Rackspace Launches OpenStack-based Private Cloud Software -- Enables Businesses to Install, Test and Run Private Clouds in Minutes
London,UK - August 15, 2012 – Today, Rackspace® Hosting (NYSE: RAX), the open cloud company, announced the release of Rackspace Private Cloud Software, powered by OpenStack, code name "Alamo" – making it simple and easy for companies to install, test and run a multi-node OpenStack based private cloud environment. The software uses the same OpenStack compute platform, Nova, used to run Rackspace clouds and is available as a free download from the Rackspace website. This software is based upon Rackspace's experience in deploying and operating Openstack-based public and private clouds in a variety of environments including in Rackspace's own datacenters as well as in external datacentres. The Rackspace Private Cloud is backed by an optional support offering.
The Rackspace Private Cloud Software combines the capabilities of public cloud with the customisation, reliability and control advantages of a dedicated environment. Customers now have a simple way to install an OpenStack-based private cloud in their own datacenter, at Rackspace, or in a colocation facility.
"Rackspace Private Cloud based on OpenStack can be easily integrated into users' existing investments in desktop hardware, network layers and data centre resources. From this point we anticipate that organisations will very quickly grasp the inherent control and customisation power that they have at their command. Of course, Rackspace is there to support customers who want to take their implementation to the next level as their technology stack develops," said Rackspace VP Technology Nigel Beighton.
Key Benefits of Rackspace Private Cloud, Powered by OpenStack include:
• Deploy in minutes - To download, customers can go to www.rackspace.com/cloud/private and run a simple installer to deploy OpenStack components and configuration for private clouds.
• Integrated and tested configuration – Based on customer feedback, Rackspace selected a proven configuration, which initially includes Ubuntu 12.04 LTS host operating system and KVM hypervisor. It is 100% open source OpenStack Essex with Compute, Images, Authentication and Dashboard. We are working with partners like Red Hat and others to offer our customers choice of host operating systems and OpenStack distributions in the future.
• Backed by Rackspace Fanatical Support® - Organisations running the software can utilise free support forums or can purchase Escalation Support services from Rackspace. Escalation Support includes 24x7x365 ticket and phone support for Rackspace Private Cloud powered by OpenStack from the experts at Rackspace.
This software is the newest addition to the Rackspace Private Cloud suite along with OpenStack Training and Support services. For more information go to: www.rackspace.com/cloud/private
Supporting Quotes:
"Our customers trust us to provide solutions to their big data problems, and we trust Rackspace to host those solutions for our customers. With Vectorwise Cloud Powered by Rackspace and the introduction of Rackspace Private Cloud Software, our customers can take action on their big data with high-performance analytic database services wherever and however they need it." Fred Gallagher, general manager Vectorwise, Actian Corporation
"Rackspace Private Cloud Software is based on Ubuntu 12.04 LTS, the reference operating system for OpenStack. We believe it will quickly become the standard for how enterprises deploy their private clouds as OpenStack already is for public clouds." Kyle MacDonald, vice president cloud, Canonical
"CloudTP clients have long been asking for an easy to install, fully supported version of OpenStack and Rackspace has more than delivered with Rackspace Private Cloud Software. We expect Rackspace Private Cloud Software to rapidly accelerate the adoption of OpenStack with our enterprise customers." Ken Pepple, vice president of OpenStack solutions, Cloud Technology Partners
"As a global cloud infrastructure leader, EMC is committed to customer choice for their private and increasingly hybrid cloud environments. We are a longstanding partner of Rackspace and are pleased to extend our industry-leading storage solutions and capabilities for Rackspace Private Cloud Software. For customers adopting OpenStack with Rackspace, they can be confident of EMC's innovation and support for their underlying storage solutions and cloud infrastructure." Dan Hushon, chief technology officer, service provider program, EMC Corporation
"Rackspace has delivered a well tested and free way for customers to utilise OpenStack, and enStratus delivers the governance, security and automation features that best enable enterprises to leverage it. Users can download Rackspace® Private Cloud Software, install it and be deploying workloads using enStratus in under an hour!" George Reese, chief technology officer and co-founder, enStratus
"I'm very impressed with the Rackspace Private Cloud Software as it directly addresses the concern of OpenStack being hard to install and configure. The installation is very robust and intuitive and requires very few parameters to produce a usable OpenStack environment." Kevin Jackson, infrastructure architect and author, OpenStack Cloud Computing Cookbook
"The release of Rackspace Private Cloud Software with Opscode Chef included is a result of the great collaboration between Opscode and Rackspace and a testament to the benefits Chef provides for deploying and managing OpenStack-powered clouds." Jesse Robbins, chief community officer, OpsCode
"Redapt works with Rackspace to deliver fully converged private cloud hardware and software solutions powered by OpenStack to our customers. Having OpenStack packaged, tested and fully supported with Rackspace Private Cloud Software allows us to offer our customers a complete solution, and we're thrilled to be part of the offering." Rick Cantu, co-founder and chief executive officer, Redapt
"Red Hat applauds Rackspace's efforts to help enable wider usage of OpenStack. Combined with our announcement of the availability of a preview release of Red Hat's OpenStack distribution earlier this week, we see great potential in ongoing collaboration with Rackspace to deliver open hybrid clouds to our enterprise customers." Brian Stevens, chief technology officer and vice president, worldwide engineering, Red Hat.
ENDS
About Rackspace Hosting
Rackspace® (NYSE: RAX) is the open cloud company and founder of OpenStack, the standard open-source operating system for cloud computing. Headquartered in San Antonio, Rackspace delivers its renowned Fanatical Support® to more than 200,000 business customers, from data centers on four continents. Rackspace is a leading provider of hybrid clouds, which enable businesses to run their workloads where they run most effectively — whether on the public cloud, a private cloud, dedicated servers, or a combination of these platforms. Rackspace has been recognized by Bloomberg BusinessWeek as a Top 100 Performing Technology Company, and is featured on Fortune’s list of 100 Best Companies to Work For. For more information, visit www.rackspace.co.uk.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, the results of Rackspace Hosting could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including any statements concerning expected development, performance or market acceptance associated with the Rackspace’s hybrid cloud solutions, federated cloud services or other associated products and services; anticipated operational and financial benefits from Rackspace’s hybrid cloud solutions, federated cloud services or other associated products and services; any statements of expectation or belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include including the possibility that expected benefits from the Rackspace cloud network program or the products and services offered through the Rackspace cloud network program may not materialize because the products or services are not generally accepted in the marketplace, which could occur due to certain factors including (i) a failure to market the products or services cost effectively, differentiate the products and services from competitive products and services or communicate differentiations effectively, (ii) the reliability, quality or compatibility associated with the products or services, (iii) changes in technology which adversely affect the benefits of the product, (iv) slowdowns in the general economy or technology industry that impact consumer spending habits, (v) internal strategy decisions that impact the platform, products and services, and (vi) and other risks that are described in Rackspace Hosting’s Form 10-Q for the year ended March 31, 2012, filed with the SEC on May 9, 2013. Except as required by law, Rackspace Hosting assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.
