Introduction
In the fast-paced world of web development, optimizing performance and reducing costs are paramount. At RedHunt Labs, we pride ourselves on pushing the boundaries of technology. Recently, we revamped our frontend architecture by moving from an EC2-based deployment to a serverless setup using Amazon S3 and a CDN. This transformation resulted in a remarkable up to 99% improvement in load times and significant cost savings. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at our journey.
The Old Architecture: EC2-Based Deployment
Initially, our frontend was hosted on an Amazon EC2 instance. While this setup was functional, it had its limitations:
- Scalability Issues: Handling spikes in traffic required manual intervention to scale instances.
- Maintenance Overhead: Regular updates and maintenance were needed to ensure the server was secure and running optimally.
- Cost: Running EC2 instances continuously, especially with high availability configurations, can be expensive.
The New Architecture: Serverless with S3 and CDN
To overcome these challenges, we decided to transition to a serverless architecture by leveraging Amazon S3 for hosting our static assets and a CDN for global distribution. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of our migration process:
Static Asset Hosting on Amazon S3
Amazon S3 is a highly scalable, reliable, and low-latency data storage infrastructure. By hosting our static assets (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images, etc.) on S3, we eliminated the need for an always-on server.
Adding a CDN with Amazon CloudFront
To further enhance performance, we integrated Amazon CloudFront, a fast content delivery network (CDN) service that securely delivers data, videos, applications, and APIs to customers globally with low latency and high transfer speeds. This combination significantly reduced our load times.
Achieving up to 99% Faster Load Times
The synergy between S3 and CloudFront transformed our frontend performance. Here’s how:
- Edge Caching: CloudFront caches our content at edge locations closer to our users, reducing latency.
- Parallel Requests: Browsers can make multiple parallel requests to CloudFront, speeding up the loading of assets.
- Optimized Delivery: CloudFront uses optimized routing to deliver content over the shortest and fastest paths.
Response Time Improvements by Region
Australia
Before the migration:
After the Migration:
America
Asia
Optimizing Costs
Moving to a serverless architecture also brought about substantial cost savings:
- No Server Management: With S3, there are no servers to manage, patch, or scale.
- Pay-as-You-Go: We only pay for the storage we use and the data transferred through CloudFront, which is often more cost-effective than running EC2 instances 24/7.
- Lower Data Transfer Costs: CloudFront reduces the cost of data transfer by caching content at edge locations.
Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)
An additional advantage of our new architecture is the seamless integration with CI/CD pipelines. This allows us to:
- Deploy New Builds Easily: We can deploy new builds directly to the same S3 bucket.
- Invalidate CloudFront Cache: After deployment, we invalidate the CloudFront cache to ensure users get the latest version of the application.
- Zero Downtime Deployment: This setup ensures zero downtime during deployments, providing a smooth and uninterrupted user experience.
Conclusion
Migrating from an EC2-based deployment to a serverless architecture with S3 and CloudFront has been a game-changer for us. The performance improvements and cost savings have been substantial, allowing us to provide a better user experience while keeping expenses in check. The added benefit of CI/CD integration and zero downtime deployment further solidifies our commitment to delivering top-notch solutions.
At RedHunt Labs, we are committed to leveraging cutting-edge technology to drive innovation and deliver superior solutions. This migration is just one example of how we continuously strive to push the envelope.
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to innovate and share our journey towards creating more efficient and powerful tech solutions.
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions about our migration process or need guidance on making your frontend serverless. Get In Touch.
About RedHunt Labs
RedHunt Labs is a modern-age cybersecurity company that specialises in Attack Surface Management (ASM) and security consulting services. With its proprietary SaaS ASM platform, RedHunt Labs discovers a wide variety of untracked and exposed assets that helps SMEs and large enterprises strengthen their external cybersecurity posture and avoid security risks continuously.
For any questions or further assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us.