With the upcoming release of Niagara Framework® 4.13, Niagara will be available as a Docker® container that packages together the Niagara core, the JRE (Java Runtime Environment), and any additional modules required at runtime. This containerized delivery mechanism has advantages during development, at first provisioning for a given customer and for each version upgrade compared to standard deployment and integration processes.

A container bundles the code defining a specific software application with its related configuration files, libraries, and dependencies such that the package is fully functional, no matter the cloud or non-cloud computing environment, enhancing agility, updatability, and security over the product life cycle. Containers are less resource intensive, more portable than Virtual Machines, and can ease development, deployment, and upgrades. 

Containerized Niagara offers simplified deployment of Niagara in cloud-based environments and for third-party hardware. For OEMs using a container orchestration system, simplified container management facilitates remote deployment and updating of Niagara on connected devices. 

Containerized Niagara offers the following new features:

• Niagara Framework supplied in a Docker® container
• Support for AMD_x86 and Arm64 architecture and custom support for different architectures
• Two different authentication methods – File Domain Auth or Native Domain Auth
• Subscription-based purchasing using OPex instead of CAPex for purchasing flexibility