Impact and Insights — Pylogix

Unlocking Performance and Security: CNCF Embraces Arm64 with actuated

The Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) is constantly pushing the boundaries of innovation, embracing new technologies to enhance developer experience and optimize performance. In a recent episode of “Ampere Developer Impact,” we witnessed a groundbreaking pilot project that exemplifies this commitment.

This initiative, spearheaded by the CNCF in collaboration with Ampere Computing, Equinix Metal, and Actuated, aims to simplify the adoption of arm64 architecture for CNCF projects hosted on GitHub.

Addressing the Challenges of Self-Hosted Runners

Traditionally, leveraging arm64 architecture for CI/CD processes involved setting up self-hosted runners on GitHub. Tho, this approach presented notable challenges, particularly in terms of security. As Alex Ellis, founder and CEO of OpenFaaS (the company behind Actuated), explained, GitHub documentation advises against using self-hosted runners for open-source projects due to inherent security risks.

Actuated tackles this issue head-on by employing a novel microvM approach. Each build is executed within an isolated microvM environment with its own dedicated Docker instance.These microvMs exist only for the duration of the build process and are later destroyed, effectively mitigating security vulnerabilities associated with traditional self-hosted runners.

Ampere Hardware Delivers Impressive Performance Gains

Beyond enhanced security, the pilot project leverages the power of Ampere servers running on Equinix Metal infrastructure.This combination has yielded impressive performance results, with some users reporting build time improvements of two to three times compared to other architectures. Ed Merky, Developer Partner Manager at Equinix, highlighted the added benefit of improved observability into instance needs, enabling right-sizing of workloads for optimal efficiency.

CNCF Champions Innovation and Accessibility

Chris Aniszczyk, CTO of the linux Foundation and a founding member of the CNCF, underscored the organization’s commitment to embracing cutting-edge technologies. He emphasized the growing availability and compelling performance and price advantages offered by arm64 in the cloud landscape. This pilot project directly aligns with the CNCF’s mission to simplify and enhance the developer experience by making arm64 adoption more accessible and streamlined.

Real-World Impact: Simplifying Complex Builds

Dave Neary from Ampere shared a compelling example of the etcd project, where Actuated enabled them to reduce 60 lines of complex instructions for arm64 builds down to a single line change. This dramatic simplification highlights the tangible benefits that this pilot project brings to CNCF projects.

A Diverse Ecosystem Embraces Arm64

The initial phase of the pilot involved eight CNCF projects spanning diverse technology domains, including:

etcd: A distributed key-value store crucial for Kubernetes orchestration.
Fluent Bit: A powerful log collector and analyzer for Kubernetes applications.
Containerd: An OCI-compliant container runtime engine.
falco: A cloud-native security tool designed to detect abnormal behavior and enforce security policies.
Cilium: An eBPF-powered networking, observability, and security solution for cloud-native environments. Tetragon: A security and observability project developed by the same team behind Cilium.
* ebpf go library: A Go library enabling interaction with eBPF programs within the Linux kernel.

This diverse range of projects underscores the broad applicability and potential impact of this arm64 initiative across the CNCF ecosystem.

By simplifying access to arm64 architecture, enhancing security through innovative microvM technology, and delivering impressive performance gains, this pilot project paves the way for a more efficient, secure, and accessible future for cloud-native advancement.

Amplifying Open Source Innovation: CNCF Projects Embrace Arm64 with Ampere

The Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) is a driving force behind modern software development, fostering innovation and collaboration across a diverse ecosystem of projects. Recently, CNCF partnered with Ampere Computing to accelerate the adoption of Arm64 architecture within its community.This initiative empowers developers to leverage the performance and efficiency benefits of Arm-based processors for building and deploying cloud-native applications.

A Collaborative Effort for Enhanced Development

The collaboration involved providing CNCF projects with access to powerful Arm64-powered build infrastructure hosted on github. This move substantially streamlines development workflows, enabling faster build times, more comprehensive testing, and improved arm64 support across various projects.

For example, Falco Security, a leading open-source security tool for containerized environments, is leveraging this infrastructure to consolidate its testing environment and potentially reduce costs. other participants, including Equinix Metal and Actuated, have also expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration’s potential to expand Arm64 adoption within the CNCF ecosystem.

Unlocking the Power of Arm64

The high core density of Ampere processors makes them particularly well-suited for cloud-native workloads. This translates into increased resource efficiency and scalability, empowering developers to build more powerful and performant applications.By providing access to cutting-edge Arm64 infrastructure,CNCF and Ampere are paving the way for a new era of open-source development. This initiative not only benefits individual projects but also contributes to the broader advancement of cloud-native technologies.

Learn More and Join the Community

To delve deeper into this exciting collaboration, we encourage you to explore the following resources:

Developer Impact Video: witness firsthand the impact of Arm64 on CNCF projects in this insightful video from Ampere’s YouTube Developer Playlist. [Link to Video]
Ampere Developer Center: Access a wealth of facts and resources for developing on Ampere hardware. [Link to Developer Center]
* Ampere Developer Community: Connect with fellow developers, share knowledge, and contribute to the growing Arm64 ecosystem. [Link to Community]

ready to build your next-generation application? Explore Pylogix’s expertise in cloud-native development and leverage the power of Arm64 for your projects. [Link to Pylogix Services page]