Ruslan Synytsky, the man who created Jelastic, chatted with Brazilian hosting provider Locaweb and revealed how cloud computing is changing the relationship of people to the Internet.
Below is the translated interview by Rodrigo Laurel
When I met Ruslan, he did not seem to be the creator of one of the most revolutionary cloud computing services in the world, Jelastic, adopted by Locaweb. His resume is impressive. Ruslan led engineering teams and software architecture in iQueLab, SolovatSoft and Datamesh and was one of the main engineers of Ukraine's National Space Agency
Even so, he was not wearing a refined suit, but instead, just ordinary clothes with comfortable walking shoes. And so, at ease, the expert shared with me a little of their history and their experiences.
Rodrigo: Why is there still some difficulty to understand the concept of cloud computing?
Ruslan: I think the definition of cloud computing is very clear. I think what people do not understand well is the term platform as a service, or PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service) and its variations. But, in general, do not care about the classifications, because what they want are the same solutions. Therefore, we do not try to push a specific resolution for the customer. Instead, we try to give opportunities offering freedom of choice and focusing our efforts on what really matters, engineering and architecture.
Rodrigo: Is it safe to send files to the cloud or is it better to invest in physical data protection?
Ruslan: This varies greatly depending on the profile of each. In addition to the financial investment, you need to have specialized professionals to build an efficient security system as Locaweb, for example. As this is not always possible. I believe that today the cloud resources are already good enough and reliable, making them very safe.
Rodrigo: You have done significant work before founding Jelastic, such as working for the Space Agency of Ukraine
Ruslan: It was a pleasant experience. At that moment I realized that I really enjoyed working. I had a very interesting job in the engineering field and we were developing important and complex solutions, which could benefit the whole of Ukraine. The pay was not the best [laughs], but it was a good learning experience.
Rodrigo: What information did you absorb in other experiences when developing Jelastic?
Ruslan: I worked with several startups and that was very positive. These companies sometimes focus more on the technology side, leaving the question of business a little aside, and to act on them is great because you learn different languages and techniques. Indeed, it was during this time that I realized that some processes were very complex and needed a simpler solution. Clearly there was room for more automation.
Rodrigo: And then Jelastic was born.
Ruslan: Exactly. We worked on Jelastic for two years and we were building something similar to Google App Engine. We created a prototype and, after a while, we realized that it would not work for business. We had a good product, but it would not be cost effective because we would have to go up against giant competitors. So we thought that maybe we could create something similar, but for Java. It was then that we decided not to offer a direct service, but enabling technology companies like Locaweb to do it for us.
Locaweb was very important to make Jelastic a popular product in the Brazilian market, as investment and confidence in our PaaS gave us credibility. We have great interest in Brazil and we believe Jelastic will grow here.
Rodrigo: What makes Jelastic so special compared to competitors?
Ruslan: I believe that freedom of choice differentiates Jelastic from the competition. The platform offers real freedom for those who want to choose different technologies and opt for service companies in several countries. Because we want to give the customer speed, this flexibility makes Jelastic a special product
Rodrigo: What is the big challenge now for the development of technology?
Ruslan: We are growing fast, and this is already a challenge. It's a good time and we want to deliver a quality product; always improve. This is a big challenge for us.
Rodrigo: What has the acceptance of Jelastic been like in the Brazilian market? What was the importance of Locaweb this context?
Ruslan: I confess that we were surprised by the good reception we had here. Locaweb was very important to make Jelastic a popular product in the Brazilian market, as they invested in our technology and gave us credibility. We have great interest in Brazil and we believe Jelastic will grow here.
Rodrigo: Have you seen the information technology landscape in Brazil?
Ruslan: It is difficult to generalize situations, because I'm not very familiar with the subject. But I believe we are in a good time. Proof of this is that people are building and developing services. We have to keep working at a higher level of technology in Brazil. Implement services that other countries have already implemented and thus continue growing.
Rodrigo: What tips would you give to those who are starting in the area?
Ruslan: Do what you want. If you are not happy in the universe in which it operates, it’s probably not in the right way. Of course you can not be happy 100% of the time, but you have to like what you do. Work more and keep up to date with the trends. If you want to succeed, you have to work hard and cannot be deterred by bad results.
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Thanks to Locaweb and Rodrigo for sharing the interview with us!
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