Answer:
Traditionally, computer users had larger systems called servers that organizations used to do most of most of their work on. These servers were also the place data was stored. The physical location of said servers was typically in the computer lab at an organization’s headquarters.
To get a server, a person or business had to buy powerful enough machines to handle the highest usage demand while also offering plenty of storage space. However, for much of the year, that excess power and storage space sat unused, so often times, server users were paying for things they didn’t need. Enter serverless computing.
You may have heard of “the cloud.” This is where your computing and storage is kept. The cloud is strictly virtual. Some companies that offer it are Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google, and Microsoft. These entities keep computer users with computing power and storage space as needed.
“Serverless computing” is the term for the new way of computing. People and organizations are no longer required to buy and house servers to run their computing needs. Instead, as they need computing machines, they simply use the equipment on the cloud (a wireless, invisible server) for the amount of computing and storage they need at any given time. When either or both of those demands increase, the cloud customer pays for more power and storage as needed. In the opposite case when the demand decreases, the cloud user spins down the extra they were using and only pays for what was needed.
Because computer users are not having to keep track of space and power on specific servers and because they are only getting the amount needed, the term “serverless computing” was created. Cloud users are sharing servers with other people or organizations, and together, everyone is keeping the servers operational while having just the right storage space and computing power. The good part is individual computer users no longer have to manage the server itself; instead, that is the cloud provider’s responsibility.
Send me your questions about computers to me at the paper or to my e-mail dwight@dwightwatt.com and tell me you read this in this paper. I will pick a question to answer each week.
Dwight Watt does computer work for businesses, individuals and organizations and teaches about computers at a college. His webpage is www.dwightwatt.com His e-mail address is dwight@dwightwatt.com.
