DEVOPSdigest

IBM is expanding its portfolio of developer tools to make it easier for developers and organizations to create, deploy and manage apps built with microservices.

IBM’s new Microservice Builder highlights IBM’s focus on aligning its technology to simplify how developers manage their data and build applications. It gives developers the flexibility to deploy microservices on their on-premises systems or any cloud environment.

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 works in conjunction with existing tools available via IBM Cloud that further advance microservices development and deployment. It uses a Kubernetes-based container management platform to make it easier to deploy, run and manage applications in any public or hybrid cloud environment. Kubernetes is an open-source project hosted by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation. Microservice Builder also works with Istio, an open platform IBM built in conjunction with Google and Lyft to connect, manage and secure microservices. IBM plans to deepen the integration between Microservice Builder and Istio as the Istio fabric evolves.

“Microservice Builder gives developers the foundation they need to build applications using a full microservices-based architecture and the flexibility they want to deploy these applications where they make the most sense for their business,” said Denis Kennelly, GM of IBM Hybrid Cloud. “Microservice Builder also takes advantage of other tools, such as Istio, that simplify the integration and management of microservices so development teams can spend more time updating apps with new features and less time manually configuring them.”

IBM’s Microservice Builder uses popular programming languages and protocols, including MicroProile and Java EE programming models, Maven, Jenkins and Docker.

Functions provided can include:

- The MicroProfile programming model, which extends the open standards of Java EE, to help ensure microservices work with each other and provide capabilities to rapidly develop code for microservices

- Integrated DevOps pipeline for automation of development life cycle and integrated log analytics and monitoring to help with problem diagnosis more easily

- Consistent security features through OpenID Connect and JSON Web Token

- Easy-to-use and production-ready runtime environment for cloud or on-premises systems through WebSphere Liberty