Couchbase's architecture allows for speed and power to be achieved through horizontal scaling of its services, unlike most relational databases which are monolithic and can only scale vertically. This enables the application of "speed" exactly where it is needed, rather than relying on hardware upgrades to hide design-level issues. The importance of speed in today's fast-paced digital landscape cannot be overstated, with slow performance being increasingly referred to as "the new down." In a similar vein, optimizing database connections in cloud functions can greatly impact overall performance, particularly when dealing with authentication processes that involve repeated requests. By following best practices such as using globally-scoped database connections and reusing cluster objects, developers can significantly reduce round-trip times and improve the efficiency of their applications.