Function as a Service (FaaS) Software

What is Function as a Service (FaaS) Software?

Function as a Service (FaaS) software allows organizations to rapidly develop, test, and run discrete functions without having to be concerned about the underlying IT cloud infrastructure. This removes the overhead of provisioning servers, storage, networks, and other elements needed to support applications.

FaaS grew out of Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) Solutions as a more abstract, flexible, and faster but less configurable way to do software development. FaaS event-driven applications offer reusable functions on demand.

FaaS code is loaded and executed in a container. These are run on the cloud provider's infrastructure. Cloud providers handle scaling, bandwidth, and availability. FaaS readily supports microservices software architecture. The FaaS service only runs when app functions are executed. Upon completion, its infrastructure resources are released and are immediately available for reuse.

Major users of FaaS software include entertainment and media companies, healthcare and life sciences, and telecom companies.

Function as a Service vs Serverless Computing

The terms Function as a Service and serverless computing are often used interchangeably. However, the difference is that serverless computing has a broader scope.

Serverless computing refers to any scenario where IT infrastructure concerns can be potentially eliminated. This includes products and services that support entire applications, host databases, or capture IoT data.

Since FaaS products remove IT infrastructure from the customer’s concerns, FaaS may be considered a subset of serverless computing.

FaaS vs IaaS vs PaaS

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) , and Function as a Service (FaaS) are three different types of cloud computing. The primary difference between the three is how much abstraction they provide.

IaaS cloud computing provides virtualized IT resources such as servers, networks, and storage. Businesses can purchase access to these resources using a utility model, where they pay for what they use. IaaS allows its customers to deploy software without needing to purchase and maintain physical IT infrastructure.

PaaS uses a virtualized IT infrastructure to deliver a ready-made software stack to users. PaaS products typically manage runtime, middleware, operating systems, and virtualization functions for customers. This provides an additional abstraction layer, allowing businesses to develop and deploy applications with less overhead.

FaaS is a layer of abstraction on top of PaaS. These products provide triggerable application service functions that use the cloud provider’s supporting infrastructure only during execution. By abstracting both hardware and software infrastructure, these tools let developers focus more heavily on application functionality.

Function as a Service (FaaS) Software Features

Function as a Service (FaaS) Software includes many of the following features:

• Create, deploy, and manage event-driven/triggered functions
• Support multiple programming languages
• Shields developers from IT cloud infrastructure concerns
• Container-based services
• Database services
• Authentication services
• File storage
• Reporting
• DevOps integrations
• Scalable
• Fault-tolerant
• Pay-as-you-go pricing

Functions as a Service (FaaS) Software Comparison

Consider the following when purchasing Functions as a Service (FaaS) Software solutions.

Use Case: FaaS is exceptionally well suited for developing discrete event-driven microservices, and is not a recommended solution for long-running, complex, or stateful applications.

Features: Like any as-a-service product, vendors offer a wide range of features tailored for simpler needs or more complex, at-scale enterprise applications. Don’t make the mistake of paying for features you’ll never use, or, at the other end of the spectrum, locking yourself into a platform that’s missing functionality you’ll need in the future.

Preparation: FaaS products are great for getting started quickly, but moving fast without a plan can create technical debt later. To make the most effective use of FaaS software, first establish best practices for developing FaaS application functions so your developers are on the same page.

Unique FaaS Challenges: FaaS has unique drawbacks due to its high level of abstraction. If you use FaaS, you’ll have less transparency into your infrastructure and software stack. This might make it harder to debug problems, gauge performance, and streamline integrations.

Open Source or Proprietary: Open-source FaaS tools are available, but assembling them to create your own FaaS or serverless solutions can be a complex, lengthy process. If you’re looking to save money by going open-source, be sure your team has the required expertise.

Pricing Information

FaaS pricing is based on resource consumption, number of requests, or execution time. As such, it can vary heavily depending on your use case. Pricing examples from vendors range from under $10 for small-scale usage to over $1,500 per month for higher-scale needs.

Since exact pricing is difficult to estimate, start by finding products that meet your functional needs and explore pricing options within that list. Many vendors offer free tiers or free trials to help you match your use case to their product.

More Resources

Do You Need IaaS, CaaS, PaaS, or FaaS? - TrustRadius for Vendors