Serverless (FaaS)

Glossary

Serverless (FaaS)

This glossary explains various keywords that will help you understand the mindset necessary for data utilization and successful DX.
This time, let's think about the meaning of the word "serverless."

What is Serverless (FaaS)?

Serverless, or FaaS (Function as a Service), is a system that allows you to execute processes and manage data without needing to operate or manage an execution environment.
The term became popular with the launch of AWS Lambda, a cloud service from AWS (Amazon Web Services). AWS Lambda is the most well-known serverless service, and now many services are offered as serverless services on AWS and other clouds.

What does "no server" mean?

The term "serverless" itself means "no servers." When the term first appeared, there was confusion about what it meant to have no servers. Certainly, if any processing is to be performed, there must be hardware to execute it. From this perspective, saying there are no servers is nonsense.

Serverless is sometimes called "FaaS (Function as a Service)," which describes it as a new type of cloud service that only provides program execution (called"Functions").

Serverless does not mean that there are no physical servers. It means that the service user can simply run the program without being aware of the existence of the server in the execution environment. The practical benefit of this is that it eliminates the hassle of managing and operating the server in the execution environment.

Why such a service is appreciated

Why is such a service useful? When you want to write a program to do something, especially if you are not familiar with IT, you will probably think this way.

Write a program to do something
Run it and solve the problem you wanted to solve

However, the reality is not that simple. There are many "other things" that are necessary, but "preparing an environment (such as a server) to run the program" is almost always necessary. If the program is used continuously, that environment will need to be maintained continuously and any issues that arise will need to be addressed. In particular, if you are doing something on the cloud, you will be exposing the server to the Internet, which will create a lot of work and many worries (such as security).

I have a few things I want to do, so I'll write a few lines of code.
But building a server is difficult
Maintenance is also very difficult

This was the norm in the past. However, what you really want to do is just "run a program." That's where serverless services make this kind of environment possible.

I have a few things I want to do, so I'll write a few lines of code.
The troublesome tasks related to execution can be left to the serverless infrastructure.

In other words, "serverless" means that all you have to do is "write a program and run the code," and you don't have to be aware of the existence of a server.

Not only AWS Lambda, but also Google's GAE (Google App Engine), which has been available since long before the term was coined, is a service that has serverless properties, and since then, various AWS services have begun to advertise themselves as serverless.

Business Changes

The above are changes in convenience and usage for engineers, but serverless has also changed the convenience and usage of IT from a business perspective.

First of all, whether on the cloud or physically, maintaining a server to execute processing means fixed costs, and there are also labor costs for managing the server. However, serverless can significantly reduce these costs (though the effort of monitoring whether processing is being executed properly is still required). In other words, it can be thought of as a service that can significantly reduce fixed costs.

If your fixed costs are low, the risk of your business failing is reduced, making it easier to try out different things.

Another difficult aspect of server management is when usage increases. It's no good if you create a service, it becomes a big hit, and then the server crashes. You need to expand your infrastructure to accommodate the increase in usage.

Serverless allows large amounts of processing to be carried out automatically even when the number of users suddenly increases. It has become possible to create infrastructure that incurs only small fixed costs when there is no usage, and automatically scales to handle large amounts of access when usage increases.

With such technology, much more becomes possible (and profitable) for business activities that are realized using the cloud.

Providing only what is needed as a service

Some people may have thought of serverless as just a buzzword that comes and goes, but it actually describes a "fundamental change" in which the way of thinking itself has become new.

Furthermore, the idea of "providing only what is necessary as a service" is a common concept seen in the various changes and new initiatives that are occurring in the cloud era. Please also take a look at this article.
⇒ Glossary:XaaS(SaaS, PaaS, IaaS,etc.)

Related keywords (for further understanding)

iPaaS
- A cloud service that "connects" various clouds with external systems and data simply by operating on a GUI is called iPaaS.
XaaS (SaaS, PaaS, IaaS, etc.)

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