How outsourcing microservices helps to scale tech products

Let’s run through an example scenario. Say a company has their first MVP on the market. It is well-received by the market and brings clients and investors on-board. The product is well-designed and it works, but it has room for improvement. The product has great potential, but V2 needs to be more polished and further development is needed to scale it up. Since the live product may already have a considerable user base, any changes implemented into the system should be done seamlessly and without downtime. The new architecture should be designed in such a way that allows the addition of new functionalities and leaves room for further development.

That’s where microservices come in

Microservice-based architecture brings a lot to the table when it comes to application scalability. It’s highly versatile and flexible, which makes it perfect for developing products that require quick changes and new functionalities on the fly. It also gives the freedom to develop particular services and deploy them independently from each other and without changing the entire system. This means that different parts of the code can be developed using different technologies. That type of design approach results in a system that is more resilient to failures – if one unit goes down, it doesn’t take the entire system along with it.

Since microservices are highly scalable and extremally fault-tolerant, they naturally increase business agility. They allow an organization to focus more on business needs and product development rather than projects, as they can be thought of as a depiction of business functionalities. This type of approach is crucial when it comes to future-proofing a product. In today’s world, business needs – both technological needs and market demands – can change drastically very quickly. It is important to invest in an architecture that can meet these demands. Microservices are a viable solution that allow businesses to easily reshape parts of a system as needed.

Scaling up an existing system, especially moving it to V2, may be a challenge. Choosing the right architecture for the job is of key importance. For many companies, microservices check all the right boxes when it comes to system scaling. This should not be a surprise, since they allow for easy and rapid scalability thanks to unit-based autonomy and make development fast and hassle-free thanks to technology independence.

To outsource or not to outsource?

Since microservice-based architecture can be developed by independent teams working on different functionalities, it’s a perfect solution for outsourcing in its nature. Outsourcing this kind of development comes with many benefits. For many companies lowering project costs is one of the major things that makes them consider this kind of approach. Cutting expenses through working with an eternal vendor comes in many forms. It’s not only staff costs. So finding a more affordable workforce, often from outside of the local talent pool, is something worth considering when talking to different vendors. Granted, cheaper should not mean poor quality. But many companies can deliver high-quality performance at a considerably lower price. This is thanks to high specialization and related to it process optimization leading to lower costs and higher efficiency. By using an outsourcing-based model you don’t have to invest in other assets, like additional office space, hardware and so on, making costs even more optimized. 

Since microservice-based architecture can be developed by independent teams working on different functionalities, the ability to outsource it is in its nature. Outsourcing this kind of development comes with many benefits. For many companies, lowering project costs is one of the major factors that makes outsourcing appealing. Cutting expenses by working with an eternal vendor comes in many forms; it’s not only staff costs.  Using an outsourced team also reduces costs associated with assets such as additional office space and hardware. Finding a more affordable workforce outside the local talent pool is something worth considering when talking to different vendors. Granted, less expensive should not mean poor quality. Many offshore companies can deliver high-quality performance at prices considerably lower than local prices thanks to high specialization and resulting process optimization.

Outsourcing can provide more value than just cost-cutting.  Project efficiency should not be sacrificed for low cost; a good partner should bring efficiency to the table along with a reasonable price. Outsourcing microservice architecture development improves in-house team performance; the in-house team is able to focus on key tasks, and non-core activities do not get in the way. When outsourcing, a company works with an experienced partner who understands the business needs and has a team who has implemented similar solutions dozens of times (often with multiple case studies to draw from). Development will likely be faster and more agile, since the company does not have to go through trial and error guesswork and reinvent the wheel. Outsourcing part (or all of) the work to an external vendor that can provide high-quality specialists with extensive experience in their respective fields is an easy way to bring additional knowledge to a company.

There are times when finding the right specialists in the local or even regional pool of talent is a hassle. Lack of specialists in a certain area or high market rates may be limiting factors when it comes to company development and product scaling. If that is the case, working with a partner who can provide a source of highly qualified talent is a good path forward. Many companies have offshored their microservice development with considerable success. Some of those success stories can be read here. However, the bottom line is that sourcing developers from a global talent pool and not being limited to the local job market gives companies the cutting edge for product scaling. 

In today’s fast-moving world, having a flexible business model that can overcome market fluctuations is one of the main indicators of a company’s potential scalability. The ability to freely add or reduce resources when needed is a highly desirable feature of any company, and it is one reason why outsourcing has become a highly popular form of organizational development in recent years. Being able to reduce or scale-up a development team depending on project peaks enables a company to rapidly react to emerging demands.

…but there’s always a downside

Sure, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Bringing on board an unreliable partner might cause more harm than good. That is why it is extremely important to do a background check before beginning a partnership; here is a step by step guide on how to do that the right way. Remember also that in addition to receiving knowledge from an external vendor, knowledge will (sometimes) need to be shared as well.  A well designed NDA comes in handy to protect both parties’ best interests. 

Keep in mind that outsourcing microservice architecture may result in less company control over the project, in particular over some functionalities and parts of the product. To minimize this risk, ensure that proper product management is in place. Technical documentation should be written and delivered so that the in-house team can take over if needed. Building up a microservice-based architecture may get complex and somewhat overwhelming at times. Choose a partner with significant experience in the area and a proven track record who has been on the market for a while.

