A new OpenStack release is out!
OpenStack releases are typically made every six months, and each release brings new features, enhancements, and bug fixes to the platform. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to keep up-to-date with the latest OpenStack releases to ensure that you’re getting the most out of the platform.
That said, many call it the beginning of a new era, when the OpenStack community announced the release of OpenStack Antelope, the 27th version of OpenStack, last week. OpenStack is a central component of LOKI (Linux, OpenStack, Kubernetes, and Infrastructure), the open source standard for running open source cloud infrastructure. In Antelope, OpenStack contributors deliver a host of enhancements to the software’s rapidly growing user base (166% increase in computer cores since 2020), including a new release frequency, stronger integration with Kubernetes and other open source technologies, and expanded support for advanced hardware.
OpenStack Antelope is the first new OpenStack release designed to ease requirements for operators to upgrade every six months. You can now opt for an upgrade cycle of once a year, with an upgrade per Skip Level Upgrade Release Process or “SLURP” release. Antelope is a SLURP release. OpenStack Bobcat, the 28th release of OpenStack, is a non-SLURP release scheduled for October 2023.
Not ready to upgrade yet? In that case, we recommend OpenStack Zed, which is currently the second-last version. You can read all about it through the following link: https://fairbanks.nl/new-openstack-release-update/
New Release Cadence
Antelope is the first in a new release cadence designed to ease the demands upon operators to upgrade every six months. Deployments will now be able to opt into a once-a-year upgrade cycle, upgrading with every Skip Level Upgrade Release Process or “SLURP” release. “Not-SLURP” releases will be available in each six-month interim for those who wish to upgrade more frequently. Antelope is a SLURP release. OpenStack Bobcat however, the 28th release of OpenStack, is a non-SLURP release, scheduled to be released for October 2023.
OpenStack integration with Kubernetes
According to the 2022 OpenStack User Survey, Kubernetes is now deployed on over 85% of OpenStack deployments: 73% through vanilla Kubernetes itself. The rise in OpenStack and Kubernetes production integrations is further documented by an increase to 21% (up from just 16% last year) of users running production workloads with Magnum, the OpenStack service for container orchestration.
OpenStack Magnum
Magnum has been updated to support Kubernetes v1.24 running on Fedora CoreOS 36 and 37. Magnum has also been recertified as a Kubernetes orchestrator.
Hardware enablement
In Antelope, OpenStack contributors continue to expand support for new hardware. For example:
OpenStack Cinder
To Cinder OpenStack added new backend drivers (HPE XP iSCSI and FC, Fungible NVMe-TCP, NetApp NVMe-TCP storage drivers) and added features to existing vendor drivers.
OpenStack Ironic
Ironic can now export application metrics from the ironic-conductor service into Prometheus, alongside hardware metrics. Previously these were only accessible via statsd.
This is the official overview that OpenStack provided. Furthermore, after the release on the 22nd of March, The OpenInfra Foundation hosted a live stream to update you on OpenStack Antelope and answer questions you might have. You can rewatch the live stream through the following link: https://www.youtube.com/live/YdLTUTyJ1eU?feature=share
What we think about this new OpenStack release
We are more excited than ever with this new OpenStack release, that is starting over in the alphabet. With every new OpenStack release, we have become spoiled with general improvements of features and integration with hardware and software. More important we love the Skip Level Upgrade Release Process and can find ourselves in the combined use of OpenStack and Kubernetes (LOKI) as well. We see that this is recognized even more by OpenStack with this new OpenStack Antelope release.
In addition, OpenStack has listed significant changes reported directly from the project teams. Some highlights may be more significant than others. OpenStack specifies to not take this list as a definitive set of highlights for the release until the Open Infrastructure Foundation marketing staff have had a chance to compile a more accurate message out of these changes.
If you have any questions or remarks, let us know.
