If you are in the Cloud business, are a Cloud Computing consumer or have been making the rounds at various virtualization and web hosting tradeshows, you have most likely heard about OpenStack. These days, no matter where you look in the Cloud community, Openstack is all the rage. But what is OpenStack?
What is OpenStack?
OpenStack is a software tool set deployed for building, managing and operating both public and private Cloud platforms. Essentially Openstack is a grouping of software leveraged to build and run power public and private Cloud deployments. As a technology, OpenStack enables users to set up virtualized machines designed to handle load on Cloud platforms with minor lag. Due to software bundles, OpenStack spurs scaling across Cloud deployments by allowing for multiple virtualized machines to be provisioned on the fly. By allowing for multiple virtualized machines to be spun up in real time, OpenStack enables multiple machines to communicate with multiple users across spun up machines thus allowing for dispersed load mixed with higher allowable application users.
The other major benefit of OpenStack is that the technology is open source. With OpenStack running on an open source platform, anyone can access, change and improve the source code. Through open source development, users can modify the source code, share their changes with other users and continually improve upon the technology. However, unlike Linux which has no governing body, OpenStack has a governing body, the OpenStack Foundation. The foundation manages the community and continued development of OpenStack.
At the moment, OpenStack is backed by some of the biggest names in Cloud Computing and is regularly being called the future of Cloud. Whether it lives up to this billing or not remains to be seen. However, it can be said at the moment, OpenStack is enjoying its moment in the sun, err, the Cloud.
Understanding the Elements of OpenStack
As mentioned OpenStack is the coming together of multiple software to create a system for building, managing and operating public and private Cloud platforms. It should be noted although there are main elements to OpenStack, because the technology is open source, anyone can add additional software to the Cloud tech. This said, the nine core software elements of OpenStack are:
Nova: Nova is the main computing engine of OpenStack. Nova is utilized to deploy and manage all deployed virtual machines.
Swift: Swift is the storage system of OpenStack. Unlike a normal computing storage system which calls data by its location on a drive, Swift enables OpenStack to store information where it fits best. To recall a file or piece of data, developers assign names to data or files instead of assigning location. The major benefit of Swift is easy scaling of resources.
Cinder: Block storage. Cinder is traditional computing storage wherein files and data are accessed by recalling specific locations on a drive.
Horizon: The visual interface of OpenStack. Horizon is the only graphical interface of OpenStack. Horizon operates as a dashboard. Everything at a glance.
Glance: Is the image service of OpenStack. Like an image on a Mac operating system, Glance mounts images (hard disks) to allow for deployment of applications and Cloud virtual machines.
Neutron: Neutron is the networking or communication arm of OpenStack. It enables each virtual machine connected to the OpenStack environment to communicate with one another.
Ceilometer: Ceilometer is the billing portal, telemetry, account tracker of the OpenStack. Ceilometer is the bookkeeper of the Cloud operation.
Heat: Heat is the component of OpenStack which defines what resources are needed for individual applications. Heat manages all infrastructure requirements needed to operate a Cloud solution.
Those are the nine main elements of OpenStack. Now that you know what OpenStack is and what it is made of, part two of “Cloud Basics: Understanding OpenStack” will center on the benefits of OpenStack and why the tech is being called the future of the Cloud.