04/11/2022
In this blog we explore the what, how and why of deploying Mendix applications on Microsoft Azure cloud services.
Welcome to the 21st century, where magical clouds floating in the ether keep our applications and websites running safely, available for all. And, in the case of Mendix-built apps, there are a lot of clouds to choose from - Mendix Cloud, various private service providers (such as Microsoft AKS), or on-premise options. So which option should you go with? Who should you trust with your low-code creation? To answer this question we chatted with our friends at CloudFuel, having recently worked with them on a low-code adventure.
Mendix low-code has its own dedicated cloud service (Mendix Cloud) that’s easy to use, centralised with the Mendix platform and allows for ‘Low Ops for Low-Code’. It’s a no-hassle solution for your low-code apps. So why even mention Microsoft Azure’s cloud solution - Azure Kubernetes Services (AKS)? Here are a few factors to consider when choosing which cloud is best for you.
Company size: For most businesses, Mendix Cloud might be the best option due to its combination of out-of-the-box functionality and an efficient price tag / running costs. On the other hand, larger organisations might be better off with Azure due to its increased functionality and features.
Company needs: If you’re looking for ease of use, Mendix wins. However, for more insights and customised control over your applications and infrastructure layer, Azure is your best option.
Security and compliance: Azure offers greater security and compliance features, such as implementation and validation of your company security standards. Also, only people known in AAD can access the AKS cluster and other resources.
Scaling needs: AKS allows you to scale your environment up and down when and as required, again offering that extra layer of control, but also complexity, to your cloud management.
Direct access: Mendix Cloud is an intermediate layer between you and the cloud, which makes it less effective at intervention and troubleshooting when things go wrong. Azure allows you to get straight to the problem through the Azure portal, and also allows you to turn off backing resources when you wish (to lower operational costs).
If you’re already using an Azure environment then it probably makes the most sense to stick with that for consistency and run your low-code apps through AKS.
All-in-all, the question becomes how much functionality do you need vs how much effort and labour do you want to put into it? Either way, we’re here to help you with whatever option you choose.
Next question - what’s needed to run your Mendix application in an Azure environment?
Azure Kubernetes service (backend to run applications)
Storage account (for Mendix files)
Database server (a database is automatically created per application)
Azure Container Registry (backend for container images)
Mendix Operator in AKS
Azure Log Analytics (for container insights, to collect metrics and logs)
We recently put all this into practice while developing a new low-code application and migrating it from Mendix Cloud to AKS with the help of our friends at Cloud Fuel (‘Your journey to the cloud’). This involved setting up Mendix Operator (in collaboration with us) which facilitates the interaction between the Azure environment and the Mendix portal.
We really enjoyed working with CloudFuel on this project and look forward to more knowledge sharing opportunities between us in the near future.
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