Rackspace Android Mobile App Now Supports OpenStack Cloud

Rackspace (RAX), the major cloud and server hosting provider with a heavy commitment to OpenStack, is "Fanatical" (yes, with a capital F) about mobile computing, too. That's what the company is saying following the release of a significantly enhanced Android app that lets users manage Rackspace OpenStack clouds from anywhere.

The company announced the updated app, which is available from Google Play, a few days ago. The biggest new feature is support for creating and managing cloud servers in Rackspace's "next-generation" OpenStack platform. Previously, the app supported this functionality only for servers on the company's legacy cloud service.

The updated app also benefits from interface and stability enhancements, as well as the ability "to manage multiple accounts; reboot, rename, resize and rebuild servers; change root passwords; check system status; ping servers from multiple data centers; and call Rackspace support directly from the app," according to Rackspace.

Rackspace is billling the app as evidence of its commitment to be "more Fanatical in how we approach the app and support—it’s been built to provide an easy-to-use experience backed by the support and performance that you’ve come to expect from us."

Alas, some users may not yet be entirely convinced. Commenters on the announcement note that the app doesn't currently support Android tablets or Windows Phone. Still, this is a significant step forward for Rackspace on the mobile front.