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2021 · Article

What Serverless Computing Is and Should Become: The Next Phase of Cloud Computing

Johann Schleier-Smith, Vikram Sreekanti, Anurag Khandelwal, Joao Carreira, Neeraja J. Yadwadkar, Raluca Ada Popa, Joseph E. Gonzalez, Ion Stoica and David A. Patterson

Communications of the ACM, 2021

PDF DOI

Abstract

Cloud computing's first phase simplified system administration by making infrastructure easier to configure and manage through virtual servers and networks. This article argues that the second phase should hide servers behind programming abstractions that simplify application development, shifting the cloud's focus from system administrators to programmers. Serverless computing asks cloud providers to assume more of the operational responsibility required to run applications well, while retaining remote servers as the invisible foundation. The article explains this transition, examines current limitations, and outlines what serverless computing should become.

Publication details

Venue
Communications of the ACM
Publication year
2021

BibTeX

@article{serverless-next,
  author = {Schleier-Smith, Johann and Sreekanti, Vikram and Khandelwal, Anurag and Carreira, Joao and Yadwadkar, Neeraja J. and Popa, Raluca Ada and Gonzalez, Joseph E. and Stoica, Ion and Patterson, David A.},
  title = {{What Serverless Computing Is and Should Become: The Next Phase of Cloud Computing}},
  year = {2021},
  mon = {May},
  journal = {Communications of the ACM}
}