Lingen (Ems) Jul 25, 2019
It was the hottest day ever with 42,6 degrees (Celsius) when the first German Open Infra User Group under the umbrella of the OSF Meetup Group came together for the first meetup in Lingen, Lower Saxony.
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Nevertheless the building of Campus Lingen on University of Applied Sciences Osnabrueck has a geothermal energy system, so the meeting room has a well temperature. Outside summer vacation there are 900 students on the campus. Beside computer science and mathematics the campus offers media management with it’s own film studio. In the past this place was a big railways repair factory and some things still remind it.
Focus of the meetup was business computer science, and: the celebration of the 7th birthday of OpenStack:
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https://twitter.com/Laboratory_40/status/1154386502606106630
7 years of software engineering means, OpenStack is on the plateau of production. What that exactly means for the University of Osnabrueck, I talked to the organizers of the meetup: Robert Holling and Olaf Stenzel.
Where are you from and what are your tasks on the Campus Lingen?
Robert: We studied Business Computer Science and are now Scientific Assistant here in Lingen. We support the teaching activities and help the professors in practical exercises
How long you are here?
Robert: Since 8 years
When did you found the way to OpenStack?
Robert: 2016 we searched a solution for an Open Source Cloud Stack. OpenStack was without of question with distance the best solution .
What was the first release what are you used and where are you now?
Robert: We installed Newton, later Pike/Stein as a new installation because of too many steps in the upgrade path. It was always a difficult way, installation with self study and reading documentation. Documentation is the best part in OpenStack. All things are explained. Without documentation there is no life.
But it needs, how it’s called at the Denver Summit, a open mind to understand cloud technology, virtual networks, and such things. Also the integration in the campus network is a big challenge. It’s a shared environment and you have to care about your neighbors.
How big is your installation and which components you are using?
Robert: 25 nodes with Ubuntu. We’re using all OpenStack core components: Keystone, Horizon, Glance, Cinder, Swift, Neutron. Currently we try to connect the Swift storage with Infiniband.
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Robert Holling (left) and Olaf Stenzel (right) on their OpenStack installation of the Campus Lingen.
Which workloads are on your Cloud?
Robert: For simplification of daily work we have for example a rollout plan for virtual desktops. We are able to provide 40 Windows Clients with RDP connections in minutes with OpenStack. There are new ways in unimagined possibilities, no restrictions. "Big" topics are processed much faster due to new thinking (like install a Windows Domain Controller, which took months in the past). I think , we saved a lot of money, but it can not be quantified at the moment.
What is IT-Achse Ems?
Robert: The business association “Ems-Achse” connect companies in the region from North Sea to Emsland. The companies are really good in touch. IT-Achse Ems is the IT of this association. And there is an expectation for a cooperation and knowledge transfer at eye level between local factories and the Industry 4.0 competence center on Campus Lingen
What’s next on your Cloud?
Robert: We’re moving shortly to a new lab. To build a model fabrique, the smart factory, is a really big thing. All business processes must be represent in the backend. OpenStack can help us to build industry controller with Edge Computing, StarlingX looks like a great approach, which will we definitely use. We need the cloud for teaching models, simulations all around smart factory. Students need a deeper learn in OpenStack as a basic cloud technology. Together we bring that on the road for the local factories. Companies need to be connected to new technologies. Otherwise no survival is possible.
What plans are for the OpenInfra Meetup?
Robert: We’re at level 0. We need to find out if there are interests to learn things about OpenStack and Cloud. We plan a bigger event later the year together with IT-Achse Ems and students from the Campus Lingen. There are still ideas for workshops and knowledge sessions on different technical levels, to breaking down barriers for new technologies.
We’re looking forward to continue with our work.
Meetup #1 is already scheduled