Containers as a service (CaaS) is a cloud computing service that allows developers to manage and deploy containerized applications, giving businesses of all sizes access to portable, easily scalable cloud solutions.
Containerized applications comprise software code packaged with just the operating system (OS) libraries and dependencies required to run it. They are agile, executable units (containers) that can run on virtually any IT infrastructure, from on-premises data centers to hybrid cloud and multicloud environments.
CaaS sits between infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and platform as a service (PaaS) in the cloud computing stack, providing a balance between the control offered by IaaS and the simplicity of PaaS. IaaS is a foundational cloud model, allowing organizations to virtualize computing, networking and storage resources, and run other cloud services like software as a service (SaaS) or PaaS. IaaS platforms let teams fully customize components, from application stacks to OSs, but the vendor manages computer resources and hardware.
PaaS, however, functions at the code stack level, letting users focus on higher-level app dependencies (for example, language runtimes), but it eliminates user control of the OS and limits portability across deployment environments.
CaaS puts the control back in the users’ hands by facilitating OS virtualization and customization and enabling container-specific deployment.
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CaaS provides a cloud-based platform where users can streamline container-based virtualization and container management processes. CaaS providers offer myriad features, including (but not limited to) container runtimes, orchestration layers and persistent storage management. CaaS also has unique integration capabilities that help businesses optimize their IT infrastructure.
Primary CaaS features include:
When the user is only working with a few containerized apps, it’s feasible to manage the containerization process manually. But companies are increasingly relying on containers to make their IT infrastructure more agile, which means managing larger volumes of containers. CaaS allows teams to automate the containerization process, so that they can leverage the portability of containers at scale.
The orchestration layer of a CaaS system facilitates automated container deployment, load balancing, scheduling, scaling and lifecycle management processes across the IT ecosystem. Currently, the most popular container orchestration platform is the open source, Linux-based Kubernetes service, but other leading public cloud providers offer their own high-quality container orchestration services:
- AWS’s Amazon Elastic Container Service (Amazon ECS)
- Google Cloud Platform
Docker Swarm - IBM Cloud
- Microsoft Azure Container Instances
CaaS platforms facilitate smooth communication between containers by using network overlays and software-defined networking (SDN) technologies to create virtual networks and optimize container connectivity.
Users interact with container platforms through high-level, customizable application programming interfaces (APIs) or web portal interfaces that enable them to define resource requirements, networking settings and environment variables for containers and associated resources.
CaaS systems typically include flexible security features like role-based access control (RBAC), container isolation and image scanning for vulnerabilities, as well as network policies that help organizations monitor and control traffic flow between containers.
One of the most impressive features of CaaS is its ability to integrate with other cloud-native technologies like managed databases, caching systems and message queues. For instance, CaaS can be integrated with continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) and DevOps pipelines to accelerate product improvement and development processes.
CaaS enables businesses to focus on core competencies by abstracting the complexities of infrastructure management. With CaaS, developers can prioritize building and deploying apps without worrying about the underlying infrastructure or storage requirements. Other notable benefits include:
Users can easily add and remove containers based on demand, making CaaS an excellent choice for businesses with fluctuating workloads and those looking to scale up quickly. CaaS platforms also include autoscaling capabilities that allow organizations to automate container scaling for an ultra-nimble migration experience.
CaaS helps businesses eliminate portability hurdles by automating containerization processes and facilitating seamless, serverless app migration across environments.
Containers are lightweight and require minimal computing resources compared to traditional virtual machines (VMs) and bare-metal software, making them especially fast. Relying on container services can help teams quickly test, deploy and update containers without disrupting the entire IT infrastructure.
CaaS can foster collaboration and agility in a DevOps environment. For example, if a CaaS-equipped software developer wants to resolve an issue with a new e-commerce platform, they can have the development team address issues with the container contents and operating environment while the operations team troubleshoots orchestration system issues.
In other words, CaaS enables teams to work independently—but simultaneously—on different components of an application, enabling parallel development and faster iteration cycles.
CaaS service providers offer pay-as-you-go pricing models, which allow users to pay only for the services they use.
Businesses across sectors are turning to CaaS for cloud infrastructure solutions. In fact, the global CaaS market was valued at nearly USD 2 billion in 2022.1 Researchers anticipate that the market will be worth more than USD 7 billion by 2027, with a CAGR of 30.2% during that period.2 With market growth expected to accelerate in the coming years, it’s clear that CaaS services are becoming increasingly useful to app developers worldwide.
Teams can use CaaS to build a microservices architecture, which breaks down apps into smaller services that can be developed, deployed and scaled independently. Implementing microservices improves the overall agility and speed of application development processes.
CaaS can also facilitate the transition to DevOps culture, wherein software development and IT operations teams work together throughout the software lifecycle. CaaS offers a shared platform where the teams can collaborate to develop and ship end products that better serve the user.
Furthermore, app containerization enables teams to modernize legacy applications faster. Containerized apps are especially portable, allowing teams to leverage the benefits of modern, cloud-native application development without needing to rewrite their applications from scratch.
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Footnotes
1“Containers as a Service Market worth USD 5.6 billion by 2027 - Exclusive Study by MarketsandMarkets," (link resides outside ibm.com), Cision, 30 November 2022.
2“Container as a Service Global Market Report 2023,"(link resides outside ibm.com), Yahoo Finance, 1 June 2023.