First Operational OpenStack Computing Cloud

Open Public Cloud by Internap

A status check on the rush to set up Clouds based on OpenStack. Below are some highlights as reported

• Internap built Open Public Cloud Internap based on "Cactus"
• Open Public Cloud is based on Compute of OpenStack
• Additional efforts beyond OpenStack focused on integrating with other Internap products and custom features such as billing and security
• Internap's has three cloud services: Open Public Cloud, Custom Public Cloud and XIPCloud Storage
• Custom Public Cloud is a VMware-based environment for enterprise users
• XIPCloud Storage is a storage environment using the OpenStack ObjectStorage (Swift) - launched as beta in January and was made generally available over the summer.
• Internap's Storage was the first storage deployment using ObjectStorage outside of hosting provider Rackspace.
• Other vendors launching OpenStack-based cloud include Rackspace, Hewlett-Packard, Dell and DreamHost
• HP's OpenStack offering is currently in private beta.

Related entries

* Internap announces its Open Public Cloud based on OpenStack: http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Cloud-Computing/Internap-Launches-First-OpenStack-Public-Cloud-Service-772113/

Cloud Computing Explained - aka Kids Don't Lie

I have not heard of better explanations.



Related entries

* Kiran rockth! http://www.xconomy.com/seattle/2011/10/21/video-what-is-cloud-computing-anyway-these-kids-get-pretty-close/

Distruptions through Cloud

From $0 to $4 billion

It is the story that makes the Silicon Valley lore. Drew Houston not only founded the ubiquitous Dropbox that every other person is using, not only just got a B Round valuation of $4bn, not only turned down a cool $800 million buy-out offer two years prior, he turned down Steve Jobs.

Makes your knees feel just a tad weak, don't it!

And, for the record, DropBox could not have happened so rapidly without a solid Cloud backbone.

The Calculation

On the heel of my recent musing on the status of OpenStack, it is interesting to see how RackSpace CTO sees RackSpace's relationship to OpenStack as its unofficial guardian.

Apparently, the master plan to dominate the world involves widely deploying OpenStack whereby RackSpace can offer its consulting/management services. Seem reasonable enough, but it also seem to require quite a number of pieces to fall into the right place. More importantly, does this mean that RackSpace will take a more assertive role with OpenStack Foundation in the style of MySQL instead of Mozilla?

And I thought Cloud Computing is all about software

A final bit of noteworthy development. Given the relatively simple computational needs of Cloud Computing and its voracity for electric power, there is an arms race to create alternative chips and architecture away from the mainstream Intel x86 design. ARM chips are a favorite right now, but there are definitely chip shops working on other solutions to be followed by the infrastructure/support for the new chips and/or architecture.

Microsoft was disrupted by the internet as embodied by Google. Now, the other half of Wintel needs to watch out for the next disruption.

Related Entries

* Dropbox gets a $4bn valuation in B Round: https://plus.google.com/u/0/104462346399481715282/posts/P4bKc7cUX6y

* RackSpace's master plan for OpenStack: https://plus.google.com/u/0/104462346399481715282/posts/ZeRHQVheEQ8

* Simpler chips for Cloud computing: https://plus.google.com/u/0/104462346399481715282/posts/DFNx4V35xdm

OpenStack and Enterprise Applications

OpenStack

There are any number of Cloud related initiatives: Eucalyptus, Scalr, you name it. But, the "it" initiative these days is OpenStack.

Backed by RackSpace and a team from NASA, it is an open source effort that aims to create a complete Cloud Computing solution that is not encumbered by the VCE cartel (VMWare, Cisco, and EMC - in case you are wondering.)

With its hybrid commercial and tech origin, it also has a duel personality. On the technical side, there are groups of dedicated architects and developers driving the core products and related extensions. On the commercial side, a lot of companies, 100+ as of my last count, have signed up with OpenStack as corporate members.

It is worth watching who will drive the development of OpenStack as a project. On one hand, it could become Mozilla/Linux like with a clear technology focus. On the other, this could become mostly a standard setting body driven by corporate sponsors.

The easy answer is that this all depends on whether OpenStack gains traction in deployment. And, preferably, large scale ones. The real question is how would RackSpace manage the process?

With the announcement of the OpenStack foundation with donated IP at its recent Boston semi-annaul meeting, the foundation's development would offer the first clue on which path OpenStack will go down.

What does Cloud mean if you are not Google, Amazon, or Facebook

On the question of traction, I cannot help but look at the enterprise side of things. Cloud Computing as a utility is likely to end up in the hand of two providers in the US (look up your economics textbook for why so few and think of the US anti-trust history for why more than one.)

On the other hand, there are plenty of enterprises who need Cloud Computing in a meaningful scale. The most interesting one that I have heard so far is how DreamWorks, the animation film producer, is using Cloud for 50% of its rendering work. Here is an example of mission critical work where Cloud makes a lot of sense for.

Similarly, it is gratifying to note that corporate IT chiefs are thinking about what strategic advantages Cloud could offer beyond cost reduction through consolidation. We are likely to see a new batch of Cloud ideas in the next two years.


Related entries

* What's in it for corporate memebers, modular Cloud through OpenStack: https://plus.google.com/u/0/104462346399481715282/posts/GXPX1m5KDHD

* OpenStack Foundation annoucned: https://plus.google.com/u/0/104462346399481715282/posts/Tfig9mTkr59

* DreamWorks offload 50% of its computer processing to Cloud in 2011: https://plus.google.com/u/0/104462346399481715282/posts/9SnKr2q5DLy

* Shifting corporate view on what Cloud is for: https://plus.google.com/u/0/104462346399481715282/posts/8CgTJNQ8zme

Jobs is Dead, Long Live Jobs

In Memoriam

Reality Check - Cloud is but a Tool

Can you touch Cloud Computing?

No. (This is not a trick question.)

Just like rail tracks, Cloud computing is more of a resource/tool that lets you do stuff. And, just like the rail tracks, back when it was invented, there was a bonanza to build tracks.

Without boring you with a history lesson, suffices to say that while rail tracks perform a vital function in any economy today, the real money for the long haul is to be made somewhere else.

What can you do with the Cloud?

It is therefore interesting to see the most dominant Cloud Computing provider, Amazon, coming out with its own tablet, Kindle Fire. Admittedly, tablet is hot these days with the success of Apple iPad. But, a reasonable question is what does Amazon have to offer that would beat iPad?

Turns out that Amazon probably is not looking to beat Apple in the game of desirous tablets. For Amazon, it is about content and Fire is really more of a delivery channel. Through the Cloud, no less.

This plays to Amazon's strength. It already runs a world class physical content delivery operations with all the rights and access to these content. It already operates one of the most respected Cloud computing platform with a proven record in doing and sending "stuff" on a massive global scale. And, guess what, given what Amazon can do, instead of charging a premium for its design, it could go to the other extreme and sell Fire as a loss-leader.

Now the tablet game begins!


Related entries

* Amazon's tablet biz-model: https://plus.google.com/u/0/104462346399481715282/posts/5QFL4aEtV9n

* Amazon's CDN play: https://plus.google.com/u/0/104462346399481715282/posts/Vo2vLVQyDjW

* Amazon Silk could be the face of Cloud Computing to users: https://plus.google.com/u/0/104462346399481715282/posts/aVmBsW1BoPB