Understanding serverless computing with use cases

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By Mohan Ram, Head – Global Field Marketing at DigitalOcean

Serverless computing uses cloud-based infrastructure and provides instant access to a scalable system that runs code on-demand and scales automatically. It describes what is known as Function-as-a-Service (FaaS), an approach that eliminates some of the technology’s most expensive and cumbersome management tasks: deployment of a physical server, maintenance and scalability.

Developers using FaaS have access to a platform that allows them to execute code for their applications. The platform enables them to focus solely on coding and development for their applications, without worrying about maintaining the server. Since code only runs in response to events or requests, developers save cost and resources for peak periods. Also, failures are isolated within each function call, allowing them to restart automatically without affecting other functions or users. 

Serverless computing also gives developers the opportunity to auto-scale horizontally without capacity planning or ongoing maintenance and allows for faster time-to-market due to the ease of development and testing for tasks.

Identifying Top Use Cases for Serverless Computing

FaaS stands out when used for simple and repetitive tasks without frequent workloads or high volumes of requests. FaaS can be used in a variety of ways, from web apps to talking to APIs and online chatbots, to customising a website’s user interface (UI) with A/B testing, geolocation and much more. Some of the most popular use cases for FaaS are APIs for web and mobile applications, multimedia processing, data processing and Internet of Things (IoT).

Adding an API for web and mobile applications

FaaS is a great choice for event-driven applications like RESTful. Often, developers want to incorporate serverless components into their existing applications. For example, using a FaaS offering, a Jamstack developer can add a new API to a website or write simple functions that are triggered by certain events.

The websites we interact with every day use potential functions to manage event-driven processes. Sites that load dynamic content often use functions to call APIs and then populate the appropriate information. Often, websites that require user input, such as an address for shipping, use functions to make API calls to backend verification that the information – in this example, the address – entered by the customer is correct.

While containers can perform these functions as well, the functions excel when there is a high volume of fluctuating traffic. Serverless APIs are easy to build and maintain and can scale easily to meet demand. Since they only run when they are triggered, they can be extremely cost-effective to use for a component that does not require state. Easily auto-scale tasks during peak season or when website traffic is high and workloads increase drastically. It will provide a better customer experience and save time for the developer. 

Storing Multimedia and data processing

FaaS is often used to store or process user input, such as multimedia processing or other types of data. An example is using FaaS to perform certain processes based on the type of media uploaded by the user. Creating a function that triggers the appropriate response for media upload saves developers time and ultimately money.

The straightforward nature of FaaS also allows for easy intake and processing of large amounts of data, meaning that robust data pipelines can be built without infrastructure maintenance. Developers building CRM or CMS tools can use functions to store information in a database or connect to APIs to store data in an external database. Because developers only have to write a single function, they save significant time by using FaaS for different processing components. Using FaaS for data processing can also save significant costs as developers are charged only when events are triggered.

Using FaaS in the Internet of things

The Internet of Things refers to the devices that are now common in our homes that connect to the Internet to perform tasks. These devices are increasingly using FaaS to perform their tasks, sending and receiving data only when triggered by an event. It saves money for businesses because they don’t have to pay for computing power they aren’t using. Since FaaS allows for easy and automatic scaling, developers need not worry about unpredictable usage patterns as consumers tap into smart home devices.

As organisations continue to adopt DevOps, they are looking for ways to manage their resources more efficiently. Serverless computing offers companies of all sizes a way to manage their cloud-based resources quickly and efficiently. And best of all, serverless architectures can benefit organisations regardless of their size or operational complexity.

With a serverless architecture, there is no need to provision or maintain servers in your data centre. Instead, only pay for what you use when you use it – and you don’t have to worry about managing any of those servers. It can be beneficial for start-ups that need to grow fast but don’t have the time or budget to handle on-premises servers during rapid growth periods.

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