Google Patent Makes Cloud Infrastructure Simpler

Who said cloud infrastructure needs to be complicated? 

Google is seeking to patent a system for “cloud infrastructure management” that essentially aims to simplify the process of adjusting cloud infrastructure capacity and needs for non-experts. 

Instead of writing code or commands to adjust cloud infrastructure, the graphical user interface lets users visually click, drag and drop to handle tasks such as deploying more servers or additional networks.  

The system then turns these commands into “abstract configuration data,” which are converted to an “infrastructure-as-code” format that the cloud system can actually work with. That code is added to a configuration file, which is then used to modify the cloud set-up. All of these changes are tracked and stored in a “source control management system” to ensure traceability. 

While it sounds complex, the end-goal is simple: Making cloud configurations easier for enterprises that aren’t technically inclined. And patenting this kind of tech could benefit Google in more ways than one. 

For starters, cloud demand has skyrocketed amid growing AI usage: Gartner predicts cloud spending will grow 21.4% in 2025, hitting more than $723 billion. Plus, the so-called “big three” cloud providers – Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud – held roughly two thirds of market share in the fourth quarter of last year. Google Cloud sits third place among these providers with 12% market share, while Azure holds 21% and AWS holds 30%, according to CRN. 

As growth in the cloud market shows no signs of stopping, any cloud-related IP – especially inventions that simplify this complex technology – stands to benefit Google.