Compare Kubernetes and serverless approaches used by BILL and Velocity Global to optimize scalable, efficient development environments in cloud computing.
In today's cloud computing landscape, efficient, scalable development environments are essential for innovation. BILL and Velocity Global are two companies streamlining their processes with modern cloud technologies. BILL uses Kubernetes and Team Spaces for flexible testing and deployment, while Velocity Global leverages a serverless-first architecture for easy scalability. In this article, based on insights from Beau Nelford of BILL and Kumar Ramanathan of Velocity Global at Sedai’s autocon conference, we’ll explore the benefits and challenges of each approach and how they optimize development workflows. We’ll take a comparative view here. In two subsequent artickes we have gone into more depth on BILL’s approach here, and Velocity Global’s approach here.
Optimizing Development Environments with BILL and Velocity Global
As cloud technology continues to evolve, tools and frameworks are increasingly influencing the efficiency of development teams. Companies like BILL and Velocity Global leverage Kubernetes, serverless architectures, and autonomous systems to optimize workflows, reduce costs, and scale quickly. However, challenges such as testing environments, seamless system integration, and maintaining security and scalability remain.
By adopting cloud-native development and AI-driven tools, businesses are addressing these challenges. Autonomous systems reduce manual tasks like scaling and performance monitoring, freeing developers to focus on innovation. For example, BILL’s Team Spaces streamlines testing, while Velocity Global’s serverless-first architecture enhances scalability.
Key trends driving this shift include the rise of DevOps in autonomous cloud environments, the use of AI in development, and the impact of cloud-native practices, unified testing strategies, and improved data security.
Developer Needs: Speed, Security, and Scalability
Developers in the modern cloud environment face a combination of needs, the most important of which include speed, security, and scalability. To stay competitive, companies need to ensure that their developers have the right tools to meet these demands:
- Speed is critical in a fast-paced world where businesses expect continuous integration and rapid deployment. With tools like automated CI/CD pipelines, developers can automate code testing and deployments, drastically reducing the time between writing code and seeing it in production.
- Security is paramount, as developers need to build and deploy code that protects sensitive data and is resilient against attacks. Emphasizing security-centric development, combined with a robust monitoring and observability framework, helps ensure that potential vulnerabilities are identified early in the development process.
- Scalability has become more manageable with cloud-native technologies like container orchestration efficiency (e.g., Kubernetes) and serverless framework integration. These technologies allow applications to scale dynamically based on demand, making it easier for developers to focus on the logic rather than infrastructure management.
Additional elements that enhance the developer experience include:
- Unified development experience: Bringing all tools and workflows into a cohesive system.
- Consistent testing: Ensuring all code is thoroughly tested across environments.
- Documentation and training support: Offering developers the resources they need to stay updated with evolving technologies.
By leveraging these technologies and practices, developers are equipped to deliver secure, scalable, and fast solutions in today’s cloud-driven world.
Comparison of BILL and Velocity Global Approaches to Developer Environments
In the fast-paced world of technology, companies like BILL and Velocity Global are constantly evolving their development environments to meet growing demands. While both companies share a focus on improving efficiency and scalability, they each take unique approaches to achieve these goals.
BILL is transitioning away from static test environments to more flexible, ephemeral setups like Team Spaces. They are also integrating cloud tools such as Crossplane, which allows developers to define cloud services using Helm Charts, enabling efficient management of both applications and infrastructure components simultaneously. This shift is aimed at improving deployment efficiency and resource management.
On the other hand, Velocity Global is focused on refining its serverless architecture to optimize costs and improve scalability. By leveraging emerging serverless technologies and tools, they are positioning themselves to handle increasing traffic and more complex workflows as they grow. Their serverless-first approach simplifies infrastructure management while preparing them for future global expansion.
