OpSource Opens Cloud Platform to Public

OpSource, which unveiled its cloud platform during the VMworld 2009 show in August, is now putting the technology out into public beta.

OpSource officials announced Oct. 5 that hourly access to public beta of OpSource Cloud is available here.

The OpSource Cloud is designed to enable enterprises to bring the same level of security they have in-house into the public cloud. The platform enables businesses to create a Virtual Private Cloud. Through the Virtual Private Cloud, IT administrators can decide how much public access they want to grant to those private clouds.

The Virtual Private Clouds can be open to anyone, entirely private or accessible to various degrees in between.

After a business signs up for the service, they receive a VPN (virtual private network) and sets the degree of public Internet connectivity they want to give, according to OpSource officials. Customers also are able to customize their security within a multitier cloud computing environment as well as have full control over firewalls.

Other enterprise-level controls include user-level login and passwords and operational permissions.

OpSource is using VMware virtualization technology to help with application portability between the business and the OpSource Cloud.

Businesses can sign up online and pay by the hour, as they do with public clouds. There also are community resources to enable collaboration and third-party add-ins, according to OpSource. The OpSource Clouds include technology from such vendors as VMware, Cisco Systems, Microsoft and Red Hat.