Cloud computing is a major part of today’s IT sector. The cloud has become an integral part of our lives. From businesses to individuals, we can see the boom of cloud computing everywhere. In this post, we will discuss in detail two models of cloud computing: the server model and the serverless model, along with their characteristics.
In the server model, the developers must create, manage, and scale servers. This means they must focus on servers along with the development process. Hence, the need for serverless computing emerged. Think of it as outsourcing a particular process of business to another third party.
Source - TechRadar
Serverless computing was first introduced to allow developers to focus on software development (writing code) and not on the server. Additionally, it was cost-effective and improved scalability. On the other hand, server model computing is a mainstream cloud computing model where the management and control of servers are in the hands of the user. Let's discuss both methods in detail below. Read along to learn more.
Server Model Computing
When using server model, applications are hosted on dedicated servers, and these servers are managed by the users solely, which includes scaling and maintaining hardware or virtual machines (VMs). Additionally, users are responsible for the infrastructure management of the entire stack. Customization can be done while working with server model because the user has total control over the environment, allowing specific requirements to be met.
Characteristics of The Server Model:
- Dedicated Servers: Users have control over the server, and applications run on specific servers or virtual machines.
- Manual Scaling: Manual intervention is required for scaling up or down.
- Complex Deployment: The deployment process is complex and often involves setting up continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines.
- Customization: Users have greater customization options.
- Flexibility: It can run on-premises, in the cloud, and in hybrid environments.
The server model is a traditional model of cloud computing, and it is often chosen for applications that require consistent performance or when control over the infrastructure is required to be in the hands of the users.
Suggested Read: How Cloud Technology Has Revolutionized Different Industries
Serverless Computing
Serverless computing eliminates developers’ need to manage infrastructure, thereby reducing complexity. It relates to outsourcing a part of the business, specifically infrastructure management. With this separation of infrastructure, users avoid directly managing the cloud servers and instead hire backend computing companies called cloud providers. These cloud providers dynamically manage the infrastructure and allocate resources as needed to execute code.
Hence, this model allows developers to focus on writing code and take their minds off the underlying infrastructure. In addition, serverless computing has advantages, like the fact that the cost is execution-based, meaning the cost will be calculated for the time your code runs. This makes the serverless model a cost-effective model, especially for applications with variable or unpredictable usage.
Characteristics of Serverless Computing:
- No Server Management: The cloud provider manages the infrastructure, allowing developers to focus on writing code.
- Automatic Scaling: No manual intervention is required for scaling, and resources scale automatically via demand.
- Cost-Efficient: The cost is determined by actual usage, making it preferable for a variable workload.
- Fast Deployment: It supports rapid deployment, allowing new code and features to be deployed at a faster rate.
- Dependency on cloud provider: Adjusting to another provider can be challenging, which can create dependency on the services and architecture of a specific cloud provider.
The terms serverless computing and event-driven computing are used interchangeably, but there are some critical differences between them. Under the concept of event-driven computing, messages, system modifications, user activities, and other events serve as triggers for various actions. On the other hand, serverless computing is a cloud approach in which the cloud provider manages the infrastructure. However, these models are similar because sometimes serverless computing employs an event-driven approach (like the AWS Lambda function triggered by events).
Conclusion
AWS Lambda was introduced in 2014 and is the first serverless application built on AWS. It is a great example of how developers have adapted to the serverless model, as it has a lot to offer. It is a perfect example of how, with a few changes and innovations, new and better technologies can be built from existing approaches and models.
Both developers and businesses should acknowledge the idea of a serverless model for improved scalability and management of the entire infrastructure. We can conclude that both models have pros and cons; hence, an informed decision is required when choosing a cloud computing model. What are your thoughts on the serverless computing model? Let us know in the comment section below.
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