Orchestration is the process of automating and coordinating complex workflows and systems, often involving multiple independent components or services. These workflows can involve the integration of various software systems, databases, services, and people.
In the context of software development and deployment, orchestration involves defining and organizing the steps involved in building, testing, and deploying an application. This may involve tasks such as managing containers, configuring load balancers, deploying code to production, and monitoring performance and uptime.
Orchestration can be done using dedicated automation software, such as Ansible, Puppet, or Chef, or through a platform specifically designed for orchestrating microservices, such as Kubernetes or Docker Swarm. These tools typically provide a way to define the steps involved in a workflow or process, as well as the dependencies and requirements needed to execute each step.
The primary goal of orchestration is to streamline and simplify complex workflows, reducing the potential for errors and delays, and increasing reliability and scalability. This allows organizations to focus on delivering value, rather than worrying about the details of managing individual software components and services.