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Top Container Networking Software

The notion of container networking, which is utilized in home desktops and web-scale business networking solutions, is comparable to that of a virtual machine. Inside the container, a fully functional Linux environment with its own users, file system, processes, and network stack is isolated from the host and all other containers. All programs running inside the container are only allowed to access and alter resources that are present inside the container.

Multiple containers, each with its own installs and dependencies, can run simultaneously. This is especially helpful when updating a dependency for newer versions of an application might clash with updating dependencies for other applications that are already running on the server. Containers are smaller and quicker than virtual machines and have less overhead since they share host resources rather than completely mimicking all of the computer's hardware, unlike virtual machines. Containers were created as a substitute for VMs as a deployment platform for microservice architectures, particularly in the context of web-scale applications.

Additionally, containers are portable. For instance, the container engine Docker enables developers to package a container together with all of its dependencies. Then, a download link for that container package can be provided. The container may be instantly launched on a host after downloading.

In this article we will basically give detailed information about the best container software:

  1. Kubernetes

  2. Docker

  3. Google Kubernetes Engine

  4. IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service

  5. IBM Cloud Managed Istio

  6. Microsoft Azure Kubernetes Service

  7. IBM Turbonomic

  8. VMware NSX Data Center

  9. Amazon Elastic Container Service (Amazon ECS)

  10. HashiCorp Consul

  11. F5 NGINX

  12. GitLab

  13. Red Hat OpenShift

  14. Open vSwitch

  15. Cumulus Linux

Then we will compare Docker and Kubernetes and lastly we will discuss when Docker is not recommended.

Best Container Software​

A crucial tool in the toolbox of a software developer is container software. The independence of containerized apps across various computer environments makes it simpler for DevOps teams to distribute software upgrades and switch resources without worrying about significant outages. However, it's crucial that businesses pick the appropriate container software for their particular requirements and difficulties. Even while the best container software solutions are flexible, each one has benefits and shortcomings that make it more or less appropriate for a particular set of requirements from software purchasers.

Businesses looking to transition to a containerized infrastructure should seek out container solutions that completely meet their present application and business data requirements. Start by asking yourself the following questions to help you determine the container software solution(s) you require:

  • Cost: Is this instrument within your price range, and will it remain so as you grow?

  • Integration with external software: Does this solution integrate well with other tools in your toolbox, notably any DevOps software that you may use?

  • Monitoring and security: What security, monitoring, and scanning options are available on the platform you've chosen in terms of container security and monitoring? Are these characteristics able to keep up with DevOps projects' agility?

  • Storage: How is it possible to expand this technology to support more clusters and pods? How is increasing storage consumption affecting application runtime?

  • Open-source versus closed-source software: Considering the pros and cons of open- and closed-source software, can your team manage and adapt an open-source solution? Are the closed-source solutions you require too expensive to implement?

  • Management of policy: What policies are natively controlled by the control and data planes of this tool? How simple is the platform to develop and install new policy management?

Below you will find detailed information on some of the best container software.

Kubernetes​

A well-known open-source technology called Kubernetes (also known as K8s) orchestrates container runtime systems across a cluster of networked resources. Docker is not required to utilize Kubernetes.

Google created Kubernetes in the beginning because it required a new method to operate many containers efficiently each week. Google made Kubernetes available as open source in 2014, and it is now widely regarded as the market leader and industry-standard orchestration technology for the deployment of containers and distributed applications. According to Google, the primary design objective of Kubernetes is to make it simple to install and manage complicated distributed systems while still taking use of the increased utilization that containers provide.

In order to decrease network overhead and improve resource consumption efficiency, Kubernetes groups a number of containers into a single group that it controls on the same host. A container set may include an app server, a Redis cache, and a SQL database. One process runs within each container when using Docker.

Since Kubernetes supports service discovery, load balancing inside the cluster, automated rollouts and rollbacks, self-healing of failing containers, and configuration management, it is very helpful for DevOps teams. Kubernetes is an essential tool for creating reliable DevOps CI/CD pipelines.

Kubernetes, however, is not a full-featured platform as a service (PaaS), and there are other factors to take into account while setting up and maintaining Kubernetes clusters. Many clients opt to employ managed Kubernetes services from cloud suppliers due in large part to the complexity that comes with administering Kubernetes.

Docker​

A commercial containerization platform and runtime called Docker aids in the creation, deployment, and operation of containers by developers. It employs a client-server architecture and automates tasks using a single API and straightforward instructions.

By authoring a Dockerfile and then executing the necessary commands to generate the image using the Docker server, a user may bundle programs into immutable container images utilizing the tools that Docker offers. Even without Docker, developers can construct containers, but the Docker platform makes it simpler to do so. Any platform that supports containers, such as Kubernetes, Docker Swarm, Mesos, or HashiCorp Nomad, is then used to deploy and operate these container images.

Although containerized apps are packaged and distributed effectively using Docker, running and maintaining containers at scale with Docker alone is difficult. A few of the things to take into account include coordinating and scheduling containers across numerous servers or clusters, updating or deploying apps with minimal downtime, and keeping an eye on the health of containers.

Solutions to orchestrate containers have arisen in the shape of Kubernetes, Docker Swarm, Mesos, HashiCorp Nomad, and others to address these issues as well as others. These enable businesses to properly balance loads, give authentication and security, support multi-platform deployment, and manage a large number of containers and users.

Google Kubernetes Engine​

A container orchestration tool called Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) assists businesses with Kubernetes migration, deployment, management, and containerized scale applications.

GKE is an appropriate solution for credit card payment procedures, including storing, processing, and transferring cardholder data since it complies with PCI-DSS (CHD). GKE is a good platform for healthcare enterprises because it is also HIPAA compliant.

Additionally, GKE has an SLA requirement of 99.5 percent, which encourages GKE to reach its service level target (SLO). The client will be given financial credit if GKE does not reach its SLO but the customer fulfills its SLA. This focus on customer satisfaction might be a strong selling point for clients that value dependability in their container software vendor.

Numerous Google Cloud components seamlessly connect with Google Kubernetes Engine. The Google Cloud user interface is simple to use and straightforward to set up. The native monitoring tool and the cluster auto-scaler for cluster container management are further complimentary features.

Consistency and a lack of expected functionality with the console and shell are some of the GKE problems cited. Finding specific support documentation can be difficult, and basic content might not be enough for new users. It is claimed that customer service might use some work.

IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service​

In the cloud-based Kubernetes platform known as IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service, IBM looks after the host operating system, container runtimes, and Kubernetes upgrades for clients. Initial setup and continuous maintenance can be challenging, like with many other Kubernetes management solutions, however, several reviews have praised the tool's helpful user community and documentation. The tool's connection to IBM Watson, which enables users to include AI-powered APIs in the application development workflow, is well-liked by clients. The absence of infrastructure monitoring options for this application has drawn criticism from certain users.

IBM Cloud Managed Istio​

Istio, also known as a service mesh, is an open framework for connecting, securing, controlling, and monitoring microservices on cloud platforms like Kubernetes on the IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service and VMs. You may control network traffic, load balance across microservices, impose access controls, confirm the identity of services, secure service communication, and monitor the precise status of your services with Istio. As a managed add-on, Istio on IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service enables direct integration of Istio with your Kubernetes cluster. On your IBM Cloud Kubernetes Service cluster, a tuned, production-ready Istio instance can be deployed with only one click.

The main features of IBM Cloud Managed Istio are as follows:

  • Enables role-based authentication and access across services.

  • Offers functions including load balancing, failure recovery, and inter-service routing.

  • Provides tools for service and data protection audit, authentication, and authorization.

  • Automatically distributes load among HTTP, gRPC, WebSocket, and TCP traffic.

Key Benefits of IBM Cloud Managed Istio are listed below:

  • Utilizing Istio is simple.

  • Its load balancing and health monitoring functions are beneficial, according to users.

  • The tool provides traffic control.

Microsoft Azure Kubernetes Service​

A fully managed Kubernetes service, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) aids customers in the deployment and upkeep of containerized applications across their entire lifespan. The platform is knowledgeable about the requirements for continuous integration, continuous delivery, and automation. Users who desire a smooth link to other Azure and Microsoft products in their current corporate toolkits should consider it as a top option. The infrastructure and support for Azure's other products enhance AKS, particularly in terms of availability across many regions. Some policy and cluster management elements are not automated.

IBM Turbonomic​

IBM Turbonomic offers platforms with automated actions you can rely on. Speed, flexibility, and cost savings are all benefits you receive when you allow the platform to take proactive action on suggested resourcing decisions. You can automatically eliminate cloud waste and limit performance risk as a result.