Below is a comparison of BILL and Velocity Global Development Environments:
Group | Aspect | BILL | Velocity Global |
|---|---|---|---|
Core Technology | Core compute technology | Kubernetes | Serverless (AWS Lambda) |
Goals | Enable rapid creation of environments for developers | Optimize for simplicity and cost-effectiveness | |
Future Focus | Replacing static test environments with Team Spaces and Local Spaces, integrating Crossplane for better cloud resource management | Refining serverless architecture for cost optimization and scalability, exploring new serverless technologies | |
Developer Experience | Developer Experience Focus | Providing production-like environments for testing | Simplifying infrastructure concerns, focus on business logic |
Development Environment | Team Spaces (ephemeral Kubernetes environments) and Local Spaces (Docker-based local environments) | Serverless functions with local development challenges | |
Developer Tools | Developer Portal and DIVI Mission Control (DMC) CLI | Paved Roads framework with pre-approved tools and practices | |
Language/Framework Support | Java, Elixir, and other containerized services | Node.js, TypeScript, Java (limited to approved stacks) | |
Cloud Integration | Deep integration with Kubernetes, exploring Crossplane for cloud resource management | Native integration with AWS services | |
Infrastructure | Scalability Approach | Kubernetes orchestration for flexible scaling | Automatic scaling handled by AWS Lambda |
Infrastructure Management | Managed through Kubernetes and Helm charts | Minimal management, handled by cloud provider | |
Cost Model | Resource allocation based on Kubernetes clusters | Pay-per-use model based on function execution | |
Development Process | Testing Strategy | Isolated environments that mirror production | Challenges in local testing, often testing in cloud |
Deployment Process | Continuous deployment every 11 minutes | CI/CD pipeline with automated checks and deployment | |
Iteration Speed | Fast iteration with isolated environments | Potential for rapid development, but challenges with local testing | |
Data and Security | Data Management | Sanitized snapshots of production databases for testing | Not specified, likely using serverless-compatible databases |
Security Approach | Isolated environments, likely following Kubernetes security best practices | Managed by AWS, with additional layers as needed | |
Operational Aspects | Monitoring and Observability | Not specified in detail | DataDog for monitoring, custom dashboards for cost and performance |
Team Structure | Large development team (600+ engineers) with specialized DevOps support | Smaller, autonomous teams with a central DevOps team maintaining Paved Roads | |
Pros and Cons | Advantages: Flexible, isolated environments; close to production setup Challenges: Managing complex Kubernetes environments, ensuring consistency across spaces | Advantages: Low maintenance, automatic scaling, cost-efficiency for variable workloads Challenges: Cold starts, 15-minute execution limits, granularity decisions |
Both companies are committed to pushing the boundaries of their development environments. BILL’s vision to integrate Crossplane will allow them to automate the provisioning of cloud services more efficiently, while Velocity Global's efforts in improving their serverless infrastructure will enable them to manage global operations with minimal overhead.
You can see more about BILL’s approach here, and Velocity Global’s approach here.
Conclusion
BILL and Velocity Global exemplify how modern cloud technologies can optimize development processes. BILL’s use of Kubernetes and Team Spaces allows for rapid testing, isolated environments, and efficient deployments, all managed through a streamlined Developer Portal and CLI. These tools enable faster feedback loops and greater flexibility, enhancing the overall development cycle.
Meanwhile, Velocity Global has embraced a serverless-first architecture, which reduces infrastructure overhead and scales efficiently. While challenges like cold starts and execution limits exist, their implementation of Paved Roads provides pre-built, approved frameworks that simplify development and help developers focus on business logic rather than setup.
As both companies continue to innovate, they demonstrate how cloud-native solutions can lead to scalable, cost-efficient operations. Organizations looking to replicate this success should:
- Leverage Automation: Use CI/CD pipelines and ephemeral environments to speed up development.
- Invest in Developer Tools: Ensure that teams have the resources to manage environments efficiently.
- Optimize for Flexibility: Embrace Kubernetes or serverless models to adapt to scaling needs with minimal effort.
By adopting these strategies, companies can foster agile, scalable development environments, enabling teams to deliver faster, more secure software.