The OpenStack cloud architecture

OpenStack is an open source Apache 2.0 licensed framework used to build cloud platforms. It is primarily an IaaS and has been in the developer community since 2010. The OpenStack Foundation manages the software and has support from more than 500 companies, including Intel, IBM, Red Hat, and Ericsson. We will use OpenStack as a reference architecture for other cloud providers as much of the components and terminology are reused in commercial clouds. 

OpenStack started as a joint project between NASA and Rackspace around 2010. The architecture has all the major components of other cloud systems, including compute and load balancing; storage components, including backup and recovery; networking components, dashboards, security and identity, data and analytics packages, deployment tools, monitors and meters, and application services. These are the components that an architect would look for when choosing a cloud service. 

Architecturally, OpenStack is an interwoven...