MacStadium unveils a new virtualization layer for Mac build infrastructure based on Docker and Kubernetes

MacStadium, the leading provider of enterprise-class cloud solutions for Apple Mac infrastructure, announced ‘Orka’ (Orchestration with Kubernetes on Apple), a new virtualization layer for Mac build infrastructure based on Docker and Kubernetes technology.

Orka enables users to apply native Kubernetes commands for macOS virtual machines (VMs) on genuine Apple hardware. While Kubernetes and Docker are not new to full stack developers, a solution like this has not existed in the Apple ecosystem before.

“The reality is that most enterprises need to develop applications for Apple platforms, but these enterprises prefer to use nimble, software-defined build environments,” said Greg McGraw, chief executive officer at MacStadium.

“With Orka, MacStadium’s flagship orchestration platform, developers and DevOps teams now have access to a software-defined Mac cloud experience that treats infrastructure-as-code, similar to what they are accustomed to using everywhere else.”

Developers creating apps for Mac or iOS must build on genuine Apple hardware, but until now, popular orchestration and container technologies like Kubernetes and Docker have been unable to leverage Mac operating systems.

With Orka, Apple OS development teams can use container technology features in a Mac cloud the same way they build on other cloud platforms like AWS, Azure or GCP.

As part of its initial release, Orka will ship with a plugin for Jenkins, an open source automation server that enables developers around the world to reliably build, test and deploy their software using continuous integration and continuous delivery techniques.

“Mac has always been an important platform for developers, but it has consistently lagged in terms of automation,” said Kohsuke Kawaguchi, chief scientist at CloudBees and founder of the Jenkins project. “We’re excited that technologies like Orka bridge this crucial gap and make our users’ lives easier.”