This article is the first official account of the Network Research Institute, follow WeChat to get more.
Watch patterns emerge around you, especially where technology is involved. The rise of the Internet has driven many applications from distributed to centralized. Back in the 1990s, we went from mainframes to LAN and client/service development.
It's a paradigm change, but now we're back to centralized computing again. If you've noticed, we've done mainframe (traditional) computing, then small distributed systems (client/server), and now cloud computing sharing centralized resources.
We are moving from "centralized delivery" to "pervasive computing" driven by interest in edge computing, Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G communications.
What exactly does this mean?
First, we know that cloud computing is also ubiquitous in architecture. Yet we use these resources as if they were centrally located, at least in practice. Moving to a more pervasive model means we can leverage any connected platform for any purpose at any time.
That means processing and storage happens in the public cloud, on a desktop computer, smartwatch, phone or car. You get the idea - anything with a processor and/or storage.
With a common abstraction platform, we push applications and data onto the abstraction space, and it will find the best, most optimized platform to run on or across platforms as a distributed application.
For example, we develop an application, design a database on a public cloud platform, and put it into production. Applications and datasets are then pushed to the best and most optimized set of platforms.
This could be the cloud, your desktop computer, your car, or anything else, depending on the purpose and needs of the application.
Of course, it's not revolutionary. We've been building complex distributed systems for years. The new mechanism can support the abstraction of many heterogeneous platform types, from the thermostat on the wall to the processor and storage in a smartphone.
Aspects of the Ubiquitous Computing Model
Here are the key aspects of ubiquitous computing, at least in our view:
Decentralization: Unlike the centralized architecture of cloud computing, ubiquitous computing distributes computing power to the edge of the network, reducing the need for constant network connectivity. It also allows many other devices and platforms to be resources for processing applications and storing data. This is a core property of ubiquitous computing. Let's focus and see how this approach and technology will evolve from where we are now.
Context-aware: The system is designed to respond to application and/or user requirements. For example, smart home systems adjust temperature and lighting based on occupant preferences as well as where the system is physically present.
Real-time interaction: Devices or platforms interact in real time, providing instant feedback and a personalized experience. This is the main reason for choosing edge computing and IoT, to bring data and processing as close as possible to the entities that interact with the data. For example, factory robots run core generative AI processes that perform quality control through imaging.
Enhanced User Experience: Integrate technology seamlessly into everyday life, enhancing user experience by removing barriers between humans and machines. If you look at the goals of digital transformation, technology provides a better customer experience. Companies that can improve the user experience are more likely to succeed regardless of their product or service.
Benefits of Ubiquitous Computing
Depending on the properties of this model, we may see an increase in accessibility. That means ubiquitous computing reduces reliance on a constant internet connection. While the reliance on connectivity hasn't waned, it's much easier to take advantage of platforms that don't crash when the internet goes down.
Improving efficiency is at the core of why we do this. Situation-aware systems can optimize energy consumption and resource allocation. If you have spare MIPS (million instructions per second) on your smartwatch, why not use them?
More realistically, we can place applications and data on the platforms that make the most sense in terms of purpose and resource optimization. We can run on specific platforms that are faster and cheaper.
Of course, widely distributed but loosely coupled systems are common. We've been building this type of architecture for years. What must be innovative is the ability to manage the distribution of applications to a broad and heterogeneous set of platforms and allow those applications or components to run successfully over time.
Better mechanisms for application development, deployment, and operations need to exist. We have a single logical platform that maps to many different platforms such as phones, smart garage doors, cars, and of course the cloud and traditional hardware platforms you may have.
This amazing technology analyzes applications and connected data and places them on the appropriate physical platform for processing. It might even move them if circumstances change, such as a price increase for a particular cloud provider or a decrease in the reliability of a remote platform. It can provide redundancy by running identical copies of applications and data on many different platforms.
what we might see
Of course, this won't happen overnight. We are more likely to see new applications built on various platforms to meet specific requirements, such as autonomous driving systems. This has been happening for about 10 years and is accelerating.
Once we have enough of these, we may ask for better platform-to-platform integration. Once enough device and computer types are included, a single abstract platform emerges. You're moving toward ubiquitous computing.
Remember, this is a trend, not a new technology. It will involve a variety of technologies, including cloud computing.
Ubiquitous computing (ubicomp), pervasive computing, also known as ubiquitous computing, ubiquitous computing, ubiquitous computing, ubiquitous computing, is a computing concept that emphasizes integration with the environment, and the computer itself is derived from people's Disappeared from sight. Under the mode of ubiquitous computing, people can acquire and process information anytime, anywhere and in any way.