If you are even remotely considering cloud computing, you owe it to yourself to begin with the Ubuntu Enterprise Cloud (UEC) open source cloud software. There are many reasons for this. Not only is this tool feature-rich, it is also free. If you are only just now trying to decide if you want to deploy a cloud environment, then you do not want to shell out your entire IT budget only to find out if cloud computing is for you (or your company). That is where UEC comes in.
Specifications
- Controller:
- Processor: dual processor 2GHz or better
- RAM: 2GB
- Hard Drive speed: 7200rpm SATA
- Hard Drive size: 200GB
- Networking: 1000Mbps
- Nodes:
- Processor: 64-bit multicore
- RAM: 4GB
- Hard Drive speed: 7200 rpm SATA or SCSI
- Hard Drive size: 100GB
- Networking: 1000Mbps
- Cost Entry-level coverage for turnkey boxes:
- 5 physical machines Business hours 9-5 - $4,750/year or 24/7 - $17,500/year
- Cost Additional packs for turnkey boxes:
- 1 physical machine Business hours 9-5 - $1,250/year or 24/7 - $3,000/year
- Free if you have existing hardware
- Additional vendor information
- TechRepublic Photo Gallery
Who's it for?
The Ubuntu Enterprise Cloud is for anyone (personal, SMB, enterprise) needing to either test or deploy a cloud environment. UEC is not only a perfectly capable cloud environment, it is also free.
What problem does it solve?
The biggest problem UEC solves is the determining if a cloud environment is suitable for your needs. By deploying UEC you will only be spending budget on hardware (unless you already have the hardware available) and not on software. This gives the administration a certain freedom they won't have by using a commercial solution.
Standout features
- Compatibility with Amazon EC2
- Elastic resources
- Static IP assignment
- Both Web-based and command line administration tools
- SOAP with WS-security for secure communication
- KVM Hypervisor support
What's wrong?
Although the UEC Web site claims you can have a cloud up and running in around 25 minutes, that is (in most cases) a pipe dream. The setup and configuration of both controller and nodes is demanding and can take up to the better part of a weekend. If you do not read through as much documentation as you need to get fully up to speed, you could lose hair during this process.
Competitive products
Bottom line for business
If you are not sure about deploying a cloud, and want to give it a try without breaking your IT budget, Ubuntu Enterprise Cloud is the way to go. Although the installation of both controller and nodes can be quite a challenge, the reward is that you will not have spent a single penny on software in the process of discovery. And once you have your UEC up and running, you will find it performs as well as the competition.
User rating
Have you encountered or used Ubuntu Enterprise Cloud? If so, what do you think? Rate your experience and compare the results to what other TechRepublic members think. Give your own personal review in the TechRepublic Community Forums or let us know if you think we left anything out in our review.
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About Jack Wallen
Jack Wallen is an award-winning writer for Techrepublic and Linux.com. As an avid promoter/user of the Linux OS, Jack tries to convert as many users to open source as possible. His current favorite flavor of Linux is Bodhi Linux (a melding of Ubuntu ...
Full Bio
Jack Wallen is an award-winning writer for Techrepublic and Linux.com. As an avid promoter/user of the Linux OS, Jack tries to convert as many users to open source as possible. His current favorite flavor of Linux is Bodhi Linux (a melding of Ubuntu and Enlightenment). When Jack isn't writing about Linux he is hard at work on his other writing career -- writing about zombies, various killers, super heroes, and just about everything else he can manipulate between the folds of reality. You can find Jack's books on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords. Outnumbered in his house one male to two females and three humans to six felines, Jack maintains his sanity by riding his mountain bike and working on his next books. For more news about Jack Wallen, visit his website Get Jack'd.
