Building a supercomputer is out of reach for most consumers and companies in the world today. However, a supercomputer-as-a-service is something that can be achieved with relative ease. SONM is a project focusing on fog computing, which means the power of supercomputers is just a few clicks away.
Fog Computing Based on Ethereum Smart Contracts
Providing decentralized for computing to the world is not an easy feat. There needs to be a solid infrastructure in place to provide this service in a scalable and flexible manner. This is why SONM opted to use Ethereum blockchain-based smart contracts to offer their product in the form of software-as-a-service. In the instance of fog computing, the supercomputer “power’ is built on many different entities, rather than a centralized service.
To be more specific, software-as-a-service is not a new phenomenon. This concept revolves around providing software in the form of an online service. Customers do not need to purchase said software — or computer hardware, in this case — yet they sign a contractual agreement with the service provider. In most cases, such a contract runs for a specific period of time, determined by the company providing the said service.
There are many use cases for software-as-a-service, including the processing of big data, using graphical rendering solutions, and so forth. Instead of relying on one supercomputer, though, SONM uses many different computing resources located all over the world. This allows the customer to buy exactly the amount of computing power they need for the best price possible. Not only does this make fog computing the fastest and cheapest option, but it also means it is accessible to anyone connected to the Internet.
One of the main reasons why fog computing is so exciting is because it can harness computing power from all types of devices. One does not need to own a gaming computer to provide spare resources to the SONM network. Moreover, not relying on a centralized data center speeds up all processes conducted over this software-as-a-service model.
SaaS Doesn’t Work Well With Cloud Computing
It has to be said, grid systems trying to provide software-as-a-service solutions often run into problems. First of all, grid systems are designed for scientific purposes, which limits their appeal somewhat. Secondly, there is no thought put into expanding this service to encompass commercial use, which is a waste of resources.
One could argue the cloud computing industry provides a lot of SaaS models already. While that is true, there is one critical problem in this regard as well. Cloud computing forces customers to rely on centralized servers. Additionally, customization and flexibility are often problematic when it comes to traditional cloud computing services. Fog computing alleviates all of these concerns and provides a cheaper solution to boot.
Even popular cloud computing SaaS providers such as Amazon, Microsoft, and IBM cannot compete with fog computing at this stage. All of these technology giants provide an excellent service to their customers. However, prices are very high, information is hosted by third parties, and there are security risks to take into account. Centralized servers are a prominent target for hackers and online criminals. With fog computing, there is no central server to attack, ensuring information is safe from harm.
Fog Computing SaaS Is Already Here
Although fog computing may sound like a distant technology to some people, they would be sorely mistaken. In fact, the SONM project uses the fog computing software-as — a service model already. The Golem Network will implement this technology over the coming twelve months as well. Using Ethereum-based smart contracts for a customizable fog computing software-as-a service agreement is the right way forward.
In the end, there is no reason not to switch to fog computing. Lower expenses, higher speed, and a safer data environment are all combined into one offering. There is no need to set up expensive infrastructure, as people from all over the world contribute computing resources. Moreover, the tasks are carried out on a local basis. Fog computing results in a direct performance boost that cloud computing simply cannot provide in its current form.
One interesting example of how fog computing works comes in the form of setting up a gaming server. Instead of leasing a server from a third-party company, one can use the computing resources of all team members computers. These resources are then pooled into one server, which can be used to provide a gaming server. Should the computing power be insufficient, one can always rent more resources from people sharing their excess computing power. This is just one of the many possibilities of what fog computing brings to the table.