What is FAAS Function as a service Explained

what is FAAS.

1. What is FaaS ? Function as a service is a cloud computing model that runs code in small modular pieces, or microservices. FaaS enables developers to create and run a single function in the cloud using a  serverless compute model . Cloud providers then manage physical hardware, virtual machines, and web server software management. This enables teams to quickly develop and test key functions without the headaches typically associated with in-house infrastructure management. The FaaS model of cloud computing debuted in 2014 with startups like hook.io. Cloud providers such as Google, Amazon Web Services, and Microsoft also followed suit with frameworks such as  Google Cloud Functions ,  AWS Lambda , and Microsoft  Azure Functions .

2. How does function as a service work? In a FaaS model, developers can write code functions on demand, without being hindered by dependencies on existing applications. This code is then executed on remote servers in response to an event, such as users interacting with functional web elements. Once the function is completed, FaaS shuts down — unlike traditional cloud models, in which applications and services run continuously

3. How FaaS fits in with SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS ? Cloud computing features a growing mix of as-a-service offerings that create an alphabet soup of acronyms, such as IaaS, SaaS, and PaaS. But how does FaaS fit in? Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) handles compute, storage, and network resources. Software as a service (SaaS) delivers on-demand applications. Platform as a service (PaaS) is a development and deployment environment geared toward building and testing cloud-based applications. FaaS , on the other hand, takes the PaaS approach one step further. Function as a service allows companies to develop and deploy specific functions that underpin larger applications, and then activate them on demand.

4. Principles and best practices There are several best practices you can follow to make using FaaS easier to deploy and more effective: Make each function perform only one action:   FaaS functions should be designed to do a single piece of work in response to an event. Make your code scope limited, efficient, and lightweight so functions load and execute quickly. Don’t make functions call other functions:  The value of FaaS is in the isolation of functions. Too many functions will increase your costs and remove the value of the isolation of your functions. Use as few libraries in your functions as possible:  Using too many libraries can slow functions down and make them harder to scale.

5. Advantage of FAAS Focus more on code, not infrastructure:  With FaaS , you can divide the server into functions that can be scaled automatically and independently so you don’t have to manage infrastructure. This allows you to focus on the app code and can dramatically reduce time-to-market. Pay only for the resources you use, when you use them:  With FaaS , you pay only when an action occurs. When the action is done, everything stops—no code runs, no server idles, no costs are incurred. FaaS is, therefore, cost-effective, especially for dynamic workloads or scheduled tasks. FaaS also offers a superior total-cost-of-ownership for high-load scenarios.

6. Advantage of FAAS Focus more on code, not infrastructure:  With FaaS , you can divide the server into functions that can be scaled automatically and independently so you don’t have to manage infrastructure. This allows you to focus on the app code and can dramatically reduce time-to-market. Pay only for the resources you use, when you use them:  With FaaS , you pay only when an action occurs. When the action is done, everything stops—no code runs, no server idles, no costs are incurred. FaaS is, therefore, cost-effective, especially for dynamic workloads or scheduled tasks. FaaS also offers a superior total-cost-of-ownership for high-load scenarios.

7. Disadvantage of FAAS While FaaS offers many benefits for organizations, there are also potential challenges to consider. These include the following: Reduced control. Because a third party manages part of the infrastructure, IT teams give up a measure of control over system architecture. Increased testing complexity.  FaaS functions exist in the cloud, so local application testing can become more complex and time-consuming. Limited visibility. Given the on-again, off-again nature of FaaS deployments, comprehensive visibility is a challenge — especially as the total number of functions grows.

8. How FAAS works What is FaaS in cloud computing? It is a type of cloud computing that relieves developers of the need to manage application infrastructure. When developers use the FaaS platform, it creates, runs, and manages application packages on their behalf. FaaS is a type of so-called serverless service. This is the name of a category of computer services (computing, storage, database, messaging, API gateways, etc.) in which the configuration and management of servers are invisible to the end user. That is, FAAS and "serverless services" are not synonymous. It is important to note that the word "serverless" should be understood correctly. Real server computers made of metal, plastic and chips are not going anywhere. They still continuously heat the air in the depths of data centers. Another thing is that the user of serverless services is as remote as possible, abstracted from everything connected with real servers.

9. FAAS Implementation on Diff Cloud Vendor AWS Lambda . Convenient computing platform with a wide range of applications from Amazon Web Services. AWS Lambda supports Java, NodeJS, Python, C#, and Go programming languages. Not suitable for small projects. Google Cloud Functions . Ranked among the world's leading FaaS service providers worldwide. Provides a means and environment for running functional code without any server management or administration. Google Cloud Functions allows you to use Google and third-party services as building blocks for your code.

10. FAAS Implementation on Diff Cloud Vendor IBM Cloud Functions . The platform allows you to run the internal application code without using servers. IBM Cloud Functions charges the user for the time it takes to execute their code. If the code is not executed, then you do not need to pay. Microsoft Azure Function . Has no restrictions in building and deploying features in any particular language or server. You can use any programming languages or frameworks (.NET, Node JS, Python, Java etc ). Alibaba Functions . The peculiarity lies in the fact that the distributed clusters of the platform are located in different places. If one zone becomes unavailable, then Alibaba's cloud computing features will automatically use other resources from the working zone.

11. Should I use FAAS? If you are asking yourself “Do I need to use FaaS and will it bring positive solutions to my everyday development workflow?”, you should discover more details about whether it will benefit your work or not. Like every other tool, it depends on what you need to use it for.  FaaS  is an excellent choice for centralization of function implementation while it also has the benefit of scaling the implementation. This further means that if you need numerous instances running at the same time, the provider will handle that for you. Managing servers is no longer your problem The platform manages horizontal scaling for you You only pay for what you use By managing the servers for you, FaaS abstracts the server platform away from your application too. You can write your functions in almost any language. You can access other cloud resources like databases and caches.

12. FaaS vs Serverless Serverless and Functions-as-a-Service ( FaaS ) are often conflated with one another but the truth is that FaaS is actually a subset of serverless. Serverless is focused on any service category, be it compute, storage, database, messaging, api gateways, etc. where configuration, management, and billing of servers are invisible to the end user. FaaS , on the other hand, while perhaps the most central technology in serverless architectures, is focused on the event-driven computing paradigm wherein application code, or containers, only run in response to events or requests.

13. FAAS Summary An important feature of FaaS is the prospect and significance of this technology is not limited to progress in cloud computing. FaaS stimulates new approaches to organizing and doing business. The Coca Cola Company is already using a serverless service based on Lambda, Step Functions and API Gateway for the dissemination of nutritional information in the field of catering. FaaS belongs to a category of CCS (Cloud Computing Services) which provides a platform for customers to develop, run, and manage applications. Doing so without the complex maintenance and building of infrastructure that is usually associated with the development and the launch of an app. Building the app while following this model is a way to achieve a  “serverless”  architecture. This model is mostly used for building microservices.

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