# Serverless Computing: Current Trends and Open Problems

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1706.03178 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/1706.03178/

## Key facts

- Cited by 17 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 10 Jun 2017.

## Built on by (most cited first, 17 of 17)

- [DataPerf: Benchmarks for Data-Centric AI Development](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2207.10062/) (2022)
- [Whither AutoML? Understanding the Role of Automation in Machine Learning Workflows](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2101.04834/) (2021)
- [Motif Prediction with Graph Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2106.00761/) (2021)
- [Towards Demystifying Serverless Machine Learning Training](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2105.07806/) (2021)
- [LocalNewton: Reducing Communication Bottleneck for Distributed Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2105.07320/) (2021)
- [AHPA: Adaptive Horizontal Pod Autoscaling Systems on Alibaba Cloud Container Service for Kubernetes](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.03640/) (2023)
- [Edge Video Analytics: A Survey on Applications, Systems and Enabling Techniques](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2211.15751/) (2022)
- [Agentic Services Computing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.24380/) (2025)
- [Distributed Double Machine Learning with a Serverless Architecture](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2101.04025/) (2021)
- [A Deep Recurrent-Reinforcement Learning Method for Intelligent AutoScaling of Serverless Functions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2308.05937/) (2023)
- [Demystifying Higher-Order Graph Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2406.12841/) (2024)
- [DeF-DReL: Systematic Deployment of Serverless Functions in Fog and Cloud environments using Deep Reinforcement Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2110.15702/) (2021)
- [Energy and Thermal-aware Resource Management of Cloud Data Centres: A Taxonomy and Future Directions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2107.02342/) (2021)
- [On-demand Cold Start Frequency Reduction with Off-Policy Reinforcement Learning in Serverless Computing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2308.07541/) (2023)
- [Word Frequency Counting Based on Serverless MapReduce](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2601.00380/) (2026)
- [High-Performance Serverless Computing: A Systematic Literature Review on Serverless for HPC, AI, and Big Data](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2601.09334/) (2026)
- [Serverless AI Security: Attack Surface Analysis and Runtime Protection Mechanisms for FaaS-Based Machine Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2601.11664/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Serverless computing has emerged as a new compelling paradigm for the deployment of applications and services. It represents an evolution of cloud programming models, abstractions, and platforms, and is a testament to the maturity and wide adoption of cloud technologies. In this chapter, we survey existing serverless platforms from industry, academia, and open source projects, identify key characteristics and use cases, and describe technical challenges and open problems.