The history of servers, the cloud, and what’s next – with Oxide

The history of server and cloud infrastructure evolution from the late 1990s to today is explored with Bryan Cantrill, co-founder of Oxide and former engineer at Sun Microsystems and Joyent. Cantrill recounts the Dotcom Boom's frenetic energy and the surprising innovation spurred by the subsequent bust, highlighting Sun's pivotal role with Java and Solaris. The conversation traces the shift from proprietary systems to open-source Linux, driven by companies like Google, and the rise of cloud computing with AWS. Oxide's approach to hardware engineering, including blind mating networking and building their own switch, is examined, emphasizing the importance of team diversity and a culture valuing QA. The discussion also covers AI's limited utility in hardware and the need for engineers to focus on continuous self-improvement.