Rackspace is making its first steps toward a support-centric model with its new OpenStack based private cloud.

The new service is built on a Rackspace developed reference architecture that uses OpenStack “Diablo” software release as its project code. Its next update will come in April with the OpenStack Essex release.

Rackspace Cloud: Private Edition is intended for medium-to-large scale private clouds. Rackspace provides the reference architecture, which is free and fully open. Organizations may use the reference architecture with or without Rackspace support.

Rackspace is also working with a group of service providers to provide integration and associated support. Dell is an active partner in the project through the use of its Crowbar software, which was recently open sourced.

OenStack Diablo is considered production ready but it is still quite complex for most people. That’s understandable considering that these are early days for enterprise ready, multi-tenant infrastructures. Add to that the newness of OpenStack and the challenge magnifies.

That’s in part why Rackpace General Manager Jim Currie said they are looking for people with DevOps experience. People who have experience in this emerging technology discipline share both operations and developer talents. They are par admin, part operations and part developers – rolled into one. “We are not just a hosting company,” Currie said.

Rackspace will provide “how to” documentation for the service and a certification program.

Services Angle

There’s a lot of pressure on OpenStack right now to deliver on the hope and promise of a truly open cloud standard. This project will test those waters, as well as setup Rackspace outside of its hosting world and give it more of that lucrative services revenue that so many companies are now seeking.