Predicting The Future Of Cloud Infrastructure
Bron
: artikel integraal overgenomen van Forbes
Origineel auteur
: Chafik Belhaoues
It is fascinating how cloud infrastructure has evolved and how we as an industry shifted (processes and mindsets) from hardware into software, as well as how we were able to build stable and performant components that are, in many cases, better than the hardware.
We even replaced our implicit use and meaning of the word "infrastructure." When we use it, we often refer to cloud infrastructure only.
It came as no surprise that this occurred due to our utilization of software, which we can control more effectively. Additionally, software offers a shorter testing and release cycle compared to hardware, with the added benefit of being potentially cheaper (at least in theory).
So, is it all software now?
To better understand the big picture, we need to look at the parts of the iceberg.
• The Tip: Users and consumers interact mainly with APIs and virtual resources for computing, networking, storage and security. We're increasingly moving away from hardware to the extent that some might consider software the predominant aspect of cloud computing.
• The Body: This includes all the underlying hardware that is abstracted from the users and has been virtualized (with software).
For cloud providers, everything is the same as before. They still have data centers, racks, cables, fibers, physical servers, disks and so on.
Now, with the rise of AI and the demand for huge computing power, hardware is back in the ring with more weight as GPUs are becoming the new "cloud" for AI.
Commoditization is inevitable
Now, the picture is clear: Software is overtaking hardware, and the cloud enables the consumption of resources as commodities, easily abstracted through APIs. Provisioning and destroying resources now takes a few seconds with one simple API call.