An Interview with Pekka Enberg: Modern Hardware, Old APIs

Pekka Enberg, a key figure in the development of ScyllaDB, discusses the challenges and evolution of kernel APIs and architecture in relation to modern hardware. His work with Seastar, a framework that bypasses traditional OS abstractions, highlights the inefficiencies of legacy systems like POSIX, which were designed for single-CPU models. The Seastar framework aims to improve performance by eliminating context switches and synchronization issues, offering control over machine resources through a non-blocking, future/promise model. Enberg argues that while traditional abstractions like POSIX have historically provided portability across systems, modern hardware advancements, particularly in networking and storage, challenge the relevance of such models. He suggests that the costs of maintaining these outdated interfaces are becoming prohibitive, especially as CPU speeds plateau and storage technologies advance. Enberg's insights suggest a potential shift towards new abstractions that better align with current hardware capabilities, emphasizing efficiency and control in software design.