Open-Source Readiness Self-Check: A Practical Guide for MSPs and CSPs
The conversation around open-source cloud infrastructure has shifted. For MSPs and Cloud Service Providers, it is no longer just about cost savings. Your customers are actively asking for open-source alternatives. They want to reduce vendor lock-in, regain architectural control, and ensure long-term sustainability. At the same time, CSPs and MSPs themselves are facing increasing pressure. […]
Building a Compliant IaaS with Apache CloudStack
Deploying Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) platforms in regulated sectors—such as government, defense, finance, and healthcare—often comes with strict requirements around data protection and cryptographic assurance. These requirements are typically based on standards such as FIPS 140-2, which define how cryptographic modules must be implemented, validated, and used in production systems. For cloud providers and contractors delivering services […]
Broadcom Further Tightens the VMware Cloud Partner Ecosystem: What This Means for Cloud Service Providers
A recent report from The Register confirms another significant step in Broadcom’s consolidation of the VMware Cloud Service Provider ecosystem. Broadcom has formally notified partners that the Broadcom Advantage Partner Program for VMware Cloud Service Providers (VCSP) has been closed and that contracts will not be renewed beyond January 26, 2026: “We are providing this […]
How a Managed Service Provider Can Monetise On Top of Apache CloudStack
Managed Service Providers (MSPs) are facing increasing competition as they strive to retain customers and maximise profitability. Many MSPs are seeking ways to diversify and enhance their service portfolios to gain a larger market share. While they are accustomed to reselling vendor solutions such as VMware, Kaseya, Microsoft, and Acronis, they often struggle to develop […]
The 10 Cloud Trends Set to Define 2026
In this article, Giles Sirett, CEO of ShapeBlue, outlines the top 10 cloud trends he expects will shape the industry in 2026. Read more to stay ahead in the cloud space. After more than a decade spent building IaaS infrastructures, I’ve learned to recognise when a market is on the edge of real transformation and […]
How Cloud and Virtualisation Market Reshaped in 2025
2025 was a year of significant restructuring of the cloud and virtualisation market. Uncertainty with vendors, rising need for better cost control, rapid adoption of AI workloads and new requirements around data sovereignty pushed organisations to reassess long-established assumptions about where and how their workloads should run. After years of “cloud-first” enthusiasm, many companies shifted […]
Apache CloudStack 4.22 – Release Overview
Apache CloudStack 4.22 is a Long-Term Support (LTS) release focused on stability and production readiness. It consolidates the platform work introduced in 4.21 and delivers targeted improvements in Backup and DR, VMware migration, Extensions, and operational observability. Highlights include enhanced Backup & DR (cross-zone restore, Ceph/Shared MountPoint support, backup selection at deploy), SSL offloading on […]
Scaling Apache CloudStack to 100,000 Hosts and Millions of Instances
Abstract Apache CloudStack, a proven open‑source IaaS platform, has demonstrated strong scalability in production deployments with thousands of hypervisors. However, reaching hyperscale targets—100,000 hosts and millions of instances—revealed architectural and resource bottlenecks. This whitepaper analyses those challenges and describes enhancements such as database optimisations, improved agent communications, caching, and concurrency handling. These improvements, validated through […]
A Guide on Choosing GPUs for Your Cloud
Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) are no longer just for gaming or graphics rendering. In today’s cloud environments, GPUs power artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), high-performance computing (HPC), and even virtual desktops. For cloud service providers (CSPs), system integrators, and enterprises, choosing the right GPUs can directly influence performance, scalability, and cost-efficiency. This guide will […]
Apache CloudStack 4.21 FAQ: Expert Answers from ShapeBlue
What you’ll find here Practical answers about the new Extensions (XaaS) Framework, CKS/Kubernetes & CSI, GPU, Netris SDN, and more. CloudStack XaaS Extension Framework Q: What is the CloudStack XaaS Extension Framework and why was it introduced? A: The CloudStack XaaS Extension Framework allows operators and developers to integrate CloudStack with external systems such as […]
