Cloud-native application bundles for easy container deployment

Packages in the Cloud

In 2018, Docker and Microsoft noticed the lack of a generic package standard for containers and set out to address the problem. The result was cloud-native application bundles (CNABs), which "… facilitate the bundling, installing, and managing of container-native apps and their coupled services" [1] (Figure 1). The "approved deliverable" version 1.0 was made publicly available under the terms of the Open Web Foundation 1.0 license in September 2019. I take a close look at the CNAB standard to see what it does and does not define and how administrators and developers can benefit.

Figure 1: Cloud-native application bundles define a format for packetizing container applications and standardizing the roll-out.

A New Ecosystem

In the typical manner for new technology, a standard toolset can take a while to crystallize. Even containers are not immune to this effect. In the initial phase, Docker was the undisputed king of the hill, single-handedly guiding containers out of the shadows and making them presentable. (See the "Container Advantages" box.)

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