Wikipedia

Cell-based architecture

Cell-based Architecture (CBA) is a software design paradigm that structures applications as a collection of small, self-contained units called "cells." Each cell encapsulates specific functionality along with its own data, logic, and state, enabling independent development, deployment, and scaling. CBA is a holistic approach that combines aspects of application architecture, deployment architecture, and organizational (people/team) architecture. This integration aligns technical design with team structures, promoting modularity, agility, and efficient collaboration across development processes.

Overview

edit

In cell-based architecture, applications are decomposed into multiple cells, each representing a bounded context with its own data, logic, and state. Cells interact with each other through well-defined interfaces, promoting loose coupling and high cohesion. This approach facilitates parallel development and allows teams to focus on individual cells without impacting the entire system.

 
Cell-based Architecture Overview

History

edit

The concept of cell-based architecture was developed in the summer of 2018 by Asanka Abeysinghe, CTO, and Paul Fremantle, founder CTO at WSO2, a global enterprise infrastructure software company. Recognizing the limitations and complexities associated with traditional microservices architectures, they introduced the notion of a "cell" as a higher-level abstraction over microservices. The architecture focuses on better isolation, observability, and governance by grouping related microservices into a single deployable unit.

The initial specification and design principles were documented in the Cell-Based Reference Architecture, authored by Asanka and Paul.[1] The architecture has since influenced the development of tools and platforms aimed at simplifying the deployment and management of distributed applications.

Key concepts

edit
 
Cell structure
  • Cell: The fundamental unit of deployment and operation. A cell includes all necessary components—such as services, databases, and configurations—to function independently.
  • Component: The smallest functional unit within a cell. Components are individual services or microservices that collectively form the functionality of a cell. They handle specific tasks and can be developed, tested, and deployed independently within the context of a cell.
  • Isolation: Cells operate in isolation to prevent cascading failures and enhance security. Isolation ensures that issues within one cell do not adversely affect others.
  • Inter-cell Communication: Cells communicate via APIs or messaging protocols, using standardized formats and protocols to ensure interoperability.
  • Observability: Each cell incorporates logging, monitoring, and tracing capabilities to provide insights into its performance and behavior.

Advantages

edit
  • Scalability: Individual cells can be scaled horizontally based on workload demands, optimizing resource utilization.
  • Maintainability: Updates and maintenance can be performed on individual cells without requiring system-wide changes.
  • Resilience: The isolation of cells enhances fault tolerance, as failures are contained within affected cells.
  • Agility: Development teams can work independently on different cells, accelerating development cycles and deployments.

Challenges

edit
  • Complexity Management: Orchestrating multiple cells requires robust management tools and practices.
  • Communication Overhead: Increased interactions between cells can introduce latency and require efficient network infrastructures.
  • Data Consistency: Maintaining consistency across distributed cells can be challenging, necessitating careful design of data synchronization mechanisms.

Use cases

edit
  • Microservices Architecture: Cell-based Architecture is often employed to implement microservices, providing a structured framework for service decomposition.
  • Cloud-native Applications: Suited for applications designed for cloud environments, leveraging containerization and orchestration platforms.
  • Enterprise Systems: Applicable in large organizations where modularization can reduce complexity and enhance collaboration between teams.

Tools and technologies

edit
  • Containerization: Technologies like Docker package cells for consistent deployment across environments.
  • Orchestration Platforms: Kubernetes and similar tools manage the deployment, scaling, and operation of cells.
  • Service Meshes: Tools like Istio provide advanced networking features for secure and reliable inter-cell communication.

Comparison with other architectures

edit
  • Monolithic Architecture: Unlike monolithic systems, Cell-based Architecture breaks down applications into discrete units, enhancing flexibility and scalability.
  • Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA): While both promote modularity, Cell-based Architecture focuses on smaller, independently deployable units with greater emphasis on isolation.

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ WSO2 (2018). "Cell-Based Reference Architecture". GitHub. Retrieved October 15, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cell-based_architecture&oldid=1254850402"