Microsoft and Docker together have unveiled CNAB (Cloud Native Application Bundle), an open source, cloud-agnostic specification for packaging and running distributed applications. With this launch, both companies seek to unify the management of multi-service cloud applications across different toolchains into one single format.
According to Docker, enterprises of different sizes are pursuing cloud native applications and infrastructures in a bid to create modern software environments. They say that these enterprises that deploy multiple tools and infrastructure find it difficult to manage these tools separately, resulting in wastage of resources.
By launching CNAB, Docker believe that they will help enterprises manage multiple infrastructural tools through a single, unified platform. They say that by collaborating with Microsoft, Docker will be able to reach a wide range of customers all over the world to offer this application bundle.
Docker reveal that CNAB was originally conceived by Microsoft, but when the latter realised that Docker too were working on something similar, they decided to combine forces and present a better version of the same to the market.
Gabe Monroy, Partner Program Manager at Microsoft says that they had a fair idea that unifying the tooling was not a feasible goal but unifying its lifecycle experience model was possible. Hence, he claimed, the packaging, as well as the distribution experience for CNAB, fell into place.
As per the partnership deal, Docker claim that they will be first to unveil their own rendition of CNAB. They also say that shortly after launching the same, they will be expanding the bundle across the Docker platform to support new application development, deployment as well as product management.
Industry experts believe that this development will help Docker cater to a large number of customers by leveraging Microsoft’s network. It will be interesting to see how Docker and Microsoft make the most of this, following Microsoft’s alliance with Signal to provide Azure Stack.