Docker

Container

A lightweight, portable software package that bundles application code with all its dependencies for consistent execution.

Kubernetes

An open-source container orchestration platform for automating deployment, scaling, and management of containerised applications.

Load Balancer

A device or software that distributes network traffic across multiple servers to ensure no single server is overwhelmed.

Auto-Scaling

Automatically adjusting compute resources based on current demand to maintain performance and optimise costs.

Virtual Machine

A software emulation of a physical computer that runs an operating system and applications independently.

Hypervisor

Software that creates and manages virtual machines, allowing multiple operating systems to share a single hardware host.

Object Storage

A data storage architecture managing data as objects rather than file hierarchies or block addresses.

Block Storage

A data storage technology that manages data as individual blocks, each acting as an independent hard drive.

Availability Zone

An isolated location within a cloud region with independent power, cooling, and networking for high availability.

Region

A geographic area containing one or more data centres where cloud services are hosted.

Container Orchestration

The automated management of containerised application deployment, scaling, networking, and availability across clusters of machines, with Kubernetes as the dominant platform.

An IT architecture combining on-premises infrastructure with public and private cloud services.

A cloud execution model where the provider dynamically allocates resources, charging only for actual compute time used.

The delivery of computing services — servers, storage, databases, networking, software — over the internet on demand.

A software architecture where a single instance serves multiple customers, with each tenant's data isolated and invisible to others.

A strategy using services from multiple cloud providers to avoid vendor lock-in and optimise capabilities.

A centralised web interface that provides developers with self-service access to infrastructure, services, documentation, and templates within their organisation.

An architecture pattern where the flow of the system is determined by events — significant changes in state.

A distributed network of servers that delivers web content to users based on their geographic location.