A new platform dedicated to automating cloud infrastructure, System Initiative, has officially launched for general use.

The primary goal of System Initiative is to address persistent challenges in traditional industry methods for deploying and managing cloud infrastructure. Current solutions that depend on static configurations fall short in adapting to the rapidly evolving and dynamic nature of cloud services, resulting in “stack drift”: a lack of predictability when engineers make changes to infrastructure.

In a press release regarding the tool, DevOps expert John Willis discusses how the attempt to overlay static definitions on fluid and frequently changing infrastructures has led organizations to create cloud systems that are both fragile and unclear. Additionally, in a blog entry about the platform, Adam Jacob, CEO and Co-Founder of System Initiative, elaborates on how the feedback loops involved in deploying infrastructure are too sluggish and constrained by the underlying implementation specifics of the platforms in use. The central idea behind System Initiative is the concept of “digital twins,” which effectively separates the monitoring of infrastructure status from any alterations made by cloud engineers. This approach greatly improves feedback loops, enabling engineers to validate configurations without the delay of physical provisioning.

“The direction we have been taking, where we construct infrastructure using the same methods and tools as we employ to develop applications – is a technological dead end.” – Adam Jacob, CEO and Co-Founder, System Initiative.

During a discussion with InfoQ News Editor Daniel Bryant on an InfoQ podcast last year, Adam Jacob elaborated on the necessity for this new platform.

“The methods we’ve chosen to work and the way we’ve structured our systems to enable this work are what limits us. If we aim for a significantly improved experience, we need to conceptualize a system tailored to that experience. We must also incorporate everything we have learned over the past 14 years of this type of work,” – Adam Jacob.

The platform aims to address the “200% problem,” a term used to describe the situation where cloud engineers still need to grasp the underlying infrastructure, despite an abstraction designed to simplify complexity.

Elaborating on the product’s inspiration, Jacob stated, “the primary obstacle we faced was that the ideal representation of our needs was not in code. Our collaboration must focus on the intersection between the application model and the infrastructure that supports it.”

The design of System Initiative employs a network of functions that allow for the easy customization and programming of digital replicas of infrastructure. This network simplifies the creation and modification of models, aids in policy implementation, and connects various elements seamlessly. Additionally, a robust version control system featuring “Change Sets” enables experimentation without causing disruptions in operational settings. This system automatically adapts to reflect real-world updates to the infrastructure.

Jacob elaborated on how modeling the capabilities of AWS services within System Initiative fosters more consistent and dependable feedback loops for deploying infrastructure.

“What if we said the canonical representation was a simulation and what you did was program the simulator to behave the way you wanted it to behave?” – Adam Jacob

Currently, System Initiative operates solely on AWS assets. In a follow-up to the launch post on LinkedIn, System Initiative indicated that their focus on AWS was to ensure the core engine functioned properly and that the system could be extended to other providers, like GCP and Fastly. Furthermore, System Initiative features a centralized module index, making community sharing of assets a straightforward, one-click process.

System Initiative is designed to enhance the process of deploying cloud architecture through a Living Architecture diagram, which enables engineers to comprehend intricate configurations visually. It provides precise controls for managing infrastructure modifications, empowering engineers to swiftly recover from failures and adjust to changes in infrastructure. The initiative keeps current change sets available for teams to propose, validate, and securely implement updates as environments progress. The tool asserts that it requires no additional platforms or state file management.

“System Initiative looks impressive for enabling configuration validation and integrating setups with appealing visualization, particularly beneficial for complex platforms. The change proposal system seems to be another notable feature, adopting a Figma-like approach.” – George Tunnicliffe on LinkedIn

Some feedback from the community has highlighted the tool’s market placement, with a number of commenters mistakenly claiming that introducing a visual tool contradicts the widely accepted best practices around configuration-as-code. These comments suggest that the tool’s role in enhancing feedback loops for cloud infrastructure deployment is not yet fully recognized.

“I am uncertain whether System Initiative is genuinely a feasible concept. It proposes an incredibly bold vision, which means it may equally have a higher chance of either failure or success. While a Terraform that only improves infrastructure management by 5% might not capture much interest, a system that could potentially enhance it by 10 times? Now that grabs my attention.” – Jonathan Yu on LinkedIn

The platform is designed as an open-source solution, aligning with System Initiative’s commitment to fostering development driven by the community. This approach motivates engineers to enhance and tailor the system’s features to meet specific needs.

After initiating an early access program in June 2023, System Initiative has successfully gathered nearly 3000 registrations, with 1600 active developers currently utilizing the platform. The pricing model is usage-based, offering a free tier that is notably robust, enabling organizations to maintain their operational infrastructure for genuine production activities. System Initiative is available now.

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