Introduction
Containers and orchestration have been quickly becoming the go-to solutions for deploying software at scale. With their growth, container and orchestration administrators are forced to rethink their governance policies. Which governance options are available for containers and orchestration, and which one is the best fit for your organization?
The Options
Kubernetes
Kubernetes is one of the most popular container orchestration tools. It provides a robust platform for containers to deploy and manage them across a cluster of nodes, and it is one of the more mature options available.
One of the standout features of Kubernetes is its extensive set of APIs and CLI tools that make it easy to manage the platform. This tool is designed with scalability and automation in mind.
Governance Capabilities
Kubernetes provides many built-in governance capabilities. It has Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), which enables access management to different resources. This fine-grained access control can handle access to different Kubernetes API objects.
Kubernetes can also be used in conjunction with third-party tools to enhance the governance capabilities. For example, the Open Policy Agent (OPA) can be used to enforce policies for Kubernetes resources.
Docker Swarm
Docker Swarm, developed by Docker Inc., is a container orchestration tool that offers a more straightforward approach than Kubernetes.
Docker Swarm provides an added level of simplicity for users who want to simplify their container orchestration and management without a large learning curve.
Governance Capabilities
Docker Swarm has built-in governance capabilities similar to Kubernetes. It includes features such as Load Balancing, Health Check, Service Discovery, and Rolling Updates. Docker Swarm also comes with a pre-installed set of TLS certificates that provides secure communication between Docker nodes.
Comparison & Conclusion
When comparing the two, Kubernetes provides more robust out-of-the-box governance capabilities than Docker Swarm. However, Kubernetes is more complex to set up and manage than Docker Swarm.
Ultimately, the choice will depend on a company's specific needs, technical expertise, and budget. For those looking for more built-in governance tools and support for complex configurations, Kubernetes may be the better option. However, for those just starting and want to keep things simple, Docker Swarm is a solid alternative.
References
- Kubernetes. (2021). Kubernetes Documentation. Retrieved from https://kubernetes.io/docs/
- The Docker Team. (2021). Docker Swarm Documentation. Retrieved from https://docs.docker.com/engine/swarm/
- Brooker, R. (2021). Comparing container orchestration tools: Kubernetes vs Docker Swarm. ITProPortal. Retrieved from https://www.itproportal.com/features/comparing-container-orchestration-tools-kubernetes-vs-docker-swarm/