Microservices Software Architecture from a Practitioner’s Perspective

Introduction

Sample Architecture of Microservices

From the above sample example, most end users will be requesting content from various places. As an efficient application, it should be available all day and throughout the year. As an architect, it is responsible for developing such applications with less downtime and highly efficient ones. There comes to various types of approaches for building the application. This can be compared to real-life scenarios, like building a different kind of building for different purposes, like one can’t build a building like the Taj Mahal for workspace. Every architecture is the best in its way. But, choosing the right one matters.

Different Architectural Approaches

There are multiple approaches for building an application, which are discussed below and compared to microservices architecture.

1.  Layered Pattern Architecture

The elements of this design are stacked one on top of the other in layers of smaller jobs, as the name suggests. Each layer has certain goals to achieve and is independent of the others. As each layer is autonomous, changes to the code within one do not affect others. Most of the software is created using this pattern, which is often used. This layer is also referred to as a “N-tier architecture”. Typically, there are four layers to this:

• Presentation Layer – This is where the user can see and enter the data. This can also be a visual layer.
• Commercial Layer – This is where the business logic will be implemented.
• Application Layer – In order to exchange information between the presentation layer and the data layer, this layer acts as a link.
• Data Layer – This is the layer where the data is managed.

Use Cases

They are usually used in E-Commerce applications, like Amazon shopping, Flipkart, etc.

2. Client-Server Architecture

There are two main components in the client-server pattern. They consist of several clients and a server. Here, a client asks the server for a particular resource out of the server’s resources, such as files. The server then processes the request and returns the appropriate response. Different applications like email and banking use this approach.

Use Cases

Multi-utility apps with robust security features. e.g., Gmail.

Source: enjoyalgorithms.com

Event-Driven Architecture

The program’s services can be activated by outside events using its event-driven architecture. In this context, the term “event” refers to a state changing when a user interacts with an application built utilizing an event-driven architecture. An event is the triggered response. For instance, their account is created when a new user completes the signup form and hits the signup button on Facebook.

Use Cases

E-Commerce website development and JavaScript website development. Example: Swiping a credit card.

4. Monolithic Architecture

It is a single tier application whereby the UI, business rules, and data layer are all contained in a single application, not dependent on any other services or components. This is opposed to a two or three tier architecture that relies on services or component libraries running independently from the main application.

This means, in monolithic architecture, the entire application was one large system based on a single codebase. For example, server-side application logic, client-side logic, and background jobs were all in the same codebase. This was problematic mainly from scalability, recovery, portability, and deployment perspectives. The reason is that the whole application will fail if one function fails. Changes and updates are required to be done for the entire application. Monolithic application architecture did not support the dynamic and agile Cloud delivery model.

Use cases

When the application is simple, launching it quickly, lower latency, and monolith in modular, ex., successful startups like Netflix, Uber, and Airbnb all started with a monolith architecture.

Advantages

1. Simple to develop
2. Simple to debug
3. Simple to test
4. Simple to deploy
5. The simplicity of application evolution
6. Low cost in the early stages of the application.

Disadvantage

1. Slow speed of development.
2. High code coupling
3. Code ownership cannot be used
4. Performance issues
5. Lack of flexibility

5. Microservices Architecture

This is a collection of small units (also addressed as containers) representing a finished application or solving a specific global task together. Each microservice in the app is responsible for some specific functionality. The main advantage is that they can be independently deployed and tested, bringing more efficiency to the development process as there is less downtime.

For example, when we visit the Amazon shopping website, we all notice the products offers. But how has this all-in-one store facility been brought for customer convenience? How do these large numbers of products, which vary in nature from each other & owned by different suppliers, get compiled in a superstore? What’s behind its curtain?

Microservices is focused on facilitating the variety of features the website offers its end users. So, there can be a microservice for handling the customer registration page. There can be another microservice for facilitating billing, which can take care of the customer’s item in the cart. Not all microservices are bound to offer a UI.

Use cases

Usually where, the application is large and highly scalable. Where the continuous deployments will be going on. Ex., Netflix, Flipkart, Uber, etc.

Advantages

1. Dynamic Scalability
2. Faster to deploy
3. Improved data security
4. Team optimization
5. Upgrade individually rather than the entire application

Disadvantages

1. Microservices come with all the distributed system’s difficulties.
2. There is a greater likelihood of failure during inter-service communication.
3. It is challenging to manage a lot of services.
4. The developer must find a solution to the issue, including load balancing and network slowness—complex testing over a distributed environment.

Conclusion

As cloud technology is increasing, scalability also plays a very vital role. So, it is better to use microservice architecture while designing the applications on cloud infrastructure.

About CloudThat

CloudThat is also the official AWS (Amazon Web Services) Advanced Consulting Partner and Training partner and Microsoft gold partner, helping people develop knowledge of the cloud and help their businesses aim for higher goals using best in industry cloud computing practices and expertise. We are on a mission to build a robust cloud computing ecosystem by disseminating knowledge on technological intricacies within the cloud space. Our blogs, webinars, case studies, and white papers enable all the stakeholders in the cloud computing sphere.

Drop a query if you have any questions regarding Microservices and I will get back to you quickly.

To get started, go through our Consultancy page and Managed Services Package that is CloudThat’s offerings.