Microservices Architecture For APIs – Azure IoT Platform

What are Microservices?

Microservices are an architectural design for constructing a distributed application. It has an architectural and structural approach towards software development. Each function of the application operates independently so we can alter it without affecting the rest of the application. This architecture allows for every service to scale or update without disrupting other services in the application. A microservices framework creates a tremendously scalable, distributed, and testable system, which avoids the constrictions of a central database.

Each function in this architecture is a service. Every service runs in its process and develops and deploys independently. Indicating that it is a core function of an application and runs without negatively impacting other functions.

Benefits Of Microservices

Microservices are special-purpose applications that are used in assembling sections to make large-scale software systems. Each microservice builds over a set of business capabilities and is independently deployable. Microservice can deliver a wide range of advantages that make their use very enticing.

Increased Resiliency: Applications consist of a number of services communicating together and when one fails the client should be able to design which allows its immediate services to continue functioning as it stages out.
Better scaling: Using microservices decreases the amount of effort required to identify gradual bottlenecks in an application.
Output Flexibility: Various end-users can extract the data by streamlining, microservices allow developers to customize the presentation of the data for different audiences easily.
Real-time processing support: The publish-subscribe framework at the core of a microservices architecture allows data processing in real-time to deliver immediate output and insights.
Support for best technology use:  Using the finest programming language and data storage technology for its function can create each service.
Rapid growth facilitation: Due to their architecture, microservices authorize a high level of code and data reuse, making it more rapid and easier to deploy the additional data-driven solution.

APIs Gateway Pattern in Microservices

The Application programming interface is software that plays a role of an intermediary and allows two applications to exchange data. It is a set of definitions and protocols utilized for building and integrating application software. When designing new tools and products or controlling existing ones the APIs give flexibility, simplify design, administration, and provide opportunities for innovation.

An API gateway draws all API calls from clients, then routes them to the suitable microservice by following several processes like composition, request routing, and protocol translation.

An API gateway pattern is a software pattern that lies at the front of a group of microservices, with the purpose of requests and delivery of data and services. Its primary function is to act as a single entry point and standardized process for interactions.

What is Microsoft Azure IoT Platform?

Microsoft Azure IoT Platform is an open-source IoT platform that allows us to build a safe cloud platform. Internet of Things constitutes a collection platform service across edge and cloud that connect, monitor and control numerous IoT assets. It incorporates security and operating systems for devices. Also, along with data and analytics that help businesses to build, deploy and manage IoT applications.

An additional feature is that Azure IoT Edge works in offline mode as well.

Process of Building Microservices on Azure IoT Platform

Building Microservice on the Azure IOT platform can be complicated. Therefore in addition several design patterns solve the various challenges connected with realizing the Microservices architecture in enterprise applications.

After identifying the microservices in the application, we validate the design against the following criteria:

• Each service has one responsibility.
• There are no talkative calls between services.
• Each one of the services is small and builds by a small team working independently.
• There are no inter-dependencies that would need two or more services to be deployed together.
• Services are not strictly coupled and can evolve and deploy independently.

Azure API Management with Microservices

Azure API management service offers a variety of services of security and performance.

Concerning microservices, it provides Independent development and freedom to choose technology. So developers can work on different microservices at the same instance and choose the best technologies for the problem they are solving. Independent deployment is also available which makes sure that the microservices updates individually on their own.

In conclusion, there is Fault isolation as Failure of a microservice and it does not have to translate into the failure of other services.

Therefore some of the most important features are-

• API Management simplifies changing APIs.
• APIs can be checked when using API Operation.
• API Management makes it simple to propagate APIs to developers.

Devanshi Nigam