OpenStack Liberty Enhances Open Source Cloud Networking, Containers

Liberty, the newest release of the OpenStack open source cloud operating system, is out this week. It brings a host of new features, as well as a revamp of OpenStack's governance model.

The full list of new features in OpenStack Liberty is so extensive that it comprises a long list with 17 individual sections, each filled with specific information about driver updates, API changes and so on.

Overall, however, the most significant new features in OpenStack Liberty include:

New features aren't the only big change in OpenStack Liberty. The latest version of the open source platform also introduces what OpenStack developers are calling a "Big Tent" governance model.

OpenStack was previously distributed as an "integrated release," which meant all of its components were distributed by the OpenStack project itself as a single package. The Big Tent model makes it easier for users to grab only the parts of the cloud operating system that they want.

At the same time, Big Tent distribution helps to decentralize the open source, community-based development of the platform. Developers can now contribute to OpenStack components without having to secure the official approval of the project. As long as they follow OpenStack documentation and license their work properly, their code will be part of OpenStack.

Liberty, which is generally available as of Oct. 15, is the 12th release of OpenStack in the project's history and the second one this year.