6 Serverless Computing Use Cases: How Much Can Your Business Save?

Maximize Savings with 6 Serverless Use Cases
Abhishek Founder & CFO cisin.com
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Serverless allows developers to focus entirely on writing front-end code and business logic. Developers must write their application code and then deploy it to containers managed by a cloud service provider.

The rest is up to the cloud provider. They will provide the cloud infrastructure necessary to run the code and scale it as required. The cloud provider also manages all aspects of infrastructure management, such as security management, operating system updates, patch management, capacity planning and monitoring, and other routine tasks.

Important: Developers don't have to pay for inefficient capacity with serverless. When the code is executed, the cloud provider spins up the computing resources and provides them on demand.

Then it spins them down again. This is called scaling zero'. The execution begins when execution begins and ends when performance ceases. Typically, pricing is based on execution time and required resources.


Serverless use cases

Serverless use cases

 

Serverless architecture has a unique combination of benefits and attributes, making it well-suited to use cases involving microservices, mobile backends, and data and event stream processing.


1. Serverless and microservices

Supporting microservices architectures is the most popular use of serverless. Microservices are small services that perform a single task and can communicate with each other using APIs.

Microservices can be built and managed using containers or PaaS. Still, serverless is gaining significant momentum due to its small bits of code and inherent and automated scaling.

Rapid provisioning and a pricing structure that doesn't charge for idle capacity have all contributed to its success.


2. API backends

Any action or function performed on a serverless platform can easily be converted into an HTTP endpoint, which web clients can then use.

These actions are known as web actions when enabled for the web. Once you have web actions, you can combine them to create a fully-featured API. An API gateway provides additional security, OAuth support, and rate limiting.


3. Data processing

Serverless is ideal for working with audio, video, structured text, and image data. It can perform tasks such as validation, cleansing, enrichment, transformation, cleansing, PDF processing, audio normalization, image processing (rotation and sharpening; noise reduction; thumbnail generation); optical character Recognition (OCR); video transcoding.

SiteSpirit is 10x faster than other image processing tools at 10% less cost.


4. Massive parallel computes/"Map" operations.

A serverless runtime can handle any parallel task, including those that are embarrassingly largeβ€”each task invocation results in one action.

Examples of functions include data search and processing, Map(-Reduce), operations, web scraping, business process automation, hyperparameter tuning, and Monte Carlo simulations.


5. Stream processing workloads

The combination of managed Apache Kafka and FaaS with database/storage provides a strong foundation for the real-time creation of streaming apps and data pipelines.

These architectures can be used to ingest all data streams (for validation, cleansing, enrichment, and transformation), from IoT sensor data to financial market data and business data streams (from different data sources).


6. Common applications for serverless

A recent survey found that IT professionals use serverless in various applications, including customer relationship management (CRM), business intelligence, analytics, finance, and many more.

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Serverless: The pros and cons

Serverless: The pros and cons

 


Pros

Pros

 

It should not be surprising that serverless computing can offer a variety of technical and business advantages to developers and enterprise teams.

Increased developer productivity: As mentioned above, serverless allows developers to concentrate on writing code and not managing infrastructure.

Developers have more time to develop and optimize front-end applications functionality and business logic.

Only pay for execution: The meter begins when the request is made and ends when execution completes.

This is similar to the infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), where customers pay for physical servers, virtual machine learning, and other resources needed to run their applications.

Learn any language: Serverless allows you to code in any language and framework you are comfortable with, including Java, Python, JavaScript, node.js, JavaScript, JavaScript, and JavaScript.

They streamlined development/DevOps cycles. Serverless makes deployment more accessible and, in the broader sense, simplifies DevOps.

Developers don't have to spend their time creating the infrastructure needed to integrate, test, and deliver code builds into production.

Cost-effective performance. For specific workloads--embarrassingly parallel processing, stream processing, certain data processing tasks--serverless computing can be faster and more cost-effective than other forms of computing.

Visibility into usage. Serverless platforms offer near-total visibility to system and user times and can aggregate usage information systematically.

Developers and IT professionals point out other benefits of serverless computing. These benefits can be explored using the interactive PDF (1,8 Mb) below.


Cons

Cons

 

Serverless has so many benefits that organizations love; they use it for various purposes (see Figure 2 below). There are also drawbacks, some of which are specific to certain applications and others that are universal.

Unacceptable latency in specific applications: Serverless architectures can scale up and down to zero.

This means they sometimes have to start from zero to fulfill a request. The delay will not affect many applications and may even be noticeable. This cold-start latency may be unacceptable for some applications, such as a financial trading app.

Higher costs for predictable or stable workloads. Serverless scales with the workload to provide significant cost savings for high-spread workloads.

It does not offer the same protection for long-running, predictable, or steady workloads. Traditional server environments might be more cost-effective and more straightforward in these cases.

Debugging and monitoring issues: This is a difficult task in any distributed system. Serverless architecture (or microservices architecture) only adds to the complexity.

