What is the difference between ESB and microservices architecture?

3 ESB vs microservices: network performance

One of the main differences between ESB and microservices architecture is how they affect the network performance. ESB introduces a single point of contact for all the integration requests, which can create a bottleneck and increase the latency and complexity of the network. ESB also requires more network bandwidth and resources, as it has to process and transform the data between different formats and protocols. Microservices architecture, on the other hand, reduces the network overhead, as each microservice communicates directly with its peers, using simple and standardized protocols. Microservices architecture also enables parallel processing and load balancing, by distributing the workload among multiple instances of the same microservice.

4 ESB vs microservices: network scalability

Another difference between ESB and microservices architecture is how they affect the network scalability. ESB limits the scalability of the network, as it creates a dependency and a coupling between the integrated systems. ESB also makes it harder to scale up or down the network, as it requires a centralized management and coordination of the integration logic and resources. Microservices architecture enhances the scalability of the network, as it allows each microservice to scale independently, based on its own demand and capacity. Microservices architecture also makes it easier to scale out or in the network, as it supports a decentralized and distributed deployment of the microservices.

5 ESB vs microservices: network reliability

A third difference between ESB and microservices architecture is how they affect the network reliability. ESB reduces the reliability of the network, as it introduces a single point of failure for all the integration requests. ESB also increases the risk of errors and conflicts, as it has to handle the compatibility and consistency of the data between different systems. Microservices architecture improves the reliability of the network, as it isolates the failures and faults within each microservice, without affecting the rest of the application. Microservices architecture also enables fault tolerance and recovery, by implementing techniques such as circuit breakers, retries, and fallbacks.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?