Cloud and container terminology
With WorkZone 2024.1, we switched from an MSI-based deployment method to a container-based setup. The functionality of the solution remains the same, but the way it's delivered to and installed at your organization has changed.
If your organization is on an EU cloud or Public cloud setup of WorkZone, WorkZone manages, hosts and deploys the software for you.
With the new deployment method, and the new cloud solution, there are some new terms to understand and master. In this topic, we will introduce the most important and frequent concepts and terms that you should know when you operate a container-based software solution. Whether you're the host or the hostee.
The definitions below only reflect how we use and understand here at WorkZone. As much as we try to align our terminology with other major suppliers and stakeholders, the terms may be used differently elsewhere.
From MSI installation to container-based deployment
When you install MSI packages, you run a program such as a "setup.exe" file on all servers and enter specific values that match your organization's needs and infrastructure. An MSI package contains 3rd party software, logic, and files that identify the environment or the server that the package runs on, and then installs the applications. WorkZone has installer packages for each of the different modules and there are dependencies between the products and installers. This increases complexity of the installation, and if you want to scale WorkZone, you need to set up a new server and install all packages on it. If you run WorkZone 2024.0, or an older version, WorkZone is installed and maintained with MSI packages.
What is a container?
Containers are files that you can move around and to which you specify parameters that are specific to the organization. A container holds all files, 3rd party software and logic. The container that is used in KMD WorkZone test environments is identical to the container that is used in customer environments.
A container has only one service, for example PDF view. WorkZone is delivered with multiple containers, each with their own service. If you want to scale WorkZone, you can do it at the service level, which means that you can choose to scale only the services that really need to be scaled.
Containers have a different requirement for infrastructure compared to the MSI installers. Containers require a collection of servers (a cluster). The clusters and containers must be orchestrated, which means it must be managed and monitored. There is standard software that can do this, for example Kubernetes. Kubernetes is an orchestration tool that has different sub tools depending on the platform that it runs on. WorkZone containers can only run in an AKS (Azure Kubernetes Services) setup, but AKS can run on multiple platforms. You must switch to WorkZone containers, but you can choose between three different platforms depending on your organization's needs.
And what does this mean for me?
If you are on an EU cloud or public cloud subscription model, the deployment model does not affect you, as KMD WorkZone will make sure that your solution is deployed, hosted and managed.
If your organization has their own cloud services provider, or if you have a need for a private cloud infrastructure, either you, or your providers/partners will need to know how to manage a container-based cloud setup.
What do containers have to do with cloud?
Containers are the technology that is used to deliver the software. Cloud is a platform or an operating model in which you run the containers. AKS and Kubernetes are the technology/software that manages the containers and their infrastructure.
WorkZone offers three types of platforms:
Public cloud
WorkZone runs in Microsoft Azure data centers and can be deployed in almost any region in the world. For example, in the European region, the data center is in Amsterdam.
In a public cloud, data is stored in an Oracle cloud, in the same location. The public cloud is not SCHREMS II compliant due to the risk of transferring data to am insecure 3rd country. The public cloud is for organizations where SCHREMS II compliance is not relevant.
The WorkZone public cloud is operated by KMD Cloud Center of Excellence.
EU cloud
WorkZone runs in KMD's data center. It is built on Azure Stack HCI and Oracle Cloud@Customer that are located in a European data center.
The EU cloud is SCHREMS II compliant.
The WorkZone EU cloud is operated by KMD Cloud Center of Excellence.
Private cloud
In the private cloud, the customer or a 3rd party operating supplier operates the environment.
The customer decides and manages which compliance requirements to adhere to.
The customer or 3rd party operating supplier must ensure that AKS is available. The customer/supplier can do this by having servers that make their own Azure cloud service, but in their own data center. Microsoft offers a number of solutions, for example Azure Stack HCI or Azure Stack Hub.
The database must be a separate Oracle installation.
See also Cloud models.
Terminology
Even though this guide focuses on container-based deployment, some cloud computing terms are included. They are two different things but are often related. We generally try to adhere to Microsoft's official cloud computing terminology, which you can see here. You can also see the Microsoft Azure glossary here.