Behind the Build: Aravind S. on Serverless Computing

Every developer is unique, but the majority of them share a common trait: they are curious problem solvers driven by a genuine passion for creating meticulously crafted solutions. In this Q&A series, we interview our in-house engineering team to gain insight into how they go about solving problems for fellow developers. The series aims to not only bring you educational content but also foster transparency between our development team and users like you, establishing a stronger connection.

Let's meet the dev!

Featured here is Aravind S.

Aravind is an engineering manager with a knack for handling application scalability, product engineering, and distributed systems. His relentless passion for solving complex engineering problems shines through his work. Aravind has been the driving force behind the creation of Catalyst Serverless, showing his love for pushing the boundaries of cloud computing solutions.

Q 1: So, what's the hype about serverless? Could you demystify it for those new to the field?

Aravind: Serverless computing, or as we like to call it, "Don't worry about Servers," is a cloud computing model that lets developers off the hook when it comes to managing infrastructure and scalability. Traditional server-based approaches require a dedicated team to monitor traffic continuously and provision servers to ensure uninterrupted service. This involves critical tasks like OS patching and hardware upgrades. Thanks to serverless platforms, all that heavy lifting is done automatically by the platform itself. It autonomously manages resource allocation, scaling, and monitoring, allowing developers to go full steam ahead, crafting awesome solutions. No more wrestling with infrastructure, constant monitoring, or server juggling. It's a productivity game-changer!
 

Q 2: What inspired your journey into serverless computing development and sparked the creation of Catalyst Serverless?

Aravind: The inspiration for Catalyst Serverless stems from our experiences at Zoho, where we manage over 60 business applications. We've set up a system that lets our developers focus solely on the fun part—writing code for the applications.

The not-so-fun stuff, like managing infrastructure, is taken care of by our framework and DevOps team. This allows our developers to focus entirely on the business logic of the applications. Seeing the success of our internal development process, it became evident that external developers could benefit from the same infrastructure and framework. We thought, "Hey, why not share this awesomeness with external developers?" That's how Catalyst Serverless came into being.
 

Q 3: In your opinion, how is serverless computing shaping the future of application development and cloud services?

Aravind: With serverless computing, developers have a superpower: the ability to compute on-demand. It's like having instant computing power for quick prototyping and experimentation. You can easily create small, focused functions to test out your ideas without the hassle of extensive setups. Moreover, serverless computing encourages a microservices approach, where applications are composed of small, independent functions that work together. This leads to more modular, maintainable, and easily scalable applications; you can get them to market faster, thanks to expertly managed infrastructure.
 

Q 4: Building software professionally is not only about shipping quickly; it’s about optimizing for scalability and security. Can you elaborate on the scalability capabilities of Catalyst Serverless, especially in scenarios of rapid growth or unexpected spikes in demand?

Aravind: Catalyst Serverless has also been designed to monitor traffic continuously and add resources on demand, eliminating the need for manual intervention. Whether you suddenly have an influx of users, or you're experiencing massive growth, Catalyst Serverless ensures your applications scale seamlessly without compromising performance or the user experience. This auto-scaling feature is a pivotal component of Catalyst Serverless, guaranteeing it meets the demands of dynamic and evolving business environments. It keeps your apps running smoothly, no matter what the world throws at you.
 

Q 5: Any cool, real-life examples of Catalyst Serverless in action, and how it has helped developers?

Aravind: Oh, you bet! While there are numerous application use cases, one particularly interesting example involves using Catalyst Serverless to stream real-time data from CRM.

Within Catalyst, a streaming server has been deployed, allowing for seamless listening to CRM's data CRUD operations through the CRM Event Listeners, which are then streamed. This showcases Catalyst's potential to extend the capabilities of Zoho products and facilitate the development of tailored solutions within the Zoho ecosystem. This innovative approach not only enhances data visibility but also opens up new possibilities for automation and data-driven decision-making.
 

Q 6: Let's talk dollars. How cost-effective is Catalyst Serverless?

Aravind: Catalyst Serverless pricing is entirely based on usage, with no hidden charges. This usage-based pricing model proves to be highly cost-effective, especially for developers. Let's say you're deploying an application in AppSail that only receives traffic during daytime hours. Here, you only pay for the hours when the instance was active, without incurring charges for the entire day.
 

Another crucial aspect is the level of control developers have over pricing. We've got budget alerts and actions, so you can set a budget threshold. If you cross the threshold, you can choose to get alerts or even disable the project. It's budget-friendly and offers you the flexibility to manage your monthly bills effectively.

Q 7: What sets Catalyst Serverless apart from the rest?

Aravind: Integration, my friend! Its unique edge is its seamless integration with the Zoho Ecosystem, particularly the Zoho CRM Event Listener feature. This integration greatly facilitates the development of solutions that span across various Zoho products. Additionally, Catalyst Serverless has an easy learning curve, allowing developers to initiate their projects swiftly. It's a breeze to learn, so you'll be up and running in no time, which means your apps hit the market faster.
 

Q 8: How does Catalyst Serverless align with broader technology trends and the evolving needs of businesses?

Aravind: We're not slowing down! In fact, we're always making our serverless game stronger. We've recently rolled out AppSail, a platform for deploying full-stack apps seamlessly. Looking ahead, we're focused on expanding our offerings even further. We're working on some cool stuff, like enabling custom runtime support, and allowing developers to utilize their own runtimes within our infrastructure. Additionally, we're in the process of developing a serverless NoSQL database. We're all about empowering developers and making their lives easier by giving them a robust and versatile serverless ecosystem.
 

We hope you enjoyed reading this interview where Aravind S. shows that the true potential of serverless computing is on the horizon. With Catalyst's user-friendly interface and comprehensive capabilities, your aspirations are well within reach.

Stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes insights coming your way soon.