Microservices are increasingly being used to rework existing software applications in addition to creating new information technology initiatives, according to the findings of a new survey by Red Hat Inc.

The Linux software company was an early proponent of the microservices architecture, which refers to applications being built as a collection of smaller services rather than an entire app. The microservices approach involves writing code in such a way that applications are broken down into their smallest components, which run independently of one another.

Red Hat’s survey found that 69 percent of companies are using microservices for dual purposes — building new applications and also reworking existing apps.

The company, which enables the use of microservices through its OpenShift and Jboss middleware platforms, said the agility the method offers can be useful for a wide range of tasks, including “updating a current portfolio to introducing brand-new initiatives.”

Red Hat also found that DevOps teams that are under increasing pressure to get their applications into production faster are also being drawn to microservices. Users cite being able to leverage different runtimes and frameworks in order to deliver enterprise apps faster as one of the main reasons for using microservices. In addition, 87 percent said they were using or considering multiple approaches to developing them.

“These responses show that multitechnology solutions are becoming the norm and that more and more organizations simply want to use the right tool for the right task,” Red Hat said. “Not all technology projects function the same and most do not thrive on using the same tools.”

The biggest benefit of microservices is its ability to enable continuous integration and deployment, followed by IT agility and the ability to scale, respondents said. Red Hat reckons that these benefits can be achieved in just six months, according to analysis of its survey results.

However, rolling out microservices remains a complex process, with issues that include organizational resistance to change as well as diagnostics and monitoring challenges said to be holding things up. Other problems include staffing and budget challenges.

Not surprisingly, Red Hat said the best way to overcome these challenges is to call on help from experienced service providers. “It is critical to have a plan in place to evaluate microservices solutions that are available in the market and do due diligence to select the one that best fits individual requirements,” the company said.

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