Midokura today announces its decision to open source the source code for its MidoNet network virtualization technology by means of an Apache 2.0 license. The open sourcing of Midokura’s MidoNet platform means that the OpenStack community now enjoys enhanced access to MidoNet’s distributed, software-defined, networking platform that specializes in distributed overlay networking. Midokura’s decision to open source MidoNet responds to fragmentation within the OpenStack community with respect to the selection of networking technologies for the OpenStack platform. Whereas OpenStack users have tended to adopt Ceph for storage purposes, the selection of networking vendors has failed to achieve consensus or critical mass such that Midokura decided to render MidoNet a community-driven, virtualized networking project that could benefit from the contributions of the entire OpenStack community as told to Cloud Computing Today by Midokura General Manager Adam Johnson. Meanwhile, Midokura launches an Enterprise MidoNet solution that wraps a layer of professional services and customer support around the MidoNet platform for customers that require a truly enterprise-grade deployment of the MidoNet platform. In all, Midokura’s decision to open source MidoNet constitutes yet another disruptive, hugely significant moment in the history of OpenStack given that Midokura has positioned MidoNet strongly as a platform with the potential to acquire the status of the best of breed, de facto virtualized networking solution for the OpenStack community. As an open source collaboration, MidoNet will focus on delivering a production-grade networking solution built from a diverse spectrum of contributors and founding members of its open source community. Expect more details of the governance structure of MidoNet to emerge in coming weeks although, in the meanwhile, MidoNet’s source code is available on GitHub alongside further details at the MidoNet community website.
Cloud Computing Today 