article by Dr Bikash Kali Das
Alibaba Cloud, also known as “APASARA”, has been a game-changer in the world of cloud computing since its establishment in 2009. It is the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group, offering a complete suite of cloud services to customers worldwide.
The name “APASARA” comes from a Sanskrit word that refers to a class of female celestial beings found in Hindu and Buddhist culture. The name is a fitting tribute to the company’s mission of providing its customers with cutting-edge, otherworldly technology.
One of the key offerings of Alibaba Cloud is the “Apsara Stack”, a full-stack cloud solution designed for enterprise-level customers who require a highly capable and flexible hybrid cloud solution. It offers a range of services, including elastic computing, database, storage, network virtualization services, large-scale computing, security, management, and application services, big data analytics, a machine learning platform, and IoT services.
The annual “Apsara Conference” organized by Alibaba Cloud in Hangzhou is a major event for the tech industry. It brings together world-leading innovators and tech experts to discuss important tech breakthroughs and product announcements by Alibaba Group.
Alibaba Cloud has recently announced the launch of the “Apsara Developer Community” to support global developers through an enhanced provision of diverse developer tools and resources. This community aims to support the growth of the developer community while facilitating the progress of the digital economy across markets. The community offers resources and insights into the rising technology trends ranging from Web3, AI to digital intelligence, including access to a slew of new development tools and latest projects, training materials and tutorials, forums and blogs, community events and competitions to showcase their application development, and other upskilling and networking opportunities.
As part of its commitment to supporting the developer ecosystem, Alibaba Cloud has also launched the “Alibaba SMART Scholarship” to encourage students to join the developer community with cloud-based technologies and become local digital talents. During the first year of this annual scholarship program, 20 interns from universities will be recruited to join Alibaba Cloud’s local offices to gain more field experience.
Alibaba Cloud is also a significant contributor to the open-source community. With over 30,000 contributors, it has contributed to over 2,700 open-source projects on Github. The leading cloud provider is also a key member in various open-source communities such as Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), The Linux Foundation, and RISC-V International.
In conclusion, Alibaba Cloud’s “APASARA” is a highly capable and flexible hybrid cloud solution that has been a game-changer in the world of cloud computing. With its comprehensive suite of cloud services, commitment to supporting the developer ecosystem, and significant contributions to the open-source community, it is well-positioned to continue its growth and innovation in the years to come.
