Automation Tools--a bridge between cloud and application

Originally, in our minds, although have automated deployment Tools is good for deploying applications, it is not necessarily necessary. But now, as the organization has seen the benefits of automation, the idea is changing. experts say in effect, the Automated application Deployment tool is a necessary tool for hosting applications in the cloud. The tools used for local deployment do not necessarily apply to cloud deployments, and to that end, we need to consider what tools the organization's leaders should consider when making decisions that are hosted locally or in the cloud.

A lot of things will not be taken seriously, unless you are prepared to do it, or the organization will not consider how to get the application to the cloud. "The cloud deploys the entire idea of running applications from within the cloud." Don't people say, ' Should I be automatically deployed on the cloud? ' and just say ' should I run it on the cloud? ' And then ' How do I get it to the clouds? ' Neovise's president and analyst Paul Burns said.

Deployment is not only an afterthought, but also a startling hindsight. Organizations will find that they have to-either improve existing scripts and tools to adapt to cloud work, or use automated tools to do their job. The preferred approach is to use automation tools. "I think using deployment Tools is really a best practice, regardless of where it is deployed," said Theresa Lanowitz, founder and analyst at Voke Co., "If you use deployment tools everywhere, the quality will be much better." ”

There are two types of tools for automated application deployment in the Cloud: Deployment tools for legacy applications that are not designed to run in the cloud, and new application deployment tools specifically for cloud development. For the original application design tool, Burns explained that a "wrapper" will be added to the perimeter of the application to isolate it from the cloud. The tool then pushes the application to the cloud, but the application itself does not necessarily know where to run, either locally or in the cloud, Burns said.

The new application Deployment tool specifically designed for the cloud can be "applied to the entire stack," Burns said, "everything from hardware to application is OK." "For example, the tool can reserve the necessary servers, build from scratch, deploy applications across multiple servers, and then adjust the rest of the IT environment, including switches, routers, firewalls, storage area networks, etc.

Benefits of using Automated deployment Tools

Each step of the deployment process is automated to bring significant benefits, including performance. "You can do these things by hand, but it's time-consuming." "The productivity difference between the two is really great," Burns said. ”

For organizations that are accustomed to developing and deploying local applications, setting up an automated deployment tool does introduce a new step to software development, requiring a learning process and related inputs. "But it works very quickly because you can quickly deploy to the cloud and test the process for each round of development," Burns said. "It's a challenge to set things up for the first time, but it's all worth it." ”

Automatic application deployment also improves the overall quality of the software. "Use good tools throughout the lifecycle, including deployment, to minimize human intervention and save time to wait for someone to do something." Once people's interventions are removed, quality is more predictable and better, "Lanowitz said.

Considerations for selecting Tools

There are several factors to consider when selecting the Cloud Automation Application Deployment tool, depending largely on internal development processes and policies. One factor to consider, Burns says, is change and configuration management capabilities.

"Can the tool replace the entire application without replacing it?" a trap that you might encounter when you have a tool is not allowing you to deal with ongoing changes, "Burns says-if that's the way you choose. Once any part of the application has changed, some of the tools require you to redeploy the entire application. "If you could just change a part," Burns: "But someone would say, ' Hey, forget this mess ... These tools are fast enough. It wouldn't hurt to have the whole redeployment. ’”

Ultimately, Burns says, it's up to you, but you need to choose the tools that support your internal change and configuration management strategy.

Another factor to consider when evaluating tools is whether it supports multiple public clouds. "You can get the fancy and good tools to quickly deploy the application to the Aamzon, but will it be deployed to the RACKSAPCE?" Burns said. Again, this requires some forethought and understanding of future plans for application deployment.

Burns recommends that the organization try a free version before making a purchase decision. But in the end you still need to buy. In this regard, he said: "You do not have to buy all the things in advance, but use what you buy." ”

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