High-Performance Cloud Computing Frameworks for Serverless Computing and 5G Systems

Cloud computing has fundamentally transformed the landscape of computing by leveraging the widespread accessibility of network connectivity. In this space, serverless computing platforms have emerged as key facilitators, promising cost-effective cloud computing capabilities for users. However, existing serverless platforms face several challenges, particularly in the data plane they use for communication between serverless functions. These data plane mechanisms conflict with the event-driven philosophy of serverless computing. They do not help meet the desired low-latency requirements crucial for a variety of services using the cloud. For example, 5G cellular networks are transitioning to a cloud-native design, adopting a Service-based Architecture, to simplify the development and deployment of 5G systems in the cloud. However, this comes with trade-offs, as it may limit performance and hinder the execution of low-latency operations in 5G cellular core network (5GC).Our first contribution focuses on assessing the overhead of container network interface, the essential networking component in the serverless data plane. Our investigation revealed that current serverless platforms treat inter-function networking as though each function were isolated by a network link in the kernel, a methodology fraught with overhead. We recognize the imperative of facilitating seamless communication within nodes via shared memory processing and design SPRIGHT. SPRIGHT is the first serverless framework that leverages the extended Berkeley Packet Filter (eBPF), an in-kernel event-driven networking subsystem, to supplant long-running stateful components typically used in current serverless platforms. We also optimize the placement engine in the serverless control plane to account for heterogeneity and fairness across competing functions, ensuring overall resource efficiency, and minimizing resource fragmentation.We then show how an improved serverless design (called LIFL) can be suitable