Distributed Computing Economics

Title: Distributed Computing Economics

Authors: Jim Gray

Overview: Jim Gray, a researcher at Microsoft, discusses the economics of distributed computing. He explores how the cost of computing has changed and what it means for the future of the internet-scale distributed computing.

Research Question: How has the cost of computing changed and what are the implications for distributed computing?

Methodology: Gray uses a combination of empirical evidence and theoretical analysis to explore the changing landscape of computing economics. He compares the cost of different computing resources, such as database access, network traffic, and disk storage.

Results: Gray finds that the cost of computing has become much more affordable, with one database access now roughly equivalent to ten bytes of network traffic or 100,000 instructions. This has significant implications for how distributed computing is structured, with a shift towards placing computing as close to the data as possible to avoid expensive network traffic.

Implications: The changing cost of computing has far-reaching implications. It has led to a shift in how distributed computing is structured, with a focus on placing computing closer to the data. Additionally, Gray suggests that advertising can now pay for many computing services, making them seemingly "free" to the user. However, he also warns that the true cost of computing is much higher, with total costs exceeding a trillion dollars per year.

Conclusion: In conclusion, Gray highlights the importance of understanding the changing economics of computing and how it impacts the structure and costs of distributed computing. He also warns that while some computing services may appear "free," the true cost is still substantial.

Link to Article: https://arxiv.org/abs/0403019v1 Authors: arXiv ID: 0403019v1