ShapeBlue and Ampere recently announced the availability of a mutually developed reference architecture for Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) on Arm. Today, we’re expanding on some of the details of the reference architecture, exploring who will get the most benefit from using it, and how and when to leverage the valuable step-by-step plan for deploying CloudStack specifically on Cloud Native Processors (CPUs) from Ampere.

Enabling the Cloud and the Datacenter
The reference architecture is the outcome of a close collaboration between the ShapeBlue and Ampere teams. Both organizations recognized the need for an illustrative resource that serves as a baseline recipe for the step-by-step deployment of a CloudStack control plane and virtualization infrastructure running entirely on Ampere CPUs. The published final asset – available here - is a notable step towards enabling Ampere-powered private cloud solutions, and driving adoption of Arm64 architecture within enterprises, service providers and edge deployments.

Key Value to Customers
The reference architecture is advantageous for CloudStack users since it equips them with a pathway to deploy mixed architecture and greenfield private clouds. It also offers guidance on adding Arm64 computing capabilities to an existing CloudStack cloud. This enables legacy x86 and cloud-native workloads within the same infrastructure, which supports migration to the Arm64 architecture at a realistic pace depending on applicable business needs or organizational requirements.

For enterprises looking to deploy a CloudStack private cloud on compute platforms that use processors from the Ampere® Altra® family of CPUs, this strategy offers the opportunity to take control of their own infrastructure by running it themselves and in a way that is rack-dense, power-efficient and ready for a wide range of computing workloads and use cases. Furthermore, this gives businesses the option to build a private cloud using the same processors as hyperscale cloud providers to deliver their own power-conscious, compute-dense infrastructure run via their own in-house ops teams and on-premises.

Enterprises are then able to better plan and build infrastructure utilizing a processor architecture that the hyperscale cloud providers have adopted, without having to build their own custom silicon. Smaller organizations don’t have the same luxury of scale or resources to be able to roll out their own silicon - nor do they typically want to. However, CloudStack enables them to utilize off-the-shelf hardware from original design manufacturers that are building for Ampere processors, for their own private cloud solutions.

Benefits for AI compute workloads
Private clouds are rapidly becoming one of the most practical and effective choices for managing datacenter infrastructure for AI workloads. They provide all the management APIs and infrastructure “glue” to connect and manage all the compute, storage and network resources provided by the physical infrastructure. This reference architecture provides the industry with a well-defined method to deploy a private cloud solution suitable for managing and deploying AI infrastructure on-premises.

To learn more, access the reference architecture here.

For questions, comments or help with using the asset, please visit the Ampere Developer Forum thread devoted to this topic.

About ShapeBlue
ShapeBlue is the largest independent integrator of CloudStack technologies globally and are specialists in the design and implementation of IaaS cloud infrastructures for both private and public cloud implementations. We combine 100’s of person-years of experience in designing and building complex network, storage and compute infrastructures with globally leading skills in Apache CloudStack.

About Ampere
Ampere is a modern semiconductor company designing the future of hyperscale cloud and edge computing with the world’s first Cloud Native Processors. Built for the sustainable cloud with a modern 64-bit Arm server-based architecture, Ampere works with leading cloud service providers to enable them to accelerate the delivery of all cloud computing applications. With industry-leading cloud performance, power efficiency and scalability, Ampere processors are tailored for the continued growth of cloud and edge computing.

Disclaimer
All data and information contained herein is for informational purposes only and Ampere reserves the right to change it without notice. This document may contain technical inaccuracies, omissions and typographical errors, and Ampere is under no obligation to update or correct this information. Ampere makes no representations or warranties of any kind, including express or implied guarantees of noninfringement, merchantability, or fitness for a particular purpose, and assumes no liability of any kind. All information is provided “AS IS.” This document is not an offer or a binding commitment by Ampere.

System configurations, components, software versions, and testing environments that differ from those used in Ampere’s tests may result in different measurements than those obtained by Ampere.

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