TECHNOLOGY

Software that Writes Itself? Low/No Code Applications have Arrived

Published

1 year ago

March 10, 2023

Software that Writes Itself? Low/No Code Applications have Arrived

One technological advancement that is taking companies by storm is something that most businesses or organizations likely did not see coming, nor did many consider the positive implications of: The rise of low code and no code interfaces.

Low code and no code application development refers to the use of visual tools to create software applications without the need for traditional programming languages to write code long-hand. In some cases, users of low code/no code applications only need to write base-level code to get a piece of software or website to operate, with the rest being predominantly visual design.

In the past, the only way for businesses to obtain new applications was to hire professional coders internally or externally. As time moved on, another option surfaced with regard to Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) in that those in need of an application could purchase it or pay a subscription to essentially lease it as an already fully developed software.

There are two downsides to both of these options. Hiring a software developer internally can be quite expensive, and likewise outside developers do not understand the vision of what you are trying to accomplish with your application.

Instead, the low code and no code interfaces allow your business to implement internal resources and employees who share your vision, understand the goals of the software, and traditionally do not need as extensive training in these development processes to create an application that transforms your industry!

Low Code vs. No Code — Is There a Better Option?

Coding. Low code. No code. For some business leaders, all of these sound like they could be close enough to one another to be interchangeable. They might even assume that if it is quick to train an employee on low code and no code applications, teaching them to code should be just as simple.

However, while very similar, coding, low code, and no code applications are not interchangeable in the way one may assume. Coding long-hand is quite literally like learning a foreign language. The developers I have spoken to throughout my career explain that writing code is only half the battle: You must know how to read it, which is not like reading a novel!

For someone who does not code, reading, editing, and troubleshooting issues with a custom-coded application would be like reading, editing, or proofreading a book written in a language you are not fluent in whatsoever. Essentially, it is next to impossible. This means that trying to enlist someone internally to simply “learn how to code” will be just as costly as hiring a software developer, especially for smaller organizations that do not have the budget.

Now, on to low code/no code applications. Yes, both of these use graphical tools in a drag-and-drop-type user interface to allow easier application development for non-professional coders, but low code requires an elementary understanding of coding and a small amount of coding experience.

1678412144 833 Software that Writes Itself LowNo Code Applications have Arrived

No code does not require a single line of code. This means that much of the creation in a no code interface involves what is referred to as a WYSIWYG (pronounced “wizzy-wig” — an acronym for “What You See Is What You Get”), graphic design-based experience. For both low code and no code, some training is required, but a much smaller amount by far.

Deciding between these two depends on the needs and complexities of the application’s goal and the business’s ability to train someone using low code versus no code tools.

Low Code/No Code Unlocks Anticipatory Opportunities!

So your business or organization has a website or application that needs to be built, you have decided to go the route of low code/no code development, you have a blueprint for what it needs to do, and perhaps you have even allocated some funds to train the proper employee on how to use the selected interface.

Now you are left with the why of the equation. Why are low code and no code interfaces and the speed at which you can develop an internal application so important for a business or organization?

The benefits of low code and no code application development are Anticipatory in nature, all of which position you to take advantage of future certainties in your industry in much more expedited fashion! Here are some Anticipatory principles that low code and no code interfaces provide:

Software that Writes Itself LowNo Code Applications have Arrived

Leverage Hard Trends – Hard Trend future certainties are prevalent in all industries, and as digital transformation and connectivity accelerates, the Hard Trend in all worlds is that customer needs will transform and accelerate as well. For example, will consumers continue to progress with high-touch applications or will they go back to the days prior to smartphones? I am certain you all know the answer.

Even if your business or organization is not one that works outwardly in the digital world, it is imperative you realize the Hard Trend future certainty of digital disruption affecting us all! As an Anticipatory Leader, look to the world around you. Are there any parts of your industry that could be streamlined in the form of a high-function website or an application? If so, the ease of low code and no code interfaces makes it possible for you to leverage that disruption and set the standard!

1678412144 581 Software that Writes Itself LowNo Code Applications have Arrived

Skip It Principle – Low code and no code means you and your organization no longer have to worry about outsourcing for a pretty penny. Being Anticipatory means to leverage future certainties effectively, and if doing so requires a specific application that would ordinarily cost a fortune you have not budgeted for, simply skip the problem by using low code and no code options!

Problem skipping allows you to realign your focus on problem solving instead. Now you and your team can move your focus from app or website development cost that inhibits you from properly leveraging a Hard Trend future certainty and instead, focus on getting the job done for your valued customers. As a result, you either maintain or achieve a competitive advantage in the industry.

