Cudo Compute Redefines Computing with the World’s First Democratized Cloud Platform

TL; DR: Cudo Compute is a distributed cloud platform and marketplace that connects users with available compute resources in datacenters around the globe. In an effort to build a fairer cloud environment, Cudo Compute targets underutilized servers to provide businesses with the high-level computing power they need to support their projects. This way, Cudo can reduce energy waste and deliver flexible access to resources for a lower price. Its democratized platform allows users to improve proximity to their workloads, rent servers with more flexibility, and find the compute availability they need without the constraints of a centralized cloud hub.

Vacations aren’t complete without suitable accommodations for the trip. Most people want a place to relax after a long day of sightseeing. But everyone’s needs are different, and that’s why flexibility is key when searching for a vacation spot. Websites, such as Airbnb, allow users to look for places that align with what they need for a specific destination. They aren’t limited to a specific price range, location, or housing style. Users can even go off the grid and book a cabin near a secluded lake in the woods if that’s all they want.

But what if you could have that same freedom of choice with cloud computing too?

Many businesses seek to leverage the cloud to fuel their high-powered projects but often can’t find the solution that fits their needs. Cudo Compute partners with enterprises and datacenters to provide users with a distributed cloud platform and marketplace that can power their unique workloads without constraints. Users can filter their searches on the Cudo marketplace for price, region, CPU vendor, and storage to find the right cloud solution for their business.

“We target secure datacenter locations, whether that’s available compute run in a datacenter or compute run by an enterprise in a datacenter. And we’re building a platform that enables people who need resources to search for them, find them, and then deploy them in a simple fashion. It’s about freedom of choice,” said Gary Negus, the Business Development Manager at Cudo Compute.

But what truly makes Cudo Compute unique is its move to create a fairer cloud environment accessible to everyone. Sustainability is a prominent factor in Cudo’s operations and serves as a foundation of its efficient cloud platform. Gary told us that, on average, computers sit idle more than half the time, which leads to energy waste. This waste represents 60% of a server’s lifetime carbon footprint. So Cudo Compute built its platform to tackle underutilized cloud resources and make them available to users who need them.

“If we can make it simpler for people to access underutilized resources, that does help them redefine the economics of how they invest and how they use computing power. Adding the option of Cudo Compute’s distributed cloud environment into their resources pool enables companies to move beyond limiting themselves to a few centralized computing hubs and take advantage of available compute wherever it is in the world,” said Gary.

Cudo Compute created its company to make cloud computing more efficient and accessible to a larger group of people. Sustainability plays a significant role in increasing the efficiency of the cloud environment since more information has come out about the negative impact of unchecked server networks. Gary shared with us that many businesses build datacenters but don’t typically reach the peak utilization of their servers throughout the year. To develop a more sustainable economy, Cudo Compute targets underutilized servers and partners with the datacenters that possess them to list them on the market.

“As we progress, that infrastructure our partners built can become part of the contribution. We help them redefine the economics of their investment in compute infrastructure by lowering their costs when they burst above their in-house capacity and providing an avenue to monetize their infrastructure when they’re underutilizing it, driving toward more efficient use of available resources,” said Gary.

Cudo Compute’s mission is to connect people who need resources to businesses with spare or idle capacity. These datacenters and enterprises publish their available resources on Cudo Compute’s cloud marketplace for users to rent, allowing the cloud industry to reduce waste. But Cudo Compute doesn’t choose just any business to join its partnership program.

“Looking at the supply side of the equation, we have a queue of people looking to work with us. We are trying to be selective and are conscious about bringing people on board. There’s stewardship there, so we want to make sure that the concept gets established correctly,” Gary said.

For its fairer cloud to be successful, Cudo Compute needs conscious cloud suppliers who understand the importance of its mission. Gary said the Cudo team is taking its time on the growth front to vet and ensure that its working practices and those of its partners align because losing sight of its sustainable mission is not an option.

Although a centralized cloud platform will always be essential, Cudo Compute offers users a level of flexibility that can only be found in its distributed platform. Cudo Compute’s democratized approach makes it accessible to multiple people, no matter their budget or location needs. One of its top priorities is allowing users to access resources regardless of location.

“Enabling people to select from available resources that are closer to the point of origin of data to process near the point of origin or near the point of delivery, depending on the service they’re trying to deliver, gives them flexibility and creates a reduction in latency and transit costs, and all around benefit. The end consumer then gets a better experience,” said Gary.

Watch on

Cudo’s framework also gives users more choices on price points and plan duration. Users can browse Cudo’s marketplace and configure various types of plans with hourly or monthly prices. “We don’t have requirements for 30-day or 90-day contracts that you run into. There are various options we can do there, but in general, it’s pay-as-you-go. You perceive a price publicly and know what you’re paying for with no hidden costs,” said Jim Freeman, Product Manager at Cudo Compute.

Users can leverage the flexibility of Cudo Compute’s marketplace to choose resources that fit their specific needs. Cudo allows users to deploy with proximity, select from a diverse range of GPUs and CPUs, and save on costs from a competitive marketplace.

Cudo Compute doesn’t necessarily have a target audience but instead caters to specific use cases. Gary said most customers leverage Cudo’s cloud platform as an ancillary source for their high-power computing projects and workloads. Cudo Compute steps in to help businesses with budget and other constraints to do more with less, which involves flexible access to high-powered computing resources.

Gary also told us that AI, machine learning, and 3D graphics rendering are key market drivers for Cudo Compute’s adoption. All of these practices require high-level computing power, so many users come to Cudo to support those applications.

“They’re all sectors that are growing exponentially in terms of demand. And they need access to high-power compute, so we give them another mechanism for finding that compute at the right price point for the project they’re running,” said Gary.

Cudo Compute users can filter through its catalog of partners to find the exact vendor and value they need, whether it’s support for edge workloads or compute for a digital twinning project.

Cudo Compute is setting out in 2023 to increase availability by onboarding new cloud supply partners. Gary said last year was all about establishing the demand-side experience and building an architecture that can support users through web interface, API, Terraform, Smart Contracts, and other pieces. But now, the focus has turned to the supplier side, making the platform more accessible by expanding its hardware locations.

“We see ourselves as solving problems for people who want access to compute resources and those who have compute resources and aren’t using them as efficiently as possible. So helping companies rebalance their utilization and making it more accessible for suppliers to join are the key focuses I’m most excited about,” said Gary.

Cudo Compute looks to be an additional route to market for its supply partners to help them deliver traffic more efficiently to their platforms. The Cudo team plans to simplify its onboarding process for suppliers so they won’t have to jump through hoops to get on its marketplace. The team also listens to customer feedback to improve its platform.

“All of our customers are keen on sustainability, right to the point where it costs them money. So what we’re focused on is making sure that we deliver a sustainable, economic as well as environmental platform for customers,” said Gary.