Your environment depends on a technology and solution eco-system to run at its best. Integrations streamline the process across databases, hypervisors, application administration, and storage. Support is provided by IBM Turbonomic for the industry's top companies.

With automated, ongoing cloud optimization, keep costs in check while maintaining performance. In real time, IBM Turbonomic precisely matches application demand to cloud resources. Additionally, the program takes into consideration cloud reserves, allowing you to just buy extra when necessary.

VMware NSX Data Center​

A software-defined approach to networking that spans data centers, clouds, and application frameworks is made possible by VMware NSX, a network virtualization and security platform. In every environment where an application is executing, including virtual machines (VMs), containers, and physical servers, NSX brings networking and security closer to the application. Networks may be supplied and operated without regard to the underlying hardware, similar to the VM operating paradigm. Any network architecture, from basic to complicated multitier networks, can be constructed and provided in a matter of seconds thanks to NSX, which replicates the complete network model in software. By combining the services provided by NSX with those from a large ecosystem of third-party integrations, including next-generation firewalls and performance management tools, users can build environments that are naturally more agile and secure. Users can create multiple virtual networks with different requirements. Then, these services are expanded to a range of endpoints both inside and outside of clouds.

Amazon Elastic Container Service (Amazon ECS)​

Amazon Web Services (AWS)' Elastic Container Service (ECS) is a managed container orchestration service. Customers that are already utilizing other AWS products are best suited for this solution. Although it is effective for smaller businesses as well, Amazon ECS is most frequently utilized by major computer software organizations with thousands of employees.

Numerous clients gave high marks to AWS's comprehensive documentation and help center. The CI/CD pipeline and other Amazon cloud services are simple to connect with ECS. Customers strongly praise the scalability of ECS and the usability of the UI.

The AWS cloud formation designer template, according to some users, may be enhanced, and using the program might be difficult for new users. The load balancing service might sometimes be challenging to utilize. Another consumer lamented the absence of connectors between ECS and third-party programs.

HashiCorp Consul​

Teams manage secure network connectivity across services in multi-cloud scenarios with the help of HashiCorp Consul. Through the provision of a single point of truth for service-to-service communication, it aids in runtime process discovery.

Applications that employ containers are scaled thanks to the software's automated load balancing and service discovery features. By offering a single point of truth for service-to-service communication and automating load balancing and service discovery, HashiCorp Consul can make managing container networks simpler.

Some features of the HashiCorp Consul are listed below:

  • Discovered services, secure networking, automated networking, and access services make up the foundation of the Consul software.

  • A unified register for real-time monitoring services, modifications, and health states is created by the newly found services capabilities.

  • Users of the Consul program can automate networking.

  • Every communication between services is authenticated, approved, and encrypted thanks to HashiCorp Consul.

  • Consul supports progressive delivery techniques including canary deployments and A/B testing as well as service identity-based L4/L7 traffic control.

Important benefits of the HashiCorp Consul are given below:

  • This program is simple to use for users.

  • A key/value store, DNS server, or HTTP server are just a few of the services the Consul agent offers.

F5 NGINX​

Reverse proxies, load balancers, SSL terminators, cache servers, content delivery networks (CDN), application firewalls, and web servers are all functions performed by F5 NGINX. Additionally, F5 NGINX offers high availability for web servers by serving as a load balancer or TCP health monitor. An instance will immediately fail to another one that is accessible if it goes down. Instances are launched in the cloud on demand thanks to the service's support for cloud infrastructure providers including AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform, IBM Private Cloud, and Diamanti.

The main features of the F5 NGINX are listed below:

  • Enables self-service and role-based access control (RBAC).

  • mTLS authentication is offered.

  • A load balancing service.

Key benefits of the F5 NGINX are given below:

  • More than 400 million websites are powered by the NGINX open-source web server.

  • There is support for many clouds.

  • Utilizing F5 NGINX is simple.

  • Users think that the load balancer and web server are quick.

GitLab​

For major DevOps and DevSecOps projects, GitLab serves as an open-source code repository and collaborative software development platform. GitLab is free to use for private use.

GitLab provides a place for online code storage as well as tools for CI/CD and bug tracking. The repository allows users to review older code and roll back to it in the event of unanticipated issues. It permits hosting alternative development chains and versions.

