Bare metal gives you total control over the hypervisor for maximum flexibility and resource optimization. Dedicated hosts keep things simple with the cloud provider managing the VMs for you.

Image is subject to copyright!

Let’s imagine you’re the owner of a fastest-growing e-commerce business. Your online store is getting more and more traffic every day, and you need to scale up your server infrastructure to handle the increased load. You’ve decided to move your operations to the cloud, but you’re unsure whether to go with bare metal servers or dedicated hosts. How does it impact your growth of business?

What are Bare Metal Servers & Dedicated Hosts, and what is the main difference?Bare Metal vs. Dedicated Host

Both bare metal servers and dedicated hosts are physical machines located in a cloud provider’s data center. The main difference lies in who manages the hypervisor layer – the software that allows you to run multiple virtual machines (VMs) on a single physical server.

What is a Hypervisor and What Does It Do?

A hypervisor is a software layer that creates and runs virtual machines (VMs) on a physical host machine. It allows multiple operating systems to share the same hardware resources, such as CPU, memory, and storage. Each VM runs its own operating system and applications, isolated from the others, providing a secure and efficient way to run multiple workloads on a single physical server.

Types of Hypervisors Used in Cloud Data CentersType 1 (Bare-Metal) Type 2 (Hosted)Type 1 Hypervisor vs Type 2 Hypervisor

Type 1 (Bare-Metal) Hypervisors run directly on the host’s hardware, providing better performance and efficiency. Examples include VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Citrix Hypervisor.

Type 2 (Hosted) Hypervisors run on top of a host operating system, like Windows or Linux. Examples include VMware Workstation, Oracle VirtualBox, and Parallels Desktop.

Cloud providers often prefer Type 1 hypervisors for their data centers due to their superior performance and security.

Bare Metal vs Virtual Machines vs Containers: The Differences

When deploying a modern application stack, how do we decide which one to use? Bare Metal, VMs or Containers?

With a bare metal server, you’re essentially renting the entire physical machine from the cloud provider. However, you’re also responsible for installing and managing the hypervisor software yourself. This gives you a lot of control and flexibility. You can tweak the hypervisor settings to optimize performance, overcommit resources (like CPU and RAM) to squeeze more virtual machines onto the physical server, and have direct access to the hypervisor for monitoring, logging, and backing up your VMs.

Think of it like renting a house. You’re in charge of everything – from painting the walls to mowing the lawn. It’s a lot of work, but you get to customize the house to your exact preferences.

Feature
Bare Metal Server
Dedicated Host

Hardware
Physical server rented from cloud provider
Physical server rented from cloud provider

Hypervisor Management
Customer installs and manages the hypervisor software
Cloud provider installs and manages the hypervisor software

Hypervisor Control
Full control over hypervisor configuration settings
Limited or no control over hypervisor settings

Resource Allocation
Can overcommit CPU, RAM across VMs for efficiency
Limited ability to overcommit resources across VMs

Monitoring
Direct access to hypervisor for monitoring and logging
Rely on cloud provider’s monitoring tools

Backup/Recovery
Can backup VMs directly through hypervisor
Must use cloud provider’s backup/recovery services

Scalability
Scale VMs up/down based on available server resources
Request cloud provider to scale VMs up/down

Security
Responsible for securing the hypervisor layer
Cloud provider secures the hypervisor layer

Management Complexity
High, requires hypervisor expertise
Low, cloud provider handles hypervisor management

Pricing Model
Pay for entire physical server capacity
Pay for VM instances based on usage

Use Cases
High performance, legacy apps, regulatory compliance
General-purpose applications, simplified operations

Examples
IBM Cloud Bare Metal, AWS EC2 Bare Metal
IBM Cloud Dedicated Hosts, AWS Dedicated Hosts

Dedicated Hosts: Simplicity but Less Control

On the other hand, a dedicated host is like renting an apartment in a managed building. The cloud provider takes care of the hypervisor layer for you. All you have to do is tell them how many virtual machines you want, and they’ll set them up on the dedicated host for you. You don’t have to worry about managing the hypervisor or any of the underlying infrastructure.

The trade-off, of course, is that you have less control over the specifics. You can’t overcommit resources or tinker with the hypervisor settings. But for many businesses, the simplicity and convenience of a dedicated host are worth it.

How Companies Are Saving Millions by Migrating Away from AWS to Bare Metal Servers?

