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In a groundbreaking development, a prototype emerging from recent platform engineering research has shattered existing deployment records, achieving the remarkable feat of launching a brand-new application in just 22 minutes.
The brains behind this game-changing prototype are Ruben van de Kamp and Kees C. Bakker, both software engineers at Wehkamp, who embarked on this endeavor as part of their platform engineering research under the guidance of Dr. Zhiming Zhao.
Their thesis, which culminated in the development of a prototype leveraging Red Kubes’ Kubernetes-based platform Otomi alongside Spotify's Backstage, has garnered widespread attention, particularly after its spotlight presentation at the prestigious Edoc 2023 Enterprise Computing Conference.
Central to their research is the introduction of the Platform Engineering Reference Model (PE-RM), a visionary framework aimed at demystifying the intricacies of platform engineering and fostering a unified understanding among stakeholders. By dissecting the core elements of platform engineering and offering a standardized model, the PE-RM illuminates the path toward efficient deployment practices.
At the heart of this breakthrough lies Otomi, a pioneering platform engineered by Red Kubes. Otomi represents a paradigm shift in application deployment by seamlessly integrating developer- and operations-centric tools, automation features, and self-service capabilities onto Kubernetes. This integration empowers businesses to leverage Cloud Native architectures effectively, driving accelerated deployment of modern applications to production environments.
“Our prototype’s goal was to showcase essential platform engineering functionalities. We utilized Otomi as a Service system, to fulfill this aim. This platform integrated various tools, which we configured to meet requirements, while customizations enabled new functionalities, including the integration of additional tools such as Backstage”, says Ruben.
“We chose Otomi and Backstage for their flexibility in creating tailor-made solutions, a cornerstone of platform engineering. This enabled us to navigate around the limitations of some other Platform as a Service (PaaS) solutions”, he adds.
The significance of platform engineering resonates strongly with industry practitioners, as evidenced by participant feedback emphasizing the reduction of cognitive load on developers and the consequent acceleration of delivery timelines. As one participant succinctly puts it, "Using a platform eliminates a great deal of tasks that would normally have to be done manually, leading to significant time savings for teams."
Sander Rodenhuis, the co-founder and CTO of Red Kubes, expresses his enthusiasm for the research findings, stating, "The adoption of Otomi alongside Backstage underscores our commitment to enhancing productivity for developers and operators alike. This research serves as a compelling validation of Otomi's efficacy in expediting application deployment, a core tenet of our mission."
The successful deployment of a new application within a mere 22 minutes not only challenges conventional wisdom, but also heralds a new era of efficiency and agility in platform engineering. As organizations strive to stay ahead in today's rapidly evolving tech landscape, solutions like Otomi emerge as indispensable tools for driving innovation and accelerating time-to-market.
