Features Comparison of the MU Virtualization Platform and Metacentrum Cloud

Although the target groups of the MetaCentrum Cloud and MU Virtualization Platforms are different, their features overlap in some areas, which can lead to misunderstandings. Therefore, the selected properties of both environments are compared on this page. In case of any ambiguity or interest in the consultation, contact vm@ics.muni.cz.

Metacentrum Cloud (OpenStack)

Metacentrum Cloud is a cloud environment built on the OpenStack platform. It has extensive hardware and software support for HPC applications, but its use is not limited to this area and is also suitable for several other application scenarios.

Virtualisation Platform
(VMware vSphere)

We offer a virtualization platform based on VMware vSphere technologies to operate virtual servers with high requirements for service availability and data security. Here we place maximum emphasis on the stability of the operating environment. The environment is suitable for the operation of various infrastructure services that are not adapted for operation in a cloud environment. Typically, these are, for example, mail, web hosting, database, authentication, or file servers.

Examples of Usage

I need several virtual servers with the highest CPU or GPU performance.

In this case, we recommend using the Cloud Metacentrum, which has a large capacity in both the CPU and GPU.

To teach the course XY, at the beginning of each semester, I want to set up several dozen virtual servers, define the networks that connect them and make them available to students of the course.

In this case, we recommend using the Cloud Metacentrum for several reasons:

  1. Metacentrum Cloud has enough hardware resources to run dozens of virtual servers.
  2. There are several orchestration tools available for OpenStack that can be used to orchestrate such an environment. The most famous is Terraform or Ansible.
  3. Thanks to overlay networks, the user can define his network architecture within his project.

The server's hardware on which we run e-mail, the DNS server and our faculty projects' websites cease to function.

We recommend using the Virtualization Platform services, on which we already run several such servers.

Comparison of General Properties

  Metacentrum Cloud
(OpenStack)
Virtualisation Platform
(VMware vSphere)
Stability  
Power  
Orchestration  
Flexibility  

Comparison of User Interfaces

Metacentrum Cloud (OpenStack) offers the user much more options for independent configuration and management of their servers and environments (self-service).

  Metacentrum Cloud
(OpenStack)
Virtualisation Platform
(VMware vSphere)
WWW Interface
Program Interface (API) x
Control from Command Line x
Creation/Abolition of Virtual Server user administrator
Start/Stop of Virtual Server user user
Creation/Abolition of Disk Storage user administrator
Connecting a Disk Storage user administrator
Creation/Abolition of Network Segment user administrator
Creation/Abolition of Network Firewall user administrator
Creation/Abolition of Complex Environment (Stack) user x

Comparison of Availability and Securityof Data

  Metacentrum Cloud
(OpenStack)
Virtualisation Platform
(VMware vSphere)
Snapshots
Replikacations x
Backup x
High Availability x
Fault Tolerance x
Geographically Separated Locations x

Virtualisation Platform (VMware vSphere) Metacentrum Cloud (OpenStack)

It redirects you to the Metacentrum Cloud (OpenStack) web.

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