NGINX introduces improved app delivery, API management, and service mesh capabilities

NGINX has announced several new enhancements to the NGINX Application Platform across three of its solutions: NGINX Plus, NGINX Controller, and NGINX Unit.

NGINX Controller 2.0 will include an enhanced Load Balancer Module that features advanced configuration management. This allows for a configuration-first approach with version control, diffing, reverting, and ServiceNow integration, the company explained. It will also introduce a new API Management Module that offers API definition, monitoring, and gateway configuration management. According to the company, this module is a good alternative for managing enterprises’ API traffic compared to traditional API management solutions. Both of these capabilities are planned to be released in Q4 of 2018.

This solution will also include a future Service Mesh Module that will enable Controller to manage and monitor service mesh deployments, apply traffic management policies, and simplify service-to-service workflows. This feature will be available by the first half of 2019.

NGINX Plus R16 will include the ability to share state and key value features across a distributed cluster, providing dynamic capabilities such as global rate limiting for API gateway and DDoS migration. The solution also adds load balancing algorithms for Kubernetes Ingress control and microservices use cases; enhanced UDP support for environments such as OpenVPN, VoIP, and virtual desktop infrastructure; and a new integration with AWS PrivateLink.

Finally, NGINX Unit 1.4 adds improved security and language support. It has added experimental support for JavaScript with Node.js to extend its existing Go, Perl, PHP, Python, and Ruby support, and plans to fully support JavaScript and Java by 2019.

“Today, there is no distinction between technology companies and traditional enterprises. Technology is front and center in every organizational business strategy and enterprises of all sizes and in all industries must roll out compelling digital capabilities to attract, retain, and enrich customers,” said Gus Robertson, CEO of NGINX. “This latest set of updates to our NGINX Application Platform are designed to help companies achieve better customer experiences, agility, and ROI in the digital era.”