The term “serverless computing” is making ripples in the world of current technology. It’s not just a catchphrase; it’s a revolutionary concept that’s reshaping the cloud computing industry. 

In this comprehensive introduction, we’ll delve into the fundamentals of serverless computing, examine how it differs from traditional cloud computing, showcase significant cases, with a focus on AWS serverless computing, and reveal the incredible benefits it brings to the table. In addition, we’ll reveal the architecture behind this invention, demonstrate its diverse use cases, and assist you in determining whether a serverless architecture is your best option.

What Is Serverless Computing?

Serverless computing, also known as “Functions as a Service” (FaaS), ushers in a paradigm shift in cloud architecture. It enables you to forego the time-consuming effort of operating servers in favour of allowing cloud providers to dynamically assign and distribute computational resources as needed. Consider a future in which you do not need to configure or manage servers; this is the essence of serverless computing.

Cloud Computing vs. Serverless Computing: Unveiling the Distinction

At first look, cloud computing and serverless computing may appear to be synonymous but let us clarify the distinction. Cloud computing comprises virtual servers and infrastructure management, however serverless computing goes beyond this by abstracting away infrastructure concerns, allowing you to focus entirely on code execution. This means no more provisioning servers and only paying for the resources you use.

AWS offers several serverless services, including:

• AWS Lambda: You can run code using AWS Lambda’s computing service without setting up or maintaining servers. Several events, including HTTP requests, file uploads, and database changes, can start Lambda functions.
• AWS Fargate: Working in conjunction with Amazon Elastic Container Service (ECS) and Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS), AWS Fargate is a serverless compute engine. Without needing to handle any underlying infrastructure, Fargate enables you to run containers.
• AWS AppSync: AWS AppSync is a serverless GraphQL API solution that simplifies the development of scalable, secure, and high-performance APIs.

Azure Serverless Computing: Expanding the Horizon

Azure, Microsoft’s cloud platform, also provides serverless services. While AWS shines brightly, don’t miss Azure serverless computing’s products. Microsoft’s serverless products range from Azure Functions for event-driven applications to Azure Logic Apps for workflow automation.

Benefits of Using Serverless Computing on AWS

There are many benefits to using serverless computing on AWS, including:

• Cost-effectiveness: Serverless computing can assist you in lowering infrastructure expenditures. You just pay for the compute time you utilize up to the nearest second, so there is no need to overprovision servers.
• Scalability: Scalability is a key feature of serverless computing. Your applications may automatically scale up or down according to demand, eliminating the need for you to manually deploy or manage servers.
• Agility: Serverless computing can assist you in being more nimble. Without having to worry about the underlying infrastructure, you can rapidly and easily deploy new features and applications.
• Focus on your core competency: Serverless computing allows you to concentrate on your main competency: developing and executing applications. You don’t have to worry about the underlying infrastructure, which allows you to focus your time and resources on what you do best.

Key Characteristics and Components of Serverless Computing

Here are some of the key characteristics of serverless computing:

• Event-driven: Event-driven serverless applications are triggered by events such as HTTP requests, file uploads, or database changes. Because they only consume resources when they are required, they are very scalable and efficient.
• Pay-per-use: Pay-per-use serverless computing means that you only pay for the resources you utilize. Because you don’t have to overprovision servers, you can save money on infrastructure costs.
• Stateless: Serverless apps are stateless, which means that no state is stored between invocations. Because they are not affected by individual server failures, they are very scalable and reliable.
• Abstraction: Serverless computing abstracts away the underlying infrastructure, allowing developers to construct and execute apps more easily. Developers don’t have to worry about provisioning or managing servers because the cloud provider does it for them.

Here are some of the key components of serverless computing architectures:

• Function as a service (FaaS): FaaS is a cloud computing service that allows developers to run code without provisioning or managing servers. FaaS functions are triggered by events, such as HTTP requests, file uploads, or database changes.
• API gateway: A serverless API gateway allows you to expose your FaaS functionalities to the public internet or internal network. All traffic routing and load balancing for your FaaS functions is handled by the API gateway.
• Event bus: A messaging system that allows you to transmit and receive events between different areas of your serverless application is known as an event bus. Event buses are frequently used to activate FaaS functions.
• Database: A database is where your serverless application’s data is stored. The database can be hosted on-premises or in the cloud.

