OpenCloud Connect is the open cloud future

OpenCloud Connect (OCC) is the new title adopted by the CloudEthernet Forum (CEF) announced by its president, James Walker - along with details of the formation of a new committee. With close co-operation across a very broad spectrum of cloud stakeholders, the CEF and its members’ needs have evolved rapidly since its launch in May 2013, and the name change is a reflection of that dynamic growth as James Walker explains.

“The OpenCloud Project (OCP), announced last May has already generated considerable momentum, and become the key focus for our ongoing cloud standards development drive. It was this that inspired the name change” said James Walker. “When we launched the CEF, one of the key aims was for automated, secure, end-to-end, vendor agnostic cloud service enablement. Since then, given the strong response to the OCP, ‘Open-ness’ has taken pole position. Meanwhile ‘Cloud’ takes its rightful place at the very heart of our banner, and the final ‘Connect’ reflects a double meaning: representing both literal connectivity and the bonds of shared purpose that bring such an apparently diverse membership into one cohesive whole. We are more than a forum, we are a movement. Hence: OpenCloud Connect (OCC).”

Walker also explained that the original name was influenced by the close ties with the MEF, and a greater initial focus on the transport layer: "We still share significant common goals with the MEF, but as the work of the forum encompasses a broad range of Cloud technologies the board and members over the past couple of months have agreed to forge ahead under the new OCC banner.”

"Also announced today was the formation of the new OpenCloud Committee responsible for the work of the OpenCloud Project and the OpenCloud Lab, hosted by Iometrix based in Silicon Valley, California."

The Committee’s first action was to call for members to participate in the OCP by contributing equipment or services to the project. The first public presentation by the Committee in the near future will be a showcase demonstration at Interop, Las Vegas April 28th to 30th, Booth #608. This showcase will provide a full update of results so far, and members are currently collaborating to present the first large scale demonstration of service delivery across multiple providers, networks and equipment providers.