Technology Guides

Serverless Architectures When and How to Use Them Serverless architectures let you run code without managing servers. In practice, a cloud provider runs your function in response to events and bills you per use. This model can speed up development and reduce operations work, especially for small teams. Serverless covers many services: Functions as a Service (FaaS) like AWS Lambda, cloud functions from Azure and Google Cloud, managed queues, and API gateways. You still build and deploy the app, but you avoid provisioning servers, load balancers, and capacity planning. ...

Cloud Infrastructure 101: IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS in Action Cloud services come in three common models. IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS help teams control, deploy, and use software in different ways. Understanding who handles what makes it easier to design solutions that fit goals and budgets. IaaS: Infrastructure as a Service IaaS offers raw computing resources—virtual machines, storage, and networks. You install and manage the operating system, middleware, and applications. The provider takes care of the physical servers, power, and cooling. This model gives you the most control, but also the most responsibility. ...

Data Pipelines: Ingestion, Processing, and Orchestration Data pipelines move information from many sources to destinations where it is useful. They do more than just copy data. A solid pipeline collects, cleans, transforms, and delivers data with reliability. It should be easy to monitor, adapt to growth, and handle errors without breaking the whole system. Ingestion Ingestion is the first step. You pull data from databases, log files, APIs, or events. Key choices are batch versus streaming, data formats, and how to handle schema changes. Simple ingestion might read daily CSV files, while more complex setups stream new events as they occur. A practical approach keeps sources decoupled from processing, uses idempotent operations, and records metadata such as timestamps and source names. Clear contracts help downstream teams know what to expect. ...

VoIP and WebRTC for Real-Time Communication VoIP, or Voice over IP, is the broad idea of sending voice calls over the internet. WebRTC is a modern technology that lets web apps capture audio and video and send it in real time. Together, they power many apps—from simple browser calls to large video conferences—without relying on traditional phone networks. WebRTC is browser-first and plugin-free. It uses ICE to find the best network path, STUN to learn your public address, and TURN to relay media when direct paths are blocked. Media is secured with DTLS-SRTP. Note that WebRTC does not define signaling: you must provide a way to start and end a session, then exchange the needed session data. ...

SQL, NoSQL, and NewSQL: Choosing Your Data Store Choosing a data store is about your workload, data shape, and how you plan to grow. SQL, NoSQL, and NewSQL each have strengths that suit different apps. The right choice often depends on what you value most: data structure, speed, or scalability. Start by listing your needs and then compare options. SQL databases SQL databases are a good fit when data is structured and relationships matter. They offer strong consistency and reliable transactions. If your app runs complex queries, reports, and strict data rules, a relational database is a solid foundation. ...

Networking Essentials: From Local Networks to the Internet Networks connect our daily devices, from smartphones to smart TVs, and they carry data across rooms and cities. A simple home network becomes a bridge between your devices and the wider internet. Learning a few basics can make setup smoother and problems easier to fix. Local networks (LAN) sit inside your home or office. Each device gets an address, usually from a router that acts as the gateway. Most homes use DHCP to assign temporary IP addresses like 192.168.1.x. A small switch can extend wired connections, while Wi‑Fi handles wireless links. Keeping firmware up to date and using strong passwords helps protect the LAN from intruders. If you have several devices, a clean subnet and sensible DHCP lease times keep things organized. ...