Ten years of IT industry development

By the end of the year, commenting on an industry has become the practice of the media people, Xiaobian naturally not exempt. Everyone calls such an act of stock taking. In fact, it is a review of the ups and downs of this year and fruitful results. Looking ahead, we will not lose our way in this industry.

However, in the server industry, I think this direction more and more obvious, at least my old IT people a little sense of direction dull, let us talk about it carefully!

Who disturbed the world?

Ten years ago, the server was originally a tin box, dark, almost no one will give it too much attention, then Intel architecture products are fighting with Unix minicomputers in full swing, the market is relatively simple form, almost all Catch right pair of fight. For example, Unix and IA fight, Windows and Linux fight, rack and tower fighting, domestic and foreign fight.

Today, with the introduction of the concept of cloud computing and the popularization of cloud cases, the server is increasingly blurred and the cloud disrupts the world.

So what are the disruptions, ARM came, disrupted the processor; micro-server came, disrupted the blade shape; virtualization came, disrupted the application of the border; In short, the server is very chaotic recently, some people are busy Exit, someone crowded in, so that many people difficult to understand.

Obviously, all this is because cloud computing is the cloud computing to make the server more and more fuzzy, and why?

In the past, the main product demands of server vendors were secure, reliable and scalable, but with the popularity of cloud computing, the hardware structure became the table below the table, and the users came to eat. They were concerned about the color and aroma of the dishes on the table They are less concerned with what kind of network consists of servers, storage products and desktops, for the simple reason that servers and networking and storage products have indeed become the industry standard, and the homogeneity of competition has become the essence of the industry, The success of Dell and Lenovo in the server space is amply demonstrated by the success of their channel, which they actually sell as standard products. This allows the user's needs from the initial focus on the performance of the product itself into a new indicator, that is, post-maintenance costs.

Fusion and energy out of the way

Ten years ago, IDC analysts talked about TCO (total cost of ownership), those who buy IT products manager or network administrator do not care, today, it seems we are not so long-term vision. In the data center room costs, IT equipment, hardware procurement costs even less than half, electricity, professional staff salaries accounted for a large part. Because of this, the server's energy consumption is becoming a new indicator, the term green server began to be accepted by more and more people.

And energy consumption has given ARM the new opportunity for processor architecture, because this processor is known for low power consumption, micro-server is quietly expanding its market share, data centers are also starting from the green energy-saving design.

We are all trying to reduce energy consumption ideas, of course, the new experiment began again, that is - server DIY!

Server DIY old problems new ways

On the topic of server DIY, really is not new, but in the past are individuals to find better accessories, save their own server, plus Linux and Apache to be a small site, purely player-level. But now there's a bunch of big players, Internet companies, Google and Amazon buying processor makers' products, and then doing their own servers and building data centers, apparently more in line with the actual needs of users.

However, if future data centers are using this approach, then who is the server's big customers? This is a question worth considering.

Visible, with the server area as the product standardization, the profit is getting lower and lower, many manufacturers have given up this market, because a market can not be all winners, although the cloud computing is an opportunity, but also to make competitors quickly become less strong , From perfect competition into an oligarchy era, this arena, can not survive is not easy.

How to join a new living method

Although not easy to live, but hurry to enter this market is still a lot of people. With the cloud computing name comes in the cloud we all know, in 2012, Cisco and Huawei also joined the battlefield of server products, this year, ZTE also entered the server market. If you use Michael Porter's five forces to analyze, what new entrants rely on in the market to survive it?

In fact, Huawei has been doing this for many years in the server field. It only knows in the field of communications. It is also conceivable that the mature technologies and products are now being expanded to other industries. And this strategy is most likely to succeed. And Cisco and ZTE are also such a type, they have technology, channels, brands, as well as the international market, the lack of such a product.

Of course, it is also with their participation, the market will become good-looking, which is part of the change, but the change is not over, there is a more important one machine!

One machine to dominate the arena?

This one machine non-one machine, this is actually a server turnkey project. Initially launched by IBM, there are already major server vendors to follow up. One machine is the idea that this expert system to solve all the user's information problems, from the underlying hardware to the operating system, database and upper operating system. The product also takes into account the network, security, storage and other aspects. This new product form can cause changes in the server area it, we still wait and see!

It is true that a small article can not say all about an industry, but it is nothing more than an insignificant account. There are many things that can not be explored in depth, such as the future of APU, the future direction of micro-server, everything to the time, after all, we are actually bystanders.

We do not know where the cloud is, but we are not so good at predicting who the real future will really drive the industry.