Benefits of Unica Docker

Docker containers have spread to seemingly every corner of the software industry. While Docker (the project and the company) made containers so popular, they were not the first project to leverage containers out there; and they are definitely not the last either. This method is also useful for enabling DevOps, which is a set of processes that integrate software development and IT operations to shorten the dev life. Docker containers ensure consistency across multiple environments if you deploy the same Docker image.

Why do we need Docker?

Developing apps today requires is not just about writing code; it’s about managing the different frameworks, architecture and discontinuous interfaces between tools for each lifecycle stage create enormous complexity. Docker simplifies and accelerates your workflow while giving developers the freedom to innovate with their choice of tools, application stacks, and deployment environments for each project.

What is Unica’s Solution?

We understand our customers’ need for greater usability, flexibility, and a high level of stability. We strive to provide all of this and more with the latest technology. As Docker becomes more popular, along with the availability of tools like Kubernetes and Helm, it has become a boon for IT professionals who have the requisite expertise. Unica has dockerized all of its products, and Docker Images can now be deployed on Kubernetes using Helm charts. Dockerized Unica Products have many advantages ranging from easy installation to cloud readiness.

1. Easier to install and configure – With Docker offering, you will get a set of files, then launch them with a single Helm command, it will automatically download the proper pre-installed and pre-configured Docker images, do the installation, and start-up the applications, which will significantly decrease the dependency on IT professionals.
2. Built-in failover – You can specify how many running instances you will need to run at all times, then Kubernetes keeps watching the whole environment. Once an instance shuts down, it will automatically start a new instance. This decreases the downtime tremendously.
3. Auto-scaling – Kubernetes monitors the CPU’s utilization and can dynamically add or remove running Docker containers. It supports out-of-box auto-scaling.
4. Autoload balancing – When we start a cluster with multiple running instances for Interact run time and/or Campaign servers, we will have a built-in load balancer for routing the requests, so your IT team will not need to install and configure a dedicated load balancer. 
5. Smoother upgrade – Whenever HCL has a new version of Unica products, a new set of Docker files will be released. All you need to do is again run a single script, which will upgrade the database schema and replace the old application instances with the newer version.
6. Standardization – Using Docker containers ensures consistency across multiple environments. As long as you deploy the same Docker image, you know it will behave in the same manner no matter where it is hosted. Even if you want to customize your Unica installation, you can update the Docker files in one place and then use the same image in all your deployments. 
7. Continuous deployment and testing – With the easy upgrade, you can break down a major change into multiple baby steps, test each step, and stay relaxed. Those changes will be faithfully deployed into production.
8. Hardware Elasticity – As described earlier, Docker containers separate applications from the host operating system and hardware, so you can reuse the same Docker images even when you change your hardware configuration. This separation also allows you to dynamically add or remove hardware to fit your technical and financial needs.
9. Cost Saving – The docker offering of Unica will save you cost on installing initially, and hardware, DevOps, and upgrade continuously. In addition, thanks to the elasticity, you can save costs on hardware as well.
10. Readiness for cloud – Moving services to the cloud is a trend for various reasons. Regardless you may or may not be planning to follow this trend soon. Once you make the decision or just want to have a test run, it will be a breeze to make this movement, even with your customized Docker images.

Some Challenges

The journey towards cloud-native transformation poses significant changes for organizations. DevOps professionals face challenges in implementing cloud-native strategy due to a lack of skills, expertise, and experience required for cloud-native infrastructure, solutions, and services.

Introducing HCL SoFY

With HCL SoFy’s no-code approach, the DevOps team can effectively migrate to a cloud-native environment without the need for writing codes and technical expertise on cloud-native infrastructure and processes. With SoFy, you can, Explore: A catalog of Products and REST APIs that are enabled for Kubernetes as Docker images and Helm charts, 2) Create: A set of microservice SoFy tools to help users discover and combine those APIs and products into SoFy solutions, including a) A list APIs & products, generate solution Helm chart, deploy into test cluster and b) A simple GUI over these services, including Swagger UI for REST API documentation and 3) Release: A set of common SoFy services that run inside a SoFy solution, providing consistent setup & management of the solution.

SoFY Features

• HCLSoftware at Your Fingertips: Easy access to over 50 product components, 2,000+ REST API endpoints, and cloud native demos. 
• One-click Deployment: Deploy HCLSoftware in minutes with the innovative SoFy platform.
• Multi-cloud, Multi-choice: Implement a multi-cloud strategy and run on any cloud, public or private.

What’s the wait for? You can get started with HCL SoFy today and move to a more flexible cloud native architecture and manage your product on the cloud of your choice.