OpenStack Deployment As Private Cloud

How Difficult is to Deploy an OpenStack Based private cloud on your own ?

Well , I did it , it is based on IceHouse and , believe me it's a full stack , which includes Controller Node , One Nova Compute Node , One Cinder Block Storage node , One Neutron Network Node , Five Swift Nodes as object storage and Controller is acting as a swift proxy node. I did it a few months ago . Now , while planning to deploy a production class OpenStack cloud and trying to get a partner to do so , I am facing with challenges of a different kind which was not expected. One of the Solution Architect of a very renowned IT multinational was clueless about how the services of the components are related to each other in an OpenStack environment . On asking him , how you are going to deploy the same , he is confessing that they have some playbooks written on Ansible by which they generally deploy them . There is nothing wrong in it , please go ahead as long as my purpose is served , I am fine with it . But he is unable to explain , during our first discussion , what are the redundant components they will deploy , the reason behind it and , how do you scale up without interrupting the production setup ? There was no definite answer for that .

The conclusion what I made from this is - Architecting an OpenStack cloud solution is not very easy if you already have not made your hand dirty by implementing one. No , I am not taking about Devstack all-in-one installation which can be done by a novice any day. But really installing Openstack service components one by one on your own.

Online document and google can help you to gain knowledge as an architect, but , again it is ' To some extent ' you can manage with smart English speaking provided, you have to be very care full with whom you are talking to. If the person on the other side had already done it -- you are gone.

OpenStack is coming and we have to be ready for that , and it needs very hard work , as the entire concept of managing IT Infrastructure , the way we did it till date will change dramatically .

Openstack with Ansible, Puppet ,chef is going to bring another revolution in IT infrastructure services , as most of the thing will be automated in a few years of time.

Keep watching -- will be posting some interesting topics on this very shortly.