The pace of technological advancement is proceeding at an extraordinary rate. Failing to stay attuned to the latest developments in IT and programming can lead to a lack of expertise in a short amount of time, impeding competitiveness. Thus, it is vital to stay up to date with new advancements to remain at the forefront.
Each day seems to bring a new tool that promises to either simplify or complicate the lives of coders and system administrators, based on the purpose it purports to fulfil. Serverless technology is one such innovation in the IT industry.
It is crucial to note that the term utilised is not wholly precise. Hence, before examining whether this innovative technique of delivering software and services is fitting for your enterprise, it is essential to clarify and rectify this misconception.
It is probable that serverless technology is already in operation within your company, and it is crucial to be aware of this fact.
Serverless: What does it entail?
It is crucial to acknowledge that the term “serverless” does not imply an absence of servers. Rather, it enables enterprises to avail themselves of software and services that are hosted externally, eliminating the requirement to acquire their own servers.
Serverless computing entails a third party furnishing backend services that are necessary to empower applications and services, as and when required. Through utilising serverless architecture, development teams can construct and distribute code to a hosting service, devoid of end users perceiving the external hosting.
Serverless technology presents a chance for businesses to forego the necessity of server infrastructure. It streamlines the distribution of applications and services to cloud providers such as AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Rackspace, and Linode.
To obtain a more comprehensive comprehension of serverless computing, it may prove beneficial to contemplate the possibility of leasing computing, networking, and storage space from a third-party cloud provider and settling the bill only when required. Essentially, with this methodology, you are charged merely for the quantity of resources you utilise. This streamlined practice confers an array of benefits that can be exploited by any corporation, regardless of their size or tenure.
The Merit of Serverless Computing
Let us examine the benefits of serverless computing.
Cost-Effectiveness
The primary benefit of serverless computing is the cost savings it offers. By leveraging third-party data centers, companies can refrain from buying and maintaining their high-capacity server hardware, thereby reducing costs. Furthermore, this arrangement offers greater scalability to accommodate spikes in demand.
Upgrading existing servers in a conventional data center to enhance their memory, storage, and processing power or procuring new ones when they are inadequate to cater to demand can be a pricy operation that could lead to the inability to fulfil future demands.
Efficient Management
Likewise, your hosting service will oversee hardware management, obviating the need for your IT team to handle it. This results in an uncomplicated process for creating and managing backups (and, in certain cases, they can even be configured to be created automatically).
Enhanced Scalability
Serverless architecture can facilitate speedy and dependable scalability. When utilising the appropriate platform, auto-scaling capabilities can be accomplished, both on-premises and in the cloud. However, access to adequate computing resources and data storage is still necessary.
Environmentally-Friendly Hosts
In today’s world, adopting eco-friendly practices is becoming more pivotal for enterprises. Companies such as Google and Microsoft Azure, which offer hosting services to other businesses, are well-positioned to reduce their environmental impact without sacrificing their ability to cater to numerous websites.
In the face of the severe danger posed by climate change, a solitary company, even a large enterprise, may be inadequately equipped to counteract it. Therefore, migrating to a serverless model is tantamount to “going green,” which is paramount if reducing your company’s carbon footprint is a priority.
Enhanced Availability
Prominent companies that offer serverless services can ensure distinctive levels of availability, which may be unattainable for smaller organizations. Monitoring the provider’s infrastructure’s state of health is effortless, thanks to tools like the Google Cloud Status Dashboard.
Nonetheless, even with serverless platforms, the quality of the apps and services that your team develops will restrict your availability.
Focus on the Essentials
Transferring to a serverless architecture allows your team to concentrate on enhancing user experience, boosting system stability, devising new features and restructuring the front end, all of which are vital for guaranteeing customer gratification.
Is a Serverless Approach Right for You?
Now that you are cognizant of the potential advantages of serverless technology, you need to determine if it is appropriate for your enterprise. The first step is to evaluate if your team of developers possess the requisite skills and knowledge. Are they well-versed in cloud-native technologies and capable of crafting applications for containers and Kubernetes? These two systems are extremely harmonious with serverless architectures.
Serverless technology is not limited to cloud-native or containerization but can also be employed for scaling mobile and web applications, in-house business tools, databases, and websites.
In the end, the capacity of serverless to handle scalability whilst staying within the budget is the primary reason why it is the most ideal selection for your enterprise. Once your developers know how to fine-tune applications and services for the on-demand scaling strategy, you should expect substantial reductions in costs.
Before shifting to a serverless architecture, it is crucial for both the development and operations teams to have an all-encompassing comprehension of the corresponding technologies. When executed appropriately, serverless computing can be advantageous in terms of cost savings, customer satisfaction, and enhanced availability. However, if not implemented correctly, serverless can give rise to problems such as troubleshooting, redeployment, and downtime. To guarantee the most favourable outcome, it is recommended to arm yourself with the required knowledge and expertise before commencing the transition.
