Analysing Vendor Lock-In in Serverless Architectures

Abstract

Serverless architecture represents a ma- jor milestone in the evolution of cloud computing, shifting responsibility for infrastructure management from developers to cloud service providers. This paradigm offers advantages such as elasticity, scala- bility, cost-efficiency, and reduced operational com- plexity. However, it also presents several challenges, including vendor lock-in, interoperability issues, cold starts, and limited debugging control. This research paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the prin- ciples, opportunities, and constraints of serverless computing. It synthesizes insights from scholarly pa- pers published between 2016 and 2023, identifying persistent gaps related to standardization, cross-cloud orchestration, and governance. The study proposes a layered, vendor-agnostic architecture to address these limitations and support multi-cloud serverless deploy- ments. The findings aim to guide future research in developing interoperable, secure, and efficient server- less systems that maintain flexibility and reliability across diverse cloud environments.