Going Serverless with Flask

<footer>
<img class="logo" src="data:image/jpeg;base64,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">
</footer>
---

# Going Serverless with Flask
## Experiences with AWS Lambda and OpenWhisk
.authorblock[
.author[Alex Miłowski, PhD]
.affiliation[.orange[Orange] Silicon Valley]
]

---

.fullimage[![And now for something completely different](https://68.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7botv5oBn1qafsv7o1_500.gif)]
.footer.note[Image source: tumblr.com https://68.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7botv5oBn1qafsv7o1_500.gif]
---
class: abstract

# Abstract

Deploying applications via serverless infrastructure may require some changes
in architecture and assumptions. This talk will walk through
experiences deploying Flask-based services on AWS Lambda and OpenWhisk
with minimal changes, demo supporting libraries,
enumerate some of the challenges, and address practical outcomes derived from the
promises of serverless deployment.

---

# Enterprise data devops

Need to create an environment where:
 * microservices provide access to resultants
 * from big data / AI analytics
 * to enterprise applications
 * or consumer services

---

# Scale Out Infrastructure

Can help address:

* issues of peak load
* simplifying deployment (tradeoffs?)
* kubernetes/openwhisk enables separation of concerns
* Apache OpenWhisk - http://openwhisk.incubator.apache.org

]

---

# Experiment: Flask on FaaS

The experiment:

1. Take a reasonably complicated Flask application.
2. Deploy on AWS Lambda or OpenWhisk
3. Compare!

What needs to change?  Does that matter?  What is the comparable performance?
Is the tradeoff (if any) worth the scale out?

---

# Zappa for AWS Lambda

"Serverless Python Web Services - Powered by AWS Lambda and API Gateway"

https://www.zappa.io or https://github.com/Miserlou/Zappa

As easy as:
```bash
$ pip install zappa
$ zappa init
$ zappa deploy
```
Well, not quite … but almost!

---

# 𝚫 - 1/2 - `blog.py`

Replicating the main and packaging configuration:

```python
class Config(object):
   DEBUG=True
   SERVER_NAME='test.milowski.com:8080'
   DOCS='http://...' # location of static documents
   ...

from flask import Flask
app = Flask(__name__)
from duckpond.apps.blog.assets import assets
from duckpond.apps.blog.docs import docs
from duckpond.apps.blog.views import views

app.register_blueprint(assets)
app.register_blueprint(docs)
app.register_blueprint(views)
```

.footer.note[duckpond project @ https://github.com/alexmilowski/duckpond]

---

# 𝚫 - 2/2 - `production.py`

Configuration from objects:

```python
from blog import Config,app

class ProductionConfig(Config):
   DEBUG=False
   SERVER_NAME='app.milowski.com:8080'

app.config.from_object('production.ProductionConfig')

if __name__ == '__main__':
    app.run()
```

.footer.note[You can run this directly for local testing or use via FaaS.]
---

# Demo Time
## Zappa for AWS

---

# Flask on OpenWhisk?

* Zappa doesn't support OpenWhisk … (possible)
 * What is needed:
    * a library that bridges the FaaS layer to the WSGI
    * packaging specific to the FaaS environment
    * deployment orchestration
 * How hard is that? 😬

---

# So I wrote my own …

https://github.com/alexmilowski/flask-openwhisk

A bridge: OpenWhisk ↔︎ WSGI request / response

Seemless but you need a `__main__.py`:

```python
from flaskwsk.handle import invoke
from web import app

def main(args):
   return invoke(app,args)
```

Only addresses the need for a library!

---

# Packaging for OpenWhisk

* functions run in Docker containers
* "warmed" by initializing with the code
* zipped into an archive with dependencies via `virtualenv`
* python container expects:
```
__main__.py
...
virtualenv/...
```

---

# Demo Time
## flaskwsk for OpenWhisk / IBM bluemix

---

# Results

.split[
<div class="chart-wrapper" id="compare"></div>
.compact[
* *Lambda* vs *nginx / gunicorn* via **AWS**:

* ~ 1.6x slower
   * larger variance
   * shared db / resources
   * random high values
* *OpenWhisk* via **IBM Bluemix**:

* high values for cold containers
   * performs well with remote database

* *OpenWhisk* is open source so … we can contribute!
]
]
.footer.note.small[Looks scrambled? Reload! Life is too short to wonder why C3/D3/SVG does this kind of thing. C'est la vie!]

---

# Takeaway

.split[
.column[
Key conclusions:
.compact[
* increased latency
* tradeoff for scale out
* no changes possible
]
]

.column[
Followup research:
.compact[
* scale out interactions via kubernetes
* container warming
* WSGI optimization
]
]
]

.authorblock[
.author[Alex Miłowski, PhD]
.email[alex@milowski.com]
.email[alex.milowski@orange.com]
]
.authorblock[@alexmilowski
]