Rackspace Launches OpenStack-based Cloud

Today, Rackspace announced the launch of an OpenStack-based cloud that draws a “line in the sand against proprietary cloud providers,” according to Rackspace CEO Lanham Napier. Rackspace’s OpenStack-based cloud will come loaded with the company’s famed “fanatical support” and venerable history of delivering enterprise-grade IaaS cloud solutions. Rackspace’s OpenStack-based cloud features the following components in varying modes of readiness for production release to customers:

Limited Availability

• Cloud Servers: the OpenStack-based cloud that leverages OpenStack Compute.
• Cloud Control Panel: An intuitive control panel designed especially for Rackspace’s OpenStack cloud.

Early Access (Production ready products with limited support)

• Cloud Databases: A high availability MySQL database.
• Cloud Monitoring: A platform that enables customers to keep track of the performance of their cloud ecosystems.

Preview (Products still in the testing phase)

• Cloud Block Storage: Elastic storage capability.
• Cloud Networks: A solution for managing virtual networks.

Cloud Servers is available to a limited pool of customers at present but will be generally available starting May 1. The Cloud Servers, Cloud Databases, Cloud Block Storage and Cloud Networks products are all powered by OpenStack. Rackspace’s launch of its OpenStack-based cloud makes it the first vendor to come to market with a public cloud solution based on Essex, the latest OpenStack release. HP is scheduled to unroll a public Beta of its OpenStack public cloud based on Essex in May.