Modernizing Applications with Containers in AWS

Application modernization using containers in AWS is a process involving the progressive

transformation of legacy applications into cloud-native applications built using modern
architectures. For companies running on-premise legacy applications, modernization lets them
embrace and exploit innovation opportunities in cloud computing technologies, meet the
changing business environments, and reduce the total cost of owning the applications. Other
key advantages are enhanced operational efficiency, minimal operating and maintenance costs,
and lower management and administration of the available infrastructure stacks. An IDC
analysis showed that companies that move legacy applications to AWS containers result in a
56% slash of the operating costs for the next five years, and a 442% rise in their ROI.

Patterns for modernizing legacy applications

When modernizing applications, companies should consider the application logic parts that can
be transformed into microservices. Also, understanding how specific features and functions run
on various serverless technologies can facilitate code provisioning without requiring actions,
such as server infrastructure management. Typically, the main objective of application
modernization entails identifying the available strategies that can enable the transformation of
legacy applications to cloud-native apps. The strategies and patterns include modernizing data,
using a serverless and DevOps approach, and using containers to break up legacy monolithic
applications. The focus is on the latter.

Using AWS containers to break up monolithic applications

Using AWS containers to strangle the monolithic applications is a standard method for
modernizing Windows legacy applications. Multiple containers deploy an application as
microservices and reroute the traffic to the microservices without causing downtime. The
separate features making up the application run as distinct services, with each service running
in its container. Breaking up the application has benefits such as each service can scale and be
updated independently. However, since microservices modernization is an architectural
concept, it is worth noting that containerizing a full monolithic application in a single AWS
container would still be considered as modernization. The expected benefits for modernizing
legacy applications include:

 Rapid application development and deployment through Continuous Integration and

Continuous Development (CI/CD)
 Increased portability through cloud offerings
 Reduced development and maintenance costs
 Enhanced security for different application services
 Reduces the physical infrastructure footprint
  Improves the applications' availability
 Autoscaling to handle increasing workloads
 Leveraging the AWS cloud burst abilities

How to implement AWS containers for legacy workloads

1. Container governance

Container governance entails comprehending the container image tree, monitoring, logging,
security practices, and labeling during the early stages. Properly setting up such services
facilitates the quick transition to adopted containers to ensure zero downtime. It also enables a
rapid reaction to new threats to prevent adverse impacts.

2. Implement a layered security approach

Containers depend on a network to allow microservices management, thus generating a lot of

traffic. Unlike on-premise infrastructures with single points of access to applications, the
generated traffic creates a larger attack surface. As such, organizations should use a zero-trust
policy and treat everything in the container environment as a potential security risk. Layered
security and the use of AWS security groups addresses multiple vulnerabilities to ensure the
modernized applications run on secure containers.

3. Efficient data management

AWS containers like Kubernetes help companies in running scalable and available clusters
within AWS and maintain compatibility with the on-site implementations. Applying similar tools
can enable data management across the client's cloud and on-premise environments, thus
allowing the shifting of containerized applications from being developed locally and be
produced on the AWS cloud. Additionally, using a combination of Kubernetes with data stores
like Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) and Amazon Relational Database Service
(Amazon RDS) simplifies how a company can manage containerized workloads.

4. Managed Kubernetes

Kubernetes can enable a business to define a complex legacy application to be modernized,

such that it scales and runs across various sets of server clusters. To ensure efficient and rapid
adoption in AWS, an enterprise should utilize a fully managed AWS service, such as Amazon
EKS. The company can focus on designing and improving the application to meet business
needs and objectives, while AWS manages the underlying Kubernetes infrastructure.

AWS container offerings

1. Amazon Elastic Container Service (ECS): high performance and highly scalable container
orchestration for running modernized applications in AWS
 2. Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (Amazon EKS): easy for deploying, managing, and
scaling modernized applications using Kubernetes
3. AWS Fargate: compute service for Amazon EKS and ECS that enables companies to run
containers without managing servers
4. Amazon Elastic Container Registry (ECR): it is integrated with Amazon ECS to simplify
the development-to-production workflow

Getting Started with CloudSec

CloudSec believes in container technology. Our experts are working on proven approaches and tools
that accelerate DevOps through modernizing applications using containers in AWS.

CloudSec's team of professionals and years of experience enables the company to deliver tailored and
innovative solutions for diverse IT needs. The provides innovative cloud computing technology
management solutions to help organizations migrate and manage cloud resources, ranging from servers,
storage, development platforms, to virtual desktops.

To get started, schedule a consultation with a CloudSec expert today.