OpenStack is a Cloud Operating System used to control the deep pools of computing, networking, and storage resources within a data center. OpenStack is a free, open-source cloud computing platform. OpenStack is primarily used and implemented as an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) for cloud computing. OpenStack is a software platform that uses multiple virtual resources to manage and create a public and private cloud. OpenStack’s default cloud-related services are storage, networking, identity, image services, etc. Users can handle the services offered by OpenStack via command-line tools, RESTful API, or a web-based dashboard. In addition, OpenStack manages many virtual machines that allow users to reduce the usage of physical resources.
In this tutorial, we will learn about some of the benefits of choosing OpenStack as the Cloud computing platform.
Benefits of OpenStack
Some of the benefits of OpenStack in the cloud computing platform are:
Open Source
As we know, users can create truly defined and designated data centers using an open-source environment. OpenStack is one of the largest open-source platforms. OpenStack offers computing, networking, and storage subsystems in a single platform. Some merchants, such as RedHat, have developed and continue to support their own distributions of OpenStack.
Since OpenStack is an open-source platform, the source code is available at GitHub. The main advantages of the open-source OpenStack project are :
· Users can modify OpenStack according to their rising demand. Users can add features to their OpenStack project as per their requirements.
· Users can use OpenStack without any limitations. Since OpenStack is a freely available, open-source project, there are no restrictions or limitations to use it. There are no limits for what purpose the user uses it, where they use it, or how long they use it.
Scalability
Scalability is the primary key component of cloud computing. OpenStack offers better scalability for its customers. Through this feature, OpenStack allows businesses to spin down and spin up servers on-demand.
Security
One of OpenStack’s key features is security, which is why OpenStack is so prevalent and popular in the Cloud computing world.
· OpenStack offers the best security feature. With OpenStack, user data is always secure. When business owners want to move their IT infrastructure to the Cloud, they always fear data loss. But there is no need to consider data loss when choosing OpenStack.
· OpenStack provides security specialists who are responsive to OpenStack’s strong security.
Easy to Manage and Access
One of the most significant benefits of using OpenStack is that it is easily accessible and manageable. OpenStack is easy to manage and access because of the following features :
- Command Line Tools – Users can access the OpenStack using command-line tools.
- Dashboard – OpenStack offers administrators and users to manage and access various aspects of OpenStack using a graphical user interface (GUI) based dashboard component. The OpenStack dashboard is available as a web user interface (web UI).
- APIs – Users can use different APIs (Application Program Interface) to manage OpenStack.
Services
OpenStack offers many services required for several different tasks for their users private, public, and hybrid Cloud.
List of services: OpenStack offers a list of services or components for their customers, such as the Cinder, Nova, Glance, Keystone, Ceilometer, Neutron, Heat, Sahara, Manila, Searchlight, Swift, Ironic, Trove, Horizon, and more.
Each component offered by OpenStack is used for various tasks. The uses of some of these components are:
- Nova (Compute) is a controller that helps manage services and products in virtualized environments.
- Quantum (Networking) manages all the network-related queries, such as routers, subnets, IP address management, VPNs, firewalls, and more. In addition, quantum confirms that all the other components are well connected with the OpenStack.
- Cinder (Block Storage) works traditionally attaching and detaching an external hard drive to the Operating System for its local use.
- Horizon offers a dashboard interface in OpenStack. The dashboard is the first component that the customer sees in the OpenStack. OpenStack’s other back-end services can also be accessed using the Horizon (web user interface).
- Heat (Orchestration) allows the developers to store the cloud application’s necessities as files to make sure all the essential resources are handy.
Automation
Automation is one of the primary selling points of OpenStack when compared to another option. The ease with which a user can automate tasks makes OpenStack efficient and suitable. OpenStack offers a lot of inbuilt tools that make Cloud management much easier and faster. OpenStack provides its Application Program Interface (API) that helps other applications to have complete control over the Cloud. The Automation function offered by OpenStack makes it easier for users to build applications that can communicate with OpenStack to accomplish tasks such as firing up Virtual Machines.
Strong Community
OpenStack has many users, developers, and experts who love to work together on the product of OpenStack to enhance OpenStack’s features.
Compatibility
OpenStack is compatible with many public Cloud systems, such as AWS (Amazon Web Services), Microsoft Azure, etc.
Conclusion
This tutorial presents the benefits of choosing OpenStack as the Cloud computing platform. Hope this tutorial was helpful, and do reach out to us if you have any queries or suggestions.
