OpenStack Summary
OpenStack is an open-source cloud computing platform that enables organizations to build and manage private and public clouds. Originally developed by NASA and Rackspace, OpenStack provides a suite of interconnected services that work together to deploy virtualized infrastructure (IaaS) resources such as compute, storage, and networking.
Key Components of OpenStack:
- Nova – Manages and provisions virtual machines and other compute resources.
- Neutron – Provides networking services, including IP management, VLANs, and firewalling.
- Swift – Object storage system for storing and retrieving unstructured data (e.g., backups, media).
- Cinder – Block storage management for persistent storage to be attached to virtual machines.
- Keystone – Identity service providing authentication and authorization.
- Glance – Manages images used to provision virtual machines.
- Horizon – Web-based dashboard for managing OpenStack resources.
Image Credit: docs.redhat.com
Service type
| Service | Code | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Dashboard | horizon | Web browser-based dashboard that you use to manage OpenStack services. |
| Identity | keystone | Centralized service for authentication and authorization of OpenStack services and for managing users, projects, and roles. |
| OpenStack Networking | neutron | Provides connectivity between the interfaces of OpenStack services. |
| Block Storage | cinder | Manages persistent block storage volumes for virtual machines. |
| Compute | nova | Manages and provisions virtual machines running on hypervisor nodes. |
| Image | glance | Registry service that you use to store resources such as virtual machine images and volume snapshots. |
| Object Storage | swift | Allows users to store and retrieve files and arbitrary data. |
| Telemetry | ceilometer | Provides measurements of cloud resources. |
| Orchestration | heat | Template-based orchestration engine that supports automatic creation of resource stacks. |
Benefits of OpenStack:
- Scalability: Supports small to large-scale cloud deployments with on-demand resource scaling.
- Flexibility: Offers multi-hypervisor support (KVM, VMware, Hyper-V) and integrates with various storage and networking solutions.
- Community-Driven: Backed by a strong open-source community, enabling constant improvements and adaptability.
Typical Use Cases:
- Private Cloud Infrastructure: Allows enterprises to run private clouds to manage internal resources.
- Telecommunications: Provides a foundation for network functions virtualization (NFV) for telcos.
- Public Cloud Providers: Some providers use OpenStack to offer public cloud services.
Installation and Deployment:
OpenStack can be installed via various methods, including DevStack (for testing), OpenStack-Ansible, and distribution packages from vendors. It’s often used in environments where full control over infrastructure and customization is needed, making it ideal for large organizations, research institutions, and telecommunication companies.