January 2017 Summaries

AWS Lambda functions are designed to allow developers to write scalable code without worrying about infrastructure details, but this presents a challenge for operators and developers who want to monitor and optimize their functions. Analyzing metrics such as function invocation time and HTTP request timing data can help understand the latencies of different components, including cold start times, which refer to the increased invocation time when a function is not used for a long period. Observing cold start times in real-world scenarios shows that while warming a simple Lambda function may provide some benefits, other considerations such as network latency and TLS negotiation have a more significant impact on overall request completion times. To optimize Lambda functions, developers should ask questions such as whether the function performs CPU-intensive tasks or makes many network requests, how to reduce overall function size, and whether function warming has any meaningful impact compared to an identical cold function in the same region. Ultimately, serverless computing does not mean no servers, but rather a shift in thinking about infrastructure and performance data collection and analysis.

Function-as-a-Service (FaaS) products like AWS Lambda allow developers to write scalable code without managing the underlying infrastructure, but they introduce challenges in monitoring and optimizing performance due to the lack of traditional metrics. The blog explores how to monitor AWS Lambda functions, focusing on invocation times and latencies when responding to external API requests, using New Relic's tools to observe cold start times and overall function performance. It reveals that factors such as network latency and TLS connection times can outweigh the benefits of keeping Lambda functions warm, suggesting that the performance impact of serverless architectures depends on various components beyond the execution time. The author emphasizes the importance of understanding these components to make informed optimizations and poses questions for developing a robust lambda monitoring strategy, highlighting the ongoing evolution and learning curve in effectively managing serverless systems.

Even in a rapidly changing industry like software development, there are many opportunities for career growth and advancement, according to experts who suggest that developers should focus on developing high-level architecture skills, learning cloud and containerization technologies, and studying for technical tests. It's also important to remember that software is about more than just coding, and that roles such as business analyst or developer evangelist can offer a fresh perspective. Creating your ideal job or finding your team are also key strategies for career development, while embracing trends like Agile can help you capitalize on opportunities amidst the hype. By taking an active role in assessing code quality and performance, developers can take their careers to the next level and stay ahead of the curve. Ultimately, the most successful software engineers seem to operate and move in teams rather than as individuals, and by finding your team or creating your own, you can unlock new opportunities for growth and advancement.

The text explores strategies for advancing a software development career, emphasizing the importance of embracing new technologies like cloud computing and containerization, which offer significant growth opportunities. Technical recruiter Connor Leech highlights the demand for skills in platforms such as AWS and Docker, while stressing the necessity of preparing for technical interviews with strong coding knowledge. The text also underscores the value of understanding broader company operations and the potential for creating new career paths within existing roles. Developer Advocate Tori Wieldt suggests exploring roles that leverage technological understanding without high-level coding skills, and emphasizes the significance of team collaboration and trend adoption. The article encourages software developers to assess the quality and performance of their code actively and to remain open to emerging trends like Agile methodologies, fostering both professional development and organizational success.