Google is Positioning Kubernetes to Stand at the Center of the Hybrid World
Google is positioning Kubernetes at the heart of the hybrid cloud movement for the enterprise. That’s evident in the announcement yesterday that Google is joining OpenStack. It’s a signal that Google sees OpenStack as a vehicle it needs to make Kubernetes the standard for container orchestration.
If this were to be the case, OpenStack’s Magnum may be crucial: it could provide a simpler way for the enterprise to engage with Kubernetes, rather than having to deal with the complexities of container orchestration directly. Magnum — which is already integrated with Google’s Kubernetes — is an API service to manage application containers. It is intended for OpenStack cloud operators who want to provide a self-serve managed host service for their cloud users. OpenStack says that Magnum essentially makes Kubernetes and Docker available as “first class resources” within OpenStack, that can be run on either virtual or bare metal machines in a cluster configuration.
Enterprise customers are increasingly interested in services like Magnum, that can leverage Kubernetes and enable cloud-native apps to run alongside legacy enterprise workloads on a single platform, said OpenStack COO Mark Collier in a statement yesterday. He cited recent industry consultations that confirm the enterprise sees OpenStack as their “path to production” for containers.
The sponsorship of OpenStack Foundation is a strategic move that addresses the two trends of enterprise computing today, said Craig McLuckie, Google Cloud product manager. The first trend is what Collier mentions: the need for enterprise to be able to run hybrid cloud infrastructure environments, where OpenStack handles the on-premises component. The second trend McLuckie highlights is, of course, containerization. McLuckie wants to see more developers conversant with container-native application design patterns, and improved interoperability between the hybrid environments that combine public and private clouds.
The move comes ahead of what is epxected to be a series of announcements next week at OSCON from Kubernetes and its partners. McLuckie is also speaking at next month’s OpenStack Silicon Valley event.
Docker is a sponsor of The New Stack.
Featured image: “Cloud Mix” by Jeff Attaway is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