1678412145 424 Software that Writes Itself LowNo Code Applications have Arrived

Think Exponentially – Now, pull it all together! Knowing what problems your customers face after skipping over your own, how can you solve them? Perhaps if you have never considered a digital application, now is the time thanks to the cost-effective low code and no code development options. We all know what applications and websites have done, but what can they do to help your customers going forward?

Thinking exponentially about websites, customer-facing applications, and how they apply to your organization unlocks nonlinear, exponential growth. For instance, websites have often been static, as coding and the cost involved meant that once it was built, it needed to be left alone. Now with the rise of low code and no code, websites can help increase sales by focusing more on the content rather than the function.

Use Low Code/No Code to Your Advantage

As you can see, there are boundless opportunities for all businesses and organizations thanks to the rise in low code and no code application development! With its versatility and ease of use, I implore you to designate an hour for your staff to brainstorm how a new website or application could help grow a new customer base and develop your current one.

Do not waste these opportunities by letting tunnel vision take hold! Instead, think of all the possibilities leveraging this technological breakthrough and the many others to come can provide to you. With the ability for low code and no code interfaces to help many become an entry-level web developer, if you can dream it, you can most definitely do it!

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Next-gen chips, Amazon Q, and speedy S3

Published

5 months ago

December 1, 2023

Max

AWS re:Invent, which has been taking place from November 27 and runs to December 1, has had its usual plethora of announcements: a total of 21 at time of print.

Perhaps not surprisingly, given the huge potential impact of generative AI – ChatGPT officially turns one year old today – a lot of focus has been on the AI side for AWS’ announcements, including a major partnership inked with NVIDIA across infrastructure, software, and services.

Yet there has been plenty more announced at the Las Vegas jamboree besides. Here, CloudTech rounds up the best of the rest:

Next-generation chips

This was the other major AI-focused announcement at re:Invent: the launch of two new chips, AWS Graviton4 and AWS Trainium2, for training and running AI and machine learning (ML) models, among other customer workloads. Graviton4 shapes up against its predecessor with 30% better compute performance, 50% more cores and 75% more memory bandwidth, while Trainium2 delivers up to four times faster training than before and will be able to be deployed in EC2 UltraClusters of up to 100,000 chips.

The EC2 UltraClusters are designed to ‘deliver the highest performance, most energy efficient AI model training infrastructure in the cloud’, as AWS puts it. With it, customers will be able to train large language models in ‘a fraction of the time’, as well as double energy efficiency.

As ever, AWS offers customers who are already utilising these tools. Databricks, Epic and SAP are among the companies cited as using the new AWS-designed chips.

Zero-ETL integrations

AWS announced new Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL, Amazon DynamoDB, and Amazon Relational Database Services (Amazon RDS) for MySQL integrations with Amazon Redshift, AWS’ cloud data warehouse. The zero-ETL integrations – eliminating the need to build ETL (extract, transform, load) data pipelines – make it easier to connect and analyse transactional data across various relational and non-relational databases in Amazon Redshift.

A simple example of how zero-ETL functions can be seen is in a hypothetical company which stores transactional data – time of transaction, items bought, where the transaction occurred – in a relational database, but use another analytics tool to analyse data in a non-relational database. To connect it all up, companies would previously have to construct ETL data pipelines which are a time and money sink.

The latest integrations “build on AWS’s zero-ETL foundation… so customers can quickly and easily connect all of their data, no matter where it lives,” the company said.

Amazon S3 Express One Zone

AWS announced the general availability of Amazon S3 Express One Zone, a new storage class purpose-built for customers’ most frequently-accessed data. Data access speed is up to 10 times faster and request costs up to 50% lower than standard S3. Companies can also opt to collocate their Amazon S3 Express One Zone data in the same availability zone as their compute resources.

Companies and partners who are using Amazon S3 Express One Zone include ChaosSearch, Cloudera, and Pinterest.

Amazon Q

A new product, and an interesting pivot, again with generative AI at its core. Amazon Q was announced as a ‘new type of generative AI-powered assistant’ which can be tailored to a customer’s business. “Customers can get fast, relevant answers to pressing questions, generate content, and take actions – all informed by a customer’s information repositories, code, and enterprise systems,” AWS added. The service also can assist companies building on AWS, as well as companies using AWS applications for business intelligence, contact centres, and supply chain management.

Customers cited as early adopters include Accenture, BMW and Wunderkind.

Want to learn more about cybersecurity and the cloud from industry leaders? Check out Cyber Security & Cloud Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.

TECHNOLOGY

HCLTech and Cisco create collaborative hybrid workplaces

Published

5 months ago

November 29, 2023

Max

Digital comms specialist Cisco and global tech firm HCLTech have teamed up to launch Meeting-Rooms-as-a-Service (MRaaS).

