The New Stack Podcast

Writing Code About Your Infrastructure? That's a Losing Race

Feb 13, 2025

Adam Jacob, Co-founder and CEO of System Initiative, dives into the future of enterprise automation. He discusses the shift from writing code to building models for quick simulations, likening it to Formula One racing for optimization. The conversation highlights how this approach enhances collaboration among engineers and simplifies complex tasks. Adam also touches on the role of digital twins in model accuracy and emphasizes the importance of evolving organizational culture to leverage these technologies effectively.

31:21

Creator website

Episode guests

Adam Jacob

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

System Initiative's model-based approach enhances enterprise automation by allowing real-time collaboration and interactive feedback loops among team members.

The podcast underscores the importance of understanding system interactions, which fosters innovation and efficiency in software development and DevOps practices.

Deep dives

User Experience in Enterprise Automation

System Initiative aims to transform enterprise automation by focusing on user experience through a novel model-based approach. Instead of writing extensive code for automation, the platform allows users to interact with high-fidelity models that digitally represent their infrastructure. This enables real-time collaboration and interactive feedback loops, enhancing the way teams handle architecture changes and task executions. By providing an environment where different team members can work together simultaneously, System Initiative streamlines the deployment and governance of infrastructure automation.

Intro

5min

Advancements in Automation and Collaboration

15min

The Interplay Between Culture and Technology in Organizations

2min

Demystifying AI: Constraints and Efficiencies

7min

Exploring the Joys and Challenges of New Technologies

2min

Adam Jacob, CEO of System Initiative, discusses a shift in infrastructure automation—moving from writing code to building models that enable rapid simulations and collaboration. In The New Stack Makers, he compares this approach to Formula One racing, where teams use high-fidelity models to simulate race conditions, optimizing performance before hitting the track.

System Initiative applies this concept to enterprise automation, creating a model that understands how infrastructure components interact. This enables fast, multiplayer feedback loops, simplifying complex tasks while enhancing collaboration. Engineers can extend the system by writing small, reactive JavaScript functions that automate processes, such as transforming existing architectures into new ones. The platform visually represents these transformations, making automation more intuitive and efficient.

By leveraging models instead of traditional code-based infrastructure management, System Initiative enhances agility, reduces complexity, and improves DevOps collaboration. To explore how this ties into the concept of the digital twin, listen to the fullNew Stack Makers episode.

Learn more from The New Stack about System Initiative:

Beyond Infrastructure as Code: System Initiative Goes Live

How System Initiative Treats AWS Components as Digital Twins

System Initiative Code Now Open Source

Join our community of newsletter subscribers to stay on top of the news and at the top of your game.