SaaS applications scalability challenges – is there hope?
Picking from where we left, the second part of the two-part series on scalability challenges takes a bird’s eye view of the factors that affect scalability.
How to tackle scalability?
Facing scalability challenge is a good sign since it is indicative of increased traffic. However, if the organization does not address the issue in a timely and appropriate manner, the dream can easily turn into a nightmare. As part of its ScaleAssured offering, CloudAccel analyzes the scalability challenge by breaking it down into two broad sets of factors: Technology and Process.
Technology factors
A myriad of technology factors plays important roles in application scalability. Below is an attempt to capture the view from thirty thousand feet.
Process factors
As much as technology plays a dominant role in scalability challenges, processes play an equally crucial role in drastically reducing :
- the reaction time
- the probability of introducing scalability challenges
Structured processes can help Organizations in
- addressing scalability challenges, when faced in the shortest time and
- treating scalability as an ongoing requirement, during all crucial phases of system development
Below is a similar effort to summarize processes:
In addition to technology and process factors, human factor plays a crucial role. Attention needs to be paid to orchestrating coordination among domain-specific experts like cloud architects, web architects, network admins, system admins, DBAs, and Infosec professionals. A well-orchestrated effort with skilled experts makes a huge difference in overcoming the aforementioned challenge.
Attention needs to be paid in orchestrating coordination among domain-specific experts…
Advancements in scalability
Over the last decade, a greater number of organizations have been able to build and scale systems to previously unheard levels. Groundbreaking progress has been made on multiple fronts, offering system designers a wider array of options in building, operating and diagnosing massively scalable systems. There are mature open source and commercial tools available in each of the areas mentioned above.
Addressing scalability remains a complicated and expensive endeavor that entails a great risk of failure. However, by selecting the right tools in conjunction with the right processes, taming scalability has become a tad easier.?
CloudAccel has been set up as a one-stop venue that provides the necessary expertise across all necessary domains (which is both technology and industry-agnostic) for a highly scalable architecture. “CloudAccel’s ScaleAssured” program shall provide and execute on an architecture blueprint that guarantees the ability to scale at multiples of current volumes, without exponential growth in operational costs.
Scalability is an interesting area, but also vast. We shall be touching upon other aspects of scalability in near future.
