
Implementing Microservices as Serverless
As technology continues to evolve, it’s crucial for businesses and organizations to adapt and optimize their systems to meet the demands of modern computing. With the rise of microservices architecture, we’re faced with a new challenge – how to maintain efficient and cost-effective operations while still delivering exceptional performance.
The reality is that many microservices are overprovisioned, resulting in unnecessary waste and inefficiencies. In fact, it’s estimated that 83 cents out of every dollar spent on computing resources is wasted. This issue can’t be ignored, especially as the demand for computing resources continues to grow at an unprecedented rate.
In this article, we’ll explore a crucial aspect of this problem – implementing microservices as serverless functions. By doing so, we can drastically reduce maintenance costs while improving performance.
The primary challenge when it comes to scaling is that traditional server-based architectures are not designed to handle sudden spikes in traffic or the occasional viral moment. As we’ve seen, simply planning for maximum daily capacity would be wasteful and expensive. Instead, we need a solution that adapts to changing demand without sacrificing efficiency.
Serverless functions offer an attractive alternative. By using event-driven architecture, these functions can scale instantly, handling sudden spikes in traffic with ease. This is particularly important when dealing with the unpredictable nature of viral moments or unexpected surges in user activity.
In traditional server-based architectures, servers need to be provisioned and maintained regardless of usage patterns. However, serverless functions are designed to be highly efficient and cost-effective. When a request comes in, the function begins processing it instantly, consuming resources as needed. As soon as the request is processed, those resources are freed up for use by other tasks.
For instance, when Liberty Mutual rewrote one of their microservices from server-oriented to a serverless function, they were able to reduce maintenance costs by an astonishing 99.98%. This represents a decrease in spending from $50,000 per year to just $10 per year – a staggering reduction that has significant implications for business operations.
In conclusion, rewriting microservices as serverless functions can have a profound impact on the bottom line of any organization. By leveraging event-driven architecture and efficient resource allocation, we can significantly reduce costs while maintaining performance.
Source: www.forbes.com