OpenCloudEdge

This project aims to study, implement and evaluate OpenStack, for at least two case studies, of which one is IoT related. These case studies will deal with both private and hybrid cloud environments to allow an investigation into their interplay for the design of the three typical paradigms in cloud computing, namely Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS).

The primary target audience includes both IT service providers and users who wish to set up (partially) their own cloud management themselves. A certain internal IT knowledge is therefore already available at these SMEs. Most of these companies are small to medium sized and not R&D intensive and need additional information about the complexity and capabilities of OpenStack. We have set up a user committee consisting of approximately 20 members, which covers this primary target group well, and which, in addition to small players, also includes some medium-sized players.

We estimate that around 50 companies could benefit directly from this project within the next 2 years and we will also actively seek to identify them through our users committee members and through dissemination activities.

In concrete terms, we will first describe the necessary OpenStack components and their mutual interaction. Specifically for the IT service providers, we will prepare a manual that describes which technologies and methodologies are required to set up the three service models of IaaS, PaaS and SaaS with OpenStack. This also includes other associated technologies that are necessary to efficiently develop applications such as Node-RED, Docker containers and Kubernetes. The manual will be drawn up on the basis of at least two case studies, one of which is IoT-oriented, which highlights the interplay between IoT-Edge-Cloud in particular. More specifically for the users, we will highlight the added value and potential problems that arise when using OpenStack in order to get a better and neutral view of the possible consequences of using that technology. More specifically, we will focus on the functionalities that OpenStack has to offer with regard to scalability, load distribution and security. We expect that at least 1 company will effectively apply the technology after 1 year and at least 4 companies after the second year. At least 2 case studies will also be documented after 2 years (manual + evaluation).

Finally, we will disseminate the learned concepts through at least two workshops that will be open to all members of the user group as well as a major networking event, organized in collaboration with the network organizations DSP Valley and LSEC. In addition, the results will also be disseminated via the website, newsletters and scientific publications.

Using appropriate cloud technology will allow companies to grow more cost-effectively by offering better scalability and more automation. Studies predict that the global OpenStack market will increase by more than 2 billion euros in the next 2 years, so it is important that Flanders steps in to take a closer look at this technology and integrate it.