Many startups initially launch on AWS or other public clouds because it allows rapid scaling without upfront investments. But as these companies grow, the operating costs steadily rise.

Open-Source Hypervisor Alternatives

While cloud providers typically use proprietary hypervisors like VMware ESXi or Hyper-V, there are also free and open-source alternatives available, such as:

Proxmox Virtual Environment (Proxmox VE): A complete open-source server virtualization management solution that includes a KVM hypervisor and a web-based management interface.Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM): A type 1 hypervisor that’s part of the Linux kernel, providing virtualization capabilities without requiring proprietary software.Xen Project Hypervisor: An open-source type 1 hypervisor that supports a wide range of guest operating systems and virtualization use cases.Which Option is Right for Your E-commerce Business?

If you have a team of skilled system administrators who love getting their hands dirty with server configurations, and you need the flexibility to fine-tune your infrastructure for optimal performance, a bare metal server might be the way to go.

However, if you’d rather focus on your core business and leave the nitty-gritty server management to the experts, a dedicated host could be a better fit. It’s a more hands-off approach, allowing you to concentrate on building and scaling your e-commerce platform without worrying about the underlying infrastructure.

Should You Use Open Source Large Language Models?

The benefits, risks, and considerations associated with using open-source LLMs, as well as the comparison with proprietary models.

DevOps vs SRE vs Platform Engineering – Explained

At small companies, engineers often wear multiple hats, juggling a mix of responsibilities. Large companies have specialized teams with clearly defined roles in DevOps, SRE, and Platform Engineering.

These days, it seems like every popular online game has its own virtual currency that players are constantly chasing. For the massive Roblox community, that coveted in-game cash is called Robux – and players are always hunting for new ways to stock up without opening their real wallets. That’s where services like RBX Demon come into play, promising easy Robux just for completing simple tasks online. But is it truly a legitimate way to earn on Roblox or just another sketchy scheme?

How RBX Demon Works

On the surface, RBX Demon’s core concept seems pretty straightforward. The website hosts an assortment of “offers” that users can complete to earn varying amounts of points. This includes things like:

Downloading and running mobile apps/games
Watching videos or advertisements
Signing up for free trial subscriptions
Taking surveys or filling out forms with your info

As you knock out these tedious but easy gigs one by one, the points accumulate. Once you’ve racked up enough, RBX Demon allows you to cash those points in and have the equivalent amount of Robux deposited straight into your Roblox account. No paid membership fees or anything – just trade your time and efforts for free Robux!

What’s The Catch?

Of course, if it were truly as simple as clicking a few buttons and watching the Robux just pile up, every Roblox player would be doing it. The reality is that earning any substantial amount takes a fair bit of grinding.

Many of the videos and surveys only reward 10-30 points a pop, meaning you’d need to complete a huge quantity just to hit the minimum 1000 points required for a Robux payout. The bigger-ticket app install offers tend to pay better but are more of a commitment. Then there’s the often aggravating factor of offer wall companies failing to properly track and credit your efforts.

It’s a process that demands a ton of patience and persistence. Still, for a devoted Roblox player who realistically isn’t going to drop real money on micro-transactions, it arguably beats not earning anything at all.

User Testimonies

With its too-good-to-be-true premise, it’s no surprise RBX Demon has plenty of skeptics decrying it as an outright scam across Roblox forums and social media. However, the site also has plenty of users vouching for it as 100% legitimate based on their own experiences.

On Twitter, one player claimed: “Thanks to @RBXDemon, I’ve earned over 12,000 free Robux so far just by messing around on my phone! Took some time, but way better than paying for that junk.”

Another Redditor shared, “RBX Demon is legit and has regularly paid out my Robux. The key is sticking to the higher-paying offers and filtering out all the garbage 15-pointer tasks that just waste your time.”

Of course, those are balanced out by just as many complaints from users who never received their earned Robux at all despite grinding hard. Inconsistency seems to be a major issue based on the mixed bag of testimonies out there. Your mileage may vary significantly.

