Streamlining the Kubernetes workload to speed new drug discovery

CLOUD

Kubernetes has revolutionized cloud computing, but it can also chew up a lot of time for developers.

The process often involves building a container image, deploying an EC2 instance, allocating memory, placing the app in a virtual machine, and running the instance against the app. Then it comes time to pay for it all.

This can be a laborious exercise, and it is one reason why platforms, such as the managed Kubernetes service offered by Rafay Systems Inc., are gaining traction by abstracting away infrastructure headaches from developers in the enterprise world.

“In a CIO survey, 80% of the time of developers is wasted on infrastructure stuff and not on innovation,” said Haseeb Budhani (pictured, left), co-founder and chief executive officer at Rafay. “We need to bring that 80% back so that 100% of the work is on innovation and today it’s not. That’s what we do.”

Budhani spoke with theCUBE hosts Lisa Martin and Dave Vellante at AWS re:Invent, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio. He was joined by Rakesh Singh (pictured, right), head of cloud & DevOps at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc., and they discussed how Rafay’s managed Kubernetes solution helped Regeneron speed drug discovery. (* Disclosure below.)

Focus on business activity

For a major player in the drug development industry such as Regeneron, speed-to-market is of paramount importance. The company became a Rafay customer in the hope that developers would be empowered to increase the pace of innovation which has led to the production of medicines for eye disease, cancer, and cardiovascular ailments.

“We need to make sure we are leveraging platforms and tools to enable our developers to focus on key business activity rather than doing redundant things,” Singh said. “We were able to discover new drugs and get them to the market at a much faster pace. That whole process was expedited using these tools and processes.”

The founders at Rafay were motivated to address the need to abstract away Kubernetes operations for developers after enduring countless hours spent managing the container platform at a previous company.

“Developers should write their code, check it, and never have to think about it again,” Budhani said. “What is Kubernetes? I don’t care. That’s the right answer.”

Here’s the complete video interview, part of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of AWS re:Invent:

(* Disclosure: Rafay Systems Inc. sponsored this segment of theCUBE. Neither Rafay nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE