrastructure and application resources need to be managed. vRealize and Cloudhealth have been the core products that help our customers build, operate and manage clouds. Also here VMware has evolved it’s product to manage Kubernetes and facilitate IT departments to remain in control of it. More information for vRealize can be found here and here and for Cloudhealth here.
As you can see VMware is evolving and revolutionising its portfolio of products to create an “easy path forward” for its customers. Kubernetes should not be treated as yet another silo and existing investments should be leveraged to the fullest extent. Kubernetes is “just another thing” to manage and VMware facilitates that by building Kubernetes support into its product. While on the other hand invest in new products that help address the new challenges that come with Kubernetes. Giving customers the ability to Build, Run and Manage any type of application on any cloud.
In the next blog post we will go deeper how VMware empowers the providers of Kubernetes. To empower the people that typically are responsible for the building, provisioning and management of Kubernetes clusters towards consumers.
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