Why you Need an Event-Driven Architecture for Your IoT Projects
Event-driven architecture (EDA) is gaining popularity in IoT projects. As the demand for faster development cycles increases, it is crucial to have a model that facilitates scalability. <!--more--> EDA provides many benefits to IoT development. For instance, it enhances agility in IoT devices.
Event-driven architecture (EDA) vs traditional model
EDA and the traditional model differ in numerous ways. Below are some of the most notable differences:
Traditional Model | Event-driven architecture |
---|---|
It requires the client to keep pulling requests for a given issue and wait for a response. This method can be inconvenient, especially when data keeps changing. It is more efficient for static data. | The EDA system is reactive. It automatically sends information about changing events to the customer. Therefore, the customer remains updated about any changes in the system. |
The model requires that the service be available when the client pulls the request; otherwise, it may go unanswered or cause response delays. | Events sent to the clients do not require replies; they occur unprompted. The system does not need to know that the consumers are available to execute events. |
The modification process is more complex. When installed processes require any changes, there must be some updates to the service. | It does not need similar changes, as you can make modifications without any explicit process alterations. |
Any data changes erase previous information about state changes. | The system records and retains the history of every change that occurs, thus, providing a history log about all the alterations made to data in a given time frame. |
Streaming analytics are unable to record data changes from multiple sources simultaneously. | EDA can record data in-flight which allows continuous intelligence in a computer system. |
It supports synchronized communication and recording of events, ensuring that obtained intelligence is consistent. | EDA's asynchronous data recording from multiple sites concurrently means it can be challenging to align facts. This is because there is no chronological alignment of timelines. |
Why do you need an EDA?
Event-driven architecture is a system of loosely paired microservices, facilitating the sharing of information based on produced and consumed events. You need an EDA system because it can help you to receive messages and direct them to specific services that need them.
Consumers who receive these messages can understand their progress with streaming services and decide which messages they should subscribe to based on extracted logs.
An EDA model provides the following benefits:
Decouples the producer from the consumer
An organization may need to implement an EDA to decouple itself from the consumers. The advantage of doing so is that you concentrate less on how consumers receive and react to your services.
Similarly, consumers concentrate less on the production of those services. The decoupling process makes it easier for consumers and producers to focus on their tastes and preferences.
Provides resilience to event-creating systems
EDA is popular because of the resilience it provides to event-creating systems. The loose coupling of the EDA components means that services may have fewer concerns about the integrity of another service.
Loose coupling ensures that microservices within a system can keep operating even if one fails. Later on, the system can pick from where it failed and accomplish that specific task.
Supports a push-based messaging system
You need an EDA to implement a push-based messaging system. EDA works with intermediary brokers to facilitate push message service where customers can receive product updates without needing to do polls.
Clients also receive immediate results, which makes the interaction more efficient.
The flexibility of an EDA
One of the advantages of EDA is its flexibility. You can create a truly decoupled microservice-based architecture with event-driven architecture. The EDA system can relay the same message to millions of clients daily without experiencing downtimes. This is due to its flexibility and ability to accommodate an increasing number of microservices.
For instance, an EDA can accommodate 50 or more identical microservices that work independently to perform a similar task. These microservices schedule and perform messaging services without any duplication.
Event-driven architecture and the IoT
IoT has become a popular topic in the modern tech industry, and its possibility of combining with EDA makes it even a more attractive venture. One issue affecting the Internet of Things is the increased data that companies have to process. It keeps rising as more IoT devices become connected.
Much of this data requires real-time processing. Fortunately, EDA supports the real-time processing of events. Therefore, companies must consider incorporating it alongside IoT.
EDA facilitates efficient, accurate. and faster handling of data generated from multiple sources. With IoT, an organization can receive and disseminate information several times per day before storing it in the cloud.
Processing data should be responsive based on the current client requests. This makes EDA a critical approach to adopt for IoT. EDA handles several queries simultaneously, ensuring that consumers receive information quickly.
Why you need an Event-driven architecture for IoT projects
To deal with rising data traffic
IoT projects need EDA due to the rising data traffic, as well as the increasing number of connected devices. Notably, IoT projects require the flexibility that comes with the EDA model.
For instance, with EDA, developers can modify existing logic without tampering with real-time processes. EDA ensures that IoT projects avoid the risk of losing previously compiled data.
Similarly, applications can also use EDA to provide different responses with a single mouse click. This is critical, especially when handling IoT projects because it adds a wide range of commands that they can perform.
To reach final consumers through mass targeting
EDA allows firms to send data to several IoT components at once. The aim is to reach consumers through mass targeting. This approach reduces the need for the producer to find a consumer who has a specific interest in their products.
As a result, the system is aware of everything without repeatedly asking for information through polls. For instance, a company may know those consumers who have no interest in their products based on their choice to unsubscribe from their message services.
Incorporating EDA in IoT projects helps reduce latency. Today, many applications require immediate access to information. Therefore, minimizing the need to have point-to-point integrations for data sharing can help lower the latency to milliseconds.
To make informed decisions
Implementing an EDA in IoT projects facilitates better decision-making. EDA ensures that there is situational awareness and accurate information necessary to make correct business decisions.
During event streaming, apps must respond to constantly changing business solutions. Since this process occurs in real-time, EDA is the most suitable architecture for ensuring that IoT devices keep up with emerging data.
Conclusion
Event-driven architecture is a popular option due to its high flexibility and ability to enhance faster software development cycles. Its contribution to the IoT sector is another crucial aspect. IoT faces the challenge of big data due to the increasing number of connected devices.
Through EDA, IoT devices can handle data more efficiently. This architecture supports real-time event streaming. Consumers can receive responses to their requests simultaneously.
This ensures that devices incur less latency when accessing data. Event-driven architecture is unarguably a better replacement for the traditional model.
Happy reading!
Further reading
Peer Review Contributions by: Wanja Mike