Internet innovations - software is eating the world : software-defined ecosystems and the related innovations result in a programmable enterprise

The emergence of cloud computing infrastructure has spurred the development of software-defined ecosystems, a platform for software innovations. This essay argues that this is a significant shift in infrastructure and economics. The "Old IP" is a rigid architecture hardware-based infrastructure that supports standards-based innovation. In contrast, today's "New IP" is software-centric, fluid in topology infrastructure that can scale clients and resources on demand. The Internet's key innovation, software-defined infrastructure, is the critical core of today's computing, storage, and communications networks. It also serves as a platform to develop innovations that include Open Stack and Applications Protocol Interfaces (APIs), continuous delivery and DevOps for software development, the use of containers "fog computing," and blockchains. Firms become "programmable enterprises," their competitiveness and dynamism defined by these innovations.