YPS 2024.12 - Khem Rạj - Future of computing - Heterogenous compute - We need immutable systems

We have done well with binary distributions so far, however, exponential growth in software does not scale with current models of building and distributing software using package feeds and package managers. Workloads are becoming bigger than the platforms and its just starting, AI/ML workloads will add to ever growing need of scalable infrastructure. Critical infrastructure is adopting linux and has very different constraints and maintenance requirements which will require rethinking how software is composed.

Heterogenous compute is on the rise, where non-CPU compute units are main part of compute, Future tools are going to distribute programs over different compute units eg. GPU, Crypto units, CPUs. This
requires rethinking of how systems are composed.

Yocto project is at a good spot to become the infrastructure of choice for building such systems. since each one of them will need their own distribution but yet shared by virtue of yocto project.

Is yocto project ready for this challenge ? We will discuss these questions.

This talk will discuss where yocto project stands today peeking into future requirements of infrastructure for compute platforms. How the systems are being composed and transforming. We will also discuss challenges for yocto project to become that infrastructure of choice to build heterogenous systems with strong demand for immutability and CI/CD