In this engaging discussion, Steve Klabnik, a veteran software engineer at Oxide Computer Company and co-author of 'The Rust Programming Language,' shares insights on building cutting-edge server systems from the ground up. He elaborates on the unique advantages of integrating hardware and software using Rust, which enhances security and performance. Steve also tackles the complexities of Rust's asynchronous programming and its vibrant community growth, illustrating how these elements align with modern data center needs.
Oxide Computer Company is revolutionizing server design by merging hardware and software to provide effective on-premise solutions.
Steve Klabnik highlights the benefits of using Rust for systems programming, emphasizing its safety, performance, and reliability for complex development.
The collaboration between hardware and software teams at Oxide is essential in addressing the challenges of modern server construction.
Klabnik expresses confidence in Rust's growing relevance, underscoring its extensive adoption in the industry and its alignment with Oxide's philosophy.
Deep dives
Introduction to Oxide Computer
Steve Klabnik introduces Oxide Computer Company, a startup focused on building on-premise servers that provide a cloud-like deployment experience. Unlike traditional cloud services where users rent resources, Oxide aims to allow customers to buy servers for their own data centers, effectively combining the advantages of cloud computing with physical ownership. This approach is significant for organizations that require greater control over their infrastructure while still benefiting from cloud capabilities. The company's reliance on the Rust programming language, where 99% of their code is written, underlines their commitment to performance and safety.
The Complexity of Building Servers
Klabnik discusses the myriad challenges involved in server construction, emphasizing that building servers entails solving not just one, but a multitude of complex problems. For instance, the need for effective observability and monitoring becomes critical since these servers operate on-premise without standard cloud solutions. The development process at Oxide requires extensive collaboration between hardware and software teams to ensure seamless integration and functionality. The diverse skill sets within the team allow for innovative solutions to address the many facets of creating modern server technology.
Personal Journey to Oxide
Steve Klabnik shares his motivation for joining Oxide, emphasizing his long-held passion for computer history and personal experiences with early computing revolutions. Inspired by Apple’s history and tales of innovation from the 80s, he sees Oxide as a unique opportunity to help shape the future of computers. Klabnik reflects on how being part of a company that builds servers from the ground up fulfills a personal aspiration of working closely with technology. This desire to integrate hardware and software drives much of his work, as he collaborates with a team working to revitalize the field of computer hardware.
The Role of Rust in Oxide
Klabnik explains the choice of using Rust for their projects, emphasizing its safety and performance features, which align with Oxide's goals. The language’s emphasis on low-level system programming allows for writing firmware and high-level applications within the same ecosystem, simplifying development. Rust's strong type system helps to catch potential errors at compile time, significantly enhancing the reliability of the systems being built. This versatility not only allows for fast prototyping but also encourages better collaboration among engineers who can work on different aspects of the system without being constrained by language barriers.
Addressing Traditional Server Challenges
Building a new generation of servers comes with unique challenges compared to traditional designs, as the industry has evolved in complexity since the 80s. Klabnik points out how modern server solutions need to manage distributed systems encapsulated in a single rack, adding layers of intricacy to server management. The requirement for custom firmware, rather than reliance on standard BIOS systems, exemplifies a significant shift in approach. Klabnik cites this shift as essential for reducing security vulnerabilities and ensuring high performance for on-premise systems.
Open Source Philosophy at Oxide
Klabnik emphasizes Oxide’s commitment to open source as a fundamental approach to their development and product offerings. The company aims to ensure that customers understand what runs on their servers and maintain control over their infrastructure, reflecting a philosophy of transparency. While acknowledging the challenges of open sourcing proprietary components, Klabnik highlights the benefits of aligning product interests with customer needs. The overall goal is to create a reliable ecosystem where clients can be confident in the solutions provided.
Future Outlook for Rust and Oxide
Looking forward, Klabnik expresses confidence in Rust's growing relevance in the programming landscape, attributing its continued use to the extensive production-level applications already relying on it. He notes that with widespread industry adoption, particularly among major tech players, Rust has surpassed the point of being trendy or experimental. Furthermore, the alignment of Oxide’s operational philosophy with Rust principles suggests a long-term commitment to utilizing the language as the company grows and evolves. The anticipated advancements in Rust's capabilities foreshadow a strong future for both the language and Oxide’s development efforts.
Innovative Tools in the Rust Ecosystem
Klabnik shares enthusiasm for innovative tools emerging from within the Rust community, particularly Buck 2 and JJ, which enhance development efficiency for larger projects. Buck 2 is a build system that offers flexibility for managing extensive codebases, while JJ, a new version control system, simplifies Git interactions by abstracting complexities. Both tools showcase the transformative potential of Rust in streamlining workflows and customizing development environments. Their potential for broader application within the ecosystem illustrates Rust's growing influence on software tooling.
What's even cooler than writing your own text editor or your own operating system? Building your own hardware from scratch with all the software written in Rust -- including firmware, the scheduler, and the hypervisor. Oxide Computer Company is one of the most admired companies in the Rust community. They are building "servers as they should be" with a focus on security and performance to serve the needs of modern on-premise data centers.
In this episode, I talk to Steve Klabnik, a software engineer at Oxide and renowned Rustacean, about the advantages of building hardware and software in tandem, the benefits of using Rust for systems programming, and the state of the Rust ecosystem.
About Oxide Computer Company
Founded by industry giants Bryan Cantrill, Jessie Frazelle, and Steve Tuck, Oxide Computer Company is a beloved name in the Rust community. They took on the daunting task of rethinking how servers are built -- starting all the way from the hardware and boot process (and no, there is no BIOS). Their 'On The Metal' podcast is a treasure trove of systems programming stories and proudly served as a role model for 'Rust in Production.'
About Steve Klabnik
In the Rust community, Steve does not need any introduction. He is a prolific writer, speaker, and software engineer who has contributed to the Rust ecosystem in many ways -- including writing the first version of the official Rust book. If you sent a tweet about Rust in the early days, chances are Steve was the one who replied. Previously, he worked at Mozilla and was a member of the Rust and Ruby core teams.
