What happened this week:
- A reflection on why the cloud is the future
- Updates from the US Army regarding the cloud
- Security > Costs & Scalability
- A bit about Kubernetes
Do you also want to go back to on-prem? Take a look at what experts say about this:
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On-Prem vs Cloud
The return to on-prem is a myth; the future is the cloud.
Cloud expert Eyal Estrin challenges the latest popular claim that organizations are returning to on-premises infrastructure from the public cloud. Estrin argues that while some small businesses may have gone back to local, it is far from a widespread trend. Key points:
- Scalability: The public cloud offers virtually unlimited scalability, unlike traditional data centers.
- Data Center Management: Most organizations lack the expertise needed to build and maintain highly available and secure data centers.
- Hardware Flexibility: The cloud allows easy experimentation with new technologies without significant upfront investments.
- Storage Capacity: The public cloud provides virtually unlimited storage, crucial for modern data-intensive applications.
- Modern Applications: Cloud-native development enables faster innovation and deployment of new services.
Eyal acknowledges that hybrid cloud solutions will persist, but maintains that the public cloud is the future for innovative organizations. He emphasizes the importance of a proper cloud strategy, cost management, and employee training to maximize the benefits of the cloud.
A refreshing counterpoint to recent claims about cloud repatriation, encouraging readers to consider the long-term advantages of adopting the public cloud.
Security
Cloud security outweighs costs and scalability
David Linthicum explores the changing priorities in cloud adoption. A recent study by Akamai Technologies shows that 87% of digital-native companies now prioritize security over cost and scalability when choosing a cloud provider. This trend reflects a broader shift in business operations amid rapid technological advancement.
- The rise of cyber threats and complex cloud environments are driving the security-first approach.
- Regulatory pressures and the need to maintain business reputation are additional factors.
- Contrary to popular belief, greater security does not always mean higher costs.
Linthicum offers practical advice for balancing security and costs:
- Integrate security into the architecture from the start
- Automate compliance and management processes
- Implement strong access controls
- Regularly audit cloud usage
US Army
The US Army launches its Cloud Data Platform
In a significant advancement for military intelligence, the US Army has deployed its new cloud-based data platform, the Army Intelligence Data Platform (AIDP). Key points:
- AIDP is the first fully deployed program of the Department of Defense in a military intelligence cloud environment.
- It was implemented and operationalized across priority theaters in just one year.
- The platform acts as a "high-tech detective," uncovering patterns and presenting complex data in easily digestible formats like graphs and maps.
- It lays the groundwork for future integration of AI, machine learning, and big data analytics.
Brig. Gen. Ed Barker, PEO of the Army for intelligence, electronic warfare, and sensors, praised the rapid transformation of AIDP, attributing its success to pioneering units and user feedback.
This development marks a significant step towards enhancing the Army's effectiveness in multi-domain operations, promising to give US forces a critical advantage in the increasingly data-driven landscape of modern warfare.
Kubernetes
How Deezer optimizes Kubernetes with Custom Metrics
Streaming giant Deezer has shared insights on how to improve autoscaling in Kubernetes using custom metrics.
- Traditional CPU and memory metrics were insufficient for Deezer's scaling needs.
- They implemented a custom solution using Prometheus for metric collection and Prometheus Adapter to expose metrics to Kubernetes.
- Event Loop Utilization (ELU) proved to be more effective than CPU usage for Node.js applications.
- The team validated their setup using Vegeta, an HTTP load testing tool.
- While beneficial, autoscaling based on custom metrics introduces complexity, requiring proper monitoring and tuning.
- Deezer recommends scaling the replicas of the Prometheus Adapter, implementing PodDisruptionBudget, and comprehensive monitoring.
- They are exploring advanced scenarios, potentially using KEDA for greater flexibility.
🤫 Nobody told you this week that:
Announcements
- AWS has made a major change in how it prices its caching services. They have led the creation of a Redis fork called Valkey. Now, AWS is selling Valkey services for much less than its Redis services.
- Microsoft has unveiled a set of AI-driven innovations for its Cloud for Healthcare platform. These advancements aim to transform patient care, optimize clinical workflows, and reignite passion for medicine among healthcare professionals.
- Project Shield, Google's free DDoS protection service, is expanding its reach to protect even more organizations from cyberattacks. It is now extending its services to include nonprofit organizations supporting the arts and sciences, as well as organizations representing marginalized groups.
Articles and Podcasts
- FinOps More Than Costs with Borja Martínez, with his spectacular transition from physiotherapy to FinOps
- Amazon EC2 has added a new feature that allows customers to change CPU settings after launching an instance. This new option allows users to adjust the number of virtual CPUs (vCPUs) and disable hyperthreading on a stopped EC2 instance.
- Infrastructure as code (IaC) tools, such as Terraform, have changed the way we manage resources in the cloud. In the past, special software called TACOS helped teams better utilize IaC. But now, some experts believe that TACOS may no longer be necessary.
That's all for this week. Until next Saturday.
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