How container deployment changes the capacity-management equation

The decision to proceed with container deployment should be based on a clear understanding of what exactly containers can enable and what ramifications they will have on an IT infrastructure. With containerization technology coming more into the fold, data center admins will need to account for application containers, especially how they affect server capacity. Admins are always concerned about server capacity and workload management; adding containerization technology to the mix means factoring in one more variable.

This handbook examines how container deployment changes capacity management. Decision makers will need to think through important issues. For example, should an organization deploy containers on bare metal; or is it more practical to run them on virtual machines?

There are benefits to deploying virtual containers and microservices. Application containers promise rapid scaling, ease of use and flexibility, but their arrival in the data center could prove disruptive. To succeed with container deployment, anticipate the big questions and avoid the big trouble spots.