a16z Podcast | Mobile Invades the Data Center | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

The data center is undergoing a transformation as consumerization of enterprise hardware and open source software become the basis for the next generation data center.

Key Insights

• 🤗 The future of the data center lies in the consumerization of enterprise hardware and open source software.
• 🍳 The shifting dynamics in storage purchasing towards present needs and scalability is breaking down traditional models.
• 🤗 Open source software is driving innovation, commoditization, and growth in the data center.
• 🤗 Incumbent vendors are facing challenges in adapting to the shift towards open components and software.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: How is the consumerization of enterprise hardware changing the data center?

Consumerization is breaking down traditional models of storage purchasing, with a shift towards buying what is needed in the present and scalability for the future. This is enabled by commodity components and sophisticated software for management and scale.

Q: What role does open source software play in the future of the data center?

Open source software is key to the spread out development model in the data center. It allows for innovation and contribution from multiple companies, resulting in a robust and growing platform for cloud and application development.

Q: How are incumbent vendors affected by the shift towards open components?

Incumbent vendors are facing challenges as open components and software gain traction in the data center. Companies like cumulus are stripping away excess value add and focusing on providing solutions that make new technology more consumable for customers.

Q: How is the data center architecture changing with the rise of cloud-inspired designs?

Cloud-inspired architecture is driving the transformation of the data center. Concepts like scale on demand, performance on demand, and multi-tenancy are becoming more important, breaking down silos and enabling innovation and cost reduction.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The data center is breaking down traditional models of storage purchasing, with a shift towards buying what is needed in the present rather than planning for the next few years.

• The value in the data center is now focused on commodity components and allowing software to orchestrate management and scale.

• Open source software and the contribution of hardware vendors are driving innovation and commoditization in the data center.