In comparison to a monolithic architecture, where all processes are tightly coupled and run as a single service, a microservices architecture structures an application as a collection of services that are loosely coupled and independently deployable. The microservices architecture enables the rapid, frequent, and reliable delivery of large, complex applications. Each component service in a microservices architecture can be developed, deployed, operated, and scaled without affecting the functioning of other services.

The adoption of the microservices architecture pattern drives the need for lightweight gateways or microgateways. webMethods Microgateway gives control over a microservice landscape by enforcing policies that perform authentication, traffic monitoring, and traffic management. The lightweight nature of a Microgateway allows a flexible deployment to avoid gaps or bottlenecks in policy enforcement.

Businesses are adopting microservices for agility and scalability. In managing the complexity of distributed microservices environments, the microservices architecture might run into operational challenges, such as service discovery, connectivity, security, and fault tolerance. This is where a service mesh helps in providing critical capabilities that provide a solution to the operational challenges you face. webMethods AppMesh is just such a solution that allows you to apply an application context to service mesh or microservice deployments.

The following sections describe how API Gateway facilitates management of deployed Microgateways and configuration of the AppMesh infratructure to manage microservices.