Free ebook: Containerized Docker Application Lifecycle with Microsoft Platform and Tools

We have a new free ebook to share! This ebook, Containerized Docker Application Lifecycle with Microsoft Platform and Tools, by Cesar de la Torre, was published by the Microsoft DevDiv team. Cesar has previously written for Microsoft Press, so we’re helping spread the word about his new ebook. Enjoy!

Contents at a glance

Section 1: Summary

Section 2: Introduction to containers and Docker

Section 3: Introduction to the Docker application lifecycle

Section 4: Introduction to the Microsoft platform and tools for containerized applications

Section 5: Architecting and developing containerized applications with Docker and Azure

Section 6: Docker application DevOps workflow with Microsoft tools

Section 7: Running, managing and monitoring Docker production environments

Section 8: Conclusions

Summary

Enterprises are increasingly adopting containers. The enterprise is realizing the benefits of cost savings, solution to deployment problems, and DevOps and production operations improvements that containers provide. Over the last years, Microsoft has been rapidly releasing container innovations to the Windows and Linux ecosystems – partnering with industry leaders like Docker and Mesosphere to deliver container solutions that help companies build and deploy applications at cloud speed and scale, whatever their choice of platform or tools.
Building containerized applications in an enterprise environment means more than just developing and running applications in containers. It means that you need to have an end-to-end lifecycle so you are capable of delivering applications through Continuous Integration, Testing, Continuous Deployment to containers, and release management supporting multiple environments, while having solid production management and monitoring systems.

Within the DevOps context, containers enable continuity in the CI/CD model as they create a clear boundary between developers by providing containerized apps with all the required environment configuration, and ITOps that builds a generic environment to run app specific content. This is all enabled through Microsoft tools and services for containerized Docker applications.

Purpose

This guide provides end-to-end guidance on the Docker application development lifecycle with Microsoft tools and services while providing an introduction to Docker development concepts for readers who might be new to the Docker ecosystem. This way, anyone can understand the global picture and start planning development projects based on Docker and Microsoft technologies/cloud.

Who should use this guide

The audience for this guide is mainly Development Leads, Architects, and IT Operations people who are new to Docker-based application development and would like to learn how to implement the whole Docker application lifecycle with Microsoft technologies and services in the cloud.
A secondary audience is technical decision makers who are already familiar to Docker but who would like to know the Microsoft portfolio of products, services, and technologies for the end-to-end Docker application lifecycle.

How you can use this guide

If you are new to Docker, it is recommended to start from the beginning and read the initial introduction to Docker containing the definition of fundamental Docker terms, including containers, images, registry, clusters, orchestrators, and Docker itself.

On the other hand, if you are already familiar with Docker and you just want to know what Microsoft has to offer about it, it is recommended to start with the section “Introduction to the Microsoft platform and tools for Containerized Applications” and continue from there.