[OpenStack Foundation] OpenStack core and interoperability

Monty Taylor mordred at inaugust.com
Thu Oct 31 14:41:10 UTC 2013



On 10/31/2013 07:36 AM, Dave Neary wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> On 10/31/2013 10:06 AM, Thierry Carrez wrote:
>> Mark McLoughlin posted a very interesting view at:
>> http://blogs.gnome.org/markmc/2013/10/30/openstack-core-and-interoperability/
> 
> Awesome summary & more or less exactly what I think.
> 
>> I agree with him. "Core" is not a goal, it's just a means to an end. A
>> "market of interoperable OpenStack clouds" is the goal. By focusing on
>> the means rather than the end goal, we face the risk of missing the target.
> 
> The goal is: allow someone using one OpenStack cloud to move *his* stuff
> to another OpenStack cloud easily. Also allow someone to burst from a
> private OpenStack cloud to a public OpenStack cloud easily on demand.
> That could be achieved by interoperability, but the definition of
> interoperability could also be too narrow to allow that.
> 
>> If you focus on the end goal, you realize there is a choice between two
>> approaches: the common denominator approach (aim for a small set to make
>> sure most current "OpenStack clouds" will stay "OpenStack clouds"), and
>> the prescriptive approach (define what would make a "complete" OpenStack
>> cloud, and use the power of the trademark to encourage everyone to
>> converge towards that). There is no way around that choice and we should
>> have the courage to tackle it early rather than late.
> 
> Third option: standardise on interfaces and behaviour, and ignore
> implementation.

There is a VERY specific and strong reason why this is not the approach,
and that's because it disincentivies people from working on OpenStack
itself. We already have the problem with Neutron where not enough
companies are working on the core of neutron because they're all only
working on their vendor plugins. If OpenStack all of a sudden became a
set of interfaces, then the goal of an Open cloud would, I'm pretty
certain, become lost.



More information about the Foundation mailing list