What Apache CloudStack does

Apache CloudStack is an open-source Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) cloud computing platform stewarded by the Apache Software Foundation under the Apache License 2.0. Originally developed as a commercial product and donated to Apache in 2012 (becoming an Apache top-level project in March 2013), the platform is designed to deploy and manage large networks of virtual machines across geographically distributed data centers. It provides a turnkey stack including compute orchestration, Network-as-a-Service, multi-tenant user and account management, resource accounting, a full native RESTful API, and a web-based UI. The platform supports multiple hypervisors (VMware, KVM, XenServer, XCP-ng, bare metal, and Proxmox via an extensions framework) and offers AWS EC2 and S3 API compatibility to enable hybrid cloud topologies. Recent versions have added GPU/vGPU passthrough and scheduling for AI/ML and HPC workloads, Kubernetes integration via CAPI (CAPC) and CloudStack Kubernetes Service (CKS) under CNCF management, Ceph RGW and LINSTOR storage integrations, VMware NSX networking, webhooks, and a Terraform provider.

CloudStack serves four primary customer segments: cloud service providers, managed service providers, telecommunications companies (for VNF, IaaS, and edge computing), and enterprises building private, hybrid, or sovereign clouds. Documented users include Yotta (India), ProIO, Statistics Netherlands (CBS), Cyso Group, weSystems, Your.Online, and StackBill. The project does not sell licenses; revenue is generated indirectly through an ecosystem of professional services partners (notably ShapeBlue as the leading independent integrator and consultancy), system integrators, and managed service providers that monetize implementation, training, support, and managed cloud offerings built on top of the free software. Distribution is via the Apache website, GitHub, contributor-maintained convenience binaries, and partner-maintained packages.

The go-to-market motion is community-led rather than commercial sales-driven. Marketing and adoption are fueled by an active global developer community, regional user groups (CSEUG in Europe, CSIUG in India), an annual CloudStack Collaboration Conference, and presence at industry events including KubeCon + CloudNativeCon and CloudFest. Product development follows Apache's open governance model with a Project Management Committee (PMC) of committers drawn from contributing companies and individual volunteers.

Name

Apache CloudStack

Legal name

Apache CloudStack (A project of The Apache Software Foundation)

Website

https://cloudstack.apache.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Apache CloudStack is an open-source Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) platform under the Apache Software Foundation that deploys and manages large-scale virtual machine environments for cloud service providers, telcos, MSPs, and enterprises seeking vendor-independent, sovereign cloud infrastructure.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cloud Infrastructure Software

NAICS

Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518210), Computer Facilities Management Services (541513)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

General-Purpose Compute (VMs & Bare Metal IaaS) (HDABAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Cloud Platforms (On‑Prem Cloud Stacks) (HDABABAA), Kubernetes & Container Platform Management (Private Cloud) (HDABABAC), Cloud-Native Enablement (Containers, Kubernetes, Service Mesh) (BPAEAKAE), Cloud-Native Development (Containers, Kubernetes, Microservices) (BPAEACAD), Developer Tools & DevOps Platform Services (CI/CD, Artifacts, IaC) (HDABAAAI)

Keywords

• Cloud infrastructure platform
• Infrastructure-as-a-Service
• Open source cloud
• Cloud orchestration software
• Multi-hypervisor virtualization

Headquarters

HQ city

Wakefield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Open-Source Software Distribution: Apache CloudStack is released under the Apache License 2.0 and is free to download, use, and modify. The software itself generates no direct revenue. The open-source model enables a services ecosystem where third-party companies provide consulting, implementation, support, and managed services around CloudStack.
2. Ecosystem Services (Third-Party): Companies like ShapeBlue, various system integrators, and cloud providers offer professional services, consulting, training, and support for CloudStack deployments. These ecosystem partners generate revenue through service engagements while CloudStack remains free software.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels13 records

Core offering

Apache CloudStack is an Apache 2.0 licensed, open-source Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) cloud orchestration platform that orchestrates compute, networking, storage, user accounts, and APIs across hypervisor pools (VMware, KVM, XenServer, XCP-ng, Proxmox) to deliver private, public, and hybrid clouds. It provides AWS EC2/S3-compatible REST APIs, a web-based UI, native Kubernetes integration via CAPC and CloudStack Kubernetes Service (CKS), an extensible plug-in framework (XaaS), GPU support, and integrations with Ceph, NSX, and Terraform.

