One of the most common complaints about OpenStack is the complexity of designing a cloud environment with the software, and then standing it up. Red Hat and QCT have joined forces to help solve this problem — the result is a reference architecture called QxStack with Red Hat OpenStack Platform.
QxStack with Red Hat OpenStack Platform is an OpenStack reference architecture (RA) for private and hybrid clouds. QCT has engineered several innovative features into the RA, including the Red Hat OpenStack Platform software, the Ansible-based QxStack Auto-Deployment Tool, and QCT industry-leading hardware to give enterprises and service providers a highly available OpenStack cloud that is easier to deploy, manage and scale.
Enterprises and service providers are embracing OpenStack for a wide range of use cases. However, a frequent user request is for solutions that help to reduce risk and speed up the time to production. The QCT QxStack with Red Hat OpenStack Platform solution is designed to deliver upon this need: a validated and ready-to-deploy option, supported by hyperscale cloud experts and open source software experts.
As a global data center solution provider that combines the efficiency of hyperscale hardware with infrastructure software for some of the biggest names in both the public and private cloud markets, QCT understands what is required to deliver an RA that simplifies and streamlines day-two challenges, like operations and maintenance.
Red Hat is a leader in open source software for enterprises and service providers, including solutions based on the OpenStack project. Together, QCT and Red Hat have published this validated RA for Red Hat OpenStack Platform-based clouds running on QCT solutions that are designed to simplify the process of designing, deploying, operating, and scaling agile infrastructures for enterprises and service providers. The QxStack with Red Hat OpenStack Platform RA is now available and delivers an integrated and validated environment, right out of the box.
QCT and Red Hat have worked together for several years, including collaboration on OpenStack-based solutions. The QCT QxStack with Red Hat OpenStack Platform RA is co-developed by both companies. It integrates Red Hat OpenStack Platform 10 with Red Hat Ceph Storage and Ansible Automation to offer a robust, resilient and highly available OpenStack cloud solution for private and hybrid cloud environments. Red Hat OpenStack Platform 10 combines the power of Red Hat Enterprise Linux with OpenStack technology to deliver a scalable and more secure foundation to build and manage clouds for enterprises or service providers.
The reference architecture is a guideline for infrastructure operators seeking an OpenStack solution that helps to simplify the deployment and management of QxStack Auto-Deployment.
Deployment of OpenStack can be labor-intensive. If you’re deploying OpenStack frequently—as many users do—automation helps to streamline the process and reduce the risk of time-consuming errors that can creep into CLI-based deployment methods.
To help simplify and speed deployment, QxStack with Red Hat OpenStack Platform uses QxStack Auto-Deployment built with the Ansible Project, a leading open source automation engine. The Ansible Project is the most popular automation frameworks in use by OpenStack operators around the world. It’s tested and proven in production deployments every day.
The reference architecture explains how the necessary deployment templates and scripts are automatically generated based on a set of provisioning parameters and customized settings for network and storage requirements. The tool is also capable of auto deployment, simplifying the scaling process, and supporting organizations embracing DevOps CI/CD (continuous integration/continuous deployment) software lifecycle processes.
Fault Tolerant to Minimize Disruptions from Downtime
QCT QxStack with Red Hat OpenStack Platform offers high failure tolerance that helps to minimize downtime and the risk of data loss, passing a series of Tempest functionality tests, Rally load tests, and high availability (HA) tests. QCT has uploaded several testing reports to Github, and you can check out the results.
Integrated and Validated With QCT Hardware and Red Hat Software
Now, let’s talk hardware. The QCT QxStack with Red Hat OpenStack Platform uses a QuantaPlex ultra-dense server, model T41S-2U, It’s a 2U form factor appliance with four independent nodes. The storage approach is proven and tiered, leveraging the QuantaGrid D51PH-1ULH storage platform with a hybrid storage architecture in an ultra-dense, hot-swappable 1U form factor.
For users who want to deploy pods with a top-of-rack network switch, this option is available in the RA. Some other key features of the RA include a fully distributed object storage and persistent block-level storage architecture, integrated networking, a VM provisioning engine and image storage capability, a user and admin console interface that’s web browser-based, and comprehensive authentication and authorization tools.
Support From the Open Source Experts
Operating OpenStack can be a challenge for those new to the software, and Red Hat can help. The QCT QxStack with Red Hat OpenStack Platform is supported by Red Hat with Red Hat technical support.
Red Hat also manages the release cycle for QxStack with Red Hat OpenStack Platform users. The OpenStack release cycle and upgrade process has improved substantially since the early days of the project, and Red Hat is highly capable of helping organizations to navigate these lifecycles.
Getting Started with the QxStack with Red Hat OpenStack Platform RA
If you’re looking for a path to OpenStack deployment and operations that can give you the flexibility to scale as needs grow, helps to reduce risk by integrating proven components from industry-leading partners in OpenStack and agile cloud, and can help you get to production more quickly, then the QxStack with Red Hat OpenStack Platform is a great option. Learn more here or Contact us