GitLab is a rival to GitHub, which houses many different projects, including the development of Linus Torvalds' Linux kernel. Since GitLab was created using the same Git version control system, it has very comparable source code management capabilities.

End-to-end DevOps capabilities are offered by GitLab for every phase of the software development lifecycle. Development teams automate writing and testing their code using GitLab's continuous integration (CI) features. Within the developer's native CI pipeline or workflow, security capabilities are integrated with the scan findings, and a dashboard helps security professionals monitor vulnerabilities. Additionally, users benefit from fuzz testing thanks to GitLab's acquisition of Peach Tech and Fuzzit.

GitLab is free for people and supports both public and private development branches. Contrarily, some rivals, like GitHub, charge for private repositories, while others, like Bitbucket, charge for extra users above the five that are permitted for free on a private repository.

Red Hat OpenShift​

A Kubernetes container platform called Red Hat OpenShift Platform Plus was developed on top of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. To provide all users with a cloud-like development experience, OpenShift platform Plus employs a hybrid cloud architecture, regardless of whether users install cloud, on-premises, or edge apps. This application is a favorite of the government, military, and manufacturing firms because of its cloud interface, mass automation, and superior security and policy capabilities. Reviewers usually mention how the platform templates and built-in catalog make pod and container deployment simple. Due to the platform's complexity, some users have had problems staying on top of maintenance and continuous improvements.

Open vSwitch​

A virtual switch that is open-source and licensed under Apache 2.0 is called Open vSwitch (OVS). Through programmatic extension, OVS offers comprehensive network automation while supporting common management interfaces and protocols. In 2009, Nicira Networks established the initiative, which VMware eventually purchased. As part of its NSX product line for data center networking, VMware continues to support OVS.

The main features of the Open vSwitch are listed below:

  • Different tunneling techniques (GRE, VXLAN, STT, and Geneve, with IPsec support).

  • Cross-platform compatibility

  • IPv6 assistance.

  • Protocol for remote configuration with C and Python bindings.

Key Benefits of the Open vSwitch are given below:

  • It provides a service that is independent of platforms and portable to other systems.

  • Targeted toward multi-server virtualization installations are OVS offerings.

  • Using the tool, you may filter traffic.

Cumulus Linux​

Cumulus Linux from NVIDIA is an open network operating system (NOS) that gives businesses access to the flexibility, cost-effectiveness, security, and efficiency of the cloud for their data center network infrastructures.

Cumulus, which is built on top of a typical Linux kernel, gives customers unmatched flexibility for building multi-tenant networks over real or virtual infrastructure. The OS also offers a simple command-line interface for controlling network components such as containers, routing tables, switching settings, and others.

The major features of Cumulus Linux are as follows:

  • Analytics and observation.

  • Procedures for continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) that are fully automated.

  • Virtual forwarding and routing

  • Use Nvidia Air to support digital twins.

The key Benefits of Cumulus Linux are listed below:

  • Decreased running costs.

  • Simple to use

  • Logical user interface

Is Docker or Kubernetes Better?​

While Kubernetes is a framework for executing and managing containers from various container runtimes, Docker is a container runtime. Numerous container runtimes, such as Docker, containers, CRI-O, and any implementation of the Kubernetes CRI(Container Runtime Interface), are supported by Kubernetes. An effective comparison is to think of Kubernetes as the "operating system" and Docker containers as the "apps" that you put on it.

Docker is a powerful tool for creating contemporary applications on its own. It fixes the age-old issue when something "works on my machine" but not elsewhere. A production workload deployment of a few containers can be managed using the container orchestration tool Docker Swarm. Kubernetes assists in resolving some growing pains that standalone Docker may have as a system expands and requires the addition of several networked containers.

A better comparison between the two is Kubernetes and Docker Swarm. Like Kubernetes, Docker Swarm, or Docker swarm mode, is a container orchestration technology that enables control of several containers that are distributed across numerous hosts running the Docker server. Swarm mode is disabled by default and has to be activated and configured by a DevOps team.

