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Overview of OpenStack Architecture

Overview of OpenStack Architecture

Definition

OpenStack is an open-source cloud computing platform for creating and managing public and private clouds. It provides a set of software tools for building and managing cloud computing platforms for both private and public clouds. OpenStack components control large pools of compute, storage, and networking resources throughout a datacenter, managed through a web-based dashboard, command-line tools, or a RESTful API.

Key Concepts

  • Compute (Nova): Manages and provisions large networks of virtual machines.
  • Storage (Swift and Cinder): Swift provides object storage, while Cinder provides block storage.
  • Networking (Neutron): Provides networking as a service for OpenStack deployments.
  • Identity (Keystone): Provides authentication and high-level authorization services.
  • Dashboard (Horizon): Provides a web-based user interface for OpenStack services.
  • Orchestration (Heat): Manages the entire lifecycle of infrastructure and applications within OpenStack.

Detailed Explanation

  • Compute (Nova): Nova is the core compute service in OpenStack. It is responsible for provisioning and managing instances (virtual machines). Nova interacts with underlying hypervisors to create and manage instances and supports multiple hypervisors like KVM, VMware, and Hyper-V.

  • Storage:

    • Object Storage (Swift): Swift is a scalable redundant storage system for objects and files. It is ideal for storing unstructured data that can grow without bound. It provides a distributed, eventually consistent object/blob store.
    • Block Storage (Cinder): Cinder provides persistent block storage to running instances. It supports creating, attaching, and detaching block devices to/from instances, similar to Amazon's Elastic Block Storage (EBS).

  • Networking (Neutron): Neutron provides networking-as-a-service between interface devices (e.g., vNICs) managed by other OpenStack services (e.g., Nova). Neutron allows users to create their own networks and control the network connectivity and addressing.

  • Identity (Keystone): Keystone is the identity service used for authentication and high-level authorization. It provides a central directory of users mapped to the OpenStack services they can access. Keystone supports multiple forms of authentication including username/password, token-based systems, and LDAP.

  • Dashboard (Horizon): Horizon provides a web-based interface for users and administrators to interact with OpenStack services. It enables cloud administrators to manage cloud resources and provides end-users a self-service portal to provision their own resources.

  • Orchestration (Heat): Heat provides a service to orchestrate multiple composite cloud applications using templates, through both an OpenStack-native REST API and a CloudFormation-compatible Query API. Heat templates are used to describe the relationships between resources, enabling a wide variety of cloud applications to be deployed automatically.

Diagrams

  1. OpenStack High-Level Architecture:

    • A diagram showing the core components (Nova, Swift, Cinder, Neutron, Keystone, Horizon, Heat) and how they interact with each other.

  2. OpenStack Networking (Neutron) Architecture:

    • Diagram depicting the networking setup within OpenStack, including routers, subnets, and external network connections.

  3. OpenStack Storage Architecture:

    • Illustration of how Swift and Cinder provide object and block storage, respectively, and how they integrate with other components.

Links to Resources

Notes and Annotations

  • Summary of Key Points:

    • OpenStack is a comprehensive, open-source cloud computing platform supporting compute, storage, and networking.
    • Core components include Nova (compute), Swift and Cinder (storage), Neutron (networking), Keystone (identity), Horizon (dashboard), and Heat (orchestration).
    • It provides a scalable and flexible solution for both private and public cloud deployments.

  • Personal Annotations and Insights:

    • OpenStack's modular architecture allows for flexibility in deployment, enabling organizations to pick and choose components based on their needs.
    • The strong community support and frequent updates ensure that OpenStack stays relevant and can incorporate new technologies and methodologies.
    • Integration with other open-source projects and tools makes OpenStack a versatile choice for a variety of cloud computing scenarios.

Backlinks

  • Data Science:
    • Utilizing OpenStack's scalable compute and storage capabilities to process and analyze large datasets.
  • Artificial Neural Networks:
    • Deploying machine learning models using OpenStack's orchestration and compute resources.
  • Cyber Security:
    • Leveraging Keystone for secure identity management and Neutron for network isolation and security within cloud deployments.

These notes provide a structured overview of OpenStack architecture, covering fundamental concepts, detailed explanations, diagrams, and resources for further learning. The annotations and backlinks link OpenStack knowledge to other subjects, enhancing interdisciplinary understanding.