Canonical OpenStack vs Red Hat OpenStack
Table of contents
OpenStack is a prominent platform used to build and manage cloud infrastructure through open-source. Today, there are several OpenStack distributions available. However, Red Hat OpenStack and Canonical OpenStack are the two most popular ones. Although both offer robust cloud solutions, their approaches, features, and support models differ significantly.
This article explores these variations in great detail, therefore guiding companies in choosing their cloud infrastructure.
Overview of Canonical OpenStack
Canonical OpenStack, also called Charmed OpenStack, is built on Ubuntu. Its goal is to make the OpenStack deployment and administration process more efficient.
It uses Canonical’s products, such as Juju for orchestration and MAAS, Metal as a Service for hardware provisioning to enable users to automate the whole lifecycle of their cloud infrastructure.
Key Features of Canonical OpenStack
- Model-Driven Operations
Using a model-driven approach, Canonical OpenStack makes the management of cloud resources simpler and scaling them possible.
- Automation
The heavily automated deployment procedure helps to save time and complexity in building an OpenStack cloud.
- Flexible Deployment Options
Depending on organizational requirements for flexibility, they can choose between self-managed or Canonical-managed deployments pick depending on.
- Integration with Kubernetes
Canonical lets one run virtual machines and containers on the same platform, therefore enabling a consistent method of workload management.
Overview of Red Hat OpenStack
Red Hat OpenStack Platform or RHOSP is deployed on top of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. This enables it to integrate tightly with other Red Hat products. Red Hat stresses stability, security, and enterprise-grade support. As a result, it has become a popular choice for companies seeking a robust cloud solution.
Key Features of Red Hat OpenStack
- Enterprise Support
Red Hat offers extensive support options, including managed services that cover deployment, upgrades, and ongoing maintenance.
- Integration with Red Hat Ecosystem
It integrates seamlessly with other Red Hat solutions like Ansible for automation and Satellite for systems management.
- Comprehensive Monitoring Tools
RHOSP includes centralized logging, performance monitoring, and availability monitoring tools to ensure optimal cloud operation.
Simple Comparison Table
| Feature | Canonical OpenStack (Charmed OpenStack) | Red Hat OpenStack Platform |
| Distribution | Ubuntu | Red Hat Enterprise Linux |
| Deployment Methodology | Charm-based, declarative | Ansible-based, procedural |
| Management Tools | Juju | Red Hat CloudForms |
| Support Model | Canonical’s commercial support | Red Hat’s commercial support |
| Integration with Other Products | Tightly integrated with other Canonical products (e.g., Kubernetes, Ceph) | Tightly integrated with other Red Hat products (e.g., Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization, Red Hat CloudForms) |
| Pricing | Subscription-based, per-node pricing | Subscription-based, per-node pricing |
| Focus | Simplicity, automation, scalability | Enterprise-grade, stability, security |
| Target Audience | Developers, DevOps teams, cloud service providers | Large enterprises, IT departments |
| Community Involvement | Strong contributor to the OpenStack community | Active contributor to the OpenStack community |
Comparing Canonical OpenStack vs Red Hat OpenStack
- Release Cadence
Canonical OpenStack release cycle occurs every six months. However , its Long-Term Support (LTS) releases occur every 18 months. As a result, customers can get new features and improvements more frequently. Red Hat release cycle is also every six-month release cycle, but while Canonical LTS is every 18 months Red Hat’s own is every two years. This provides stability, but it may cause delays in accessing new features when compared to Canonical’s approach.
- Bare-Metal Provisioning Tool
For bare-metal provisioning, Canonical OpenStack uses MAAS, enabling customers to control physical servers inside their cloud environment effectively. Red Hat OpenStack uses Ironic as its bare-metal provisioning tool, which is also efficient but could require operating skills different from MAAS.
