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| Photo by cottonbro studio |
I. INTRODUCTION
Although there is no universally accepted definition of the Metaverse, it is theoretically envisioned as a persistent, all-encompassing virtual world where users can primarily lead digital lives. This interconnected virtual space should integrate various virtual environments, allowing people to perform many activities currently done in the physical world within a single platform [1]. The Metaverse can also signal the future direction of the internet: it seems to suggest a trend where users experience a ubiquitous and persistent virtual layer that surrounds or immerses them [2].
It is difficult to assess the actual impact of the Metaverse and how long its development will take until it reaches its full potential, considering that the status of the Metaverse remains uncertain, with ongoing debate regarding whether it represents merely a rebranding of existing technologies [3], or heralds a genuine revolutionary shift. Indeed, the Metaverse, frequently addressed as the evolution of the internet [4] or an entirely immersive internet [5], could add an additional dimension to human experience or fall short of expectations and turn out to be an empty facade [6].
Although it is expected to further evolve in the coming years to adapt to society’s needs and expectations, its core attributes have been roughly identified: persistence, immersivity, massiveness, synchronicity, digital and real, economy, and interoperability [6]. Some scholars proposed also a model named “SPICE” that includes seamlessness, presence, interoperability, concurrence, and economic flow as general characteristics of the Metaverse [7].
There is some form of consensus over the fundamental technologies that should be involved in the Metaverse; in fact, the Metaverse is often associated with Blockchain and Cryptocurrency, Augmented (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) [5], Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Internet of Things (IoT). Efficient real-time computation would be vital to provide an immersive experience based on multi-modal data [8], given the diverse data types which are foreseen to be utilized within the Metaverse [9] (e.g., visual, audio, textual, sensor, user interaction, network data and metadata [10]). The Metaverse is also expected to grow exponentially in terms of users, content, and interactions: in 2023, the World Economic Forum reported an expected customer base for the Metaverse of over 700 million users by the year 2030 [11].
In the light of this, cloud computing might represent a likely and logical paradigm for the Metaverse, with its computing and storage resources [8] and ability to scale seamlessly. Cloud technologies encompass a broad range of services and infrastructures that provide on-demand access to computing resources, storage, and applications over the internet [12]. One of the key aspects of cloud technologies relevant to the Metaverse is scalability. Indeed, cloud computing is branded to offer elastic scalability, with the ability to dynamically allocate and adjust resources based on demand (see [13]). This might ensure that the infrastructure supporting the Metaverse will handle spikes in traffic and accommodate its expanding ecosystem [14] without compromising performance or reliability. Moreover, cloud technologies aim to provide flexibility and agility, which might enable rapid development, deployment, and iteration of Metaverse applications and services. Developers could leverage cloud-based tools and platforms to experiment, innovate, and iterate more quickly, accelerating the pace of Metaverse evolution.
Researchers have delved into the concept of crafting an appropriate architecture for Metaverse applications that would harness the capabilities of cloud technologies and have suggested a range of methodologies. For example, one such approach might involve a hierarchical cluster-based architecture, drawing on the stateless architecture principle of cloud-native applications and leveraging gossip protocols. In this model, each Metaverse application is assigned a dedicated cluster, optimized to ensure responsiveness and efficiency, with interactions between clusters facilitated by load balancers [15].
To explore possible interactions between cloud technologies and the Metaverse, this contribution aims to (1) outline the Metaverse requirements in line with prevailing expectations regarding its envisioned form and functionality, (2) illustrate what could be considered the most appropriate interaction between cloud technologies and the Metaverse, and finally (3) formulate conclusions to forecast potential outcomes and advancements. This research employs qualitative methods and establishes the framework for further investigation into the capability of current cloud providers in supporting the development of the Metaverse.
(in development...)
