23M Rebuilds Compute Platform Using KVM and API-First Approach

IT service provider 23M has announced the complete overhaul of its cloud server platform, transforming it into an open, API-first compute environment. This strategic shift moves away from rigid monthly packages towards granular, measurable resources including vCPU, RAM, storage, and network capacity.

The company cited clear customer feedback and internal technical goals as the primary drivers for the rebuild. Modern infrastructure users require predictable performance without interference from other tenants, seamless automation capabilities akin to Infrastructure as Code, and full control via API. Transparency in resource allocation and pricing was also identified as a key demand.

At the core of the new architecture is KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine), an open-source virtualization technology chosen for its minimal overhead, robust stability, and avoidance of vendor lock-in. The platform is orchestrated by Apache CloudStack, with specific adaptations made by 23M to meet its requirements. The goal is to provide foundational building blocks for customers to deploy their own complex environments, including Kubernetes clusters.

Network infrastructure supports live migration of virtual machines between physical hosts without user-perceptible interruption during maintenance. Each host node boasts a 50 Gbit/s connection, and the network is protected by built-in DDoS mitigation. Users can opt for private networks for internal services or equip instances with public IPv4 and IPv6 addresses.

For storage, 23M offers a two-tiered model: HA (High Availability) storage, utilizing Ceph for data replication across multiple systems to ensure resilience against hardware failure, and a High-IOPS option tailored for performance-intensive applications like databases.