How to Buy OpenStack: A Comprehensive Guide

Your Guide to buying the best OpenStack

Overview

OpenStack is an open-source cloud-computing platform that enables businesses to build and manage cloud-based infrastructure and applications. This buying guide provides an overview of the key features of OpenStack and outlines the steps involved in purchasing and setting up an OpenStack system. It includes tips for evaluation and selection of the right OpenStack solution for your organization, as well as information on cost, scalability, and security considerations. Finally, it contains advice on how to get started with the process of deploying and managing your OpenStack environment.

Key features

  1. Compatibility: Any OpenStack-based solution should be compatible with the most popular operating systems, including Linux, Windows, and MacOS.
  2. Scalability: Should provide scalability features that allow users to add more resources as needed, so that their applications can scale up and down.
  3. Security: Security is always a top priority when choosing a cloud platform. Look for solutions that have strong authentication and authorization features and robust security protocols in place.
  4. Support: OpenStack is a rapidly evolving technology, so you should look for solutions that provide access to an experienced support team that can help troubleshoot any issues that may arise.
  5. Ease of Use: The platform should be easy to set up and use, with intuitive user interfaces and comprehensive documentation.
  6. Cost: Be sure to investigate the cost of hosting an OpenStack-based solution, and look for competitive pricing options.

See the most popular OpenStack on Amazon

Important considerations

Pros

  • Flexible Scalability: OpenStack provides the ability to quickly and easily scale resources up or down as needed, allowing for quicker response to changing demands.
  • Easy to Use: OpenStack is designed to be easy to use for all levels of users, from those with basic technical knowledge to those with more advanced expertise.
  • High Level of Security: OpenStack offers a high level of security, with fine-grained access control, encryption, authentication, and other features.
  • Cost Savings: OpenStack can provide cost savings by allowing users to quickly and easily scale resources up and down as needed, without requiring additional hardware or software purchases.
  • Open Source Technology: OpenStack is open source technology, making it free and available to anyone who wants to use it.
  • Robust API: OpenStack offers a robust API, making it easy to integrate with other systems and applications.

Cons

  • Complexity: OpenStack is a complex system, and requires a highly skilled team to manage it. It is not a simple plug-and-play product, and can be difficult to configure and maintain.
  • Cost: OpenStack can be expensive, as it requires hardware and software purchases, as well as skilled personnel to manage it.
  • Uncertainty: OpenStack is a relatively new technology, and is still in development, so there is some uncertainty surrounding the future of the product.
  • Adoption: OpenStack is not yet widely adopted, so finding developers and support personnel with experience in the technology can be difficult.

Best alternatives

CloudStack - Open source cloud computing platform that is designed to deploy and manage large networks of virtual machines. Apache Mesos - Open source cluster manager specifically designed to run applications on a dynamically shared pool of nodes. Kubernetes - Open source platform for automating deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. Google Compute Engine - Cloud computing platform provided by Google, allowing users to run applications virtually on Google’s infrastructure. Microsoft Azure - Cloud computing service created by Microsoft for building, deploying, and managing applications and services through Microsoft-managed data centers.

Related tools, supplies, and accessories

  • OpenStack - Open-source software platform for creating private and public clouds
  • Compute - Software for managing and automating the creation, configuration, and deployment of virtual machines
  • Storage - Software for managing storage resources and handling persistent data for applications running in the cloud
  • Networking - Software for managing and automating the creation, configuration, and deployment of virtual networks
  • Identity - Software for managing user accounts and authentication
  • Telemetry - Software for tracking and collecting data about clouds and applications running in the cloud
  • Image Service - Software for managing virtual machine images
  • Orchestration - Software for managing the infrastructure and applications running on the cloud
  • Dashboard - Web-based user interface for administrators to manage and monitor the cloud
  • Database - Software for managing relational and non-relational databases on the cloud

Common questions

  1. What is OpenStack? OpenStack is an open-source platform for cloud computing, offering both Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) functionality. It was designed to provide a simple, cost-effective and automated way to deploy and manage cloud environments.
  2. What are the advantages of using OpenStack? OpenStack offers a wide range of benefits, including scalability, agility, cost savings, and flexibility. It is also relatively easy to set up and manage, and provides an extensive library of APIs that can be used to integrate with existing IT systems and external services.
  3. What is the difference between OpenStack and other cloud providers? OpenStack is an open-source platform, which means it has an open architecture that enables developers to customize the platform according to their requirements. Other cloud providers, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure, are proprietary services that are built according to their own proprietary architectures.
  4. What hardware and software do I need to run OpenStack? OpenStack requires a Linux operating system as well as hardware such as servers, storage, and networking equipment. Additionally, OpenStack requires software components such as a database, message bus, and identity service.
  5. What kind of support can I expect from OpenStack? OpenStack provides a range of support options, including community-driven support, commercial support from vendors, and professional services from partners.
  6. What are the licensing costs for using OpenStack? OpenStack is an open-source platform, which means it is generally free to use. There may be some cost associated with the use of proprietary software components, such as databases and identity management systems.

Trivia

In 2015, OpenStack accidentally released a software update with a feature called "F*** your cloud". The update was quickly pulled after users noticed the profane reference and OpenStack apologized and released a second version with the vulgarity removed. This story was reported by Wired and other technology publications. Source

Disclaimer: This buying guide was not created by humans, and it is possible that some of it's content is inaccurate or incomplete. We do not guarantee or take any liability for the accuracy of this buying guide. Additionally, the images on this page were generated by AI and may not accurately represent the product that is being discussed. We have tried to convey useful information, but it is our subjective opinion and should not be taken as complete or factual.