The Coordination Problem is the Next Infrastructure Layer
Every major shift in computing has created new infrastructure layers. Client-server created databases. Web created HTTP. Cloud created containers. Containers created Kubernetes.
Agents are creating the next layer: coordination infrastructure.
The Pattern
New computing models need new infrastructure:
Client-server: Needed databases, message queues, load balancers.
Web: Needed HTTP, DNS, CDNs.
Cloud: Needed virtualization, orchestration, service meshes.
Containers: Needed Kubernetes, container registries, monitoring.
Agents: Need coordination infrastructure.
The pattern is consistent: new models create new problems, new problems need new infrastructure.
What Agents Need
Agents need infrastructure that traditional systems don't:
Shared perception: Multiple agents watching the same blockchain need to see the same events without redundant polling.
Shared time: Serverless agents need scheduled triggers without background processes.
Shared coordination: Agents need to claim work atomically, broadcast messages efficiently, maintain consistent state.
Shared consensus: Groups of agents need to elect leaders, vote on decisions, prevent conflicts.
These aren't application problems—they're infrastructure problems.
Why Infrastructure Matters
Infrastructure enables ecosystems:
Standards: Common protocols that work across implementations.
Composability: Services that work together naturally.
Efficiency: Shared resources instead of duplicated effort.
Reliability: Battle-tested primitives instead of ad-hoc solutions.
Just as Kubernetes enabled the container ecosystem, coordination infrastructure will enable the agent ecosystem.
The Timing
We're at the inflection point:
Agent frameworks are maturing: CrewAI, Swarms, LangGraph are solving local orchestration.
Agent capabilities are expanding: Agents are doing more, needing more coordination.
Distributed deployments are emerging: Teams are building swarms that need infrastructure.
Standards are forming: x402, MCP, A2A are defining the stack.
The infrastructure layer is emerging now. The teams that build it will define how agents coordinate.
Why This Matters
Infrastructure layers are foundational. They define what's possible, what's efficient, what's standard.
The teams that understand this—and build or adopt the right infrastructure—will create the agent applications that matter.
The coordination problem is the next infrastructure layer. The question isn't whether—it's when, and who will build it.
Part of the EchoRift infrastructure series. Learn more about EchoRift architecture.