September 17, 2012, 9:34 PM — VMware is in OpenStack now, but not everyone thinks that's such a good idea.
One member of the newly created OpenStack Board of Directors says allowing VMware into the open source cloud project was a "huge mistake" that could damage the project's market perception.
KNOW YOUR CLOUD: Gartner: 5 things a private cloud is NOT
BACKGROUND: VMware joining OpenStack delayed, for now
Boris Renski is co-founder of OpenStack integration consultancy Mirantis and he says every enterprise he's worked with so far has been interested in OpenStack because they view it as an alternative to VMware. The board's vote earlier this month has now muddled the differences, he says. "If OpenStack isn't an alternative to VMware, then what the hell is it?" Renski says.
VMware's entrance into OpenStack has been part of a whirlwind of news during the past few months for the virtualization company and Renksi's comments may reflect some tension between the two camps. Those tensions could have been fueled in part by a blog post by VMware VP of Cloud Strategies Mathew Lodge in April comparing the open source projects, including OpenStack, to the three "ugly sisters," which he says was in response to the projects claiming they are more open than VMware.