- Maximum Support Timeline
Canonical OpenStack offers a maximum support timeline of five years for its releases. This shorter support period may require organizations to plan upgrades more frequently. However, Red Hat OpenStack has a longer maximum support timeline of ten years, which can appeal to enterprises looking for long-term stability and support without frequent upgrades.
- Managed Services
Canonical offers managed services for OpenStack through its solution called BootStack. This fully managed service allows Canonical to use their expertise to build, monitor, and maintain your private cloud. They handle everything from initial deployment to operations management, including software updates, backups, and monitoring. However, there is also an option to self-manage your infrastructure with the help of Canonical.
Similarly, Red Hat OpenStack offers managed services. This gives organizations the option to outsource the management of their cloud infrastructure to Red Hat. This capability is especially useful for firms that lack in-house knowledge of the system. Red Hat also works with managed service providers (MSPs) to offer OpenStack as a managed private cloud solution. As a result, companies can experience minimized disruptions while maintaining operational control.
- Support Options
Selecting an OpenStack distribution requires much consideration including support. Canonical provides flexible support choices allowing users to select between fully managed services or self-managed configurations. This adaptability serves companies with different degrees of expertise in cloud infrastructure management. Red Hat, on the other hand, offers robust business support including thorough maintenance programs tailored for large-scale deployments.
- Upgrade Process
Canonical’s method supports automated upgrades that can be scheduled, ensuring it is free from significant downtime. On the other hand, the Red Hat upgrading process is manual and could be complex. This could cause problems for companies during the maintenance window, therefore slowing down or stopping the workflow over that period.
- Ecosystem Integration
Canonical OpenStack is designed to fit quite well with a variety of third-party components. It also leverages MAAS, Metal as a Service, for hardware provisioning and Juju for service orchestration. By means of OpenStack Interoperability Lab (OIL), Canonical examines hundreds of setups to guarantee interoperability with several hardware and software solutions.
Red Hat, on the other hand, is closely linked with its ecosystem. For companies now using Red Hat products, this connection offers a cohesive experience. Such integration could, however, restrict flexibility and perhaps lock customers into the Red Hat environment.
- Cost Structure
For companies running several instances across different hardware configurations, Canonical offers a per-host pricing model, which can be more predictable and economical. Red Hat’s per-socket-pair price, on the other hand, can result in more expenses in settings with few sockets but many physical servers.
- Monitoring Tools
Though both systems have monitoring features, their scope and complexity vary. Through its Landscape tool, Canonical offers basic monitoring. For sophisticated monitoring requirements, you may need other setups. Red Hat, on the other hand, offers a whole suite of monitoring tools so that companies may have a better understanding of their cloud operations without resorting to third-party solutions.
- Subscription Model
Canonical OpenStack does require a subscription for its basic services. Users could thus utilize and control their cloud infrastructure totally free from ongoing licensing costs. However, Red Hat OpenStack depends on a per socket-pair model subscription, so it can be rather expensive (around USD 6,300 per socket-pair). This approach may result in greater costs for businesses with plenty of physical servers.
Data Protection for OpenStack
Storware backup and recovery provides comprehensive data protection for OpenStack environments, including both Red Hat and Canonical distributions. Its agentless architecture ensures seamless integration without impacting performance. Storware can protect a wide range of OpenStack components, including instances, volumes, and metadata. Additionally, it offers granular restore options, allowing you to recover specific files or entire instances as needed. With Storware, you can safeguard your critical OpenStack data and ensure business continuity in case of unexpected events.
Conclusion
Choosing between Canonical OpenStack and Red Hat OpenStack finally comes down to an organization’s particular needs. So you must consider that when looking at their differences. With customizable support choices appropriate for many contexts, Canonical’s Charmed OpenStack excels in automation and ease of use. Red Hat’s product, on the other hand, distinguishes itself for its enterprise-grade dependability and all-encompassing support system designed for big companies looking for robust cloud solutions.
Understanding these variations fully will help you choose the appropriate distribution that fits your operational needs and strategic objectives in creating a sustainable cloud infrastructure.
