Cloud Infrastructures: A Closer Look at What's Available Now

How are serverless infrastructures set up?

The term "serverless" can be said to be a misnomer, as there is always a server somewhere in the equation. In effect, serverless infrastructure is built upon a foundation of cloud computing, abstracting away the underlying hardware and operating systems. The hardware typically consists of a vast network of interconnected servers located in various data centers across the globe. The software layer includes a cloud provider's platform, e.g. AWS Lambda, Azure Functions, Google Cloud Functions, that manages the execution of serverless functions.

These platforms handle resource allocation, scaling and execution of code on demand, without requiring users to provision or manage servers directly. The architecture is event-driven, where functions are triggered by specific events like HTTP requests, database changes or file uploads. Thus, serverless is only "no server to manage" from the perspective of the end user.

There are other fully managed cloud architectures like Platform as a Service (PaaS), that are not serverless but abstract away the underlying server for the end-user too. These solutions offer a complete  deployment environment in the cloud for specific languages and frameworks. You get the underlying infrastructure plus middleware, development tools and other components needed to build and run applications. An example of such service in the Jakarta EE (formerly Java EE, and J2EE before that) community is our own Payara Cloud, that I like to call 'Payara as a Service'.

Monitoring and logging tools are essential components for observing the performance and health of functions within serverless and fully managed infrastructure, as they provide insights into execution metrics, errors and resource utilization. All such services have some form of observability built in.

While serverless and fully managed cloud solutions offer numerous benefits in terms of scalability and ease of management, they might not be the ideal fit for every organization. For those seeking a balance between on-premises control and cloud flexibility, hybrid cloud infrastructure is a considerable alternative.

Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure

Hybrid cloud infrastructure combines on-premises data centers or private clouds with public cloud resources. It offers businesses the flexibility to keep sensitive data or critical applications on-premises while taking advantage of the scalability and cost-effectiveness of the public cloud for other ancillary workloads. Hybrid clouds provide a balanced approach to cloud adoption, enabling organizations to maintain control while benefiting from the cloud's advantages. It is especially suited to organizations that must adhere to stringent security requirements like the military. 

How are serverless and fully-managed infrastructure different from traditional hybrid clouds?

Are serverless and fully-managed clouds secure?

While serverless and fully-managed architectures offer potential security benefits, due to their ephemeral nature and reduced attack surface, they aren't a silver bullet for solving all cybersecurity challenges. The shared responsibility model still applies, where cloud providers secure the infrastructure while users are responsible for their code and data.

Whether or not new cloud solutions can truly put an end to global cybersecurity problems remains to be seen, but they represent an avenue for innovation in the field. The continuous evolution of technology and the collaborative efforts of security experts will ultimately determine the success of these approaches in safeguarding our digital future.

Conclusions

The cloud landscape is constantly evolving, with new technologies and services emerging everyday. It's safe to anticipate even greater advancements in serverless, fully-managed and hybrid cloud solutions in the coming years. These innovations will further streamline development, enhance security, and create new possibilities for businesses of all sizes.

Keeping up with these developments and adopting a cloud-first approach is important for organizations aiming to stay competitive in the digital era. The cloud's future looks promising, and using its capabilities well can significantly advance your business.

Ready to experience the benefits of fully-managed cloud infrastructure? Try Payara Cloud today with a free trial and discover how it can simplify your Jakarta EE and MicroProfile application deployments while ensuring seamless integration with the services your business relies on.