· Cloud Migration · 2 min read
From Monolith to Microservices: Refactoring for GKE
Modernisation is more than moving VMs. Learn the patterns for strangling the monolith and deploying to Google Kubernetes Engine.
Moving a server to the cloud (Lift-and-Shift) gets you there, but it doesn’t make you faster. To truly unlock the speed and scalability of the cloud, you need to break your application down into Microservices managed by Kubernetes.
The Strangler Fig Pattern
Rewriting a huge legacy system from scratch is almost always a mistake. Instead, we use the Strangler Fig Pattern:
- Identify: Find a piece of the system that isn’t mission-critical, like “User Reviews” or “Notifications.”
- Decouple: Write this piece as a new, modern microservice (perhaps in Go or Python).
- Deploy: Run this new service on GKE (Google Kubernetes Engine).
- Route: Tell your system to send traffic for that specific feature to the new service, while everything else goes to the old system.
- Repeat: Slowly chip away at the old system until there’s nothing left.
Why GKE?
Google invented Kubernetes, and GKE is widely considered the best place to run it:
- Autopilot: You don’t have to manage servers anymore. You just deploy your code, and Google handles the rest. You only pay for what you use.
- Istio: This tool helps your services talk to each other securely and lets you do cool things like “Canary Deployments” (testing new features on a small group of users) without changing your code.
The Operational Shift
Microservices allow for Independent Deployment. The Checkout team can release a bug fix on Friday afternoon without worrying that they will break the Search bar. This lets teams move much, much faster.
Alps Agility combines software development skills with deep infrastructure knowledge. We help you break down the monolith without breaking your business.
Ready to innovate faster? Let’s map out your modernisation journey. Contact our App Modernisation team.
