The concept of cloud-native applications encompasses the ability to exploit cloud computing environments to provide scalability, resilience, and flexibility. If you’re a business using VB.NET (and even if you’re not), the move to a cloud-native architecture allows you to work with the newest cloud services out there while continuing to capitalize on your firm’s VB.NET expertise.

In this post we will discuss:
• the best practices to build cloud-native applications using VB.NET
• the merits of taking this vie
• how Empirical Edge can assist you with the implementation of efficient, scalable solutions.

Why Build Cloud-Native Applications in VB.NET?

VB.NET is a great platform to develop enterprise applications, it has a robust framework and is end-to-end supported in .NET Core/.NET 7, which allows for cloud-native architectures. Some advantages that come with the use of VB.NET in developing cloud-native applications are as follows:

• Integration with Azure (and all other cloud platforms): To easily access cloud services, storage, and serverless computing.
• Build scalable applications: Make use of all the advantages of microservice architectures, containerized applications, and many of the advantages of cloud-based enterprises (that support dynamic workloads with ease).
• Development speed: With how easy it is to get going with VB.NET and a convenient use of libraries, it can super charge cloud adoption for your business.
• Maintainability: By utilizing a modular architecture for all your applications, it allows for upgrades and enhancements over decades.
• Security & Compliance: Access to new and modern security protocols that allow you to keep sensitive data in the cloud with confidence.

1. Adopt Microservices Architecture

• Decompose applications into smaller, loosely coupled microservices.
• Every microservice can be developed, deployed and scaled independently.
• Use REST APIs or gRPC for service communication.

2. Containerize Applications

• Use Docker to containerize VB.NET applications for portability.
• Containers are perfect for consistency across development, staging, and production.
• They can be orchestrated with Kubernetes for automated scaling.

3. Use Cloud Native Services

• Cloud managed databases, storage, and messaging services offer lowers the operational burden.
• Look to integrate with serverless functions to run event-driven processing.
• Bring in cloud native monitoring and logging tools to drive real-time insights.

4. Employ Continuous Integration and Deployment (CI/CD)

• Use CI/CD tools like Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions to automate the build, test, and deploy pipelines.
• The goal is to achieve fast, reliable, and repeatable deployments.
• Automated testing should be a requirement to ensure code quality.

5. Enhance Performance and Scalability

• Design your application to be asynchronous and make use of parallel processing when possible.
• Implement caching strategies wherever applicable for frequently accessed data points.
• Always monitor application performance and scale resources dynamically.

6. Always Consider Security and Compliance

• Secure data in transit and at rest in transit using one of the encryption protocols.
• Use proper authentication and authorization mechanisms using OAuth2, JWT, or Azure AD.
• Maintain compliance with industry standards such as GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI DSS.

Obstacles in Developing Cloud-Native VB.NET Applications

• Creating microservices for legacy VB.NET applications
• Optimising resources in a cloud environment
• Distributed systems are difficult to manage
• Fault tolerance and high availability
• Monitoring and measuring an application across multiple cloud services

VB.NET Cloud-Native Development Services at Empirical Edge

Empirical Edge delivers scalable, secure, and future-proof cloud-native VB.NET applications for clients.

Our Services include:

• Custom Cloud-Native VB.NET Development: Development for enterprise specific needs.
• Microservices & API Integrations: Communication between services and systems.
• Containerization & Orchestration: Using docker and kubernetes to develop the application in a scale-out environment.
• Performance Optimisation: Using asynchronous processing, caching and auto-scaling.
• Monitoring and Support: Monitoring in real-time, logging and continual support.

Read more about our Services here: VB.NET Development Services

Conclusion

Building cloud-native applications with VB.NET enables businesses to fully leverage cloud capabilities while modernizing legacy applications. By following best practices such as microservices architecture, containerization, CI/CD automation, and performance optimization, organizations can achieve scalable, resilient, and secure cloud solutions.

At Empirical Edge, we combine VB.NET expertise with cloud-native strategies to deliver high-performance applications tailored to your business needs.

Ready to build cloud-native VB.NET applications? Contact Empirical Edge today!