Cloud computing company goes open-source

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Cloud computing provider and web site hosting company Rackspace has decided to go open-source and recently revealed the thought process behind its partly NASA-developed technology.

Rackspace believes customers would prefer an open cloud to a proprietary one due to growing consumer concerns regarding the actual availability of their data in the managed network. They therefore plan to launch Openstack.org, an open-source cloud-based service.


Rackspace claims to be the second-biggest player in their industry; however, it is facing tough competition. As a result, they have decided to create and make this new offering available for consumers to draw more attention and potential revenue.

NASA has developed parts of the company’s new technology. The chief technology officer at NASA, Chris Kemp, regarding Rackspace’s new open-sourced offering, stated “we are very interested in making the work we have done a standard and getting a large, external community to support it.”

Various programs are currently being developed to make it easier to shift from one cloud computing company to another. Customers, however, remain skeptical. Many believe companies consider the cumbersome process a way to lock in customers for many years to come.