Architecture of Apple's iCloud, Kitepower and the history of IT design decisions

Links

• How Apple built iCloud to store billions of databases

  Engineer’s Codex explores Apple's iCloud infrastructure, revealing the use of FoundationDB and Cassandra for CloudKit. Apple employs stateless architecture, asynchronous processing, and logical resource isolation for scalability and reliability. The Record Layer, built on FoundationDB, enables extreme multi-tenancy, hosting billions of databases. FoundationDB addresses scalability challenges, enhances full-text search, and manages transaction conflicts efficiently. CloudKit, the top layer, utilizes FoundationDB's key features to synchronize data seamlessly and handle concurrent tasks. The article provides valuable insights into Apple's robust and scalable cloud backend architecture.[Note: This summary is under 100 words, but feel free to adjust it as needed.]

• Flying Kites Deliver Container-Sized Power Generation

  Kitepower, a Netherlands-based company, introduces the Hawk, a 40-kilowatt airborne wind energy system. Unlike traditional turbines, the Hawk utilizes a kite with a fiberglass skeleton and inflatable wing, flying in figure-eight patterns to harness steady winds 500 meters above sea level. With a 400-kilowatt-hour battery for energy storage, the Hawk targets off-grid locations, such as temporary microgrids or remote sites, offering a more environmentally friendly alternative to diesel generators. Kitepower aims to market the Hawk in 2024, showcasing its potential for powering events, construction sites, and humanitarian efforts with minimal environmental impact.

Videos

• leyrer: Kinder, es tut mir undendlich leid ...

  In this talk, Leyrer explores the impact of decades-old IT design decisions on our current software infrastructure. Delving into the history of operating systems like CPM and the development of Microsoft's first file system, he explains why certain quirks, such as the inability to create a folder named "con," persist in today's computing. The presentation highlights how these decisions shaped the IT landscape, offering insights for those entering the field. Leyrer's engaging storytelling and humorous anecdotes make it an informative and entertaining journey through the evolution of software infrastructure.