Unikernels: How we got here and where we're going

Talk presented at CraftConf 2016.
See amirchaudhry.com/craftconf2016 for details.

1. Unikernels … on behalf of many others! CraftConf April 2016 @amirmc How we got here and where we're going Amir Chaudhry
2. Unikernels @amirmc How we got here and where we're going amirchaudhry.com/craftconf2016
3. About me @amirmc Work at Docker I have more hair on my face since this pic
4. Software today… @amirmc
5. …is an application … Software today… @amirmc
6. …is an application … … on top of an Operating System. Software today… @amirmc
7. Software today… @amirmc
8. Software today… @amirmc
9. Code you care about Code the OS insists you need @amirmc
10. Code you care about Code the OS insists you need @amirmc
11. Software today… … is built locally… @amirmc
12. Software today… … is built locally… … but deployed remotely. @amirmc
13. Software today… …is complex! Even though most apps
 are single-purpose @amirmc
14. Complexity is the enemy… More pieces -> tricky config Duplication -> inefficiency Large sizes -> long boot times More stuff -> larger attack surface @amirmc
15. Things are getting easier
16. BUILD Developer Workflows SHIP Registry Services RUN Management Docker Toolbox Docker Trusted Registry Docker Universal Control Plane Docker Cloud Docker Engine Ecosystem Plugins and Integrations Docker Containers as a Service Platform
17. An extreme view? Disentangle applications from the OS Break up OS functionality into modular components Link only the system functionality your app needs Target alternative platforms from a single codebase @amirmc
18. An extreme view? Disentangle applications from the OS Break up OS functionality into modular components Link only the system functionality your app needs Target alternative platforms from a single codebase Unikernels! @amirmc
19. The Rise of the Unikernel Unikernels are specialised single address space machine images built from a modular stack adding system libraries and configuration to application code Every application is compiled into its own specialised OS, targeted for the cloud or embedded devices https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unikernel @amirmc
20. “… but … but what
 about Docker?”
21. Continuum Disentangle applications from the OS Break up OS functionality into modular components Link only the system functionality your app needs Target alternative platforms from a single codebase @amirmc
22. • LING • MirageOS • OSv • Rumprun • runtime.js The Rise of the Unikernel • ClickOS • Clive • Drawbridge • HaLVM • IncludeOS @amirmc
23. The Rise of the Unikernel Two broad approaches Consider legacy @amirmc Clean Slate
24. MirageOS
25. MirageOS unikernel } @amirmc
26. unikernel } MirageOS Familiar development cycle Broad deployment scenarios @amirmc
27. unikernel } MirageOS Familiar development cycle Broad deployment scenarios Target different environments Your usual tools @amirmc
28. Example: Static websites (though applicable to any application)
29. mirage.io
30. • Rewrote TLS • Functional core • Less code Bitcoin
 Piñata
33. Puts the ‘micro’ in microservice! 8.2MB
 Unikernel 102 kloc 2560
 kloc ~200MB
 Full OS Contains everything
 No extra stuff! Much smaller attack surface
34. 8.2MB
 Unikernel 102 kloc 2560
 kloc ~200MB
 Full OS Contains everything
 No extra stuff! Much smaller attack surface Puts the ‘micro’ in microservice!
35. Unikernel Recap • Highly specialised • Continuum with containers • Robust deployments • Everything’s a library! @amirmc
36. Deployments
37. Deployments
38. Systems programming is difficult?
39. … is just programming! Systems programming is difficult?
40. unikernel.org Still early days!
41. Why I care Resilient, scalable systems Distributed personal clouds Better, safer products @amirmc
44. Why I care MirageOS (OS/application) Irmin (Storage/Sync) Signpost (Identity/Connectivity) OCaml (Safety/Modularity) Mail Contacts Calendar @amirmc This is a long-term side project :)
45. Contribute! unikernel.org 
 nymote.org @amirmc
46. @amirmc Questions?