OpenStack

A set of open-source components for running cloud infrastructure with virtual machines, bare metal and containers.

FreeOpen sourceWebSelf-hosted
Official websiteopenstack.org

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About OpenStack

OpenStack is cloud software that controls large pools of compute, storage and networking resources, managed through APIs or a web dashboard. Beyond standard infrastructure-as-a-service, extra components handle orchestration, fault management and service management.

It is used on premises, by more than 180 public cloud data centres, and at the edge by telecoms and retailers. The community develops it on a regular release cycle; 2026.1 'Gazpacho' is the latest release, and 'Hibiscus' is in development.

Strengths

  • Covers compute, storage and networking through APIs and a dashboard
  • Regular scheduled releases
  • Large ecosystem of public clouds and support partners

Limitations

  • Many components make deployment and upgrades complex
  • Built for data centres rather than individual machines

Details

Pricing
FreeFree and open source; commercial support is available from partners in the OpenStack Marketplace.
License
Open source, license not stated
Developer
The OpenStack contributors
Platforms
Web, Self-hosted
How it runs
Self-hosted
Best suited for
Organisations running their own large-scale private or public cloud
Last verified
Added
Provenance
Facts checked against the developer's own pages and store listings, 1 sources on file.

Alternatives to OpenStack

Compare all

Software that can replace OpenStack for an important use case, and what changes if you switch.

  • Apache CloudStack

    An open-source infrastructure-as-a-service platform for deploying and managing large networks of virtual machines.

    FreeOpen sourceWebSelf-hosted

    Apache CloudStack combines compute, networking, accounts and accounting in one stack, with a web UI, REST API and compatibility with the AWS EC2 and S3 APIs.

  • OpenNebula

    An open-source platform for building private and hybrid clouds that manage virtual machines and Kubernetes.

    FreemiumOpen sourceLinuxWebSelf-hosted

    OpenNebula manages virtual machines and Kubernetes in one platform with VMware migration tools, though support and some integrations come through paid subscriptions.

  • Harvester

    Hyper-converged infrastructure that runs virtual machines on top of Kubernetes.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxSelf-hosted

    Harvester is hyper-converged infrastructure running virtual machines on Kubernetes, requiring bare-metal installation and at least three nodes for production use.

  • oVirt

    Centralised management platform for KVM virtual machines across a cluster.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxWebSelf-hosted

    oVirt focuses on centralised KVM cluster management with live migration and storage domains, but its development slowed considerably after Red Hat Virtualization reached end of life.

  • Proxmox VE

    A bare-metal server platform that runs KVM virtual machines and LXC containers from one web interface.

    FreemiumOpen sourceLinuxSelf-hosted

    Proxmox VE is a single-ISO bare-metal platform for KVM virtual machines and LXC containers, suited to home labs and small businesses rather than large clouds.

  • Ganeti

    An open-source cluster manager for running virtual machines on Xen or KVM across several servers.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxSelf-hostedCommand line

    Ganeti manages Xen or KVM virtual machines on clusters of about 3 to 100 nodes, with deliberately lower complexity than full cloud platforms.

OpenStack as an alternative

Listings that name OpenStack as an alternative.

  • KubeVirt

    A Kubernetes add-on that runs and manages traditional virtual machines alongside containers.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxSelf-hostedCommand line

    OpenStack runs VMs, bare metal and containers in large private clouds through APIs and a dashboard, but its many components make deployment complex.

Similar software

Related functionality, not necessarily a direct replacement.

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