Product overview

Apache CloudStack is an open-source Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) cloud computing platform designed to deploy and manage large networks of virtual machines. The core platform (Apache CloudStack Core Platform) provides compute orchestration, Network-as-a-Service, user/account management, a full native RESTful API, resource accounting, and a first-class User Interface. The product supports multi-hypervisor environments (VMware, KVM, XenServer, XCP-ng, Proxmox) and integrates storage solutions including Ceph, LINBIT/LINSTOR, and PowerFlex. Additional modules include CloudStack Kubernetes Service (CKS) for container orchestration, CloudStack Kubernetes Provider for dynamic Kubernetes networking, GPU integration for AI/ML workloads, Extensions Framework (XaaS) for custom integrations, Terraform Provider for Infrastructure-as-Code, and Backup and Recovery capabilities. The platform supports AWS EC2 and S3 compatible APIs for hybrid cloud deployments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CloudStack Kubernetes Service (CKS): CloudStack's integrated Kubernetes service for managing Kubernetes clusters within the CloudStack environment.
• CAPC (Cluster API Provider for Apache CloudStack)
• CloudStack Kubernetes Provider

Products and services

• Apache CloudStack Core Platform Apache 2.0 licensed open-source IaaS cloud orchestration platform that orchestrates compute, storage, networking, user accounts, and APIs across multiple hypervisors (VMware, KVM, XenServer, XCP-ng, Proxmox) to deliver private, public, and hybrid clouds for service providers, telcos, and enterprises.
• CloudStack Kubernetes Service (CKS) Managed Kubernetes service running on Apache CloudStack that lets operators provision and manage Kubernetes clusters natively integrated with CloudStack's compute, network, and storage resources for containerized workloads.
• Cluster API Provider for CloudStack (CAPC) Kubernetes SIG project that uses the Cluster API to declaratively provision and manage Kubernetes clusters on top of Apache CloudStack infrastructure, enabling Cluster API-style lifecycle management for CloudStack-backed clusters.
• Terraform Provider for CloudStack HashiCorp Terraform provider that enables infrastructure-as-code provisioning, configuration, and lifecycle management of Apache CloudStack zones, networks, compute, and storage resources.
• CloudStack Extensions Framework (XaaS) Plug-in/extension framework for Apache CloudStack that lets developers and operators define and integrate custom resource types, services, and APIs (e.g., databases, load balancers, object stores) into CloudStack's orchestration layer as 'Anything-as-a-Service'.