It may be difficult or impossible for teams to monitor and debug serverless functions with existing tools or processes.

Vendor lock-in: As mentioned, serverless has the advantage that the cloud provider handles all computing resources.

This allows developers to spend more time writing code and improving their code. However, migrating code from one cloud provider to another can be difficult. Many cloud providers' serverless platforms are built to offer a network of managed cloud services.

They are not portable like virtual machines or Docker containers. To get the same results with another cloud provider's platform, you might need to rewrite some of your application code that triggers multiple services offered by a serverless platform.


Information about Cloud computing

Information about Cloud computing

 

Cloud computing is a critical technology that drives the future of work and play. The Cloud helps companies reduce IT headaches, boosts productivity, and increases security.

Small businesses can also benefit from the Cloud's latest computing technology at a lower cost.

Here are the facts about cloud computing and how it can benefit your business.


1. On-Demand Computing

Cloud refers to internet-connected servers and software that users have access to and can use over the Internet.

You don't need to manage or host your software and hardware. This means you can access the systems from anywhere you have internet access.

Cloud computing is something you come across every day. Cloud computing is something you come across every day. Cloud computing technology allows you to access the information you need quickly, easily, cheaply, and without having to store it on your computer.


2. Clouds: Public, private, hybrid, and hybrid

There are three types of cloud deployment: hybrid, public, or private. All three cloud deployment models allow users to access files and applications from any location, anytime.

It is how they do this that makes the difference. Many factors will determine the type of Cloud you choose for your business. These include what you use your cloud environment for, how it can be transmitted and stored, and regulations.


3. Private Cloud

One entity can use private clouds. While some businesses create and manage their cloud environment, others rely on service providers.

Private clouds can be expensive and detract from the economic and IT labor productivity advantages of the Cloud. Private clouds may be the only solution for some businesses subject to more stringent data privacy regulations than others.


4. Public Cloud

Cloud service providers host public clouds and distribute them over the Internet. The most popular and cheapest of the three, public clouds, are free from the need to buy, manage, or maintain their own IT infrastructure.


5. Hybrid Cloud

A hybrid cloud is a combination of several public and private clouds. Suppose you work in an industry where data privacy regulations are stringent.

Although you don't want data subject to code hosted in the Cloud, you do want to be able to access it. You also want your CRM to be available in the Cloud. This will allow you to access data in your private Cloud. A hybrid cloud is the best choice in these situations.

Read More: Solution Architects Must Choose the Right Approach for Their Cloud Integration Projects


What You Need to Create a Winning Cloud Strategy

What You Need to Create a Winning Cloud Strategy

 


1. You can change the way you think about cloud computing.

We see the most significant obstacle that prevents small and medium-sized businesses from using the Cloud is from the top, which we believe to be the presidents or CEOs of companies.

Many business leaders will delegate IT-related decisions and decisions to their IT teams. This approach has a problem because the cloud strategy decision is not a business strategy but an IT strategy.

This is why the first step to developing a cloud strategy for your organization is to shift how you view cloud technology.


These are the top mental shifts that you should make.

  1. Competitive advantage: If you don't use cloud technology today, you're losing out on competitors.

    You're missing out on an opportunity to increase productivity and compete exponentially.

  2. Your IT manager doesn't think like you. You believe in market share and efficiency, staff productivity, profits, and profits.

    Your IT Manager is concerned with technical specifications, bandwidth, and gigaflops, as well as software and users. Your job is to envision your company's future, and your IT manager is responsible for guiding you through the IT space.

  3. The Cloud does not exist as a location but as a strategy. Do you believe the Cloud is another way to access data or email? It can provide cheaper, faster, and safer ways to help you grow your business and develop new products and services.

    It is a blueprint for your future success.

These ideas may seem trivial, but if you don't change your perspective on cloud technology, it is impossible to develop a strategy that maximizes its potential.


2. Find out how the Cloud can help your company today.

Cloud is a great way to help your team, and you understand the benefits. Here are some ways the Cloud can benefit you today.

  1. Invest in strategy more than in fighting fires. Let your IT team be free to help you achieve your business goals, such as reducing security risk, increasing productivity, and integrating systems that reduce data duplication.

  2. Speed up your time to market: Get your products and services on the market quicker by prototyping and building them in the Cloud.

    You have computing power and storage whenever you need it. And when you're done learning and trial and error, it can be turned off. There is no need to plan for capital expenditures to start new projects.

    You can fail quickly, try fast, and learn from your mistakes.

  3. Improve your competitiveness and margins. Reduce costs on staffing, purchasing, housing, security, and maintenance of in-house systems.

    You can always rely on cloud hardware to keep you current.

  4. Increase IT security: Make an exponential leap in IT security with no capital investment. Cloud data centers offer digital transformation and physical protection that is too expensive for most mid-sized businesses.

    They also can staff around the clock and retain the expertise needed to respond as quickly as possible.