When Should I Consider Using Serverless Architecture?

You should consider using serverless architecture if you have:

• Variable workloads: If your application’s workload varies significantly, then serverless computing can help you save money.
• Short development cycles: By eliminating the need to supply and manage servers, serverless computing can help you speed up development cycles.
• Scalability: If your application must scale rapidly and easily, serverless computing is an excellent solution.

Programming Languages Supported in Serverless Platforms

The programming languages supported in serverless platforms vary depending on the platform. However, some of the most popular programming languages supported by serverless platforms include:

• Node.js: Node.js is a well-known JavaScript runtime that is frequently used in serverless applications. Node.js is noted for its scalability and performance and is well-suited for event-driven applications.
• Python: Python is another popular programming language that many serverless platforms embrace. Python is a general-purpose programming language that is simple to learn and use. It’s also ideal for data processing and machine learning applications.
• Java: Some serverless solutions offer Java, a popular programming language. Java is an established language with a significant development community. It’s also suitable for enterprise applications.
• Go: Some serverless platforms support Go, a modern programming language. Go is a quick and efficient programming language that is ideal for microservices systems.

The specific languages supported by a platform will depend on the platform and its capabilities.

Security Measures in Place to Protect Serverless Applications

Serverless apps are event-driven and stateless, making them, by definition, more secure than traditional applications. However, some security steps are still required to safeguard serverless apps.

Here are some of the security measures that can be used to protect serverless applications:

• Authentication and authorization: Authentication and authorization are essential for securing serverless applications. Authentication ensures that only authorized users can access the application, and authorization ensures that users can only access the resources they are authorized to access.
• Encryption: In serverless applications, encryption can be utilized to secure sensitive data. Data can be encrypted both at rest and in transit.
• Logging and monitoring: Monitoring and logging are critical for recognizing and responding to security risks. Logs can be utilized to track user activity and spot unusual behavior. Changes in application behavior that may indicate a security compromise can be detected through monitoring.
• Code review: Code review is an important security measure that may be used to identify and correct security flaws in serverless apps. Code reviews should be conducted by experienced security professionals.
• Vulnerability scanning: Vulnerability scanning can be used to identify security vulnerabilities in serverless applications. Vulnerability scanners can be used to scan code, configuration files, and other assets for known vulnerabilities.
• Incident response plan: Responding to security threats requires the use of an incident response strategy. The plan should detail the procedures to be taken to identify, contain, and mitigate security issues.

By following these security measures, you can help protect your serverless applications from security threats.

In addition to the security measures listed above, there are a number of other things that can be done to secure serverless applications. These include:

• Using secure coding practices: When developing serverless applications, developers should adhere to secure coding guidelines. Input validation, output encoding, and the use of secure libraries and frameworks are all examples of this.
• Using a serverless security platform: There are several serverless security platforms available that can assist you in automating and improving the security of your serverless applications. These platforms can help in processes such as vulnerability detection, code review, and incident response.

Serverless computing is a powerful cloud computing model that can help you save money, scale your applications, and be more agile. AWS offers a wide range of serverless services that can be used for a variety of use cases. If you’re looking for a way to build and run your applications without having to worry about the underlying infrastructure, then serverless computing on AWS is a great option.

56Bit, an AWS Advanced Partner, excels in DevSecOps, Migrations, Containers, and Serverless solutions. Our focus lies in crafting exceptionally reliable, efficient, scalable, and secure AWS platforms. Our veteran, certified engineers offer expertise in AWS architecture, Infrastructure as Code, Cloud migrations, Managed services with 24×7 support, DevSecOps, and Staff Augmentation.

Reach out to us at www.56bit.com if you need help configuring your serverless applications.