From Cloud‑Native to Open‑Source: Challenges and Opportunities – Chen Kai’s Keynote at the 2021 Open Source AceCon

At the 2021 Open Source AceCon, jointly organized by VMware, Intel, PingCAP, EMQ, and Lingque Cloud, Chen Kai, founder and CTO of Lingque Cloud, delivered a keynote titled “From Cloud‑Native to Open‑Source: Challenges and Opportunities.”

He reflected on the past two decades, noting that open‑source and cloud computing have become the dominant software development and delivery models, and that cloud‑native sits at the intersection of these trends.

Chen described Lingque Cloud’s journey since 2014, its focus on container and Kubernetes technologies, and its contributions such as Kube‑OVN, which was donated to CNCF and has seen over 1.6 million downloads.

The talk then outlined three common open‑source commercial models: (1) pure‑open‑source with paid services and support (e.g., Red Hat), (2) Open Core where core code is free but extensions are proprietary, and (3) SaaS/hosted services that charge for managed operation.

He examined how public‑cloud providers challenge each model by offering comparable managed services, potentially eroding the value proposition of open‑source vendors.

Chen argued that the real issue lies in sustainable business models rather than licensing, emphasizing the need for open‑source companies to recoup value and reinvest in the community.

He further discussed the impact of cloud computing on open‑source, highlighting Kubernetes as a portable, cloud‑native operating system that enables multi‑cloud and edge deployments, and serves as a neutral foundation for a vibrant ecosystem.

From a governance perspective, he advocated for neutral foundations (e.g., CNCF) to mediate between vendors, prevent a “prisoner’s dilemma,” and ensure fair value distribution.

In conclusion, Chen asserted that cloud computing will not eliminate open‑source; instead, cloud‑native represents an open‑source movement that will continue to drive an increasingly open cloud landscape.