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OpenStack 'Cactus' Release Supports Larger-Scale Cloud Deployments

SAN ANTONIO - (BUSINESS WIRE) - OpenStack , the open source cloud operating system, today made available the third community-driven software release across three projects -- OpenStack Compute, Object Storage and the new Image Service -- with a focus on stability and reliability for larger-scale cloud deployments. Called the 'Cactus' release, much of the development and documentation efforts were spent improving existing features, extending the API and adding support for popular enterprise technologies to enable enterprises and service providers to deploy OpenStack clouds with greater scale and performance.

More than 60 organizations are now participating in the OpenStack community, including recent additions Arista Networks, Cisco, Gluster, Korean Telecom and StackOps. In just 10 weeks since the 'Bexar' release, more than 4,700 code commits and 40 new features were added to the Cactus release from developers at organizations including Canonical, Citrix, FathomDB, Grid Dynamics, NTT Group and Rackspace.

Cactus Release Features

The Cactus release extends across the previously available OpenStack Compute and Object Storage, as well as the newer OpenStack Image Service. The OpenStack Image Service (code-name Glance) works as a discovery, public registration, and delivery service for virtual disk images. It now features security enhancements including image verification, as well as a new command line tool for a better user experience.

New features in OpenStack Compute (code-name Nova) include:

• Support for major virtualization technologies, including Microsoft Hyper-V, KVM, LXC, QEMU, UML, VMware vSphere, Xen and Citrix XenServer;
• Live Migration support for KVM, which enables users to move running virtual machines from one physical host to another;
• Enhanced network management features, including IPv6 support for flat networking, advanced network configuration and QoS management with XenServer;
• New OpenStack API 1.1 with support for extensions, which allows developers to innovate more quickly by adding extensions to their local OpenStack installations ahead of the code being accepted by the OpenStack community as a whole;
• Multi-cluster region support, which allows administrators to manage servers in clusters, and create fault zones and availability zones; and,
• Support for enterprise storage solutions, including Solaris iSCSI and HP SAN.

New features in OpenStack Object Storage (code-name Swift) include:

• An enhanced authentication system;
• The ability to collect and serve data that enables integration of service provider billing solutions or internal chargebacks; and,
• Static web serving for faster and easier access to content.

"As a strong supporter of OpenStack, we believe that cloud consumers should have choice," said Ewan Mellor, Director, OpenStack Engineering, Datacenter and Cloud Division, Citrix and elected member of the OpenStack Project Policy Board. "We added support for VMware vSphere to allow enterprises and services providers deploying OpenStack the flexibility to integrate with legacy technologies and take control of their cloud strategy."

OpenStack Design Summit and Beyond

As the OpenStack community releases Cactus, the focus is already shifting to the OpenStack Conference & Design Summit, where the community will gather to share ideas, user stories and plan for the next two software releases. The OpenStack Design Summit, which sold out in just 3 weeks, will take place April 26-29, 2011 at the Hyatt Regency in Santa Clara, Calif.

The next code release, 'Diablo,' is scheduled for July 2011, and developers from organizations such as Cisco have already made proposals that will be reviewed at the Design Summit. "OpenStack provides a solid software foundation for computing at scale and we are very excited about the advancements we are working on with the community to deliver next generation cloud networking," said Lew Tucker, Cisco CTO for Cloud Computing.

OpenStack Project Technical Leads for Compute, Object Storage and Image Service will discuss the features in Cactus and preview features expected to be discussed at the OpenStack Design Summit in a webinar, Tuesday, April 19 at 3:00 pm CT.

About OpenStack

OpenStack is a large-scale open source cloud project and community established to drive industry standards, end cloud lock-in and speed the adoption of cloud technologies by service providers and enterprises. The project currently includes OpenStack Object Storage, a fully distributed object store, OpenStack Compute, a scalable compute provisioning engine and OpenStack Image Service, an image registry and delivery service. OpenStack was founded by Rackspace Hosting through its wholly owned subsidiary, OpenStack, LLC, and has the support of more than 60 technology industry leaders and over 1,000 project participants. For more information and to join the community, visit OpenStack.org.

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 of the OpenStack project; the acceptance of OpenStack technology as an industry standard; anticipated operational and financial benefits from any development of the OpenStack project; the participation of other companies or individuals in the OpenStack project; any statements of expectation or belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include the possibility that expected benefits from the OpenStack project may not materialize because the underlying technology is not reliable or generally compatible with industry standards; there are changes in technology that adversely affect the adoption of the standards, and other risks that are described in Rackspace Hosting's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, filed with the SEC on February 22, 2011. 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.

Rackspace Hosting
Lauren Sell, 713-398-8700
Lauren.sell@rackpsace.com