Potential Risks to Consider

Beyond the coreRBX Demon experience simply being hit-or-miss for many, there are some bigger potential risks to consider before going through the hassle:

Roblox’s Terms of Service technically prohibit buying or earning Robux through any unauthorized third-party services. If you’re detected earning currency this way, there’s a chance Roblox could freeze or terminate your account. Many suggest using a spare “burner” account if trying RBX Demon to avoid jeopardizing your main.
Some of the offers can potentially put your personal data or device security at risk if you aren’t very careful. You may need to adjust security settings, download shady software, or enter sensitive info for Pay-to-Install campaigns that could lead to malware exposure.
Most of the high-paying offers require spending money upfront on subscription services and paid mobile apps, which you’ll then need to attempt to get refunded after RBX Demon credits you. This risk vs. reward factor makes it a non-starter for some.

Final Thoughts

Frugal Roblox players have to weigh those potential downsides against how much they personally value free Robux. Suppose you take all the right precautionary steps (Burner accounts, premium mobile security, separate payment methods, etc).

In that case, RBX Demon may scratch that itch for some bonus in-game currency without completely breaking the bank. Just don’t expect earning Robux this way to be a cakewalk and keep an eye out on the rbx demon website, third-party websites, and its discord server for rbx demon codes, private server codes, and more such information.

Suppose, as a small business owner, you’ve worked hard to build an e-commerce website that showcases your unique products. Your website is gaining traction, and you’re starting to see a steady increase in customer traffic. However, with this growth comes a new challenge – scalability.

Credit: Melody Onyeocha on Dribble

Whenever a customer clicks your site’s “Buy Now” button, your web application needs to process the order instantly, update the inventory, and send a confirmation email. But what happens when hundreds of customers start placing orders simultaneously? Your current server-based architecture simply can’t keep up, leading to slow response times, frustrated customers, and lost sales.

So you need a more scalable solution for your web application. This is where serverless computing comes in, allowing you to focus on code rather than infrastructure.

What is FaaS (Functions as a Service)?

Functions as a Service (FaaS) is a cloud computing service that allows you to run your code in response to specific events or requests, without the need to manage the underlying infrastructure. With FaaS, you simply write the individual functions (or “microservices”) that make up your application, and the cloud provider takes care of provisioning servers, scaling resources, and managing the runtime environment.

The benefits of FaaS:Pay-per-use: You only pay for the compute time when your functions are executed, rather than paying for always-on server capacity. Automatic scaling: The cloud provider automatically scales your functions up or down based on incoming traffic, ensuring your application can handle sudden spikes in demand. Focus on code: With the infrastructure management handled by the cloud provider, you can focus solely on writing the business logic for your application.

FaaS is specifically focused on building and running applications as a set of independent functions or microservices. Major cloud providers like AWS (Lambda), Microsoft Azure (Functions), and Google Cloud (Cloud Functions) offer FaaS platforms that allow developers to write and deploy individual functions without managing the underlying infrastructure.

What is Serverless?

Serverless is a broader cloud computing model that involves FaaS but also includes other fully managed services like databases (e.g., AWS DynamoDB, Azure Cosmos DB, Google Cloud Datastore), message queues (e.g., AWS SQS, Azure Service Bus, Google Cloud Pub/Sub), and storage (e.g., AWS S3, Azure Blob Storage, Google Cloud Storage).

In a serverless architecture, the cloud provider is responsible for provisioning, scaling, and managing the entire backend infrastructure required to run your application.

The benefits of Serverless Computing:Reduced operational overhead: With no servers to manage, you can focus entirely on building your application without worrying about infrastructure. Event-driven architecture: Serverless applications are designed around event triggers, allowing you to react to user actions, data changes, or scheduled events in real time. Seamless scalability: Serverless platforms automatically scale your application’s resources up and down based on demand, with no additional configuration required on your part.

Feature
FaaS
Serverless

Infrastructure Management
Handles provisioning and scaling of servers/containers for your functions
Handles provisioning and scaling of the entire backend infrastructure, including servers, databases, message queues, etc.

