Expanding equitable access to cloud infrastructure for Tampa Bay's developer community.
If there’s one idea at the core of Tampa Devs, it’s that technology should be a tool for all, and not a privilege for some.
So in a bold move to help bridge the digital divide, the Tampa Devs Public Cloud Project is revolutionizing access to technology for the Tampa Bay community. Spearheaded by Justin Herron, a Navy veteran with a penchant for problem-solving, this initiative offers free cloud infrastructure to local schools and universities.
Before becoming an engineer, Herron worked in hospitals, sales, finance, and even flirted with becoming a stock broker. But now that he’s found his calling in cloud engineering, Herron believes in using technology to help others own their success—the same way he did.
"When I first discovered Linux, it was during a time I was very lost,” Herron recalls.
“I sat in my small apartment for three straight days and taught myself how to compile a Linux kernel. I failed at building the kernel forty-seven times in a row, but on the forty-eighth attempt the system booted. From my perspective, you can either wait for someone to teach you how to get things done or you can own the process of failing over and over again until you succeed.”
It’s this same passion for problem-solving and a commitment to open-source principles that came together to help create the Tampa Devs Public Cloud Project.
Tampa Devs, a community-focused organization based in Tampa, Florida, was founded by Vincent Tang and Charlton Trezevant in 2021, and is dedicated to supporting and nurturing the local tech community. That’s where the genesis of the cloud project came together—during a serendipitous meeting between Herron and Trezevant at a Tampa Devs career forum.
When Trezevant approached Herron to build an open-source cloud for the community, Herron was excited to put his skills to use to make it happen. The project also received a significant boost when Joe Vita, CEO of Ace Host, committed to supporting their vision by providing essential resources such as equipment, utilities, and space.
The best part? This cloud infrastructure capable of supporting local organizations, public schools, and universities comes at no cost to the public.
Considering that end-user spending on cloud computing services is projected to reach $800 billion by the end of 2028, the Tampa Devs Public Cloud Project is a game-changer for public institutions pinching precious pennies.
"This technology was not built by sales; it was standardized by academics, designed and built by engineers, and bootstrapped by developers and technicians,” Herron explains.
“I get we are all here to make money and we all have bills to pay. But what really bothers me is when companies take from open source and give nothing back.”
Where big tech companies fall short in community contribution, the technology powering the Tampa Devs Public Cloud Project has a lot to give. The cloud infrastructure, boasting 67.5 TiB of storage, over 300 GB of RAM, and 48 CPU cores, is designed to be a powerhouse of computing resources. The project's ability to offer segments of this capacity to educational institutions at no cost is potentially life-changing for students and teachers, as it effectively removes one major financial barrier to high-quality technology education.
"Let's say a group of students want to start a club named 'The Cloud Compute Club.’ They would need to procure funding for resources and go through a lengthy process filled with paperwork and approvals. This project removes all of that, and allows students to just start working on their projects."
The Tampa Devs Public Cloud was officially launched during the Tampa Devs BayHacks 2024 Hackathon in February. Participants engaged in testing their code on virtual machines, employing the cloud's capabilities for the very first time and providing a practical testbed for its features and functionality. The event allowed Herron to collect valuable feedback on how to further refine the cloud to meet developers' needs more effectively.
The journey of the Tampa Devs Public Cloud Project is far from over, and Herron is eager to join forces with fellow tech enthusiasts to continue the momentum. If you're a developer looking to collaborate with peers, Herron assures you there's a welcoming spot for you within the Tampa Devs community.
"Tampa Devs is an easy channel for people to come into—all you have to do is try. Anyone interested in learning about software engineering or using Tampa Devs to further their career is welcome. The cloud project is Tampa Devs giving people the opportunity to own their success."
Herron and his pup, Maya, invite you to connect on the Tampa Devs Slack channel or to come up and say “hi” if you happen to run into each other at a networking event. You can break the ice by asking him to say something to you in Norwegian, or to tell you the story of his trip to Norway to get his sleeve tattoo. Or, you could just bond over your shared love of Australian Shepards.
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