Did You Feel the Tremors? The DevOps Landscape is Shifting.

In recent weeks, some of the most recognizable companies in the DevOps space have had their foundations rattled, perhaps shaking developer confidence. The acquisition of Docker Enterprise by Mirantis, the acquisition of Sonatype (Nexus) by a capital firm and the open-sourcing of Quay by Red Hat leave many development shops wondering what will happen next with their strategic tool choices. 

Don’t Sink. Leap.

Before last week, Docker Enterprise and the Docker Trusted Registry were a safe, reasonable choice for development shops to strategically build on container technology with its most recognizable name. Sadly, it’s uncertain how much attention Mirantis, a services-based firm, will now give the development and nurturing of enterprise-grade Docker technology, leaving customers to naturally wonder, “What’s next for us?” The JFrog phones are ringing more than ever with customers looking for a trustworthy alternative to the Docker Enterprise solutions, and we’re happy to know that we’re seen as a safe place to “dock” your DevOps pipelines and container workloads to keep your boat floating.

What’s Your Sonatype?

If you’ve been around in DevOps and DevSecOps for a while, you know that long ago Nexus and Artifactory were fierce competitors in the repository space. Sonatype had its roots in the Java and Maven space, and built on that success as “the Maven guys” for many years as they expanded their repository solutions. Those times are long gone, as Nexus shifted focus to the DevSecOps and security aspects of their offering, and has now been acquired by a capital firm. While this may be seen as good news (acquisitions are great!), the company that acquired Sonatype has a long history of buying and flipping companies. Savvy observers may wonder how much a financial company will invest in features and upkeep of the Nexus technology. It’s a complete unknown, and until direction is clear we are proud to be a safe landing pad for Sonatype customers looking for a repository and security solution that has a clear vision, roadmap, and future for their pipelines.

Lots of “Quay”stions.

While perhaps not a surprise, another under-the-radar happening in recent weeks was the open-sourcing of Quay by Red Hat. As a container registry solution, Quay is and was being rapidly overtaken by Harbor as an option for companies looking towards Kubernetes deployments. Quay’s decreasing usage and relevance (based on our conversations and inbound inquiries) leaves those who have strategically adopted it in a bit of limbo. Quay is of course available in open source, but the direction of the project and ability to support the enterprise is unclear. Again, we are seeing customers turn to JFrog as a vendor they trust to remediate risk and uncertainty.

How Do We Help?

With all of these happenings, the DevOps world – and specifically the container space – is in transition. In such times, any market looks for the safe shelter and least risky investment. This is positively true when it comes to your most valuable asset – your software pipelines. JFrog is not only a stable, trusted company with a consistent track record, we can also help ensure a smooth and simple transition. 

• First, we of course offer JFrog Container Registry for free. It’s powered by Artifactory to offer the same robust technology you’d get in a commercial version, and is ideal for Docker or Quay customers looking for a trusted registry technology. We also have community versions of Artifactory for Conan/C++ and Maven to get you going.
• Second, we offer migration tools to help you move seamlessly from Docker or Nexus to JFrog Artifactory. We want to make your off/on boarding as simple as possible.
• Third, we have services that will help you engage in your new setup and get you moving quickly to avoid disruption to your business. With Artifactory, you can also get 24/7 support to ensure your tools will always be there for you.

Step Up Now, Don’t Pay Twice.

We can’t ignore the commercial part of all of this. Between now and the end of the year, if your company is feeling the twinge of doubt and uncertainty, we’d like to help. We don’t want contractual obligations to get in the way of your move to a safer place. That’s why we’ll cover your remaining contract costs. That’s right – if you’re wanting to move to a safer shore, we’ll make sure you’re not paying twice.

There’s too much at stake to remain idle. The market is always in flux, and you need to be able to count on your vendor and tools to be there for you. If you don’t have a plan, you need one – and fast. We’re happy to help as you make the right technology choice for your business, and pleased to be your trusted partner.

Learn more about JFrog vs Sonatype.