Pricing Model
Pay-per-execution (cost per function invocation)
Pay-per-use (cost per resource consumption, e.g., CPU, memory, data transfer)

Scalability
Automatically scales functions up and down based on demand
Automatically scales the entire application infrastructure up and down based on demand

Stateful vs. Stateless
Functions are typically stateless
Supports both stateful and stateless services

Event-Driven Architecture
Supports event-driven execution of functions
Natively supports event-driven architecture with managed event services

Third-Party Service Integration
Integrates with other cloud services through API calls
Seamless integration with a rich ecosystem of managed cloud services

Development Focus
Concentrate on writing the application logic in the form of functions
Concentrate on building the overall application structure and leveraging managed services

Vendor Lock-in
Some vendor lock-in, as functions are typically tied to a specific FaaS platform
Potential for vendor lock-in, as Serverless often relies on a broader set of managed services

Examples
AWS Lambda, Azure Functions, Google Cloud Functions, IBM Cloud Functions
AWS (Lambda, API Gateway, DynamoDB), Azure (Functions, Cosmos DB, Event Grid), Google Cloud (Functions, Datastore, Pub/Sub), IBM Cloud (Functions, Object Storage, Databases)

Infrastructure Management
Handles provisioning and scaling of servers/containers for your functions
Handles provisioning and scaling of the entire backend infrastructure, including servers, databases, message queues, etc.

1. Scope

FaaS is a specific type of serverless architecture that is focused on building and running applications as a set of independent functions. Serverless computing, on the other hand, is a broader term that encompasses a range of cloud computing models, including FaaS, BaaS, and others.

2. Granularity

FaaS is a more fine-grained approach to building and running applications, as it allows developers to break down applications into smaller, independent functions. Serverless computing, on the other hand, can be used to build and run entire applications, not just individual functions.

3. Pricing

FaaS providers typically charge based on the number of function executions and the duration of those executions. Serverless computing providers, on the other hand, may charge based on a variety of factors, such as the number of API requests, the amount of data stored, and the number of users.

Major cloud providers that offer FaaS and serverless computing services:AWS Lambda – AWS Lambda is a FaaS platform that allows developers to run code without provisioning or managing servers. Lambda supports a variety of programming languages, including Python, Node.js, Java, and C#.Azure Functions – Azure Functions is a serverless computing service that allows developers to build event-driven applications using a variety of programming languages, including C#, Java, JavaScript, and Python.Google Cloud Functions – Google Cloud Functions is a FaaS platform that allows developers to run code in response to specific events, such as changes to a Cloud Storage bucket or the creation of a Pub/Sub message.IBM Cloud Functions – IBM Cloud Functions is a serverless computing platform that allows developers to build and run event-driven applications using a variety of programming languages, including Node.js, Swift, and Java.Oracle Cloud Functions – Oracle Cloud Functions is a FaaS platform that allows developers to build and run serverless applications using a variety of programming languages, including Python, Node.js, and Java.Choosing Between FaaS and ServerlessUse FaaS for:Opt for serverless computing when:You’re deploying complex applications that require a unified environment for all components.You want to reduce the operational overhead of managing servers while maintaining control over application configurations.

Understand with an Example

Suppose you want to build a simple web application that allows users to upload images and apply filters to them. With a traditional server-based architecture, you would need to provision and manage servers, install and configure software, and handle scaling and availability. This can be time-consuming and expensive, especially if you’re just starting out.

With a serverless architecture, on the other hand, you can focus on writing the code for the application logic, and let the cloud provider handle the rest.

For instance, you could use AWS Lambda (FaaS) to run the code that processes the uploaded images, AWS S3 for storage, and other AWS services like API Gateway and DynamoDB as part of the overall serverless architecture. The cloud provider would automatically scale the resources up or down based on demand, and you would only pay for the resources you actually use.

All FaaS is serverless, but not all serverless is FaaS.

FaaS is a type of serverless architecture, but the two terms are not the same. FaaS is all about creating and running applications as separate functions, while serverless computing is a wider term that covers different cloud computing models. In other words, FaaS is a specific way of doing serverless computing that involves breaking down an application into small, independent functions that can be run separately. Serverless computing, on the other hand, is a more general approach that can involve using different cloud services to build and run an application without having to manage servers.

The major cloud providers offer varying levels of tooling and community support for their FaaS and serverless offerings. AWS has the largest community and a mature set of tools like AWS SAM for local development and testing of serverless applications.

Microsoft Azure has good tooling integration with Visual Studio Code, while Google Cloud’s tooling is still catching up. A strong developer ecosystem and community support can be crucial when building and maintaining serverless applications.