To sum it all up

There is no one golden key that opens all locks and there is no one solution perfect for every scenario. What makes the most sense for a company in terms of product scaling is subjective and unique to every situation. That being said, developing a microservice-based architecture through outsourcing has been the preferred approach for many companies that want to bring their tech products to the next level. It is a highly cost-efficient solution on many levels. It allows cash flow management on both the operational and strategic levels; services can be added and removed without redesigning the entire system each time, and development headcount can be freely managed based on project peaks. It is a flexible solution that allows frequent system adjustments to stay in-line with company strategy and market demand.

Granted, this approach does not come without shortcomings. Microservices may sometimes be hard to build and implement into pre-existing architecture. Also, working with external partners is not always as straightforward as it should be. Coordinating all the aspects of a solution is challenging, but most potential risks can be minimized by choosing a reliable partner. That is why it is critical to work with a company (or companies) that has vast experience in a similar area in order to achieve seamless business scale-up. 

If you are interested in moving forward with your microservice architecture, you can find more information here on how to proceed and what your next steps should be.

Michał Olędzki

Latest Posts
invision vs figma

InVision vs. Figma: Key Features, Differences, and Similarities.

Figma and InVision rank among the best UI design tools. Learn about their key features and how they can speed up front-end development. It’s hard to overstate the importance of UI design in web and mobile development. To be successful a digital product needs to be an eye-pleaser and a UX gem, in addition to […]

/
flutter language logo

Flutter: the number one framework for building cross-platform apps

Flutter is an SDK for building fast apps for different platforms. It comes with comprehensive development tools and streamlines designing high-performance UIs. Find out why Flutter is a top-quality and cost-effective alternative to native app development. Flutter is Google’s open-source toolkit for developing high-fidelity cross-platform applications. It allows you to create native software for Android […]

/
django hosting

Hosting for Django? Here’s what you need to know.

Django is a robust web framework for Python that enables programmers to swiftly build web apps. But once you’ve built your application, the next step is to get it online and available to the world. That’s where hosting comes in. In this article, we will explore the various options available for hosting Django applications. Types […]

/
front end technologies

Top-ranking front-end technologies. Best tools to speed up UI development in 2023

Flawless UI is a must if your app is headed for success. Designing a high-quality front-end can be costly and time-consuming, but not so much if you’re able to choose the right toolset for your product. Find out the best front-end development options to consider in 2023. Back-end powers the functionality of the system, while […]

/
nodejs books

Top 7 Node.js Books for Both Beginner and Professional Developers

Looking to advance your expertise in Node.js? If you’re tired of chaotic online resources, try good old-fashioned books. They will provide you with structured knowledge and give you a clear understanding of even the most complex programming concepts. Node.js is an asynchronous, event-driven, backend JavaScript runtime designed to develop scalable network applications. As a cross-platform […]

/
AR in fashion

AR in Fashion. Key Benefits and Real Use Cases

AR technology has already taken root in many industries. One of them is fashion. Clothing, beauty, and retail brands have long been leveraging AR solutions to attract customers and boost sales. According to recent estimates, the number of mobile augmented reality (AR) users worldwide will reach 1.7 billion by 2024 – a huge rise from […]

/
Related posts
App Store Optimization Google Play

App Store Optimization: Google Play Store

Whenever new mobile apps for Android are released, one of the essential things to do is Google Play store app optimization. After all, the more target users you reach, the better the chance of success and the more user feedback you can gather. The two main app stores for listing mobile applications are Google Play […]

/

Let’s meet at TechCrunch Disrupt 2022!

Hi! My name is Marcin and I’m the CEO of NG Logic LLC. I’m on the TC Disrupt 2022 and luckily so are you! If you only wish for it I’ll be happy to meet you and talk about your company’s software challenges. Why should we meet? I can think of a few reasons. We […]

/

NG Logic is One of the Top 100 Companies in Clutch this 2022

At NG Logic, we focus on creating and developing innovative IT and software solutions and building software product development teams for our clients. With over 2 decades of experience in the market, we are confident that we are equipped with the right tools and experience to handle any project that you may have. Our bespoke […]

/

Diversify your portfolio by adding single stock

The main strategy for creating a successful portfolio is to diversify your investments. If you put all your funds into one asset, you can easily lose a lot of money. When you invest in assets that behave differently on the market, you minimize the risk that all of them will lose their value simultaneously. Expert […]

/

Economy business cycle prediction using LSTM neural networks

Economy as a whole goes through business cycles that consist of alternating expansions and contractions. It is not immediately obvious  what cycle the economy is currently in; it is difficult to tell if it is at the peak of an expansion or the trough of a contraction. The ability to predict economy cycles would be […]

/

NG Logic Proud to be Named a Top Development Firm by Clutch

Here at NG Logic, we know how difficult it can be to achieve your goals while also making sure your staff remains healthy during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Rest assured that we’re here to help craft wonderful innovative IT solutions that will help you grow your business during these troubling times. We design custom applications to perform […]

/
Talk with experts

We look forward to hearing from you to start expanding your business together.

Email icon [email protected] Phone icon +1 (888) 413 3806