Apache CloudStack Becomes a Top-level Project

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Apache CloudStack Becomes a Top-level Project

Posted by Unknown on Monday March 25, 2013 @07:11PM from the one-size-fits-all dept.

ke4qqq writes with an excerpt from an ASF press release: "The Apache Software Foundation (ASF), the all-volunteer developers, stewards, and incubators of nearly 150 Open Source projects and initiatives, today announced that Apache CloudStack has graduated from the Apache Incubator to become a Top-Level Project (TLP), signifying that the Project's community and products have been well-governed under the ASF's meritocratic process and principles."

43 comments

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

Apache got me first post! by Nyder · 2013-03-25 19:23 · Score: 0, Offtopic

no seriously, i have no input on this story but have first post, so i got to say something.

--
Be seeing you...
Nonsense by neonmonk · 2013-03-25 20:44 · Score: 4, Insightful

"CloudStack provides an open and flexible cloud orchestration platform to deliver reliable and scalable private and public clouds."
When I go to an "About" page, I expect to be told exactly what x thing is all about.
As it stands, I have no idea what CloudStack is or does, apart from nonsensical "cloud" mumbo jumbo.
1. Re:Nonsense by girlinatrainingbra · 2013-03-25 20:49 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  the real details and answer about what "Apache Cloudstack" really is available at http://cloudstack.apache.org/cloudstack-faq.html
  .
  Maybe apache is trying to make sure that the managers and bosses can be sure to play buzzword bingo and win when they choose Apache Cloudstack. I completely agree with you that an "about" page really ought to tell you what the software is really about. It's frustrating to have to go to the FAQ page and still see a lot of buzzword baloney (bologna / baloney, it's still compressed meat either way).
2. Re:Nonsense by Tribaal_ch · 2013-03-25 21:21 · Score: 2
  
  Short answer: It's "like Amazon EC2", but you deploy it on your own hardware. That's IaaS (Infrastrucutre as a Service in cloud talk). PaaS (Platform as a Service) is "like heroku, but on your own hardware".
3. Re:Nonsense by Spy+Handler · 2013-03-25 21:23 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Cloud is all the rage. So is Mobile. Yep, definitely mobile. And Apps.
  Call it Apache Mobile App Cloudstack and pointy haired bosses will have an orgygasm.
4. Re:Nonsense by bluefoxlucid · 2013-03-26 00:02 · Score: 1
  
  Yeah, all 'cloud' stuff is like that. This appears to just be "you can ask it to stand up VMware machines for you instead of using vSphere or oVirt"
  
  --
  Support my political activism on Patreon.
5. Re:Nonsense by wer32r · 2013-03-26 03:12 · Score: 1
  
  Here's an explanation. Click "next" for more details.
6. Re:Nonsense by Anonymous Coward · 2013-03-26 08:16 · Score: 1
  
  It's more like OpenStack, but slower, with less documentation and no real production users. Then, when you get asked what OpenStack is, you say, "it's like EC2 from 6-9 months ago that you run on your own hardware."
7. Re:Nonsense by Lennie · 2013-03-26 08:26 · Score: 1
  
  Well, that is not completely true.
  oVirt or vSphere (I've never used them myself, so I could be wrong) are usually centrally managed systems.
  CloudStack or OpenStack are meant for building multi-tenant environments like Amazon, which means people get a tenant-account and an API. The API can be used to do auto-scaling, to automatically deploy more or shutdown VMs as needed. Elastic they call it. VMs are deployed in seperate per tenant/project networks. They also keep statistics on a per tenant basis.
  
  --
  New things are always on the horizon
8. Re:Nonsense by Sigg3.net · 2013-03-26 12:11 · Score: 1
  
  When all those come together they call it a synergasm.
  
  --
  Defining Statistics and Social Research
Infrastructure-as-a-Service by girlinatrainingbra · 2013-03-25 20:47 · Score: 2, Insightful

So how is "Infrastructure-as-a-Service" clouds different from "Software-as-a-service" clouds? Is one cumulonimbus and the other cirrus? ;>)
.
No, seriously, my question is whether supplying "infrastructure as a service" just means "hosting"? Because hosting has always been available. So it's hosting+software availability? From the Apache web site at http://cloudstack.apache.org/about.html : CloudStack provides an open and flexible cloud orchestration platform to deliver reliable and scalable private and public clouds.
Orchestration? Srsly?
;>p
Private and public clouds? Would that be the same as restricted access internal facing "intranet" and public-facing "internet" access? I'm glad that Apache is joining the band of buzzword warriors, but I'm also glad that the real details and answer about what "Apache Cloudstack" really is available at http://cloudstack.apache.org/cloudstack-faq.html :
Apache CloudStack is a complete software suite for creating Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) clouds. Target environments include service providers and enterprises.
-- The Apache CloudStack platform enables service providers to set up an on-demand, elastic cloud computing service. It enables a utility computing service by allowing service providers to offer self-service virtual machine instances, storage volumes, and networking configurations over the Internet.
-- The Apache CloudStack platform enables enterprises to set up a private cloud for use by their own employees. The current generation of virtualization infrastructure targets enterprise IT departments who manage virtual machines the same way they would manage physical machines. The Apache CloudStack platform, on the other hand, enables self-service of virtual machines by users outside of the IT department.
-- As an open source IaaS, Apache CloudStack is available to individuals and organizations that wish to study and implement an IaaS for personal, educational, and/or production use.
1. Re:Infrastructure-as-a-Service by Anonymous Coward · 2013-03-25 21:00 · Score: 1
  
