CloudStack - a powerful cloud system in the world

Abstract

This article gives a general introduction to readers about the history, the structure, the outlook and the characteristics of CloudStack. This article consists of four parts as belows:

• Introduction to CloudStack
• This part introduces readers the history and features of CloudStack
• Architecture of CloudStack
• This part shows the general architecture of CloudStack
• User Interface of CloudStack
• This part presents the user interface of CloudStack to readers
• Comparison between CloudStack and OpenStack
• This part stands out the advantages of CloudStack through comparison 

At the end of this article, there is also some questions with answers to help readers grasp the content of this article.

Introduction to CloudStack

CloudStack is an open source, scalable software that becomes a management platform for building a public, private and hybrid Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) cloud computing environments. It is developed to help people who are service management provider or supporting to create and operate the cloud with public or private.

CloudStack has many features, its main features are shown belows:
 

Powerful API

It’s easier to build up and integrate. It can also use applications to build on top of CloudStack API (Application Programming Interface). API is a well-documented and extensible, it also support for Amazon, EC2 and S3 APIs.
 

Rich Management User Interface

CloudStack provides a rich feature to manage the cloud infrastructure. Most of the latest browsers can be compatible and also can be easily integrated with the existing portal.
 

Multi-role Support

There are three different roles for user interface and API supported by CloudStack:

Admin: can manage virtual and physical information in the CloudStack

Domain-Admin: can only manage virtual information created by the account in their domain

User: can only manage their virtual information
 

Architecture of CloudStack

Generally, the architecture of a CloudStack includes two parts: the Management Server and the cloud infrastructure. The Management Server manages the resources such as hosts, storage devices, and IP addresses when users setup and manage a CloudStack cloud.

To run the CloudStack service minimally, at least one machine has to run the CloudStack Management Server and another machine acting as the cloud infrastructure, including one host running hypervisor software which is needed.
   

   

The Management Server manages zones (datacenters) containing host computers which are running guest virtual machines. The cloud infrastructure is organized as follows:

• Zone: A zone is equal to a single datacenter, which includes pods and secondary storage.
• Pod: A pod is usually a hardware that includes a switch and clusters.
• Cluster: A cluster consists of one or more hosts and primary storage.
• Host: A hosts are actual cloud services running in the form of guest virtual machines.
• Primary storage is associated with a cluster, which stores the disk volumes for all the virtual machines running on hosts inside the cluster.
• Secondary storage is associated with a zone, which stores templates, ISO images, and disk volume snapshots. 

    

  

User Interface of CloudStack

CloudStack is set up by a GUI (Graphical User Interface), API and CLI tools with majority of features available in the interface, it lets admins and users are easy to setup and administer CloudStack through a well thought GUI.

To coordinate different levels of users, a simple Role Based Access Control (RBAC) system inside the CloudStack divides the users and shows the features they are capable in the interface, fine-tuned the standard allocations is also available in the CloudStack.  
  

Admins can easily control all of the features and set up controls, thresholds and limits by using Global Settings. Here are the features of the admin interface: 

Processing in 7 steps in GUI, users are also easy to create a new VM (Virtual Machine) in a graphical wizard:

1. Choose an Availability Zone
2. Choose a template of mounted ISO for custom install    
3. Choose the Compute Offering
4. Add additional Data Volume and set its size
5. Add into an existing Network/VPC, or create a new Network automatically if no Networks are available
6. Provide a name which will be also used as the VMs Hostname
7. Launch the VM

After launching the VM, users can take Snapshots of Disk Volume to protect VM, create Custom private Templates so that particular VM can fulfill the requirements of multiple instances quickly in replicating.   

  

  

Why using CloudStack?

CloudStack is using cloud computing and IaaS.  Most organizations want to enhance their business with applying technology, such as scalability, cost saving, flexible operation and available resources; they need to choose CloudStack to enhance their business, here are the advantages of using CloudStack:

• Scalability - It can connect at least 40000 physical hosts with managed and it is easy to set up with UI (User-interface). 
• Flexibility - It works and integrates with different non-cloud-based applications by running in cloud.
• Cost saving - CloudStack is an open sources which supplied by Apaches.

Due to its unique architecture, the system is isolated and highly secured. CloudStack can be isolated by basic zone using layer 3 switch or advanced zone using layer 2 switch. 

Furthermore, adding security group can monitor status and edit any rules in network ingress and egress. Since it is isolated from VLAN and security group in advance zone, only administrator can create a VLAN network. Moreover, the network labels will tell CloudStack to connect physical network, which is already separated into different network. The major advantage of CloudStack owns multiple connections which can work for different purposes.
   

Questions: (highlight the words to watch the answers)

Q1: What is different with Cloudstack and openstack?

Answer: They are both cloud computing with IAAS. CloudStack is developed by Citrix and fully support and develop with Cirtix and friends. Openstack doesn’t have regular team to develop. Openstack and CloudStack are both free and open sources, CloudStack’s configuration is easier than openstack and CloudStack suitable for enterprise user since CloudStack concept is in private to public, but openstack are opposite from public to private.

Q2. What does the cloud infrastructure includes?

Answer: It includes zone, pod, cluster, host, primary storage and secondary storage.

Q3. What are the 7 steps to create a new VM in CloudStack?

Answer: The answer is above the paragraph of “Processing 7 steps in GUI”.

Q4. Why choosing CloudStack?

Answer: CloudStack is open source software, it will let user easier to create or operate their cloud; furthermore, choosing CloudStack will power the public or private cloud computing environments.

References:

Burns, C. 2013. Stack wars: OpenStack v. CloudStack v. Eucalyptus. [online] Available at:  

http://www.networkworld.com/supp/2013/enterprise3/060313-ecs3-open-stack-269899.html?page=2 [Accessed: 20 Mar 2014].
Childers, C. 2013. Why We Chose CloudStack. [online] Available at: 

http://insights.wired.com/profiles/blogs/why-cloudstack#axzz2wKJgiSRx [Accessed: 20 Mar 2014].
Cloudstack.apache.org. 2012. 11.7. Security Groups. [online] Available at:  

http://cloudstack.apache.org/docs/en-US/Apache_CloudStack/4.0.2/html/Installation_Guide/security-groups.html [Accessed: 20 Mar 2014]. 
Cloudstack-china.org. 2013. SDN in CloudStack. [online] Available at:  

http://events.linuxfoundation.org/sites/events/files/slides/CloudStack%20SDN%20-%20CloudOpen_0.pdf [Accessed: 20 Mar 2014]. 
Shah, M. 2013. Security Groups Isolation in Advanced Zone - Apache Cloudstack - Apache Software Foundation. [online] Available at: 

https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/CLOUDSTACK/Security+Groups+Isolation+in+Advanced+Zone [Accessed: 20 Mar 2014]. 
Shapeblue.com. 2013. Understanding CloudStack’s Physical Networking Architecture | CloudStack consultancy & cloudStack support from ShapeBlue. [online] Available at:  

http://shapeblue.com/cloudstack/understanding-cloudstacks-physical-networking-architecture/ [Accessed: 20 Mar 2014]. 
Vittal, C. and Huang, A. 2013. CloudStack Overview. [online] Available at:  

http://www.cloudstack-china.org/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2012/09/CloudStack-Overview.pdf [Accessed: 20 Mar 2014].