Distributed Edge Computing and Volterra
What is Volterra Edge Services?
Volterra Edge Services is a start-up company focusing on Edge Computing and Multi-Cloud Platforms. They have many different SaaS Based solutions that can help the consumer manage and deploy their applications. Before going in-depth on these topics, we have address what Cloud Computing is since that plays a large role when looking at what Volterra aims to do.
Cloud Computing
When hearing the name Cloud, companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google pop-up often since they have their own infrastructure in the cloud. They have many data centers where data is recorded in the Cloud and can be accessed virtually. In addition, with this data being available to the user in a more efficient matter, it is easier to deploy and create an application to launch on the Internet and provides the user many different tools and services in order to get their application up and running.
This is, in essence, what Cloud Computing is. Volterra uses this technology in their company. Volterra has 15–20 full operating data centers scattered across the globe. Each one of them can be used to transfer packets to and from the server, enabling the user to launch their application using the VES Volterra Edge ServicesEnvironment.
What Products do Volterra Provide?
There is a wide range of products in Volterra. I will explain each one briefly:
- VoltMesh: This product provides the user with networking, app delivery, and security capabilities that are packed in a SaaS Solution. There are many different features present in this solution, making it easily accessible through VoltMesh. The great thing about VoltMesh is that it is heavily secured, protecting the user’s application from Virtual, Web-based attacks. And with the growing infrastructure, the user will experience less latency, causing an increase in speed when using VoltMesh.
- VoltStack: Another product provided by Volterra, VoltStack automates the deployment, security, and operations aspects when using the Volterra Environment. This can be used in either on-prem, Private or Public Clouds. What makes VoltStack unique is that it’s: cost-optimized, auto-scalable, fast, and safe to use. This is another SaaS Solution in the Volterra product-line.
- Volterra Global Network: The scattered range of datacenter, known as Pops for Volterra, is ever-increasing, allowing for the infrastructure to grow for the company. Their global network includes 20 Pops in 13 different cities, decreasing latency and increasing speed for the user.
- VoltConsole: Another SaaS-Bases Solution that allows for the user to operate and observe the application running on the Volterra Platforms. All of the Regional Edges can be seen and where the Kubernetes Pods are running. Yes, that’s right! Kubernetes is used in this system. Clusters and Deployments can be created with the Volterra System, allowing for the pods to be distributed to the Regional Edges. Many other features are present too and if you would like a brief overview and how to use them, check out the Volterra Documentation Page:
Here is an image of how the VoltConsole looks like:
What are the solutions provided by Volterra?
Volterra provides various different solutions, focusing mainly on the topics of Multi-Cloud, Network Cloud, and Edge Cloud. Here is a brief overview of each of these solutions in Volterra:
- Multi-Cloud: This solution provides the user with the ability to access both private and public clouds simultaneously. Volterra provides the user the opportunity to interact with both Volterra Infrastructure and AWS at the same time.
- Network Cloud: Network cloud provides a mechanism to easily deploy applications across Volterra global network
popsand make them available closer to users in major metro markets. Today Volterra has 20 PoPs in 13 metro markets. - Edge Cloud: Also known as Edge Computing, this is another solution provided by Volterra where services and data centers are brought to the Edge and consumer, decreasing speed and latency, providing the best performance to the user.
How to get started?
You can sign-up and get started with the Volterra Environment by choosing one of the three packages provided. These choices can be accessed from the website linked above. Once you sign up, you will have to log in based on the plan, team, or non-team.
Once logged in, you will be able to access all of the different aspects of the VoltConsole.
What is it like using VoltConsole?
When thinking about the Cloud and utilizing its various features, it may bring about feelings of tension and anxiety. I know it is a lot of information but once you understand the basic concepts, such as concepts mentioned in the blog, it becomes easier to understand.
When looking specifically at the UI created by Volterra, it is a very simplistic, yet sophisticated piece of Software, even for a High Schooler. When logging into your account, you will be able to see the Regional Edges and have access to many features, such as creating Kubernetes Clusters, Virtual Hosts, and HTTP Load Balancers that will help in managing your application.
A resource that helped a lot when using their system was the documentation page. The documentation pages, linked above, provide both step-to-step instructions and a video demonstration if you get stuck. Following those pages will make sure that you are running your application correctly!
Where Volterra is heading and the Conclusion
Based on this in-depth overview of Volterra, we can safely say that Volterra is on to something. Their various products and solutions will ensure the user that they are deploying and managing their application with the best security, speed, and infrastructure on the market. Not only that, with technology every so expanding and changing on a day-to-day basis, we need services to provide a minimalistic UI that can be understood by the ordinary user. Volterra accomplishes just that!
With the prospects of being a Start-Up Company, Volterra has many opportunities to grow, both on the software and hardware components. More regional edges and new software being introduced will help the company grow and will revamp the great infrastructure that Volterra already has.
We better keep an eye on this company…
In my next blog, I will go over how I utilized the Volterra System and dive into the more technical specification of running a K8S Cluster with VES. Until then, Aman Arham out!
