Application modernization with cloud-native engineering and vFunction

[Shohei_Maruyama]

Using data science, automation, and minimal code with HPE and vFunction, a breakthrough new platform to transform complex monolithic applications.

Cloud-native technologies enable enterprises to develop and run scalable applications in modern, dynamic environments such as public, private and hybrid clouds. Containers, service meshes, microservices, immutable infrastructure and declarative APIs are examples of this approach. The use of the hybrid architecture approach for implementing Java systems in the cloud has increased since last year, with 29% adoption reported in 2021 according to a developer survey report from Jakarta EE.

But organizations often face challenges to innovation in cloud native applications, including financial justification; the complexity of code and new architectures; lack of developers and skills to transform existing applications; and lack of clarity to start transforming applications.

The vFunction breakthrough

We are excited to introduce vFunction, a member of the HPE Pathfinder program, which identifies and invests in category-leading startup companies. vFunction is the first and only platform for developers and architects that intelligently and automatically transforms complex monolithic Java applications into microservices, restoring engineering velocity and optimizing the benefits of the cloud.

HPE Cloud Native Engineering and vFunction present a new approach to application re-factoring with cloud native engineering, using a 3-step approach: Assess monolithic apps; analyze and design microservices architecture; and, finally, break the monolith into microservices/miniservices. It offers a framework to reengineer existing applications using a phased approach:

1. Discovery of applications
2. Cloud native computing platform leveraging Kubernetes
3. Assessment and analysis of existing applications
4. Modernization through service extraction to microservice architecture
5. New application development with DevSecOps ecosystem.

HPE Advisory and Professional Services provide the following seamless services through this cloud journey.

In the Discovery phase: HPE Right Mix Advisor service is a proven, data-driven approach to assess your portfolio and help prepare you for a successful hybrid cloud migration. Our approach accelerates the determination of the target endpoint and migration strategy for each of your applications using a combination of industry-standard tools and our own IP.

In the Assessment and analysis phase: Leveraging software-based analysis tools from HPE’s partner vFunction, HPE drives the assessment and analysis of codes used in the existing environments and identifies possible codes to be modernized and extracted with higher performance and security on containers and Kubernetes. It is currently offered for Java and will be offered for .NET by the end of 2022.

In the Modernize phase: HPE and vFunction identify exclusive services which can be extracted and configured before deploying to the target environment, leveraging code-copy functionalities to extract services from original source code and containerize/deploy by adding other external dependencies and build/test.

Finally, for onboarding on cloud native computing platforms, HPE provides a minimum viable cloud platform for developers to develop and operate a new and modernized application and its ecosystem, with an orchestrator (Kubernetes), observability, and DevSecOps ecosystem to run and operate new and modernized applications. Containerized services would be onboarded to the cloud native computing platform.

Several sessions at HPE Discover 2022 covered cloud-native technologies. Keep an eye on the HPE Discover More Network, where we'll be posting on-demand videos of selected sessions.

Learn more about technology consulting services from HPE, and how we help you take your digital transformation to the next level.

Junichi Yoshise, Senior Chief Solution Architect and Cloud Native Computing Technical Lead with HPE Worldwide Advisory & Professional Services, is co-author of this article. Junichi has a passion for technology. Since joining Hewlett Packard in 1999, he has worked on many projects as a technical subject matter expert and led delivery projects as a project manager. Currently his focus is cloud-native computing solutions and assisting customers to accelerate digital transformation by leveraging technologies such as Kubeflow and Kubernetes. Junichi has been very active in technical communities such as the Cloud Native Computing Foundation and the Cloud Foundry group.

Shohei Maruyama
Hewlett Packard Enterprise

twitter.com/HPE_Pointnext
linkedin.com/showcase/hpe-pointnext-services/
hpe.com/pointnext