OpenStack 'Diablo' Cloud Platform Focuses on Scalability

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I had the chance to chat briefly with OpenStack Policy Board Chairman Jonathan Bryce about Diablo’s launch. He noted Diablo is the first launch since OpenStack doubled its release window from three months to six, and the sheer volume and breadth of improvements from the April 2011 Cactus release is reflective of the extra time taken.

To give specific examples, Diablo adds:

In addition, Bryce previewed two new components coming to OpenStack as part of the core offering: OpenStack Dashboard, a self-service management portal for service providers, and OpenStack Keystone, an authentication solution that works across the entire platform. Both were incubated during the Diablo release cycle, and Bryce said they’ll be ready in time for the OpenStack Essex release in about six months.

And for the first time ever, OpenStack previewed Quantum, a networking project led by Nicira, Cisco Systems, Citrix, Midokura and Rackspace, which will be incubated over the next six months and released in about a year.

Dan Wendlandt, project technical lead for Quantum, said the project will enable rich network topologies in the cloud, just as you’d get in the data center. Quantum would enable service providers to leverage existing infrastructure investments on the back end, whether they’re open source-based or proprietary.

On a final note, Bryce said that even though OpenStack was originally conceived by Rackspace and NASA, the fact that OpenStack Quantum is being helmed by community members should prove it’s really an industry project now. Despite concerns, Rackspace has no claim to cornering the OpenStack market, and that’s how the hosting provider likes it.