OpenStack is a cloud operating system that controls large pools of compute, storage, and networking resources throughout a data center, all managed through a dashboard that gives administrators control while empowering users to provision resources through a web interface. Cloud computing provides users with access to a shared collection of computing resources: networks for transfer, servers for storage, and applications or services for completing tasks. The compelling features of a cloud are: On-demand self-service: Users can automatically provision needed computing capabilities, such as server time and network storage, without requiring human interaction with each service provider. Network access: Any computing capabilities are available over the network. Many different devices are allowed access through standardized mechanisms. Resource pooling: Multiple users can access clouds that serve other consumers according to demand. Elasticity: Provisioning is rapid and scales out or is based on need. Metered or measured service: Cloud systems can optimize and control resource use at the level that is appropriate for the service. Services include storage, processing, bandwidth, and active user accounts. Monitoring and reporting of resource usage provides transparency for both the provider and consumer of the utilized service. Cloud computing offers different service models depending on the capabilities a consumer may require. SaaS: Software as a Service. Provides the consumer the ability to use the software in a cloud environment, such as web-based email for example. PaaS: Platform as a Service. Provides the consumer the ability to deploy applications through a programming language or tools supported by the cloud platform provider. An example of platform as a service is an Eclipse/Java programming platform provided with no downloads required. IaaS: Infrastructure as a Service. Provides infrastructure such as computer instances, network connections, and storage so that people can run any software or operating system. Terms such as public cloud or private cloud refer to the deployment model for the cloud. A private cloud operates for a single organization, but can be managed on-premise or off-premise. A public cloud has an infrastructure that is available to the general public or a large industry group and is likely owned by a cloud services company. Clouds can also be described as hybrid. A hybrid cloud can be a deployment model, as a composition of both public and private clouds, or a hybrid model for cloud computing may involve both virtual and physical servers. Cloud computing can help with large-scale computing needs or can lead consolidation efforts by virtualizing servers to make more use of existing hardware and potentially release old hardware from service. Cloud computing is also used for collaboration because of its high availability through networked computers. Productivity suites for word processing, number crunching, and email communications, and more are also available through cloud computing. Cloud computing also avails additional storage to the cloud user, avoiding the need for additional hard drives on each user's desktop and enabling access to huge data storage capacity online in the cloud. When you explore OpenStack and see what it means technically, you can see its reach and impact on the entire world. OpenStack is an open source software for building private and public clouds which delivers a massively scalable cloud operating system. OpenStack is backed up by a global community of technologists, developers, researchers, corporations and cloud computing experts.