I am missing companies like Sun/IBM/ATT
“Brilliant but Complex”
technologies you should know about:
They are dying for “too good”
File Systems:
- BTRFS: ZFS alternative, easier learning curve, good snapshots
- XFS: Enterprise performance, simpler than ZFS
- F2FS: For SSD-optimized setups
Networking:
BGP routing: If you ever need multi-homed connections
WireGuard: Modern VPN, much simpler than OpenVPN/IPSec
Cloudflare Tunnels: Bypass NAT/firewall issues easily
Database/Storage:
PostgreSQL: Like the "ZFS of databases" - complex but bulletproof
Redis: In-memory database, great for caching
MinIO: S3-compatible object storage
Monitoring (Critical!):
Prometheus + Grafana: Industry standard, worth learning
Netdata: Real-time monitoring, very easy setup
Security:
.
Technology Creators Reference
File Systems
| Technology | Original Creator/Company | Status | Notable Notes |
|---|
| ZFS | Sun Microsystems | Dead (2010) | Acquired by Oracle, “never loses data” |
| BTRFS | Oracle (Chris Mason) | Active | Oracle now owns both ZFS and BTRFS |
| XFS | Silicon Graphics (SGI) | Dead (2009) | Now maintained by Red Hat |
| F2FS | Samsung | Active | SSD-optimized filesystem |
Databases
| Technology | Original Creator/Company | Status | Notable Notes |
|---|
| PostgreSQL | UC Berkeley (Michael Stonebraker) | Academic/Community | “The ZFS of databases” |
| Redis | Salvatore Sanfilippo | Active (Redis Ltd) | In-memory database |
Networking
| Technology | Original Creator/Company | Status | Notable Notes |
|---|
| BGP | IBM/Cisco (1989) | Active/Standard | Internet routing protocol |
| WireGuard | Jason Donenfeld | Individual | Modern VPN, simpler than OpenVPN |
| Cloudflare Tunnels | Cloudflare | Active | Bypass NAT/firewall issues |
Storage & Object Storage
| Technology | Original Creator/Company | Status | Notable Notes |
|---|
| MinIO | MinIO Inc | Active | S3-compatible object storage |
Monitoring & Observability
| Technology | Original Creator/Company | Status | Notable Notes |
|---|
| Prometheus | SoundCloud | Pivoted Company | Now CNCF project |
| Grafana | Grafana Labs | Active | Visualization platform |
| Netdata | Netdata Inc | Active | Real-time monitoring |
Security
| Technology | Original Creator/Company | Status | Notable Notes |
|---|
| fail2ban | Cyril Jaquier | Individual/Community | Auto-ban brute force attacks |
| Let’s Encrypt | Internet Security Research Group | Non-profit | Free SSL certificates |
Pattern Analysis
Dead Companies That Created Lasting Technologies
- Sun Microsystems → ZFS (2010)
- Silicon Graphics (SGI) → XFS (2009)
- Bell Labs → Unix, C, many protocols
- DEC → PDP, VAX architectures
Academic Origins
- PostgreSQL → UC Berkeley
- BSD Unix → UC Berkeley
- TCP/IP → DARPA/Academic research
Individual Creators
- Redis → Salvatore Sanfilippo
- WireGuard → Jason Donenfeld
- fail2ban → Cyril Jaquier
Key Insight
Many of the most robust, long-lasting technologies come from:
- Dead companies that prioritized engineering excellence over profit
- Academic institutions focused on research rather than commercial success
- Individual creators driven by technical passion
This explains why technologies from Sun, SGI, and Bell Labs remain industry standards decades after their creators disappeared.