9 Container Fundamentals To Know

If you thought containers were a fad that would pass, think again. Since Docker popularized the technology, virtual containers have assumed a prominent role in the developer community and are quickly making inroads into the enterprise. By the end of 2020, containers will be a $2.69 billion market, according to 451 Research.

Docker made it easy for developers to use containers and get software into production quickly, and now containers are steadily growing in the enterprise, Brian Gracely, director of product strategy for Red Hat OpenShift, said in an interview at Interop ITX.

"Enterprises trying to go through digital transformations are now seeing how valuable containers can be in terms of helping them grow faster," he said.

In a presentation on containers at Interop ITX, Stephen Foskett, organizer of Tech Field Day and proprietor of Gestalt IT, told attendees that the future is containerized. "This isn't just a fad or a trend, but an important movement in IT," he said.

"If you're in the operations space, this becomes the next natural evolution of what you're infrastructure looks like," he said. Learning about containers is a great way to advance your career, he advised. "Your business will want its developers to use these tools."

Given that containers aren't going anywhere anytime soon, IT infrastructure pros should get familiar with some of the fundamentals about the technology. We put together some container basics – terms, best practices, and educational resources – to help you get started.

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