Definition of 'Cloud Native' Remains Unclear, Experts Say

The industry still lacks an agreed-upon “common definition” for cloud native, Beth Cohen, Verizon advanced networking and security product strategist, said during a TelecomTV webinar Tuesday. The definition that “makes the most sense” is applications designed and optimized to work in the cloud, Cohen argued. “That can be containerized applications; it can also be virtual, machine applications.” The application should be “built and designed, from the ground up, to work in a virtual environment, whatever that virtual environment may be,” she said. “There are a number of definitions, and they’re all right.” Containerization uses software that bundles an application's code with all the files and libraries it needs to run on any infrastructure. Michele D’Agostino, director-product management at software company Wind River, said cloud native must be built on “microservices and container orchestration.” In addition, “It needs to support dynamic scaling based on demand” and “needs to have automation and resiliency in case there are failures.” Cloud native, D'Agostino said, also must include analytical tools based on AI and machine learning. Automated software updates and zero-touch deployment are “critical to scale the types of networks we have within telecom.” For Joan Triay, manager and network architect, Docomo Communications Lab, cloud native isn’t a specific technology or solution. “It’s not even about containers,” Triay said: “It’s very difficult to define” cloud native “precisely, and I doubt that we will ever achieve that.” Part of the confusion comes from using the term liberally as a marketing tool. The telecom industry shouldn’t let cloud service providers “hijack the definition” of cloud native, Cohen said. “Telco cloud is different, and we need to keep that in mind.” The top benefit of cloud native is lowering the cost of running a network, said Sidd Chenumolu, head-product management at VMware by Broadcom. “The ability for a service provider to do life-cycle management in an automated manner … is definitely a huge cost savings,” he said. With cloud native, “you can adopt the best tool sets out there.”