An Introduction to Serverless Architecture: Benefits and Use Cases for Cloud Applications

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Vin Souza
Senior Developer & DevOps Engineer
illustration of progression from physical servers to the cloud

Cloud computing has transformed the way we host applications by offering scalable, on-demand services. Serverless architecture, as part of this evolution, allows developers to run code without managing servers.

Table Of Contents

In this guide, we’ll explore the benefits and use cases of serverless, and help you determine when it’s the right choice for your application. We’ll also dive into the history of cloud computing, options from major cloud providers and smaller alternatives, as well as best practices for running applications in a serverless environment.  

Back to the Basics: The History of Server Infrastructure Before Cloud Computing

Before the “big cloud” existed, we had a markedly different approach to hosting online applications.

a visual timeline of the history of cloud computing, from on-site servers to modern cloud providers
The rise of cloud providers began in the 2000s. Before “the cloud”, companies used on-site “bare-metal” servers or repurposed workstations into servers.

In 1995, Geocities offered a platform to host simple websites using HTML and GIFs, providing a generous 1MB of disk space–more than enough to host your website or even a company website created with tools like Microsoft FrontPage.

an early geocities website called wienerville about dachshunds
This example website was hosted on Geocities, a simple hosting platform widely used in the 1990s. Source: BuzzFeed news

Challenges of Earlier Hosting Methods

But if you were looking into hosting something more complex, like an inventory manager, an ERP, or anything of the like, you had to use other options. Many companies opted for a “bare-metal” server on-site, connected via a T1 Line or fiber optics. This setup demanded significant investment in uninterrupted power supply, which could include a generator, batteries, or other solutions. Such infrastructure was costly, making it challenging for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to afford in-house hosting for their applications.

Originally published on Oct 15, 2024Last updated on Oct 15, 2024

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