Cloud-Native Development: Supporting Modern Innovation and Bridging Installed Solutions to the Future
What is IDC’s perspective on the relationship between cloud-native development, hybrid cloud platforms, and digital transformation?
Let’s start by defining these terms. Cloud-native development combines development techniques, tools, and services that take advantage of modern infrastructure. It is about more than just a programming model or a new way of writing code; it changes the entire life cycle of how requirements are collaboratively incepted, coded, tested, deployed, and enhanced over time and typically uses cloud-centric technologies such as a microservices architecture, containers, container orchestration frameworks, serverless computing, and DevOps practices.
Hybrid cloud encompasses multiple definitions, including using on-premises clouds in conjunction with off-premises public clouds; using multiple public clouds; or potentially using an edge solution that offers some specific cloud services in conjunction with back-end public cloud services. Hybrid cloud environments are quickly becoming the norm in the industry, giving customers flexibility and the ability to place workloads close to data sources and users.
Meanwhile, digital transformation may involve creating automated or semiautomated digital processes that help convert manual processes into a faster, more cost-effective and operationally reliable business model. However, digital transformation can extend well beyond company processes and may also include the integration of software services into products and services delivered to end customers. Examples include using software to add intelligence to automobiles or the integration of software into home appliances to allow them to report operational behaviors and identify pending failures to the manufacturer, making it possible to preemptively perform maintenance to improve service levels.
Typically, any organization conducting cloud-native development would likely be using a cloud or a hybrid cloud deployment strategy in conjunction with these modern applications. Digital transformation is the driver, with organizations adopting cloud-native development and hybrid cloud to fulfill business priorities ranging from digitizing internal processes to rebuilding the business around software products and services.
