Introduction

As more businesses shift to the cloud to modernize their applications, the terms “cloud-native” and “microservices” are often used interchangeably. However, while microservices are a powerful architectural style within cloud-native development, they are not a mandatory component. At CloudCadre Tech, we’ve helped clients navigate this landscape by understanding when microservices make sense—and when other cloud-native approaches offer better value.

This blog breaks down key scenarios and client success stories to show how CloudCadre Tech tailored cloud-native strategies with or without microservices.

Understanding the Misconception

Cloud-native doesn’t always mean microservices. Instead, cloud-native refers to:

• Building applications that are designed to run in the cloud
• Leveraging scalability, elasticity, and automation
• Using DevOps, containers, continuous delivery, and declarative APIs

Microservices may be part of this ecosystem, but they are not the only path.

CloudCadre Tech Use Cases: Tailored Cloud-Native Approaches

Use Case 1: Event-Driven Architecture Without Microservices

Client: A media analytics firm processing millions of data points from social media streams.

Challenge: Needed scalable processing, but splitting into microservices would increase latency.

CloudCadre Tech Solution:

• Built a cloud-native event-driven architecture using AWS Lambda and SQS
• Utilized AWS Step Functions for orchestration
• Deployed serverless compute without containerized microservices

Outcome:

• Scaled processing to handle 50M+ events per day
• Reduced operational overhead by 80%
• Improved speed-to-market by 60%

Use Case 2: Hybrid Cloud App Modernization With Modular Monolith

Client: A global logistics provider with a legacy monolithic ERP system

Challenge: Full microservice decomposition was not feasible in 12-month budget cycle

CloudCadre Tech Solution:

• Refactored the monolith into a modular monolith using cloud-native tooling
• Migrated workloads to Azure App Service and used API Management for external access
• Enabled CI/CD and monitoring through Azure DevOps and Application Insights

Outcome:

• 40% performance boost without the complexity of microservices
• Seamless hybrid cloud integration with legacy systems
• Future-proofed for gradual transition to microservices later

Use Case 3: Microservices for Agile SaaS Development

Client: A fast-growing SaaS company building a B2B CRM platform

Challenge: Required fast feature releases and independent team ownership

CloudCadre Tech Solution:

• Implemented domain-driven design to identify bounded contexts
• Deployed containerized services on Amazon EKS
• Used service mesh (Istio) for traffic routing and observability

Outcome:

• Enabled 20+ engineers to work in parallel with isolated services
• Reduced regression bugs by 65%
• Cut release cycles from 3 weeks to 2 days

Key Learnings from CloudCadre Tech

• Start with the business problem. Don’t jump into microservices if your team isn’t ready.
• Monoliths can still be cloud-native. Focus on automation, elasticity, and resilience.
• Microservices offer flexibility—but come at a cost. Evaluate team maturity and toolchains.
• Serverless and modular monoliths are valid options in your cloud-native toolkit.

Why CloudCadre Tech?

At CloudCadre Tech, we believe in fit-for-purpose architectures, not one-size-fits-all solutions. Our cloud-native experts:

• Assess your readiness for microservices
• Recommend the right architectural patterns
• Deliver modern apps with speed, scale, and security

Whether it’s microservices, serverless, or modular monoliths—we design what’s right for your business.