Open Stack

Ildiko Vancsa wrote:
>> […]
>> What's the one platform will be in your own words? What's your
>> proposal and your focus to help one platform vision being achieved?
> 
> In my view it means that OpenStack contains the blocks to build
> platforms that can serve as a base for different use cases and
> workloads. We need to keep the API’s consistent and the interfaces
> between the services well defined and stable.
> 
> In addition, for me, one platform on high level means enablement,
> flexibility, consciousness about the needs of the industry and support
> of the integration points towards related projects/technologies. We need
> OpenStack to be modular with clear communication about the purpose of
> each service and guidance on how to build a platform by using them as
> Lego pieces, like how you have sample photos on the side of the box to
> give you ideas on what you might want.
> 
> I think if we can achieve people seeing OpenStack as a box of Lego,
> tools, you name it, that enables them to build what they need as a base
> platform to run their applications on top we are on the right track.
> This needs good design, consistency and clear communication.

I like the Lego analogy. While it is, in the end, a bunch of building
blocks of various shape and function, we don't describe Lego as a
"collection of blocks". We describe it as "the Lego system" (one
platform) that lets you build stacks in various ways. What makes the
value of the platform is the common experience of operating the blocks,
and the fact that Lego stacks built by someone else are interoperable
with your stacks.

Like all analogies, this one is not perfect (in particular it horribly
fails to capture the "open" nature of the stack), but I think it's still
useful to inform on what OpenStack is.

-- 
Thierry Carrez (ttx)