Use commercially available Mac mini as it is for AWS executives explain the mechanism of "Mac instance": AWS Re: Invent 2020

In this article, "AWS and Mac instance mechanisms are explained. Build a commercially available Mac mini in a rack via Thunderbolt via Thunderbolt. Connect to the storage and network. Wes Re: Invent 2020" (INVENT 2020 "(INVENT 2020"Published on December 11, 2020) is partially edited and reprinted by the ITMEDIA NEWS editorial department.

　Amazon Web Services (AWS) explained the "MAC instance" mechanism announced on December 1 at the infrastructure kinot of the online event "AWS Re: Invent 2020".

　I explained by Senior Vice President Peter Desantis, Senior Vice President, Global Ingrust Tracture & Customer Support.

Reference article: [Breaking News] AWS, "Amazon EC2 Mac Instance for MacOS", which combines Mac mini (Intel) to the cloud infrastructure

　In the lecture, the screen behind Desantis shows a photo of the commercially available Mac mini on the tray of the rack.

　"How did you turn your Mac into an EC2 instance? You can see that the real Mac is incorporated into the rack tray as it is."

　The photograph also introduced the cable extending from the Mac mini to the Nitro System controller on the same tray base.

　"The Mac instance was realized by the combination of Mac mini and Nitro controller."

　The Nitro controller is an AWS -specific system that off -road that offs the I/O function and security functions from the server.This will release the server from those extra processing, maintaining a secure connection, and will be able to demonstrate 100 % abilities to execute workloads.

Reference article: What is the AWS "Nitro System" that led to the realization of "VMware Cloud on AWS" and "EC2 Bear Metal" as the latest base of Amazon EC2?

　"As you can see, we haven't changed anything to the Mac hardware. Simply connected the Nitro controller to the Mac Thunderbolt.

　When the Mac instance is launched, a Mac compatible ami (Amazon machine image) rises on the Mac mini.There is no hypervisor.

　When the Nitro System controller senses the launch of the instance, it provides a secure connection to the attached network and storage.This allows Mac mini to access all AWS services. "

　"Because these are realized outside the Mac mini, the ability of Mac mini is used only for the execution of workloads, just like when it is used on the desktop."

　In other words, in the AWS data center that provides Mac instances, there are a lot of racks incorporated in Mac mini.

　I wondered if this scene of the video released when the Mac instance was announced was a joke, but in fact (even if this video itself is directing, it is described as using a large number of commercially available Macs as it is).It seems to be true.

Copyright © ITmedia, Inc.All Rights Reserved.

To read more, you need to agree to the terms of use and register "ITMEDIA NEWS Anchor Desk Magazine".