Rackspace offers support for OpenStack clouds

Rackspace has announced formal service and support for organisations building cloud projects based on its OpenStack cloud initiative, including training and certification, deployment services and technical support.

Known as Rackspace Cloud Builders, the programme extends the company's so-called Fanatical Support service beyond its own datacentres to any OpenStack cloud deployment for the first time.

Under the scheme, Rackspace said that it will provide training classes and certification testing to assist customers developing OpenStack clouds. It will also help customers design and deploy clouds, in conjunction with other experts from the OpenStack community.

However, technical support and backup is likely to prove key for customers, and Rackspace said that it will provide access to remote support and escalation assistance from OpenStack experts, including proactive monitoring and fixes.

OpenStack is an open-source cloud platform for infrastructure-as-a-service, founded by Rackspace and NASA last year, but which has now attracted big-name supporters such as Citrix, Dell, Intel and others.

Rackspace said that many organisations were interested in the platform because it is open, flexible and compatible, but that support is of vital importance to customers deploying it in their own datacentre.

"We are ready to support OpenStack deployments anywhere, starting today," said Jim Curry, general manager of Rackspace Cloud Builders.