Software-Defined Compute: Virtualization and Container Platforms

This document is a technical report that discusses the current landscape of software-defined compute, focusing on virtualization, cloud, and container platforms. It outlines how virtualization has evolved from server consolidation to being the foundation of cloud computing, with organizations adapting their strategies to incorporate private, hybrid, and multicloud architectures. The report details the emergence of containers, particularly those managed by Kubernetes, as a standard for modern application platforms, emphasizing their role in connecting development and operations through DevOps methodologies. Additionally, it presents an analysis of various container engines, orchestration platforms, and public cloud services, while exploring the integration of server virtualization with container technologies. The report also includes market shares and forecasts for software-defined compute technologies, addressing key questions regarding the future of containers, their impact on multicloud scenarios, and the evolution of related technologies such as WebAssembly and serverless computing.