Modernizing WPAR Technology in AIX (Linux-like Containerization)

I would like to address the future of containerization in IBM AIX. Since the proposal for "Docker on AIX" did not receive approval, I suggest an alternative approach: investing in the development of WPAR technology to align it with modern containerization standards. Rather than adapting Docker to AIX, IBM could modernize WPARs to make them lighter, more flexible, and better suited to current needs, much like modern containers in Linux systems.

The modernization of WPAR could involve a series of improvements. The first step would be to accelerate the startup of WPARs by eliminating unnecessary file copying operations, similar to how the overlayfs file system used in Docker works, which would significantly speed up the startup process and reduce system load.

Containers on AIX could be used in many areas, such as quick application testing, integration testing, process isolation, as well as environments for continuous integration (CI) and continuous delivery (CD). For GitLab CI, Ansible EE, or Python virtual environments, containers could greatly simplify process management and automation, offering flexibility and speed that traditional virtual machines do not provide. This approach would make it easier to create and remove test environments, speeding up application development cycles and ensuring better process isolation.

Investing in the development of WPARs, aligned with modern container standards, would make AIX more competitive in DevOps and cloud environments, providing users with a powerful tool for container management without relying on Linux-based solutions.