Talkin’ to Eucalyptus Founder & CTO — Rich Wolski

Last month when I was out in the Bay Area for our launch, I was able to catch up with Rich Wolski, founder and CTO of Eucalyptus.  Eucalyptus is one of the key ingredients in the Ubuntu Enterprise Cloud that is being certified to run on Dell’s PowerEdge C systems as part of our cloud ISV program.  Here is what Rich had to say:

Some of the topics Rich tackles:

  • How Eucalyptus started at the University of California at Santa Barbara.  They wanted to show how old-style large scale computing (NSF super computer centers) could be combined with new large-scale computing (in the form of Amazon)  in the service of science.  Wanted to also include 4-6 university data centers.
  • They put the code out as open source and got deluged by science and commercial industry about potential applications.  Grew too big to continue as a research project so they brought it outside.
  • Marten Mickos coming on board as CEO.  How it came about.
  • Working with Canonical and Ubuntu and how the relationship began.  UEC and what part Eucalyptus makes up.
  • How NASA is offering a production Eucalyptus cloud to NASA researchers and other governmental agencies.
  • Where Rich sees Eucalyptus going in the next two years.  The importance of the open source community and their continued focus on private clouds in the enterprise.

Pau for now…

About the Author: Barton George