Improving the Sustainability of Microservices: A Rapid Review
Microservices have become increasingly popular in the software industry due to their scalability, maintainability, and agility. However, as the industry focuses more on environmental sustainability, there is a growing demand for improving the sustainability of microservice systems. This article presents a rapid review of 22 peer-reviewed studies that explore architectural tactics to enhance the environmental sustainability of microservices.
Sustainability Aspects: Energy Efficiency, Carbon Efficiency, and Resource Efficiency
The review identifies three key sustainability aspects: energy efficiency, carbon efficiency, and resource efficiency. Resource efficiency appears to be the most extensively studied aspect, highlighting the importance of optimizing resource utilization in microservice systems. On the other hand, energy efficiency and carbon efficiency are still in the early stages of research, pointing towards the need for further investigation and development in these areas.
Categorization by Context: Serverless Platforms, Decentralized Networks, and More
To provide actionable insights, the reviewed studies categorize the identified architectural tactics according to their context. This allows practitioners to identify tactics that are applicable in specific settings. Some of the categorized contexts include serverless platforms, decentralized networks, and others. By aligning the tactics with the appropriate context, organizations can effectively implement sustainability improvements in their microservice systems.
Evidence of Optimization: Measurement Units, Statistical Methods, and Experimental Setup
To ensure the relevance and effectiveness of the identified tactics, the studies present evidence of optimization after implementing these tactics. This evidence includes measurement units and statistical methods used to quantify improvements in energy efficiency, carbon efficiency, and resource efficiency. Moreover, the experiments conducted are described to provide valuable guidance for future studies and industrial practitioners.
Insufficiencies and Areas for Further Research
While the rapid review presents valuable insights, it also acknowledges the insufficiencies in the current research landscape. There is a need for more comprehensive studies and experiments to fully understand and enhance the sustainability of microservice systems. By addressing these insufficiencies, researchers and industry professionals can pave the way for more sustainable software architectures.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this rapid review highlights the importance of improving the sustainability of microservice systems. By synthesizing findings from peer-reviewed studies, it provides actionable tactics categorized by sustainability aspects and context. The evidence of optimization presented in the studies adds credibility to these tactics. However, further research is necessary to fully explore the energy efficiency and carbon efficiency of microservices. With continuous efforts, the industry can integrate sustainability into microservice architectures and contribute to a more environmentally responsible future.