6 ms·

Netflix Architect on High Availability and Lessons Learned in the Cloud

86 points by nikhilkmenon 13y ago

tortilla 13y ago
I love their github page: http://netflix.github.io/ http://netflix.github.io/
- nikhilkmenon 13y ago
  Very creative github page. The apps named like movie titles and the UI looks like their Netflix movie browser.
sync 13y ago
The old Netflix DVD shipping service still runs on the old code base on top of a few large Oracle databases. Interestingly put. I didn't realize their DVD service is so neglected -- wonder how long it will be around?
- incision 13y ago
  Is it actually "neglected" if the existing service works reliably under a continually decreasing load [0]? Surely the actual time in transit makes up the overwhelming majority of time of DVD service and mail is generally a once per day delivery. Not much point in optimizing what isn't broken in the electronic portion of that operation. 0: http://gigaom.com/2013/10/21/when-will-netflix-kill-its-dvd-subscriptions/ http://gigaom.com/2013/10/21/when-will-netflix-kill-its-dvd-...
- jlgaddis 13y ago
  From another point of view, one could say it's already been fine-tuned and is running quite well as is. In that case, why bother messing with it?
  - jamesaguilar 13y ago
    On some level, this is the profitability dream. Engineer something that doesn't cost a lot to run, doesn't need to be changed, and makes a ton of money. Engineers don't like to hear it, because it means less demand for our services, but it's what's best for business. You can't always drive increased revenue through increased R&D. At this point, substantially everyone who wants a DVD delivery service uses Netflix. As long as someone doesn't come out with a service that makes it significantly easier to rent DVDs over the internet, and as long as attrition caused by the software is very low, any more money spent on Netflix's DVD service is throwing bad money after good.
tzakrajs 13y ago
Adrian left Netflix: http://www.battery.com/our-team/member/adrian-cockcroft/ http://www.battery.com/our-team/member/adrian-cockcroft/
- akbar501 13y ago
  I guess it's a good time to be in Battery's portfolio. Adrian is absolutely brilliant. Also, that's a big loss for Netflix. I'm sure they have a lot of smart people, but losing someone of Andrian's caliber is not something that can be easily replaced.
aruggirello 13y ago
Talking about High Availability... the site was horribly slow to load.
- conorgil145 13y ago
  The interview is hosted on infoq.com and Adrian (the one being interviewed) is discussing Netflix's architecture. Not really related, though a bit ironic I suppose...
jebblue 13y ago
Their Rxjava looks interesting. Too bad us Ubuntu Desktop Linux users with paid Netflix accounts can't watch our movies in Google Chrome yet Crackle movies play just fine. MGo movies too. Odd.
guiomie 13y ago
Anyone familiar with how netflix sorts and delivers their poster repository ? Their OSS stuff on github has nothing for that.
niio 13y ago

86 points by nikhilkmenon 13y ago

tortilla 13y ago

I love their github page: http://netflix.github.io/ http://netflix.github.io/

nikhilkmenon 13y ago
Very creative github page. The apps named like movie titles and the UI looks like their Netflix movie browser.

sync 13y ago

The old Netflix DVD shipping service still runs on the old code base on top of a few large Oracle databases. Interestingly put. I didn't realize their DVD service is so neglected -- wonder how long it will be around?

incision 13y ago
Is it actually "neglected" if the existing service works reliably under a continually decreasing load [0]? Surely the actual time in transit makes up the overwhelming majority of time of DVD service and mail is generally a once per day delivery. Not much point in optimizing what isn't broken in the electronic portion of that operation. 0: http://gigaom.com/2013/10/21/when-will-netflix-kill-its-dvd-subscriptions/ http://gigaom.com/2013/10/21/when-will-netflix-kill-its-dvd-...
jlgaddis 13y ago
From another point of view, one could say it's already been fine-tuned and is running quite well as is. In that case, why bother messing with it?
- jamesaguilar 13y ago
  On some level, this is the profitability dream. Engineer something that doesn't cost a lot to run, doesn't need to be changed, and makes a ton of money. Engineers don't like to hear it, because it means less demand for our services, but it's what's best for business. You can't always drive increased revenue through increased R&D. At this point, substantially everyone who wants a DVD delivery service uses Netflix. As long as someone doesn't come out with a service that makes it significantly easier to rent DVDs over the internet, and as long as attrition caused by the software is very low, any more money spent on Netflix's DVD service is throwing bad money after good.

tzakrajs 13y ago

Adrian left Netflix: http://www.battery.com/our-team/member/adrian-cockcroft/ http://www.battery.com/our-team/member/adrian-cockcroft/

akbar501 13y ago
I guess it's a good time to be in Battery's portfolio. Adrian is absolutely brilliant. Also, that's a big loss for Netflix. I'm sure they have a lot of smart people, but losing someone of Andrian's caliber is not something that can be easily replaced.

aruggirello 13y ago

Talking about High Availability... the site was horribly slow to load.

conorgil145 13y ago
The interview is hosted on infoq.com and Adrian (the one being interviewed) is discussing Netflix's architecture. Not really related, though a bit ironic I suppose...

jebblue 13y ago

Their Rxjava looks interesting. Too bad us Ubuntu Desktop Linux users with paid Netflix accounts can't watch our movies in Google Chrome yet Crackle movies play just fine. MGo movies too. Odd.

guiomie 13y ago

Anyone familiar with how netflix sorts and delivers their poster repository ? Their OSS stuff on github has nothing for that.

niio 13y ago