  5. Reduce the complexity of your monthly billings. It can be challenging to keep track of who did what and when.

    You can consolidate up to 80% of your agreements in one contract. This will reduce the time and effort required by your IT and Accounting teams for capital budget planning cycles and yearly renewals.

Check out this post from Joe Weinman, "father" of Cloudonomics: The 10 Laws of Cloudonomics, to learn more about cloud technology's benefits for businesses.


3. Your goals should be outlined and ranked.

Next, determine your goals and identify which technologies, systems, and processes your organization is currently using.

Start by gathering the following information:

  1. Your corporate goals

  2. Current unmet needs

  3. Who are your key stakeholders?

  4. These are the main reasons to adopt cloud computing.

Next, gather representatives from the most affected business units and brainstorm. Once you have completed all this, each member should rank the goals and then justify their ranking in a silent vote.

You might end up with a list of goals that looks something like this:


4. Evaluate the IT situation in your company.

It is common in the IT industry to evaluate your company's IT for its readiness to introduce new technologies. The Readiness Assessment is a scorecard that helps you determine if the current IT infrastructure is adequate to support new technology.

Below is a sample of a larger document. This is a list of criteria your organization meets or fails to meet. You can color-code the statement criteria based on their difficulty and potential opportunities.

Read More: Cloud-Based Development Has The Potential To Become The New Paradigm For Software Engineering


Cloud Consultant: A Comprehensive Guide

Cloud Consultant: A Comprehensive Guide

 

The Internet is referred to in cloud computing. It is a method that allows for instant, ubiquitous, on-demand access to a shared pool of computing resources such as servers, networks, apps, services, and more.

This is different from traditional IT hosting services because the google cloud environment does not have the infrastructure to run the programs. Instead of using hard drives or private servers, the software and services are run over the Internet.

A third party usually supports cloud computing consultancy services, and users pay only for what they use.

Companies no longer need to keep copies of the software, documents, and other information. It allows employees to access their systems remotely, allowing them to work from anywhere.


1. Who is the Cloud Consultant?

Cloud consultant jobs can include a variety of roles and responsibilities. You might be wondering what a consultant does.

A cloud consultant is someone who is knowledgeable about cloud systems and can recommend clients for the best design and architecture to use in their cloud solutions.

A cloud solutions consultant has knowledge of cloud products and the ability to modify or create programming code.


2. Description of a job as a Cloud Consultant

While their job may vary depending on the specific role, cloud computing consultants generally perform the following roles:

  1. Ask questions to learn about the client's day-to-day activities.

  2. To understand the client's needs and to propose the best cloud solution, we analyze the data.

  3. You can implement the cloud system, and you can also tailor it to meet the needs of your clients.

  4. Planning migration policies and cloud service usage.

  5. Migration of existing systems of business onto the Cloud.

  6. Select the best platform to help you design applications with high-level architecture.

  7. You will be responsible for core technical and specialized tasks such as moving IBM z/OS workloads into AWS.

  8. Facilitate efficient cloud computing services use


3. Required Skills and Qualifications

Cloud consultants can wear many hats. A cloud consultant could be a security expert, a database developer, an infrastructure manager, or a combination of these roles.

A bachelor's degree is the minimum educational requirement. This degree could be in information science, engineering, computer science, or information technology. A cloud consultant could take a course in business administration to prepare for the role of consultant.

A few skills are required for a job as a cloud consultant, in addition to formal education.

  1. Because their primary function is to satisfy the needs of clients, they must be able to provide excellent customer service.

  2. A cloud consultant must be analytical in order to be able to recommend a good strategy. Their job requires them to review a lot of customer data.

  3. Every client has different needs. A cloud consultant should be able to solve problems and determine the best software system to meet each client's needs.

  4. A cloud strategy consulting must also have excellent communication skills to be able to validate their recommendations and provide compelling reasoning for the recommendation of different systems.

  5. An associate cloud consultant should also have a working knowledge of at least one operating system from the many on the market, such as Linux, Windows, and Solaris.

  6. An expert in networking or having hands-on experience will make a cloud application consultant more competent. A cloud architect consultant should have knowledge of TCP/IP and DNS.

  7. Cloud computing is characterized by security as one of its most essential and important features. Therefore, a job description for a cloud computing consultant requires a good understanding of key security concepts and principles.

  8. Although a basic understanding of computer programming is helpful, it is not essential for cloud consultants.

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4. Roles Of Cloud Consultant

A cloud consultant has many options for roles and jobs in the cloud computing industry. You could opt for core cloud computing or one of the related jobs that will give you exposure to cloud computing.

These are some of the most popular roles:

  1. Cloud Security Engineer.

  2. Cloud Infrastructure Engineer

  3. Cloud Operations Manager

  4. Cloud Support Engineer

  5. Cloud Software Engineer


5. Select the Right Cloud Deployment Method

The next step in building a cloud strategy solutions for your company is to decide how you want the Cloud to be deployed within your organization.

This can be done by selecting the right deployment model. Cloud Deployment Models the easiest way to understand cloud deployment is that it involves determining where your data and systems will reside.