The underlying architecture chosen by first-generation
cloud providers borrowed heavily from the server consolidation and virtualization era. The major difference was that the pools of compute cores were now being deployed as public-facing services, versus running the previous generation of siloed applications. Unfortunately, the resulting inefficiencies prevent full realization of the cloud promise of truly low-cost, high-performing, elastic computing. In response, Joyent has emerged as a second generation provider, rethinking fundamental cloud
architecture, and ushering in the era of what it calls ÒSmart Computing.Ó