FAQ

Traditional lifecycle management means patching and updating individual nodes, which creates the risk of inconsistency. With immutable infrastructure, lifecycle management means defining a new system state and deploying it across all nodes at once. Every instance is either in the current state or the previous one, with no undocumented variations in between.

Yes. The same principles that make immutable infrastructure reliable in Kubernetes environments can be applied to the full open source infrastructure stack, including OpenStack, Ceph, and the operating systems that support them. For organizations running managed open source private cloud infrastructure, this leads directly to more consistent operations and fewer incidents.

Both NIS2 and DORA require organizations to show operational resilience and control over their infrastructure. Immutable infrastructure provides a clear, auditable record of exactly what is running at any point in time. Because systems cannot be changed after deployment, the compliance posture is consistent and easy to verify.

Mutable infrastructure allows systems to be changed after deployment through configuration updates, patches, and manual actions. Immutable infrastructure does not. Changes are always made by replacing a component with a newly defined version, never by modifying what is already running.

Kubernetes containers are immutable by design: you do not modify a running container, you replace it with a new image. Immutable infrastructure applies this same principle and applies it to the underlying infrastructure layer, including the operating systems running your Kubernetes nodes, OpenStack environment, and Ceph storage clusters.

Configuration drift happens when servers or systems move away from their intended state over time, due to manual changes, quick fixes, or emergency patches that are never reflected back into the system definition. It is a common cause of production incidents, failed deployments, and differences between test and production environments.

Immutable infrastructure is an approach in which system components are never modified after deployment. Instead of updating or patching a running server or operating system, you define a new desired state and replace the existing instance entirely. This removes configuration drift and ensures consistent, predictable behavior across all environments.

We focus exclusively on open source infrastructure. Unlike traditional vendors, we offer independent guidance, deep technical expertise and full transparency. We do not just implement; we collaborate, support and empower your team to stay in control.

You will get practical insights into how open source infrastructure helps reduce costs, avoid vendor lock-in and regain control over data, technology and operations. All with your long-term business goals in mind.

No, attendance is free of charge. We are committed to sharing knowledge that helps IT teams make strategic and futureproof infrastructure decisions.

All you need is a computer, tablet or smartphone with a stable internet connection. Just make sure to register in advance using the form on this page.

No, that is not required. You can join the keynote from your office or home. If the scheduled time does not work for you, you will receive access to the recording to watch it later.

Running large-scale or performance-intensive workloads in public cloud environments can become expensive quickly. Open source private cloud infrastructure offers a cost-effective alternative: up to 80% more affordable than AWS, and around 60% less expensive than VMware, especially when scaled for enterprise use.

No mandatory licenses are required. Fairbanks uses fully open source components and manages the infrastructure without the need for proprietary contracts. Optional subscriptions are available if preferred. We build the cloud with open source components and manage it accordingly.

We work with widely adopted and community-driven technologies including Linux, Kubernetes, OpenStack and Ceph components are proven, secure, and trusted by enterprises worldwide.

Open source cloud refers to a cloud infrastructure built entirely on open source software. This means the technology is transparent, vendor independent, and developed collaboratively by a global community. Organizations retain full control over how the infrastructure is configured, deployed, and scaled, without being tied to proprietary licensing models.

No in-house expertise is needed. Fairbanks designs and manages the infrastructure for you. When you are ready, we provide tailored training to your team, enabling a smooth handover and ensuring your organization can operate independently. This approach allows you to decide when and how to build expertise within your organization.

Yes, the private cloud infrastructure can be deployed in your own datacenter or at any external datacenter of your choice. You retain full sovereignty over location, access, and compliance.

Yes, the hardware resources used in an open source cloud infrastructure are fully comparable to those used in VMware environments. Both rely on commodity hardware, meaning standardized and cost-efficient servers that support virtual machines, containers, and storage. This approach provides flexibility and avoids vendor-specific hardware dependencies.

Absolutely. Open source infrastructure offers the same capabilities as VMware, and often more. It provides options to add more functionalities at any moment.  It includes (cloud) virtualization, compute orchestration, virtual machine provisioning, storage (block, file, and S3-compatible object storage), network virtualization, performance monitoring, and containerization using Kubernetes. Its modular structure allows for scalable, custom extensions whenever needed.

Yes. Fairbanks offers several ways to explore, test and validate the functionalities of open source infrastructure. We provide online demonstrations of key features, and we can also set up a proof of concept in a secure sandbox within your own datacenter.