  It does actually all make sense. Maybe you should do some research before pouring scorn on things. There's plenty of meaningless buzzwords in the "cloud" (if you have to call it that) space, but you've picked on the things that actually have pretty clear definitions...
2. Re:Infrastructure-as-a-Service by Anonymous Coward · 2013-03-25 22:04 · Score: 0
  
  I predict the Next Big Thing: Service-as-a-Service.
3. Re:Infrastructure-as-a-Service by Anonymous Coward · 2013-03-25 22:20 · Score: 0
  
  I already sell sex-as-a-service. But I reckon that servicing-as-a-service does sound a little better.
4. Re:Infrastructure-as-a-Service by Anonymous Coward · 2013-03-25 23:37 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  SaaS (Software as a Service): bring your own data.
  PaaS: (Platform as a Service): bring your own applications and data.
  IaaS: (Infrastructure as a Service): bring your own OS, applications and data.
5. Re:Infrastructure-as-a-Service by Anonymous Coward · 2013-03-25 23:56 · Score: 0
  
  I wonder when the cloud-space is taken over by porn, just like the rest of the internet.
6. Re:Infrastructure-as-a-Service by girlinatrainingbra · 2013-03-26 03:16 · Score: 1
  
  Hey, thanks! That's actually an informative summary and very helpful. I had not thought of the "platform as a service". But wasn't my guess of IaaS as almost like hosting or provisioning of (or access to) a server correct, since you are required to bring your own OS, your own applications, and your own data?
Historic by Anonymous Coward · 2013-03-25 21:41 · Score: 1

This is a day that will go down in infamy. The first posts are more informative than TFA.
1. Re:Historic by girlinatrainingbra · 2013-03-25 21:46 · Score: 1
  
  From all of the replies I've gotten to the comments I've made about the state of /. , I don't believe that this is any sort of change in /. , editor's asleep at the wheel, thinking that the cruise control will steer us right... TFA and the TFPost almost never really say the useful things you need to know. Just wait a while and see which comments percolate to the top: they will contain the essence and seeds of knowledge which you seek.
2. Re:Historic by David+Gould · 2013-03-26 00:06 · Score: 1
  
  Just wait a while and see which comments percolate to the top: they will contain the essence and seeds of knowledge which you seek.
  Essence and seeds perhaps. But look Ye not unto Slashdot for answers, for Ye shall be told both Yea and Nay.
  
  --
  David Gould
  main(i){putchar(340056100>>(i-1)*5&31|!!(i<6)<< 6)&&main(++i);}
Get off of my Cloud! by girlinatrainingbra · 2013-03-25 21:42 · Score: 2

Lighten up! Or as the 1960's song would tell you about my private cloud: Hey,...
You,...
Get off of my cloud
Now you kids get off my damn lawn, and stay the hell off of my cloud! ;>)
Re:SLASHDOT SUCKS!!!!!1! by Anonymous Coward · 2013-03-25 22:17 · Score: 0

I beat myself. Wankers unite!
nice by KatarinaMauro · 2013-03-25 23:01 · Score: 1

i am really happy.
OpenStack vs. CloudStack by Anonymous Coward · 2013-03-26 00:30 · Score: 0

vi vs. emacs...
KDE vs. GNOME...
tastes great vs. less filling..
From Wikipedia:
ore than 150 companies have joined [OpenStack] among which are AMD, Intel, Canonical, SUSE Linux, Red Hat, Cisco, Dell, HP, IBM, NEC, VMware and Yahoo!.
Ding!
Decoder Ring for You Out-of-date Nerds by Traiano · 2013-03-26 00:50 · Score: 5, Informative

Since the three highest modded posts at this moment don't understand cloud, I wanted to post one perspective in hopes the rest would care.

For a couple years now the world has settled on a definition for cloud. It's three service models. (1) Delivering an application through a web interface (SaaS), delivering an OS in a virtual machine for arbitrary applications (Iaas), delivering a development platform to simplify the creation of a new generation of applications (PaaS).

Controlling the lifecycle of these resources is non-trivial. It requires hooks at virtual machine creation, security for access, limits for resource consumption, and time tables for reclamation. In the industry we call this orchestration.

Finally, these models in highly-controlled on-premis environments is called "private cloud". Running them in fully shared datacenters is called "public cloud". Giving customers the ability to federate services across these two environments is called "hybrid cloud".

