August 15, 2025
Containerization is a growing software innovation that offers an option distinct from the virtualization trend. Containerization helps your team develop applications in a fast, secure, and reliable method, reducing errors upon implementation. Learn about the many benefits and advantages containerization gives your organization, including how you can add this strategy to your operations.
When you use containerization practices, your team writes and encapsulates software that can run smoothly on a range of infrastructure platforms. Both development and operations teams can see benefits from using containerization software, which also leads to a strong overall infrastructure.Containerization differs from virtualization, where code is written in a particular environment before being transferred to another target location for implementation. Virtualization has become widespread because it allows developers to work on their code in a consequence-free environment. However, moving code from development to production often introduces bugs and other complications. The virtual machine (VM) or production operating system (OS) often includes other files that interfere with the new software. This causes errors at implementation, which can be costly or cascade into other processes.Containerization avoids these problems by allowing developers to work in a partitioned production environment. Your team can write their code and test it alongside its relevant libraries, configuration files, and dependencies. This provides a more accurate environment that allows developers to test their work under product-level conditions.Meanwhile, the software package or “container” is kept separate from the actual operating system. As a result, the container can be moved from platform to platform or even into the cloud without experiencing any implementation problems. Containers are small, “lightweight” pieces of software that have less capacity and start-up time than a standard VM. They contain the machine’s kernel and allow for more efficient servers.
An application’s container is an executable software package that combines the application’s code alongside the necessary config files, libraries, and dependencies. A copy of the operating system is not included, but rather a runtime engine is used on the host OS. This runtime engine allows multiple containers to use the same OS on one system.Other required files can be shared when multiple containers are running on the same system. For example, bins and libraries can be used across containers on one OS. Using one library set for an entire range of containers lowers the resources needed to use a system. Maintaining isolated applications in containers also decreases the opportunity for malicious code attacks.Since containers are separated from their host OS, these applications are more portable than other pieces of software. They can be easily implemented across a range of platforms, including desktops, VMs, various kinds of OS, and cloud-based solutions. This versatility allows your developers to work using their most familiar processes and tools.
Containerization offers a range of benefits to your developers. You can expect to see the following improvements when moving to containerization.
Containers are executable software packages that aren’t reliant upon a host OS. These software packages can be consistently used across any cloud service or platform.
Open-source runtime engines combine simple tools with a universal approach, allowing you to optimize both Linux and Windows machines. Your developers can use Agile, DevOps, and other tools to enhance the development process and implementation.
Since containers are relatively small files, they require fewer server resources to run. You can reduce both server and license fees while also increasing your start times.
Containerized software applications run independently of each other. If one container fails, the other applications are not impacted. This allows your team to quickly identify and correct any issues as they occur while also avoiding downtime in other applications.
Containers share their host machine’s OS kernel and may share other requirements such as libraries. As a result, containers are smaller than full VMs and are more efficient when running.
Container orchestration platforms can streamline containerized applications, tools, and other services. These platforms make it easy to install, update, scale, monitor, and debug containerized apps.
Containerized applications are kept separate from each other as well as from the host OS. Any malicious code or bugs in one container remains isolated and can’t impact the rest of the system. Security permissions can also be customized for the uses of various applications.
Containerization standards have been in place since 2015. Docker and other leading companies established the Open Container Initiative (OCI) to promote minimal yet open standards for container applications. Today, a range of open-source runtime engines are available, allowing companies to explore many different OCI-certified tools. Docker remains a well-known container provider, but other services such as CoreOS rkt, Mesos Containerizer, LXC Linux Containers, OpenVZ, and crio-d are also available.
Microservices are a new approach to application development and implementation. Instead of using the traditional software model, where an application is created as a single product for a single platform, microservices deliver software as modules. Microservices break down complex applications into small, specialized products. These microservices work together using shared interfaces, creating the effect of a larger product. The move towards microservices mirrors the overall containerization trend. Each method treats applications as a group of small, portable, and efficient processes. Microservices are ideal to use with a containerized system as they emphasize the benefits of software containers. Your systems can be increasingly agile, reliable, and efficient by using microservices in containers.
Containerized software is automatically more secure than traditional applications because they operate in isolation from the rest of the system. Fully independent containers don’t share any files or libraries with other applications, so there’s no avenue for spreading malicious code.However, applications may share libraries, config files, and other data within a system. This is a more efficient use of resources but also increases the chances of security breaches or cascading issues. Additionally, problems can spread back and forth between a container and the overall platform or OS.Containerization standards lean towards a “secure-by-default” philosophy, stating that security should be a foundation of every system instead of a separate concern addressed after the fact. Container managers include isolation properties and can offer customized security permissions to limit unnecessary transfer.
Both VMs and containers allow your team to be more efficient by running several types of software in a particular environment. Virtualization permits multiple OS and applications to run at the same time, sharing a single computer or server’s resources. Each application is bundled with its relevant files and the operating system as a VM. Using multiple VMs at once can generate financial, operational, and energy savings. Virtual machines have been a transformational tool, but containerization is poised to make an even bigger impact. Containers are simply a more efficient use of resources than traditional applications. Containerized software includes its own code as well as relevant files, but unlike a virtual machine, it does not include OS software. Containers run via a host OS, saving resources and allowing faster performance.
If virtualization removed the need to use an entire server for one application, then containerization is removing the need for a complete OS for each application. Containers represent the next step in portability, management, security, troubleshooting, and agility.With the recent IBM acquisition of RedHat, the way has been paved for integrations and related software bundling of RedHat’s OpenShift containerization technologies. These container services feature open-source tools that can streamline and speed your transition to cloud-based solutions. Whether your company needs to build containerized software, manage these products, or update your existing components, IBM’s containerization tools can make the process easier.
Software containers offer many benefits to today’s companies. These packages reduce resource expenditures and increase security while also providing a more efficient and easily managed development process. Moving from your existing tools to containerized applications can seem overwhelming, particularly if you’re not familiar with the best practices. DAS is here to help you through the entire process. Reach out to schedule a free call, and we’ll explore all of your questions together.
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