The project’s results, known as the “OPTIMIS Toolkit”, can be divided into three main groups:
- OPTIMIS Base Toolkit, with general functionalities, including an integrated development environment (IDE) and programming model, and which takes into account trust, risk, eco-efficiency and cost (TREC);
- OPTIMIS Service Provider Tools that enable service providers to implement, package, deploy and operate services;
- OPTIMIS Infrastructure Provider Tools able to manage the infrastructure (virtual machines, servers, data storage, etc.) required to operate services.
The Programming Model and IDE enable OPTIMIS users and companies of all sizes to build and run cloud services in the most appropriate venue. Quality of service is evaluated using a range of technical and non-technical factors provided by the OPTIMIS TREC Engine.
OPTIMIS gives service providers the option to either orchestrate cloud services from scratch, run legacy apps on the cloud, or make intelligent deployment decisions based on how they prioritise trust, risk, eco-efficiency and cost. Together, the tools reinforce security, compliance with data protection rules and green legislation. They also give service providers the option to develop once, and then deploy services across all types of cloud environment – private, hybrid, federated or multi-cloud.
Using OPTIMIS can introduce huge efficiency gains. Infrastructure management is simplified as most processes are automated. But importantly, control over decision-making is retained. The various management features within the toolkit make infrastructures adaptable, reliable and scalable. Organisations may easily use both multi-cloud and federated cloud infrastructures, which means they may use resources from multiple providers as they see fit in a transparent, interoperable, and architecture-independent fashion.
(Article from net-cloud future magazine (2013) - for complete magazine click here)