Canonical has introduced an open-source microcloud environment. Developers can use it to set up a super small cloud environment for various (edge) applications.
The open-source specialist sees mini-cloud environments as a successor to edge computing. Edge computing has had its day, it points out in a blog.
According to Canonical, MicroCloud is especially suitable for setting up a cloud environment for IoT devices or other edge solutions and applications. The MicroCloud service is also suitable for companies that want to set up small-scale private cloud environments. There can be various reasons for this, for example, because for them public cloud environments are too expensive or to work with highly sensitive data in a regulated environment. Furthermore, developers can use the MicroCloud service to create test environments.
Easy deployment and scaling
The open-source specialist further indicates that the MicroCloud environment is very easy to set up. The cloud service can be set up in minutes, including using the distro-agnostic software distribution method Snap, developed by Canonical.
The small cloud environment is further highly scalable to meet different requirements. The service starts with three nodes but can be expanded to a total of 50 nodes.
Underlying technology
Canonical’s MicroCloud service runs on three open-source technologies. The infrastructure tool LXD provides everything for running virtual workloads, from normal VMs to containers. It also supports various Linux distros and Windows VMs. The open-source storage platform Ceph provides the necessary support for highly scalable object, block and file storage in a single environment within MicroCloud. Finally, OVN for MicroCloud provides an open-source SDD solution for virtual L2 and L3 network abstractions, security groups, DHCP and other network services. This functionality is also highly scalable.
Canonical’s MicroCloud is available immediately. The open-source specialist works together with edge server hardware manufacturers for compatibility and proper performance. Which vendors these are is not known.
22 hours ago