Kubernetes schedules containers to execute on those computers depending on their available resources and orchestrates clusters of machines to cooperate. Through declarative specification, containers are organized into pods, which serve as Kubernetes' fundamental building block. Service discovery, load balancing, resource allocation, isolation, and scaling your pods either vertically or horizontally are all handled automatically by Kubernetes. It is currently a part of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation after being accepted by the open-source community. The operational effort of operating and managing Kubernetes clusters and associated containerized workloads is considerably lessened by the fact that Amazon, Microsoft, and Google all provide managed Kubernetes services on their cloud computing platforms.

Which container orchestration platform should you choose if both Docker Swarm and Kubernetes are available?

If you're creating and managing your own infrastructure, Docker Swarm often takes less setup and configuration than Kubernetes. Similar advantages to Kubernetes are provided by this system, including declarative YAML file deployment, automated service scaling to your desired state, load balancing across containers within a cluster, and security and access management for all of your services. Docker Swarm could be a wonderful option if you just have a few active workloads, don't mind maintaining your own infrastructure, or don't require a certain functionality Kubernetes provides.

Kubernetes offers greater flexibility and capabilities but is initially more challenging to set up. It is backed by a sizable and active open-source community. Kubernetes can handle your network ingress, supports a variety of deployment options out of the box, and gives your containers built-in observability. Every large cloud provider offers managed Kubernetes services, which make it much simpler to get started and utilize cloud-native capabilities like auto-scaling. Kubernetes is probably the platform you should take into consideration if you are managing a lot of workloads, need cloud-native interoperability, and have many teams working together in your company.

Except for the final scenario, none of the following situations inevitably render Docker unusable for your project. However, if you have any of these issues, you should reconsider if Docker is the right option for your software development needs. Docker is not recommended for the following cases:

  • Your software is a desktop program: Web applications that operate on servers or console-based apps benefit greatly from Docker. However, Docker might not be the greatest option if your product is a typical desktop program, particularly one with a robust graphical user interface. Although it is theoretically feasible to create such an app with Docker, it is not the ideal environment for executing the software with a graphical user interface and necessitates extra workarounds.

  • Your project is rather modest and straightforward: If your software is made up of several components, Docker is incredibly useful. Installing these and keeping track of all the dependencies are made simpler by this. However, it is not packaged in this manner. The initial project configuration for Docker (Dockerfiles, docker-compose.yml, entry points, etc.) must be created and maintained by someone. So you may start without Docker if your app is quite straightforward and doesn't need any other software or services. If and when your software expands, it may be incorporated.

  • There is just one developer on your development team: The advantages of Docker are less significant if your development team consists of just one person. Docker makes it possible for all developers to have access to all the components of the product they are working on. Therefore, everyone has them when needed if someone adds software requirements. There is no need for this if there is only one developer. However, even in this scenario, Docker could be helpful, for instance, if the project's original lead resigns and someone else must take over. However, that can be managed with the right documentation in its place. Docker merely automates this, although the necessity for automation decreases with the size of the team.

  • You're looking for a way to make your application more efficient: Although Docker significantly accelerates your app development process, the app itself may not always benefit. The single instance of your program will often be slightly slower than without Docker, despite the fact that it aids in making it scalable so that more users may use it. Fortunately, Docker containers are smaller and use fewer resources than, say, virtual machines. The performance overhead of Docker is typically invisible to you, but if you want to speed up your app, Docker by itself is not the answer.

  • The majority of your programming crew are MacBook users: Speaking about speed, running Docker on macOS results in significant performance difficulties. These concern the underlying osxfs filesystem and how volumes are mounted. In other words, if your software reads and writes a lot of disk data (and practically all apps do this), it might run quite slowly on a Mac. Docker is not the greatest option if your development team is made up of Apple devotees. Thankfully, there are a few things MacBook users can do to enhance their Docker experience.

  • Your team is not proficient in Docker usage: The final and maybe most significant reason why Docker should not be used. Docker can function flawlessly and considerably quicken the development cycle. However, if it is not utilized appropriately, it turns into your worst nightmare. Very huge Docker images that take a long time to start:

    • Debugging problems that don't provide any helpful logs is challenging.
    • Concerns with security when utilizing arbitrary, unreliable Docker images.
    • Developers who add dependencies to their computers rather than using Docker images.
    • Combining a Docker setup with extra manual instructions to be run. All of them have the potential to be very frustrating, problematic, and ultimately expensive. Therefore, don't utilize Docker just because everyone else does if your development crew isn't trained on its correct use.