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Is it possible to host Facebook on AWS?

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Re: Is it possible to host Facebook on AWS?

#91

Post by justicezyx »

adventured wrote: post #46
jzelinskie wrote: post #7

I think a lot of the smaller details this article glosses over contribute to FB's ability to run on so few machines. For example, comparing my anecdotes of FB's internal network (they probably have the most organized/mature IPv6 network on the planet) with those of my AWS public cloud experience, I'd reckon that a lot of FB applications would require architectural redesigns to operate in that kind of environment. The…

They went from $3.6 billion to $10.2 billion in net income in a year. The $3.6 billion is probably more net income than Amazon has generated combined in the last two decades. The $10 billion is more than Amazon will earn a decade from now. Their focus should be solely on what is going to likely end up being one of the three or four greatest money producing machines in world history (of those owned by a traditional co…

> Cloud computing profits are - and will remain - a joke compared to the $20 billion in net income

Business are different.

Margins also means more vulnerable.

Amazon doesn't like margins. Andy Jessy routinely mock "the old guards"' obsession with margins.

The possibility that fb is Suddenly dying because of some new competitor probably is 10* of Amazon. Just random statement, you get the idea.

As for siganifance, cloud computing is much bigger, it runs the actual computing that produce things that is more valuable than ads. This is in general sense, I do not want to judge their social impact.

Re: Is it possible to host Facebook on AWS?

#92

Post by beagle3 »

jacquesm wrote: post #49
notheguyouthink wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I see lots of down voting on this person, but not many replies. Is there truth to this comment? Is React licensing something companies should avoid?

Not a fan of FB here. That comment is nonsense. It is completely unthinkable that Facebook would do this.

> It is completely unthinkable that Facebook would do this.

Facebook is a (among many other things) a software company, and software companies do warfare with patents. It might be their least favorite weapon, one they have yet to use - but "unthinkable" can only refer to your beliefs -- it is actually extremely thinkable, even if at this point in time improbable.

Re: Is it possible to host Facebook on AWS?

#93

Post by jacquesm »

beagle3 wrote: post #92
jacquesm wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not a fan of FB here. That comment is nonsense. It is completely unthinkable that Facebook would do this.

> It is completely unthinkable that Facebook would do this. Facebook is a (among many other things) a software company, and software companies do warfare with patents. It might be their least favorite weapon, one they have yet to use - but "unthinkable" can only refer to your beliefs -- it is actually extremely thinkable, even if at this point in time improbable.

The lifetime of JS frameworks is so short that this is not a realistic concern, beyond that the license makes it impossible. Sorry but this is not a scenario that will play out in some way that you'd have to be worried about it when evaluating your choices today.

Re: Is it possible to host Facebook on AWS?

#95

Post by kondro »

pier25 wrote: post #8

> Its application code is still developed using PHP This is surprising since 1) Facebook is most likely using Hack and 2) it could save a lot of money by moving to Go. > Facebook’s entire site runs on HHVM (desktop, API and mobile) Isn't Facebook running mostly on React? I'm guessing HHVM only really powers the API, business logic, etc.

How is replacing their entire engineering staff cheaper?

Re: Is it possible to host Facebook on AWS?

#96

Post by careersuicide »

BurningFrog wrote: post #54
discodave wrote: post #44

I don't understand why people think that companies can get special pricing from AWS but not drive feature development. Large customers like Netflix, GE & friends get to drive feature development. Heck, if you're the CIA and give AWS $600 MM they will build a private region for you! This post has two contradictory quotes in my opinion: "It’s worth noting that this AWS price wouldn’t be what Facebook paid in this hypot…

Sidenote: It's remarkable that Amazon happily provides server services to Netflix, who is a huge competitor!

I work at a company that sells ebooks and directly competes with Amazon in that space. All of our infrastructure is on AWS. We could move elsewhere easily if we had to, but we probably won't. A good friend who works over at AWS said that they were "more than happy to have [our] business". In terms of net revenue it's probably way in their favor.

Re: Is it possible to host Facebook on AWS?

#97

Post by beagle3 »

chc wrote: post #32
zepolen wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I didn't know this, this needs to be more well known. How does this affect libraries like preact?

It's not accurate. Facebook offers a blanket patent license with React, and the patent license (not the software license — just the patent one) terminates if you sue Facebook for patent infringement. And of course, if you sue them for any other reason, nothing happens at all. And even if the patent license is terminated, AFAIK React isn't known to be patent-encumbered. Acting like this is some landmine that allows Fa…

> Acting like this is some landmine that allows Facebook to just put anyone they dislike out of business is ridiculous.

That's true; however,

> React isn't known to be patent-encumbered.

That's a useless assertion. Many patents only become known once the lawsuits start. Facebook has amassed a patent portfolio, and patents are a legal instrument that can only be used offensively.

Re: Is it possible to host Facebook on AWS?

#98

Post by beagle3 »

jacquesm wrote: post #93
beagle3 wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It is completely unthinkable that Facebook would do this. Facebook is a (among many other things) a software company, and software companies do warfare with patents. It might be their least favorite weapon, one they have yet to use - but "unthinkable" can only refer to your beliefs -- it is actually extremely thinkable, even if at this point in time improbable.

The lifetime of JS frameworks is so short that this is not a realistic concern, beyond that the license makes it impossible. Sorry but this is not a scenario that will play out in some way that you'd have to be worried about it when evaluating your choices today .

For react, you are probably right.

I'm really concerned about zstd working its way into some future de-facto standard file format, though - I think the name "zstd" is marketing genius (of the evil kind).

Re: Is it possible to host Facebook on AWS?

#99

Post by schitzapplebits »

19eightyfour wrote: post #76
BurningFrog wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sidenote: It's remarkable that Amazon happily provides server services to Netflix, who is a huge competitor!

It's not remarkable its Bezos' business strategy. The way he thinks about things is it's not a threat to his business to have competitors in his space not just because he is prepared to undercut them on cost but because he knows that his true focus is on customer satisfaction. And competition, whether through providing customers with a choice or encouraging his own systems to provide better services is good for his b…

> Seriously how would it look if Amazon turned down a company because they were competing? It would be an admission of defeat and weakness for AZ. That's not how an "apex predator" thinks.

It looked shitty when it happened with Amazon and Apple

Re: Is it possible to host Facebook on AWS?

#100

Post by kondro »

kondro wrote: post #94
virtuallynathan wrote: post #56

I'd have to assume Facebook is using well over 500TB/mo of outbound traffic. I'd Assume on the order of 1-2Tbps or more on average. Disclamer: I work for AWS.

Well over. 500TB a month is only 250KB per active user.

Oh. I see this might've just been a typo. Agree with the 1Tbps+ figure for external bandwidth (and maybe 300%+ on that internally and between regions).
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