Flexibility and scalability are critical for just about everything in the modern enterprise environment, particularly when it comes to technical architecture. These capabilities enable organizations to respond quickly to market changes, innovate to meet new requirements and scale to fulfill demand.

Having flexibility and scalability is especially important for modern marketing technologies such as content management systems (CMS) and content delivery networks (CDN) which facilitate multichannel content delivery. Modern enterprises are moving away from monolithic systems to achieve those requirements and turning to microservices architecture.

In this blog, we’ll explain microservices and how innovative microservices-based CMS platforms and their API-driven integrations enable rapid scalability and seamless content distribution.

Understanding Microservices Architecture

Microservices are an architectural approach where applications are structured as a collection of independently deployable and loosely coupled services. Each microservice performs a specific function and communicates with others via APIs.

For example, let’s say an ecommerce business has just modernized its technology stack and adopted a microservices approach. Instead of running everything through a legacy ecommerce platform, they could use a microservice for commerce, another to handle content management and marketing promotions, another for the checkout process, another for inventory management, and so on.

Microservices enable developers to make changes to applications without rewriting a large amount of code. They also have certain characteristics:

• Modular: Applications are divided into smaller, self-contained modules or services.
• Independent: Each service can be deployed, updated, and scaled without affecting the other services.
• Autonomous: Each service manages its own logic and data storage.
• Focused on Business Capabilities: Each service is designed to fulfill a specific business function or capability.
• Maintainable and Testable: Each service can be tested independently, with smaller codebases and well-defined interfaces.
• Reusable: Services are designed to be reused across different parts of the application or even in different applications.

Monolithic vs Microservices Architecture

A monolithic architecture is a traditional approach where the application is built as a single, unified system that operates independently from other applications. In this architecture, the entire application is a single, large computing entity with one codebase, where all business concerns and functionalities are tightly coupled together.

All processes and capabilities are highly dependent on each other and often share the same language, logic, and database. This dependency means that changes in one part of the system can inadvertently affect other parts.

A great example is a legacy CMS where all content management, user interactions, and backend processes are tightly integrated into a single, large application. This can lead to issues with scaling and situations where the entire application might need to be taken offline for maintenance or upgrades.

On the other hand, microservices offer independence and modularity. Each microservice manages its own processes, database, and API. Modifications can be made to one microservice without affecting others. For example, a modern CMS can receive an update to patch security issues without taking the entire system down or disrupting other microservices in the stack.

Microservices in Content Management

Several companies have adopted a microservices-based architecture for their content management systems where content is treated as a microservice. With a microservices approach, other applications with the tech stack can request content from the CMS using API calls.

MACH Architecture

MACH architecture refers to design principles that encourage a swappable enterprise stack. The components within the system can be added, removed, and scaled as required to meet business needs. MACH is an acronym for Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native, and Headless, and the software solutions built using MACH architecture embody these principles.

• Microservices: Each component within the system is a separate service. This could be as complex as a CMS that handles all content-related functionality or as simple as one service handling content editing and publishing, another responsible for content and asset storage, and a CDN to ensure swift content delivery to customers worldwide.
• API-First: Functionality is accessible via APIs that share data with other services within the system, allowing for easier integration.
• Cloud-native: Each microservice runs in the cloud rather than being hosted on-premises, enabling easier updates and scaling.
• Headless: The frontend presentation layer is separated from the backend content management, allowing content to be delivered to any channel as required.

Examples of CMSs that embody the principles of MACH architecture include Contentful and dotCMS.

Read More: How to Future-proof Your Business with MACH Architecture

Benefits of Microservices Architecture

Microservices architecture offers multiple benefits for the businesses that choose this approach, particularly when it comes to content management.

Flexibility

Each microservice operates independently. This means that individual services can be updated or replaced without affecting the entire system, providing increased flexibility for enterprises. For example, a team can integrate a new content recommendation engine without impacting other services. This allows swift adaptation when responding to market changes and increased innovation as technologies and business requirements change.

Scalability

Microservices can be scaled independently based on demand without scaling the entire application. For example, if a business wants to get its commerce and content microservices ready for the holiday season, the other microservices within the system can remain the same.

Reduced Dependencies

Microservices communicate via APIs, reducing the tight coupling and dependency in monolithic systems. For instance, a content creation service like a headless CMS can function independently of the content delivery service like a CDN, making it easier to troubleshoot, identify, and fix issues within a specific service.

Performance Improvements

Microservices architecture enhances performance by enabling parallel development and deployment of services, reducing the time to implement and release new features. This parallel approach can minimize downtime and ensure that each service can be fine-tuned for optimal performance, leading to a more responsive and efficient system overall.

Better Resource Allocation

Resources are allocated to microservices based on their specific needs, such as during high demand or when getting ready to launch new products. By allocating resources based on real-time demand, businesses can optimize their infrastructure costs, paying only for what they need.

More Autonomy

Development teams can work on different microservices independently. Autonomous teams can develop, test, and deploy their services independently, leading to faster delivery of new features and updates.

Selecting the Right Microservices Architecture

Microservices architecture can enhance flexibility and scalability in content management, but enterprises can also suffer from complexity and interoperability challenges.

Content Bloom is an enterprise digital consultancy with extensive enterprise content management expertise across various solutions. We can offer implementation support and guidance on selecting the right microservices for key business functions, helping businesses avoid potential pitfalls.

When Siemens wanted to migrate their legacy CMS to a modern content management system in Contentful, they turned to Content Bloom for assistance. Not only did we perform the migration, but we also integrated the centralized CMS with both marketing and ecommerce tools and supported content translation into 11 languages. The result was a 55% reduction in the total cost of ownership and several other benefits.

Learn more about how Content Bloom supported Siemens by reading the case study.