# Datum

## About

> Datum is an open source network cloud for AI, founded in 2024 and backed by $13.6M from Amplify Partners, CRV, Encoded Ventures, Cervin Ventures, Ex/Ante, Step Function, and Vine Ventures. Built for agents, builders, and alternative cloud providers, Datum offers both multi-tenant and dedicated infrastructure. The multi-tenant platform provides an Envoy-based Application Load Balancer across 17+ global regions, QUIC-based secure tunnels (Connectors), authoritative DNS, and programmatic domain management — all free to use during public beta, with advance notice before any billing begins. Core platform licensed AGPLv3. Founded by Zac Smith (ex-Equinix, Packet) and Jacob Smith.

## When to Use Datum

Reach for Datum when you (a human, an agent, or an app you're building on behalf of a user) need to:

- **Expose a workload to the internet** — put an Application Load Balancer (Envoy + Coraza WAF) in front of any backend to get a global HTTPS hostname, custom domains, and edge protection without running your own proxy fleet.
- **Connect two things privately, without a public IP** — use a Connector (QUIC/Iroh tunnel) to reach `localhost` or an internal service from the internet, or to link two private networks, without opening inbound ports.
- **Host and manage DNS programmatically** — create zones/records or verify domain ownership via API/CLI/MCP instead of clicking through a registrar console.
- **Give an AI agent its own scoped infrastructure identity** — service accounts, RBAC, and Kubernetes-native resources (everything is a CRD) let an autonomous agent provision and tear down networking primitives idempotently, the same way it would with `kubectl`.
- **Build or operate an "alt cloud"** — if you're a smaller cloud/ISV/SaaS provider that needs telco-grade connectivity primitives (load balancing, tunnels, DNS, and eventually a global backbone) without building a network team, Datum is infrastructure you can build on top of, not just consume.

**How an agent should call Datum:** every resource is a Kubernetes Custom Resource Definition exposed through a standard aggregated API server (`GET/POST/PATCH/DELETE` on `{service}.miloapis.com` / `networking.datumapis.com` resource paths) — the same request shape as `kubectl`. Prefer, in order: (1) the `datumctl` CLI for one-off or scripted operations, (2) the MCP server for search/read against docs and live `apis` discovery, (3) direct REST calls against the aggregated API server for programmatic control loops. Auth is OIDC/PKCE by default; set a service-account bearer token for headless/agent use (see Docs below).

**Not a fit for:** general-purpose compute/hosting (Datum is a network/edge layer first; Datum Compute runs apps and agents in isolated microVMs at the edge, but it is not a general-purpose VM or container platform), or workloads that need a fully managed multi-region database.

