Distributed systems have emerged as a game-changer, reshaping how apps are designed, deployed, and maintained. As the demand for scalable, reliable, and high-performance applications grows, so does the need for engineers’ adept in distributed systems. We spoke to Myles Sanigar and Michael Banner who gave us a run down on distributed systems themselves and the skills needed to forge a career working with distributed systems.

What Are Distributed Systems?

In simple terms, a distributed system is a network of independent computers that work together to appear as a single cohesive system to the user. Unlike centralized systems, where a single server handles all tasks, distributed systems spread the workload across multiple nodes, enhancing performance, scalability, and reliability.

For instance, consider a web application using microservices for different functionalities, such as a payment service, an inventory service, and a user authentication service. Each service runs on separate servers but interacts seamlessly, providing a smooth user experience.

The Rising Demand

The shift towards distributed systems is driving a surge in opportunities for software engineers. Companies across many industries recognise the benefits of distributed architectures and are keen to harness their potential. Here are some key areas opportunity is growing and seeing high demand:

Cloud Platforms

With the widespread adoption of cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, businesses are increasingly relying on distributed infrastructures. Engineers who can design, deploy, and manage applications on these platforms are highly sought after.

Microservices and Microfrontends

The trend towards microservices and microfrontends is transforming how applications are built. Engineers who can decompose monolithic applications into smaller, manageable services are essential for modern software development.

Big Data and Real-Time Analytics

Distributed systems are crucial for handling large volumes of data and real-time analytics. Engineers who understand distributed databases and data processing frameworks are critical for leveraging big data technologies.

Enhanced User Experience

Companies aiming to improve user experience through faster load times and reliable services need engineers proficient in distributed systems to implement and maintain these capabilities.

Skills And Your Career

Having hands-on experience with cloud technologies is probably the strongest thing. If you're just entering the industry, having exposure to the terms such as serverless, event-driven architecture, microservices etc is probably enough to get you going. If you're looking for a more senior role, having hands-on experience in something like AWS or Azure will go a long way, as you will have experienced some of the challenges that come with distributed systems such as eventual consistency, orchestration, scaling, cost optimisation etc.

A softer skill that is also relevant is the notion of domain-driven design. This can help clearly understand and define the boundaries (or bounded contexts) between different distributed systems in play, as well as helping alignment with the business goals.

Stay In The Know

As ever, you can stay up to date on the latest roles by keeping in touch with us here at Uniting Cloud! Contact us or connect with me on linkedin – we’d be happy to explore the next steps in your career.