"OpenStack provides an open, standard platform that gives organizations the choice of how and where to deploy a cloud, as well as the flexibility to move applications and workloads among different clouds," said Jim Curry, general manager, Rackspace Cloud Builders. "The collaboration of Dell, Equinix and Rackspace to help organizations deploy and connect OpenStack clouds enables CIOs to choose a computing environment that aligns with their business, regulatory and technical requirements."

Dell, Equinix, and Rackspace, on Wednesday announced that they have collaborated to develop an OpenStack cloud demonstration and test environment. The demo environment will be available in three data centers: the Equinix International Business Exchange in Silicon Valley, Ca and Ashburn, Va, and the Rackspace data center in Chicago, Ill. The companies also plan to collaborate on additional demo environments in Equinix data centers in Europe and Asia in the second quarter of 2011. The demonstration environment allows organizations to easily and rapidly assess applications on the open-source cloud platform, simplifying the evaluation process and speeding the deployment of OpenStack proof of concepts (POCs). It is the first demonstration of an open standard platform where geographically dispersed OpenStack clouds can offer customers the ability to move applications and workloads between them.

OpenStack is a collection of open-source technologies delivering a massively scalable cloud platform for public and private clouds. Originally founded by Rackspace and NASA, OpenStack has grown to be a global software community of developers, technologists, researchers and more than 50 organizations collaborating to help enable any organization to create and offer cloud computing services running on standard hardware.

The OpenStack demo environment integrates the OpenStack cloud operating system software; services and support from Rackspace® Cloud Builders; cloud optimized Dell PowerEdge C Intel-based server technology; and Platform EquinixTM, a global delivery platform of 92 network neutral data centers in 35 metro markets. As a result of this collaboration, companies can simplify their evaluation of the OpenStack platform and accelerate the deployment of cloud solutions modeled after the Dell, Equinix and Rackspace environment.

"Today's cloud solutions require scalability and reliability and must deliver superior end-user performance," said Vince DiMemmo, general manager, Global Cloud and IT Services, at Equinix. "The combination of the OpenStack platform on Dell hardware delivered through Equinix data centers excels on all three fronts. Platform Equinix enables clouds to be deployed with optimal geographical distribution in highly optimized network environments that reside in direct proximity to cloud end-users. This comprehensive solution enabled by Rackspace, Dell and Equinix ensures the performance today's cloud applications require."

Enterprises, SaaS (software-as-a-service) providers and network operators looking to deploy cloud solutions can demo OpenStack in the Equinix test environment as a precursor to an OpenStack POC. They can take part in demonstrations of common use-cases and pre-installed applications or run their own applications to see how they perform on the platform. If the participants choose to evaluate the OpenStack solution further, they can engage Dell, Equinix and Rackspace for dedicated POC environments hosted at Equinix. Existing Equinix customers have the additional flexibility to simply and readily cross-connect to the OpenStack demo environment via a range of interconnection services available within Equinix IBX data centers.

"Dell is committed to developing and promoting open standards, and we're pleased to be working with Equinix and Rackspace to provide this OpenStack demonstration environment," said John Igoe, executive director of Cloud Software Solutions, Dell. "It allows service providers and ISVs to evaluate if OpenStack is right for their ‘as a Service' offering. It is a great example of the OpenStack community working together to advance the OpenStack platform."