> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://experience-digital-transform.gitbook.io/experience-digital-transformation/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://experience-digital-transform.gitbook.io/experience-digital-transformation/cloud-for-dpi/chapter-2/orchestration-and-platforms-make-common-runtime-work-possible.md).

# Orchestration and platforms make common runtime work possible

When a service uses several containers, something must keep them running, connect them through approved paths and replace a component when it fails. This coordinating capability is called **orchestration**.

Kubernetes is a widely used open-source system for container orchestration. It helps a platform run declared application components consistently across available capacity. It can restart a failed component, place components on suitable resources and help manage how they connect. Kubernetes is an important reference because it makes the idea of orchestration concrete. It is not the whole platform, and it is not required in every environment.

A container platform usually adds common capabilities around orchestration. It may provide a controlled route for delivering approved application components, connections to other systems, shared logs that help operators investigate a fault, identity integration, and support for recovering the runtime. These common capabilities help several services avoid solving the same operating problem repeatedly.

Some of these shared capabilities are called **Digital Public Infrastructure, or DPI, Building Blocks**. They are reusable functions, such as identity, notification, payment or data exchange, that more than one service can use. The figure shows them using the same platform conditions while retaining responsibility for their own public outcomes.

<figure><img src="https://1406653965-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FkZFMZ3jCMUwHtTN0sL4J%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-655f5a591de8d3698da62b1f3d653cfe463524cc%2Ffinal.png?alt=media" alt="A layered model moves from physical operating conditions to governed IaaS, then to a container platform, public services and DPI Building Blocks. Governed IaaS provides compute, storage, network, identity and controlled administration. The container platform provides approved application components, orchestration, controlled connections, logs and recovery support. Kubernetes is one reference for orchestration. Public services and DPI Building Blocks retain their service data, user journeys, interfaces, recovery outcome and accountable service owner. The model shows dependencies and responsibility, not a prescribed product design or topology."><figcaption><p>Figure 4. IaaS provides controlled capacity, the platform provides common runtime capabilities, and services retain accountability for their outcomes.</p></figcaption></figure>

The visual is a dependency model. The physical foundation makes computing possible. IaaS turns that foundation into controlled capacity. The platform uses that capacity to run application components consistently. Public services and shared building blocks use the platform, while their owners remain accountable for what people experience.

A platform can reduce repeated operating work. It can also become a common dependency. Capacity, identity integration, certificates, logs and administrative access can affect many services at once. The organisation therefore needs to understand which capabilities the platform provides, who operates them and what a platform failure means for the services that depend on it.

<figure><img src="https://1406653965-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FkZFMZ3jCMUwHtTN0sL4J%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-cbfc011936107450e2369c6149aa30db8ab4221e%2Ffinal.png?alt=media" alt="A layered cloud foundation connects commodity hardware through hardware management and abstraction to Infrastructure as a Service, which provides compute, storage and networking. A container platform using Kubernetes supports digital-service platforms and workloads. Operations tools and a container registry span the layers on the left, while identity and access federation spans them on the right."><figcaption><p>Figure 5. A layered cloud foundation connects commodity hardware to IaaS, a container platform and digital services, with operations and federated identity spanning the stack.</p></figcaption></figure>


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