Here endeth the lesson. Just because you don't understand a word doesn't make it a buzzword.
1. Re:Decoder Ring for You Out-of-date Nerds by mapnjd · 2013-03-26 00:55 · Score: 1
  
  +1 parent
  
  --
  Bus error in your favour. Collect 200kB
2. Re:Decoder Ring for You Out-of-date Nerds by Gothmolly · 2013-03-26 01:03 · Score: 1, Insightful
  
  It _IS_ a buzzword, and what you describe is merely a well-run IT org. Because you choose to set off on some NIH path and claim what you're doing is "new" doesn't make it so.
  
  --
  I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
3. Re:Decoder Ring for You Out-of-date Nerds by Anonymous Coward · 2013-03-26 02:13 · Score: 0
  
  It's a buzzword because all of what you said has existed for years already under different names.
4. Re:Decoder Ring for You Out-of-date Nerds by neurovish · 2013-03-26 02:35 · Score: 1
  
  For the haters:
  SaaS = Web 2.0
  IaaS = VM
  PaaS = Don't have a single dismissive equivalency for this one, but I'm thinking one of those point and click things where you move blocks around to make a "program".
  For the parent, thanks for the concise descriptions that I can point to...and I do consider all the *aaS buzzwords since they generally describe things that have existed for years. The *aaS trick is mostly automation. I'm thinking "click button and get a VM" vs "poke admin and get a VM".
5. Re:Decoder Ring for You Out-of-date Nerds by girlinatrainingbra · 2013-03-26 03:18 · Score: 1
  
  Thanks for explaining in good detail exactly what was bugging me about this cloudiness that has invaded the world. I've got to bookmark your comment to refer to it later. :>)
6. Re:Decoder Ring for You Out-of-date Nerds by DragonWriter · 2013-03-26 03:21 · Score: 0
  
  It's a buzzword because all of what you said has existed for years already under different names.
  No, that's not what makes it a buzzword. "Cloud" -- a word used to sell things because its currently popular that has, increasingly as used, no consistent definition (though it originally had one and is still sometimes used in that sense) is a buzzword.
7. Re:Decoder Ring for You Out-of-date Nerds by Anonymous Coward · 2013-03-26 03:31 · Score: 0
  
  I could go into a long explanation of Proper IT governance and bore my audience to death, making sure I don't get funding, or I can use a buzzword and they will know exactly what I am talking about.
  Just use the damn buzzword. You will spend less time arguing in a meeting, and more time getting stuff done so you don't have to do overtime.
8. Re:Decoder Ring for You Out-of-date Nerds by chiefmojorising · 2013-03-26 03:41 · Score: 2
  
  NIST's cloud definition is pretty spot on. They define cloud as having the following characteristics:
  On-demand self-service
  Broad network access
  Resource pooling
  Rapid elasticity
  Measured service ...all working together to provide the following service models:
  Software as a Service
  Platform as a Service
  Infrastructure as a Service ...hosted in one of the following deployment models:
  Private cloud
  Community cloud
  Public cloud
  Hybrid cloud
  Anyway, that's the stripped down list without details. The short paper (with details!) I pulled that from is here:
  http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-145/SP800-145.pdf
9. Re:Decoder Ring for You Out-of-date Nerds by Anonymous Coward · 2013-03-26 03:55 · Score: 0
  
  Exactly, it's a buzzword because it's a new hip term for something that already exists.
10. Re:Decoder Ring for You Out-of-date Nerds by NeutronCowboy · 2013-03-26 05:20 · Score: 2
  
  Personally, the only term I have a problem with is Private Cloud. A private cloud is the classic in-house data center, hosting third-party software accessed via a browser that comes with more or less support from the vendor. There is nothing special about it. I hear it constantly, but it still bugs me as the term that really is trying to put some lipstick on the old pig that is the in-house data center.
  
  --
  Those who can, do. Those who can't, sue.
11. Re:Decoder Ring for You Out-of-date Nerds by WiPEOUT · 2013-03-26 14:32 · Score: 2
  
  An in-house data centre need not have an automated resource provisioning and usage metering capability, utility fashion (i.e. for SaaS, automated provisioning and deployment of data sets into your application instance(s) and reporting on their usage by relevant metrics such as users or data throughput; for PaaS, automated provisioning and deployment of application components and instances thereof and their usage by relevant metrics such as messages processed or concurrent transactions; for IaaS, automated provisioning and deployment of virtual machines and their usage by relevant metrics such as CPU time or IOPS). It can be automated, it can be manual, or a combination of both.
  A real private cloud does.
  An in-house data centre is your facility, whether leased, built or bought.
  A private cloud need not be. As long as only you are not sharing resources at the level being sold (e.g. for SaaS, nobody else is in your application instance; for PaaS, nobody else is processing transactions on the same transaction processor; for IaaS, nobody else is running VMs on the same physical hardware), you need not be the only customer in the facility/floor/room/cage/aisle/rack.
  In short, an in-house data centre is not automatically a private cloud, nor is a private cloud automatically in an in-house data centre.
Projects going to die at Apache ... by Anonymous Coward · 2013-03-26 23:45 · Score: 0

Apache take on projects that are dying and tries to make them win against projects with real future like OpenStack that has real industry buy-in, that hurt everyone. Same for Apache OpenOffice against LibreOffice. Is there any project enough bad that Apache will not promote him ?