IBM has brought together a number of developer tools into a platform for building, deploying and managing microservices in both on-premises and cloud environments.
In a microservices architecture, an application is represented as a suite of smaller services, usually running in containers, which can be swapped in and out or ugraded as warranted. The microservices approach favors continuous delivery, easier testing, and incremental new features created as business needs arise. IBM is hoping its new Builder service will have appeal for enterprise IT shops looking for more of a turnkey way to create microservices:
Microservice Builder helps developers with each step of the development process from writing and testing code, to deploying and updating new features. It helps create and standardize common functions, such as runtimes, resiliency testing, configuration and security, so developers do not have to handle these tasks separately. Teams can also build with specific policies and protocols to ensure all services work together as a complete solution.
For example, a retailer developing a new inventory management app could use Microservice Builder to create a microservice that connects into inventory data to monitor availability of products. A second microservice could be built for a user interface to access inventory information from mobile devices, and a third could be built to analyze shopping trends based on inventory movement. Microservice Builder could help ensure all microservices work together when deployed, regardless of which developer on the team created them.
Microservice Builder uses Kubernetes for container orchestration, as well as Istio, an open source project for microservices management developed by IBM, Lyft and Google. (It's worth noting that IBM says it "plans to deepen the integration" between Istio and Microservices Builder over time, meaning this piece of the pie isn't fully baked yet.)
Other aspects of Microservice Builder includes support for MicroProfile, a programming model which optimizes Java EE for microservices, and security via OpenID Connect and JSON Web Token. IBM is offering a developer edition at no charge. Pricing for test and production versions wasn't available.
In any case, IBM is tapping into an important area at the right time, says Constellation Research VP and principal analyst Holger Mueller.
"Despite all the hype around microservice and their inherent advantages to build next-generation applications, their uptake isn't on the fast lane," he says. "Custom software gets rebuilt at an average clip of 10 years, assuming it worked successfully. From those projects, almost all enterprises take a look at microservices, but only one third take really advantage of them."
That's because of uncertainty, unfamiliarity and risk-aversion on the part of enterprises, he adds. "Making it easier to create, maintain and implement microservices is the right strategy to increase that adoption, and that's what IBM is doing," Mueller says.
Big Blue is not the only option for microservices development platforms, as a cottage industry of startups has sprung up around the trend. These include Macaw, Vamp and Nanoscale. However, IBM's resources and vast account penetration in enterprises globally will certainly give Microservice Builder a foot in the door.