OpenStack is a free and open-source software platform for cloud computing, mostl

y deployed as an infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS).[3] The software platform co

nsists of interrelated components that control diverse, multi-vendor hardware po
ols of processing, storage, and networking resources throughout a data center. U
sers either manage it through a web-based dashboard, through command-line tools,
or through a RESTful API. OpenStack.org released it under the terms of the Apac
he License.
OpenStack began in 2010 as a joint project of Rackspace Hosting and NASA. As of
2016, it is managed by the OpenStack Foundation, a non-profit corporate entity e
stablished in September 2012[4] to promote OpenStack software and its community.
[5] More than 500 companies have joined the project.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]
[14][15] [16]
The OpenStack community collaborates around a six-month, time-based release cycl
e with frequent development milestones.[17] During the planning phase of each re
lease, the community gathers for an OpenStack Design Summit to facilitate develo
per working sessions and to assemble plans.[18]
Recent OpenStack Summits have taken place in Austin on 25 29 April 2016,[19] and B
arcelona on 25 28 October 2016.[20]
Earlier OpenStack Summits have taken place also in Tokyo in October 2015,[21] Va
ncouver in May 2015,[22] and Paris in November 2014.[23] The summit in May 2014
in Atlanta drew 4,500 attendees a 50% increase from the Hong Kong summit six month
s earlier.[24][25]