Available on a subscription model, this solution modernises legacy meeting rooms and enables users to join meetings from any meeting solution provider using Webex devices.

The MRaaS solution helps enterprises simplify the design, implementation and maintenance of integrated meeting rooms, enabling seamless collaboration for their globally distributed hybrid workforces.

Rakshit Ghura, senior VP and Global head of digital workplace services, HCLTech, said: “MRaaS combines our consulting and managed services expertise with Cisco’s proficiency in Webex devices to change the way employees conceptualise, organise and interact in a collaborative environment for a modern hybrid work model.

“The common vision of our partnership is to elevate the collaboration experience at work and drive productivity through modern meeting rooms.”

Alexandra Zagury, VP of partner managed and as-a-Service Sales at Cisco, said: “Our partnership with HCLTech helps our clients transform their offices through cost-effective managed services that support the ongoing evolution of workspaces.

“As we reimagine the modern office, we are making it easier to support collaboration and productivity among workers, whether they are in the office or elsewhere.”

Cisco’s Webex collaboration devices harness the power of artificial intelligence to offer intuitive, seamless collaboration experiences, enabling meeting rooms with smart features such as meeting zones, intelligent people framing, optimised attendee audio and background noise removal, among others.

Tags: Cisco, collaboration, HCLTech, Hybrid, meetings

TECHNOLOGY

Canonical releases low-touch private cloud MicroCloud

Published

5 months ago

November 28, 2023

Max

Canonical has announced the general availability of MicroCloud, a low-touch, open source cloud solution. MicroCloud is part of Canonical’s growing cloud infrastructure portfolio.

It is purpose-built for scalable clusters and edge deployments for all types of enterprises. It is designed with simplicity, security and automation in mind, minimising the time and effort to both deploy and maintain it. Conveniently, enterprise support for MicroCloud is offered as part of Canonical’s Ubuntu Pro subscription, with several support tiers available, and priced per node.

MicroClouds are optimised for repeatable and reliable remote deployments. A single command initiates the orchestration and clustering of various components with minimal involvement by the user, resulting in a fully functional cloud within minutes. This simplified deployment process significantly reduces the barrier to entry, putting a production-grade cloud at everyone’s fingertips.

Juan Manuel Ventura, head of architectures & technologies at Spindox, said: “Cloud computing is not only about technology, it’s the beating heart of any modern industrial transformation, driving agility and innovation. Our mission is to provide our customers with the most effective ways to innovate and bring value; having a complexity-free cloud infrastructure is one important piece of that puzzle. With MicroCloud, the focus shifts away from struggling with cloud operations to solving real business challenges” says

In addition to seamless deployment, MicroCloud prioritises security and ease of maintenance. All MicroCloud components are built with strict confinement for increased security, with over-the-air transactional updates that preserve data and roll back on errors automatically. Upgrades to newer versions are handled automatically and without downtime, with the mechanisms to hold or schedule them as needed.

With this approach, MicroCloud caters to both on-premise clouds but also edge deployments at remote locations, allowing organisations to use the same infrastructure primitives and services wherever they are needed. It is suitable for business-in-branch office locations or industrial use inside a factory, as well as distributed locations where the focus is on replicability and unattended operations.

Cedric Gegout, VP of product at Canonical, said: “As data becomes more distributed, the infrastructure has to follow. Cloud computing is now distributed, spanning across data centres, far and near edge computing appliances. MicroCloud is our answer to that.

“By packaging known infrastructure primitives in a portable and unattended way, we are delivering a simpler, more prescriptive cloud experience that makes zero-ops a reality for many Industries.“

MicroCloud’s lightweight architecture makes it usable on both commodity and high-end hardware, with several ways to further reduce its footprint depending on your workload needs. In addition to the standard Ubuntu Server or Desktop, MicroClouds can be run on Ubuntu Core – a lightweight OS optimised for the edge. With Ubuntu Core, MicroClouds are a perfect solution for far-edge locations with limited computing capabilities. Users can choose to run their workloads using Kubernetes or via system containers. System containers based on LXD behave similarly to traditional VMs but consume fewer resources while providing bare-metal performance.

Coupled with Canonical’s Ubuntu Pro + Support subscription, MicroCloud users can benefit from an enterprise-grade open source cloud solution that is fully supported and with better economics. An Ubuntu Pro subscription offers security maintenance for the broadest collection of open-source software available from a single vendor today. It covers over 30k packages with a consistent security maintenance commitment, and additional features such as kernel livepatch, systems management at scale, certified compliance and hardening profiles enabling easy adoption for enterprises. With per-node pricing and no hidden fees, customers can rest assured that their environment is secure and supported without the expensive price tag typically associated with cloud solutions.

Tags: automation, Canonical, MicroCloud, private cloud