---
title: "Overview\n    | Ubuntu"
description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the
  desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things.
url: https://ubuntu.com/openstack/docs/overview?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

*Submit*

# Overview

Deploy your own private cloud services with Charmed OpenStack, enabling each project to deploy their services and applications utilising virtual infrastructure that meets their specific needs. Charmed OpenStack is a cost-effective private cloud designed to host mission critical applications.

For more information on the features and benefits of Charmed OpenStack, including details on the [Managed OpenStack](https://ubuntu.com/openstack/managed) service, please see the [OpenStack section](https://ubuntu.com/openstack).

### [Components](https://ubuntu.com/openstack/docs/overview?format=md#components)

Charmed OpenStack consists of a number of open source services, bundled together and deployed using Juju, a Charmed Operator Lifecycle Manager (OLM) , and MAAS, the automated server provisioning tool that turns your data centre into a bare metal cloud.

* Compute

  The leading virtualisation stack based on QEMU/KVM/libvirt is leveraged to deliver a world class virtualisation platform for running virtual machines.
* Advanced networking

  Virtual networking is provided via OVN (Open Virtual Network), today’s modern SDN. OVN complements the existing capabilities of traditional OVS (Open vSwitch). Other third-party networking solutions are also supported.
* Central storage

  Block, object, and file storage is provided using standard OpenStack services like Cinder, Manila, and Swift. [Charmed Ceph](https://ubuntu.com/ceph) is used as central storage for these services to provide a fault tolerant distributed storage option that integrates seamlessly with Charmed OpenStack.
* Central encryption management

  The management of a certificate authority (CA) and the distribution of TLS certificates (for encrypting API endpoints) is done centrally with [Vault](https://www.vaultproject.io/) - software that is designed specifically for this purpose.
* Central authentication

  Central API client authentication, service discovery, and distributed multi-tenant authorisation is provided by the standard Keystone service. Charmed OpenStack can integrate with enterprise LDAP environments and external identity providers.

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This page was last modified 2 years ago. [Help improve this document in the forum](https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/overview/22067).