In Azure, containers are a flexible and efficient way to deploy and run applications. Two important services for container-based workloads are Azure Container Instances (ACI) and Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS). These services help manage and scale applications using lightweight virtualized environments.
What Are Containers?
A container is a small, isolated environment that includes everything an application needs to run: code, runtime, system tools, libraries, and settings. Containers are faster to launch and more lightweight than traditional virtual machines.
- You don’t manage the operating system directly.
- Containers can use either Windows or Linux as their base OS.
- Containers are typically launched using tools like Docker, which is fully supported by Azure.
- For persistent storage, you can connect containers to Azure File shares.
- Containers are accessed via a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN), ensuring clear isolation.
Azure Container Instances (ACI)
ACI is a Platform as a Service (PaaS) solution that makes it quick and simple to run containers without needing to manage servers.
- Best for running individual containers or small workloads.
- Per-second billing – you only pay when your container is actively running.
- Ideal for short-lived tasks or quick deployments.
- Supports manual scaling, allowing you to scale out and stop containers when needed.
ACI is a good fit for developers who want to focus on the application code without dealing with the infrastructure.
Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)
AKS is a powerful container orchestration service designed for more complex applications that require scale and automation.
- AKS uses Kubernetes, an open-source system, to manage and schedule containers.
- Containers are grouped into pods, which are deployed across a cluster of nodes.
- AKS supports both manual and automatic horizontal scaling, making it ideal for large-scale or high-availability apps.
- It also handles storage integration, networking, load balancing, and network isolation.
AKS is perfect when you need to run many containers or manage multiple microservices.
Conclusion
ACI and AKS give you two levels of control and complexity when working with containers in Azure. Choose ACI for simplicity and quick deployment, and use AKS when you need advanced automation and scalability.
Want to dive deeper into running containerized applications in the cloud? Join our AZ-900 video course – or click here to go back to the Microsoft AZ-900 list of topics.
Please click here to find out more about Microsoft’s AZ-900 exam.