FaaS Platform

Feature
Lambda
Azure Functions
Cloud Functions

Arm64 architecture

Compiled binary deployment

Wildcard SSL certificate free

Serverless KV store
DynamoDB
CosmosDB
Datastore

Serverless SQL
Aurora Serverless
Azure SQL
BigQuery

IaC deployment templates
SAM, CloudFormation
ARM, Bicep
GDM

IaC drift detection

Single shot stack deployment

Developement

Feature
Lambda
Azure Functions
Cloud Functions

Virtualized local execution

FaaS dev tools native for arm64

Go SDK support

PHP SDK support

VSCode tooling

Dev tools native for Apple Silicon

Feature
Lambda
Azure Functions
Cloud Functions

Reddit community members
278,455
141,924
46,415

Stack Overflow members
256,700
216,100
54,300

Videos on YouTube channel
16,308
1,475
4,750

Twitter/X followers
2.2 M
1 M
533 K

GitHub stars for JS SDK
7.5 K
1.9 K
2.8 K

GitHub stars for .NET SDK
2 K
5 K
908

GitHub stars for Python SDK
8.7 K
2.7 K
4.6 K

GitHub stars for Go SDK
8.5 K
1.5 K
3.6 K

Runtimes

Runtime
Lambda
Azure Functions
Cloud Functions

Custom (Linux)

Custom (Windows)

Python

Node.js

PHP

Ruby

Java

.NET

Go

Rust

C/C++

Serverless AI

Provider
Lambda
Azure Functions
Cloud Functions

Open AI

Gemini

Anthropic

Meta Llama2

Cohere

AI21

Amazon Titan

Mistral

Stability (SDXL)

Computer Vision

In his books and speeches, he challenges businesses not just to excel, but to “create distinction” in their fields. But what happens after a business achieves that pinnacle of becoming best-in-class? According to Scott, the next step is to attain an iconic status that sets a company apart so profoundly that it becomes a benchmark within its industry. It’s like being named “the Nike” or “the Cadillac”. As both Scott and I believe in the power of continuous improvement, our conversation naturally evolved to explore what comes next after reaching iconic heights.

Scott takes us there in his latest book, The Ultimate Customer Service Experience. While many of his other books are for business leadership, this one is for everybody. Why? Because everyone at your organization is responsible for creating the ultimate customer experience.

Have you ever:

tried to shop in a store and had multiple employees tell you, “That’s not my job?”
waited at a restaurant for your server while multiple staff walked by your empty table?
been passed from one person to another on the phone only to end up where you started?

Those all point to an organization’s failure to give every employee a sense of ownership over the customer experience. And while many companies have very “vertical” organizations where different departments are in charge of different aspects of customer service… Scott reminds us that the experience is always “horizontal” from the customer’s point of view. I know that I don’t care what department someone is in. Do you?

This must be modeled from the top down, of course. We all know companies where the leader’s attitude is more “throw anyone under the bus” instead of “the buck stops here.” And we know that creating the ultimate customer experience requires leadership. But if you can’t count on everyone to be part of that team? Then no one person—not even the CEO—can save the day.

As always, Scott isn’t just smart, he’s fun to listen to. His books and presentations are always filled with interesting and inspiring stories because he understands that, in his case, that’s part of creating the experience for us, his audience.

I hope you’ll listen in. It’s a fast-paced conversation with some great takeaways for everyone.

For more information, see The Ultimate Customer Service Experience

Image Credit: Bence Boros

I always remember my mother telling me to choose my friends wisely. If you befriend the wrong person who does the wrong thing at the wrong time, and you are with them, you too might get into trouble, even if it isn’t your fault. That’s life. Many a person is in prison because of just such a situation. It was always an important lesson to remember.

The lesson below is similar.  It says that you need to pick your friends wisely, but for a different reason. He says that, “you are the average of the five people you spend the most amount of time with.” So, if you want to be goal-oriented and successful, hang out with people who are goal-oriented and successful.  If you find yourself hanging out with a bunch of knuckleheads or class clowns or trouble-makers, you might eventually fall into those categories.  Furthermore, he says that there are four types of friends:

Addition: people that will add to your life and make your life better.Subtraction: when you are with these people, you are not the best version of you.Multiplication: They make you the best version of yourself.Division: People who are always dividing and making things hard.

In conclusion, you need to pick your friends wisely.  How do you do that? You select the people in your life who bring out the best version of yourself and get rid of the people who bring drama and trouble to your life. If someone makes you feel bad about yourself, they are probably not the best person for you. If someone is distracting you from the life that you want for yourself, they are probably not good for you. Begin paying attention to this and choose the friends that bring out the best version of you. End of lesson.