Quantifiable outcome

• Significantly reduces costs and time required to build multi-tenant IaaS platforms
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature14 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ShapeBluecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerShapeBlue is the leading independent CloudStack integrator and consultancy. They provide professional services including CloudStack implementation, training, support, and consulting. ShapeBlue sponsors and supports CloudStack events including CSEUG, CSIUG, and CCC. Key personnel include CTO Rohit Yadav, Director of Engineering Boris Stoyanov, and Marketing Director Ivet Petrova who is also a PMC member.
• LINBITcoreTechnology or IntegrationLINBIT develops LINSTOR-SDS (Software-Defined Storage) and DRBD for storage replication. Their CloudStack HCI (Hyperconverged Infrastructure) Appliance simplifies private cloud operations by combining CloudStack orchestration with LINSTOR resilient storage. LINBIT sponsors CloudStack events and contributes to the ecosystem.
• YottacoreTechnology or IntegrationYotta is a cloud services provider in India that uses CloudStack to deliver sovereign, scalable cloud services. Yotta hosts CloudStack India User Group events at their D1 Data Center in Greater Noida. They have built automation portals for CloudStack deployment using web-based interfaces driving Ansible playbooks.
• CephcoreTechnology or IntegrationCeph is widely regarded as a gold standard for primary storage in CloudStack IaaS platforms. CloudStack 4.20.0.0 added Ceph RGW Object Store Support. Integration is extensively documented and used by large-scale deployments.
• StorPool StoragecoreTechnology or IntegrationStorPool provides high-performance primary storage for CloudStack. They sponsor CloudStack European User Group events and contribute to the ecosystem. The partnership enables cost-effective, above-and-beyond storage performance for CloudStack deployments.
• CBS (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStatistics Netherlands hosts the CloudStack European User Group 2026 at their facilities in The Hague. CBS uses CloudStack for digital sovereignty and cloud independence, sharing their journey and experiences at community events.
• Your.OnlinecoreTechnology or IntegrationYour.Online (formerly BSO Network) is a cloud provider with deep expertise in CloudStack and Ceph integration. CTO Wido den Hollander has been part of CloudStack community since 2012, contributing Ceph/RBD, IPv6, KVM and other components.
• CNCF (Cloud Native Computing Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCloud Native Computing Foundation manages the Cluster API Provider for Apache CloudStack (CAPC). CAPC allows Kubernetes users to build and manage resources on Apache CloudStack and is Apache 2 licensed. This positions CloudStack in the cloud-native ecosystem.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mirantis: Commercial company offering managed OpenStack and Kubernetes platforms for enterprises and telcos. Closely comparable as a vendor delivering turnkey open-source IaaS to service providers and telcos — CloudStack's primary customer segments.
• Canonical (Ubuntu/OpenStack): Canonical provides commercially supported OpenStack (Charmed OpenStack) and LXD, targeting telcos, enterprises, and service providers. Comparable commercial model and customer overlap with CloudStack's service provider segment.
• OpenStack: The leading open-source IaaS platform governed by the Open Infrastructure Foundation. Direct competitor to Apache CloudStack in the open-source IaaS space, with broader corporate backing (Red Hat, Canonical, Mirantis) and a larger contributor community.
• Proxmox VE: Open-source virtualization management platform combining KVM hypervisor and LXC containers with a web UI. Comparable to CloudStack as an open-source alternative for private cloud infrastructure, with growing enterprise adoption and a hypervisor-management focus.

Others

• Apache OpenWhisk / Apache Mesos: Sibling Apache Software Foundation projects. While not direct IaaS competitors, OpenWhisk (serverless) and Mesos (cluster manager) represent adjacent open-source cloud-orchestration paradigms in the same foundation governance model as CloudStack.

Broad incumbents

• VMware Cloud Foundation (Broadcom): Broadcom's integrated private cloud stack (vSphere, NSX, vSAN, vCenter) is the dominant closed-source competitor. CloudStack's multi-hypervisor and VMware-to-KVM migration tooling are explicitly positioned against Broadcom's pricing and licensing changes.
• Nutanix: Hyperconverged infrastructure vendor offering an integrated private cloud platform with AHV hypervisor. Competes with CloudStack in enterprise private cloud and hybrid infrastructure deployments, particularly for VMware alternatives.
• Red Hat OpenStack Services: Red Hat's commercially supported OpenStack distribution is part of a broader hybrid cloud portfolio (OpenShift, RHEL, Ansible). Competes with CloudStack for enterprise private cloud deployments and shares many of the same integrator and telco customers.
• SUSE (SUSE Cloud / Rancher): SUSE's enterprise Linux and Rancher Kubernetes platform compete broadly in the same private/hybrid cloud and cloud-native infrastructure space that CloudStack addresses, especially with telco and service provider customers.

Emerging players

• Platform9: Managed cloud platform offering on-prem OpenStack, Kubernetes, and serverless as a SaaS-managed service. Comparable to CloudStack in targeting enterprises seeking managed private cloud without hyperscaler dependency.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cloudstack
• GitHubgithub.com/apache/cloudstack
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ApacheCloudStack
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/apachecloudstack/posts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Apache CloudStack