Why Distributed Networking is the Future of Cloud Computing

Distributed networking is a concept that has the potential to revolutionize the way we think about cloud computing. Modern cloud computing has shifting towards a distributed model, with most enterprises now running applications across data centers, clouds, and edge environments. Sadly, networking hasn’t caught up. First, let’s explain what distributed computing is and it’s advantages. Then, we’ll describe how distributed networking makes these systems possible.

In distributed computing, computing resources are spread across multiple locations, instead of being centralized in a single place like a data center or cloud region. Some patterns include:

• Multi Cloud: Application infrastructure spread across multiple clouds
• Hybrid Cloud: Application infrastructure spread across a data center and cloud(s)
• Edge: Application infrastructure extends to an edge environment like a server in the office or field.
• IoT: Many devices which are all a part of the overall system

Distributed architectures have many advantages over traditional cloud computing, where applications are often centralized in a single location.

One of the key benefits of distributed computing is that it provides greater resilience and reliability. In a traditional cloud computing environment, if the central server goes down, all of the computing resources are lost. In a distributed environment, however, computing resources are spread across multiple devices, so if one device goes down, the others can still provide computing power. This makes distributed infrastructure much more resilient and less likely to suffer from outages or downtime.

Another advantage of distributed computing is that it provides greater scalability. While cloud environments are extremely scalable in terms of generic compute, they are very inflexible when it comes to types of compute. In a cloud environment, you are limited to their tools, and obviously do not have easy access to your own private resources and data which are not cloud-hosted.

In a distributed system, however, computing resources can be easily added or removed as needed across all environments. This makes it much easier for businesses to scale across environments when business requirements demand it. Primarily, this matters because of data. Data gravity (too much data to move to cloud), data privacy (can’t have data in cloud), and data proximity (process data where it is being generated).

Many patterns have emerged in the edge, hybrid cloud, and IoT spaces to make distributed computing a reality. It is now easier than ever to deploy compute in different environments thanks to Containers and Kubernetes. However, networking is still a big challenge.

This is where distributed networking comes in, which primarily comes in the form of an overlay network.

An overlay network is a virtual network that is built on top of an existing physical network, allowing distributed computing systems to operate more efficiently and effectively.

There are several ways in which an overlay network can improve a distributed computing system:

1. An overlay network allows for more efficient routing of data and communication between distributed application servers, reducing latency and improving overall performance.
2. An overlay network provides additional security and privacy by encrypting data and communication between application servers, protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access.
3. An overlay network enables the creation of virtual subnets, allowing different groups of application servers to communicate and collaborate without interference from other servers on the network.
4. An overlay network allows for better management and control of distributed computing systems, as it provides visibility into network traffic and enables administrators to monitor and troubleshoot performance issues from a central location.
5. An overlay network enables the dynamic allocation of network resources and capabilities, allowing distributed computing systems to adapt to changing workloads and requirements.

Today, most companies are familiar with distributed computing concepts like containers, Kubernetes, multi cloud, hybrid cloud, and edge computing. Far fewer are familiar with distributed networking, which can greatly enhance these systems.

Distributed computing is the future of cloud computing, and distributed networking is the future of distributed computing. Its resilience, flexibility, and security make it an ideal pattern that businesses need to efficiently utilize computing power across multiple sites. By embracing distributed networking, businesses will be well-positioned to take advantage of the many benefits of modern cloud computing.