CC BY
4UDK 004.4
Aluev Andrei
master's degree, Ural Federal University Russian Federation, Ekaterinburg
SCALABLE WEB APPLICATIONS: A COST-EFFECTIVENESS STUDY USING MICROSERVICE ARCHITECTURE
Abstract: This paper investigates the cost-effectiveness of using microservice (MS) architecture in the development of scalable web applications. The advantages and disadvantages of this method compared to monolithic systems are analyzed. Special attention is paid to the aspects of reduced operating costs, flexibility and improved scalability. Specific examples of MS architecture implementation in American companies are given, which demonstrates its practical usefulness and role in successful development of software solutions.
Keywords: Web applications, microservices (MS), architecture, scalability, cost-effectiveness, resource optimization, monolithic architecture.
INTRODUCTION
In the era of digital transformation, the demand for efficient web applications is growing rapidly. Reliable traditional monolithic architectures often struggle to meet the demands of modern software systems, particularly in terms of scalability, flexibility, and resource efficiency. As a response to these challenges, microservice (MS) architecture has emerged as a popular alternative, allowing applications to be broken down into smaller, independent services. This decentralized approach enables the flexible development, deployment, and scaling of individual components.
Adopting MS involves certain complexities, such as the need for more advanced management of dependencies, communication between services, and orchestration of distributed systems. Despite these challenges, many organizations have turned to MS as a means of improving the economic efficiency of their software systems. The cost-effectiveness of this architecture stems from its ability to optimize resource usage, reduce technical debt, and improve operational agility, leading to long-term financial benefits. The purpose of this article - to conduct a cost-benefit study on the use of MS architecture in the development of scalable Web applications.
MAIN PART. COMPARISON OF MS AND TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURES: KEY ECONOMIC AND PERFORMANCE ASPECTS
As modern web applications continue to grow in complexity, the choice of architecture plays an important role in determining not only their performance but also their elasticity and long-term sustainability. As improving system efficiency and scalability is gaining increasing attention among IT specialists [1]. Two primary architectural models dominate this space: monolithic and MS, with the latter method constantly gaining popularity among developers. The global MS architecture market size reached $3,7 billion in 2023, and is projected to reach $11,8 billion by 2032 [2]. Despite its growing adoption, MS architecture introduces new complexities in areas such as system orchestration, inter-service communication and monitoring, that is essential for ensuring the performance and stability of the system [3]. To fully understand the trade-offs between these two architectural models, it is essential to analyze key aspects.
The scalability of a web application is one of the most important considerations in selecting an architecture. Adjusting a monolithic application typically requires duplicating the entire infrastructure on new servers, which can be inefficient since only a portion of the system may need additional resources. This approach often leads to resource wastage, increased costs, and complex load-balancing mechanisms, since monolithic architectures are inherently limited in terms of scalability because they are designed as single, tightly coupled systems (fig. 1).
Monolith Architecture
Microservices Architecture
Figure 1. A visual representation of a monolithic versus MS architecture [4] The modular nature of MS architectures allows them to excel in this characteristic. Each service is a standalone component that can be scaled independently based on ISSN 3034-2627 33 https://coldscience.ru
specific demands. This approach can improve the privacy and security of large volumes of data by isolating services, which has become an important task in the IT industry [5]. Services handling user authentication can adjust separately from the inventory management service, allowing for more granular control over resource allocation. This not only reduces costs by optimizing resource use but also prevents over-provisioning of resources where it is not needed [6]. By focusing on economic efficiency, MS help businesses remain agile and resilient under uncertain market conditions, aligning with sustainable business strategies [7].
In terms of development flexibility and speed, traditional architectures often hinder these aspects, since the entire application is built and deployed as a single unit. Even minor changes or updates require a full redeployment of the entire system. This increases the risk of introducing bugs and slows down the development cycle. While MS enable independent development and deployment of individual services. This allows multiple teams to work in parallel on different parts of the application, reducing dependencies and bottlenecks. Teams can adopt different technologies or programming languages for different services, optimizing each service for its specific function. The decoupled nature of MS leads to faster development cycles and more frequent deployments, which is significant for rapidly evolving web applications that need to continuously adapt to changing user requirements or market conditions.
Performance studies of these two architectures show that monolithic systems generally perform better in terms of loading and system resource management [4]. Meanwhile, MS architectures handle scripts more efficiently and process complex operations more effectively, which is valuable for large, scalable applications that require modular service management (table 1).
