Is Akash Network's ambition to benchmark against Amazon Web Services just a pipe dream?
AKT will be listed on Coinbase, and a new star project has emerged in the DePIN track?Author: DeMan
Coinbase Assets announced on February 27, 2024, that Akash Network (AKT) has been included in its coin listing roadmap, marking a significant advancement for Akash in the field of distributed cloud computing.
Since successfully upgrading to Mainnet 6 in September 2023, Akash has introduced an innovation called "Supercloud," aimed at leveraging GPU resources in a decentralized manner to challenge the traditional centralized cloud service market. This upgrade not only allows users to access high-performance GPUs, including Nvidia H100s and A100s, but also expands the application of GPUs to compute-intensive tasks such as artificial intelligence and data science model training.
So, what kind of project is Akash Network, which is currently at the center of attention? Let's take a closer look.
With a vast market and low costs, can the decentralized cloud computing service project Akash disrupt the existing industry ecosystem?
Akash Network provides a secure and efficient way to trade computing resources through its open-source super cloud platform. It relies on a reverse auction mechanism, enabling users to acquire computing resources at a cost far lower than traditional cloud services, while ensuring the platform's security and reliability based on technologies like Kubernetes and Cosmos. Akash simplifies the complex deployment process across multiple global vendors using a stack definition language (SDL) in YAML. The main features of Akash Network include:
Computing Market: Akash offers a unique computing market where users can deploy Docker containers on the Akash network using AKT tokens for resource leasing and payment settlement. This market is based on the Tendermint blockchain application, showcasing the potential for decentralized cloud resource trading;
Cost-Effectiveness: Compared to Amazon AWS, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and Microsoft Azure, Akash's costs are about one-third of theirs, providing an economical cloud computing solution;
Decentralization Advantages: Akash breaks the market monopoly of the traditional three cloud service providers, offering an open market that allows users to freely choose services and prices, similar to Airbnb for cloud computing resources. It simplifies the leasing and deployment process through command-line tools, opening up a vast market of approximately 8.4 million underutilized data centers globally;
Innovation in GPU Services: Akash not only demonstrates its decentralized advantages in the CPU market but is also actively entering the GPU services sector through incentive strategies and pilot proposals, particularly focusing on high-performance Nvidia H100 and A100 GPUs to meet the high demand for AI and big data processing;
Community and Governance: Akash's open network, transparency, and community-driven governance model set it apart in the decentralized cloud computing field. Its success has attracted the attention of large machine learning companies and led to the creation of Akash ML, aimed at promoting its adoption through convenient payment services.
Through these features, Akash Network not only provides users with an economical, secure, and reliable cloud computing platform but also poses a fundamental challenge to traditional cloud service providers, signaling a decentralized trend for the future of cloud computing.
What irreplaceable advantages does Akash Network have compared to traditional AWS cloud computing architecture?
In the field of cloud computing, Akash Network is challenging the centralized model of traditional industries like Amazon AWS by introducing a decentralized super cloud architecture. This architecture not only supports seamless migration of applications but also allows users to freely buy and sell computing resources on a decentralized network. Compared to AWS, Akash offers not just a new way to purchase computing resources but also the ability to resist censorship, protect privacy, and uphold the spirit of decentralization.
Akash utilizes its native token AKT to implement a unique staking, payment, and governance mechanism, introducing USDC settlement to lower entry barriers and enhance payment convenience. Compared to AWS, Akash's reverse auction system will soon allow consumers to acquire services at prices far below traditional cloud computing, often saving up to 85% in costs.
Akash Network advocates for the advantages of decentralized cloud computing in resisting censorship and providing self-sovereignty, as emphasized by Greg Osuri. He points out that as internet centralization continues to strengthen, a few large companies control most of the cloud computing resources, which not only raises censorship issues but also threatens citizens' freedoms. Akash's open market, through its global network of data centers, provides a more secure and auditable computing platform, which is a clear advantage for users seeking greater freedom and privacy protection.
Since its inception, Akash's growth has proven the attractiveness of its model. In just six months, 500 active applications have launched on the platform, completing over 30,000 deployments. Akash's decentralized capabilities not only provide users with cost-effective computing resources but also offer important technological foundations for organizations resisting centralized control.
Overall, Akash Network brings innovation and challenges to the cloud computing field through its decentralized super cloud platform. Compared to traditional cloud services like Amazon AWS, Akash not only offers significant cost advantages but, more importantly, provides new options for resisting censorship, ensuring high privacy protection, and embracing decentralization, pointing towards a new direction for the future development of cloud computing.
Despite having many talking points, Akash still has numerous shortcomings, making its future trajectory difficult to predict
Akash Network, as a fully "super open-source cloud" platform in its pilot phase, has been pushing the boundaries of the centralized cloud computing market since 2020, built on a proof-of-stake network using the Cosmos SDK. Its launch of the GPU mainnet, targeting the high demand for AI training and inference, marks Akash's deep exploration in this field.
Although Akash claims that CPU services offer significant price advantages, it has noticeably increased its adoption rate. The slow growth of active leasing on the network exposes an imbalance between supply and demand. However, the introduction of GPU services seems to open new avenues, with increased utilization indicating strong demand for high-performance GPUs.
To welcome more supply and demand, Akash has taken proactive measures, including proposing challenges to increase GPU suppliers and attracting new users through proof-of-concept models and real-time feature demonstrations. These efforts by Akash not only showcase its commitment to overcoming challenges but also reflect its potential significant impact in the decentralized cloud computing field.
The future of Akash Network is filled with challenges and opportunities. Its foresight of success in the GPU sector and continuous innovation provide strong support for long-term development in the decentralized cloud computing market. As technology advances and the market evolves, whether Akash can become a key force driving the future of cloud computing remains to be seen.
