Cloud-native is one of those terms that has infiltrated the vernacular in nearly every industry, much like many buzzwords of our time. But this one is more than just popular vocabulary. Cloud-native is here to stay. The real deal. All worthy and no buzz. You get the idea. Cloud-native technology offers an extensive range of benefits. And for offerings like EZFlow, EPSoft’s intelligent automation platform, it is one of the primary drivers of the technology’s success.
So let’s talk terminology.
What is cloud-native technology?
Though their definition has evolved over time, currently, the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (a Linux foundation project) defines cloud-native in this way:
Cloud-native technologies empower organizations to build and run scalable applications in modern, dynamic environments such as public, private, and hybrid clouds. Containers, service meshes, microservices, immutable infrastructure, and declarative APIs exemplify this approach.
That’s a great technical explanation, but let’s break down what this means for business leaders. Cloud-native technology is designed for developing applications quickly and simply, meaning limited disruption to business operations. And with specialized cloud tools and resources—that usually don’t require local power, space or IT within your own business—implementing and scaling the technology is simple. Even without extensive IT resources, it is supremely easy to build, deploy and scale as needed with cloud-native technology.
Why is cloud-native technology important?
For RPA, IPA and other process automation initiatives, a cloud-native environment opens the potential to implement these new, highly effective technologies without having to do a ground-up reconfiguration of your existing technological infrastructure. In simpler terms: Thanks to the cloud, you get all the benefits of new technology, and you don’t have to reinvent the wheel for your existing systems to use it.
Not only that, cloud-native technology means it was designed specifically for the cloud (hence “native”), and everything about it is optimized to be used that way. That is an important differentiator from technology that simply applies legacy systems to the cloud. In our next post we’ll explain why in more detail. This native factor contributes to many of its benefits. Because there is no need to reconfigure your existing IT infrastructure, with cloud-native technology, the potential for cost reduction is substantial and can happen quickly. In addition, the performance capabilities for cloud-native technology are significant, thanks to robust feature offerings. And, because cloud-native is designed for scalability, supreme flexibility and simplified management, it is an excellent option for business users to tailor to their exact needs, and reshape as needed.
Bottom line: Cloud-native technology delivers resilience, speed and agility.
In our next post, we dive into what some of these other “cloud” terms mean—and more importantly, what they don’t.
Want to know more about the cloud-native technology behind EZFlow, EPSoft’s intelligent automation platform? Contact us any time, or schedule a free consultation.