Table 1. Performance testing result of MS and monolithic architectures [4]
Performance MS times Monolithic
Loading 283.6 ms 175.0 ms
Scripting 1180.4 ms 1705.0 ms
Rendering 479.0 ms 377.7 ms
Painting 45.2 ms 47.1 ms
System 790.0 ms 471.5 ms
Accessibility 66 66
Best practice 79 79
Other studies also demonstrate that MS consume more CPU (7,85%) and network resources (4,5 B/s) comparing to traditional architectures,2,39% and 3,13 B/s, respectively [8]. Although MS are more efficient in terms of storage usage and disk writing operations, they offer better resource isolation and memory efficiency.
Monolithic architectures present a significant risk when it comes to fault isolation and system resilience. A failure in one part of the system can potentially take down the entire application, leading to increased downtime and higher recovery costs. This is particularly detrimental for large-scale web applications and mobile apps, where continuous uptime is critical for maintaining user satisfaction and revenue [9]. In contrast, MS architecture provides better fault isolation. Since each service operates independently, a failure in one service does not necessarily affect others. This enhances system resilience and reduces downtime, leading to a more stable application environment.
While MS architecture offers clear advantages in scalability and resilience, it also comes with its own set of challenges, particularly in terms of infrastructure and operational costs. Such architectures often require more complex orchestration tools, monitoring systems, and inter-service communication frameworks. Managing a distributed system introduces overhead in terms of both operational complexity and resource consumption.
The long-term economic benefits of MS often outweigh the initial costs. The ability to scale specific services independently leads to more efficient resource use, reducing overall infrastructure costs. MS facilitate more flexible use of cloud resources, allowing companies to take advantage of cloud-native features like auto-scaling and container orchestration (e.g., Kubernetes) to further optimize costs.
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPANIES' TRANSITION TO MS ARCHITECTURE AND THEIR ECONOMIC RESULTS
The architecture of MS has become a widely adopted approach in modern software development due to its ability to enhance scalability and resource optimization in both technological and changing environmental landscapes [10].
ХОЛОДНАЯ НАУКА №8/2024
Which is why many large companies have shifted to MS to manage their growing technological and operational demands.
One of the most popular video services Netflix transitioned from a monolithic architecture to MS to manage the complexity of its global streaming platform more efficiently. This allowed the company to scale individual services independently, optimizing resources and reducing operational costs. To monitor its MS ecosystem, Netflix developed Mantis, a real-time stream processing system. Mantis allows engineers to detect and respond to issues quickly by processing vast amounts of data in real time, ensuring high system reliability and reduced downtime. This led to significant cost savings and enhanced user experience by maintaining service stability [11].
A technology company Amazon shifted to MS architecture to better manage its growing and complex e-commerce platform. By breaking the system into independent services such as payment processing, inventory, and product search, Amazon could scale each service independently, optimizing resources and improving operational efficiency. This transition reduced costs, particularly during peak traffic periods like Black Friday, by efficiently allocating resources to high-demand services. Moreover, Amazon Web Services (AWS) provides numerous services, such as AWS Lambda and Amazon ECS, which are specifically designed to support MS architectures for other organizations [12].
A transportation company Uber adopted MS architecture to efficiently manage the increasing complexity of its platform as it expanded globally. To manage the complexity of its vast MS ecosystem, Uber developed DOMA (Domain-Oriented Microservice Architecture). DOMA helps Uber organize its services around business domains, allowing for clear ownership and faster deployment cycles. By grouping related services, Uber can more effectively manage and scale operations like rider dispatch, payments, and real-time tracking, leading to improved system resilience and reduced operational costs across its platform [13].
These cases demonstrate the significant economic benefits, including reduced infrastructure costs and improved agility in system maintenance and development. As
more organizations continue to transition to MS, the architectural model proves its value in addressing the growing technological demands of modern businesses.
CONCLUSION
The shift from monolithic to MS architecture represents a fundamental transformation in the development of scalable web applications. This transition to MS offers significant advantages in terms of economic efficiency. By allowing independent scaling and reducing operational complexity, MS not only optimize resource usage but also contribute to long-term cost savings. The analysis of real-world implementations demonstrates the practical value of adopting MS in complex, high-demand environments. The economic advantages of MS architecture make it an attractive option for organizations looking to build flexible and cost-effective web applications in modern rapidly changing technological landscape.
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