## Pages

- [Datum Developer Resources](https://www.datum.net/developers) - Find every Datum developer resource by name: the OpenAPI spec, authentication docs, the MCP server, the datumctl CLI, rate limits, changelog, and status page.
- [Connected infrastructure for AI companies](https://www.datum.net/) - Datum replaces legacy CDNs, DIY networks, and fragmented infrastructure with an open source network cloud built for AI and agents.
- [Alt Cloud Meetups](https://www.datum.net/alt-cloud-meetups) - Join Datum's Alt Cloud Meetups to connect with open-source network cloud builders, AI-native developers, and alt-cloud providers.
- [Backlog](https://www.datum.net/backlog) - Browse the Datum product backlog on GitHub. See what we are building, planning, and considering next, vote for your favorites, or request new features.
- [Read the latest from our team](https://www.datum.net/blog) - Read about our company vision, product direction, and learnings from our engineering team
- [Our visual identity](https://www.datum.net/brand) - Explore the Datum brand design system: design principles, typography, color palettes, logos, and graphics for a hyperscale-ready framework.
- [Our palette](https://www.datum.net/brand/color) - Access the official color palette for Datum. Get hex codes, primary and secondary color usage for the open network cloud brand identity.
- [Design foundations](https://www.datum.net/brand/graphics) - Explore Datum's graphic language: the grid motif, eyebrows, headline highlights, showcase images, and our brand and blog illustrations.
- [Our icon library](https://www.datum.net/brand/iconography) - Datum uses the open-source Lucide icon library: lightweight, scalable vector symbols with a friendly yet precise tone across all digital experiences.
- [The Datum logo](https://www.datum.net/brand/logos) - Access Datum brand logos, stacked and horizontal formats for all your needs. Download official brand assets and usage guidelines for digital and print.
- [Design Principles](https://www.datum.net/brand/principles) - Explore Datum's core principles: Grounded and Visionary; Approachable and Expert; Proactive and Driven; and Conscientious and Ethical.
- [Our social resources](https://www.datum.net/brand/social) - Download Datum's official social assets: staff portraits, LinkedIn banner, favicons, social icons, and OpenGraph images for digital and marketing projects.
- [Templates](https://www.datum.net/brand/templates) - Download Datum's official presentation, document, and design templates — ready-to-use assets aligned with our brand guidelines.
- [Our typefaces](https://www.datum.net/brand/typography) - Review Datum's official brand typography: core typefaces Canela and Alliance No.1, reflecting our ethos as an open, global tech company.
- [Working at Datum](https://www.datum.net/career) - Explore open roles at Datum. We're building connected infrastructure for AI and hiring thoughtful engineers, marketers, and operators.
- [Monthly Community Huddles](https://www.datum.net/community-huddles) - Join Datum's monthly open community huddle — an informal session for live demos, open discussion, Q&A, and the latest Datum product and ecosystem updates.
- [We're all about connecting, so how about a chat?](https://www.datum.net/contact) - Get in touch with Datum. Talk to the team about network cloud infrastructure for AI and alternative cloud providers, partnerships, or support.
- [Datum Documentation](https://www.datum.net/docs) - Learn how to use Datum's specialized cloud services. Documentation for the datumctl CLI, AI Gateway, and secure cloud interconnects for modern applications.
- [QUIC, get to the choppa!](https://www.datum.net/download) - Tools to help you unlock internet superpowers with Datum
- [Events](https://www.datum.net/events) - Discover upcoming Datum events, conferences, and community meetups. Join us to connect with fellow AI-native builders, developers and alt-cloud providers.
- [Network Locations](https://www.datum.net/locations) - Datum deploys at major internet peering points for cloud interconnects and low-latency edge networking to public clouds and AI infrastructure.
- [Open is Our Strategy](https://www.datum.net/open-source) - Datum is an open source networking company. Explore our projects - Milo, HickoryDNS, Envoy AI Gateway, Crossplane and SRv6.
- [Get a free virtual backbone in the next 60 seconds](https://www.datum.net/platform) - Galactic VPC gives you the private backbone every big cloud runs on, spanning clouds, providers and the Mac mini on your desk. Built with SRv6, backed by open source, free during beta.
- [Pricing](https://www.datum.net/pricing) - Published per-unit rates for Galactic VPC data transfer and hosted resources. No feature gates, no seat limits, no hidden fees.
- [Roadmap](https://www.datum.net/roadmap) - Explore Datum’s public roadmap to see upcoming product updates, vote for your favorites, or request new features. Help us shape the future of open-source network cloud and ai-native connectivity.
- [Dedicated GPU Clusters - Datum Dedicated Cloud](https://www.datum.net/dedicated-cloud) - Get white-glove support for enterprise networking needs – from architecture and design to fully managed connectivity and orchestration.
- [Use Cases - Datum](https://www.datum.net/use-cases) - We're solving problems for the next 1k clouds: hyperscale-style networking, private-by-default connectivity, edge workloads, and GPU or CPU capacity.
- [About Datum](https://www.datum.net/about) - Why Datum exists: the founding insight, investors, and the companies building on it.
- [Meet the Team](https://www.datum.net/about/team) - The infrastructure, open source software, and design people building Datum.
- [In the Wild](https://www.datum.net/about/in-the-wild) - Networking is in our DNA. But beyond the racks, switches and pipes, there’s a whole lot more to building a network than just the plumbing. We believe real connectivity happens outside of the hardware. This is the team behind your infrastructure.

## Docs

- Full documentation index at https://www.datum.net/docs/llms.txt

## Developers

- [Datum Developer Resources](https://www.datum.net/developers) - index of every developer-facing resource Datum publishes (OpenAPI spec, agents.datum.net, auth docs, MCP server, CLI, rate limits, changelog, roadmap, status), at predictable URLs.

## API

- [OpenAPI spec](https://www.datum.net/openapi.json) - machine-readable description of datum.net's own public endpoints, versioned at `/api/v1/` (also at https://www.datum.net/api/openapi.yaml). The Datum Cloud platform API itself is documented at https://www.datum.net/docs and discoverable at `https://api.datum.net/openapi/v3` (requires an authenticated bearer token).

## MCP

- [Datum MCP](https://www.datum.net/download/datum-mcp) - official MCP server for managing Datum Cloud infrastructure (organizations, projects, domains, DNS). OAuth 2.1 (PKCE) authenticated. Manifest at https://www.datum.net/mcp/server-card (also https://www.datum.net/server.json and https://www.datum.net/.well-known/mcp/server-card.json). Stdio transport today; hosted Streamable HTTP is planned but not yet live.
- [Datum Docs MCP](https://www.datum.net/docs/mcp) - MCP server for AI agents to search and read Datum documentation (JSON-RPC 2.0 over SSE). Tools: `search_datum_cloud_docs`, `query_docs_filesystem_datum_cloud_docs`.

## Skills

- [Datum Cloud Skills](https://github.com/datum-cloud/skills) - Agent skills for working with Datum Cloud APIs and infrastructure primitives. Install via `/plugin marketplace add datum-cloud/skills` (Claude Code), `npx skills add https://github.com/datum-cloud/skills` (npx), or remote rule settings (Cursor). Available: alb, client-traffic, dns, domains, httproute, metrics-export.

## Optional

- Full site content at https://www.datum.net/llms-full.txt
- Full documentation content at https://www.datum.net/docs/llms-full.txt