SaaS is eating the infrastructure world
In many ways, we can compare the future of the software world to the emergence of self-driving cars. Just as we're faced with questions around a unified set of operational standards for all companies eager to remove drivers from behind the wheel, serverless computing poses a similar set of challenges as software eats further and further into the infrastructure stack.
When that happens, the driver (or in this case, the infrastructure) will disappear into the background and the car (in this case, software applications) will take center stage. Whether we're talking driverless cars or serverless computing, it's going to be a bumpy road ahead as companies start to adapt. Here's a look at what will happen when software eats the infrastructure world.
The move toward a server-less world
Imagine if you could plug an appliance into an outlet anywhere in the world and know that it will work properly, without shooting sparks when you turn it on. With the rise of AWS Lambda[1], and talks of Google[2], IBM[3] and others building their own serverless computing platforms, that's quickly becoming a reality. These platforms are metered by use, instead of forcing companies to pay for what they think they need. This model allows companies to scale up and down easily, and not be hampered by server memory and storage. This will lead to a business model change at software companies, allowing for sites to spin down and for costs to also spin down as a result, benefiting both consumers and large corporations.
Sensors find their independence
Odds are, sensor technology like Amazon Alexa and Google Home will eventually operate independently of Amazon and Google. We'll find conversational interfaces everywhere, from our mobile devices to our cars to mediums we haven't even considered yet. Case in point: Amazon has already announced Lex[4], an API for developers to write their own interfaces using Lex as the back-end. This will likely be the approach across the board, where companies will need to build the experiences they want on top of a back-end service and API, or work with a company that specializes in creating campaigns around conversational user interfaces.
