Unveiled at this week’s DockerCon event in Austin, Texas, a new program from Docker Inc. aims to help customers still using older legacy applications migrate to the hybrid cloud by virtualizing app deployment through containers. The Modernize Traditional Apps program makes containers more secure, allowing their portability to modern cloud infrastructure without the need to rewrite the existing code.

Many traditional companies have networks dependent on legacy applications, which as they are cannot be used on cloud-based networks. For those who do want to move to the cloud, there are two choices: drop the legacy apps and move to a more modularized microservices architecture, or find a way to modernize those legacy applications for use on the cloud.

However, according to Marianna Tessel (pictured), senior vice president of strategic development at Docker, many of these traditional companies are not ready to convert to a complete microservices-based architecture. For them, Docker’s MTA program offers to containerize those legacy apps for cloud use, and that is a palatable change many of those companies can live with.

“We’re starting to see more of a traditional app coming on board as well,  and more traditional [operators] saying, ‘Wait a second. I want those benefits as well! I don’t know that I want to go all the way to the extreme of, you know, rewriting my code and going to microservices, but I can reap a lot of the benefits from the authorizing and putting our tools on top,'” Tessel explained.

Tessel spoke to Stu Miniman (@stu) and James Kobielus (@jameskobielus), co-hosts of theCUBE, SiliconANGLE’s mobile live-streaming studio, during DockerCon, to discuss the new MTA program and how it is helping companies still dependent on legacy applications to modernize and become cloud-ready. (*Disclosure below.)

MTA program helps traditional customers modernize

A major part of Docker’s strategy is to fully engage with its more traditional customers to understand what legacy software is still in use, determine what their needs are and then provide the path to modernize that software for use with the hybrid cloud, Tessel stated.

The goal of the MTA program is to encourage these companies to at least begin moving toward microservices, even if a full conversion isn’t in that customer’s immediate future.

“What we’re going to basically provide is a way for you very quickly to start seeing the benefits taking a traditional app and within days … get it in a modern state and start seeing the benefits from that,” explained Tessel. “It’s something that we are going to encourage customers to do and, again, very quickly see the benefits.”

Watch the complete video interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s independent editorial coverage of DockerCon US 2017 Austin. (*Disclosure: Docker Inc. sponsors some DockerCon segments on SiliconANGLE Media’s theCUBE. Neither Docker nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE