This release introduces two major new features. The first one is the Cumulus storage cloud implementation that has been integrated with the Workspace Service but can also be used standalone. Cumulus is compatible with the Amazon Web Services S3 REST API and has a pluggable backend that allows it to support multiple storage systems used by the scientific community. It also includes support for quota management. Cumulus replaces the current GridFTP-based upload and download of VM images. The second new feature is the Zero -> Cloud installation process, which significantly simplifies Nimbus installation and also includes user management tools.

In addition, this release also contains new scheduling and network configuration options, new propagation methods, new workspace pilot options, as well as multiple smaller features and bugfixes -- too many to cover them all in an announcement! The full list is available in the changelog.

The community testing and feedback has been an invaluable help. This has been the most active and productive release cycle that Nimbus has seen and resulted in a product that all of us can be proud of. We would like to thank all who volunteered their effort to help with testing and submitted patches to this release. In particular, we'd like to thank Patrick Armstrong, Colin Leavett-Brown, Paul Marshall, Paulo Motta, Pierre Riteau, Marien Ritzenthaler, and Matt Vliet.

The Nimbus 2.5 release is available for download at:
http://www.nimbusproject.org/downloads/

Documentation is available at:
http://www.nimbusproject.org/docs/2.5/

This release "rounds out" the new features introduced in RC1, addresses usability concerns, improves and adds documentation, and provides several new developer features. In addition, the release also of course provides bug fixes relative to RC1.

The full changelog information is available at:
http://www.nimbusproject.org/docs/2.5/changelog.html

Nimbus 2.5 RC2 is available for download at:
http://www.nimbusproject.org/downloads/

The community testing and feedback has been an invaluable help, this has been the most active and productive release candidate cycle that Nimbus has seen and we think it will show in the final release. We would like to thank all who volunteered their effort to help with testing and submitted patches to this release. Specifically, we would like to acknowledge the help of Pierre Riteau, Patrick Armstrong, Paul Marshall, Paulo Motta, Marien Ritzenthaler, Colin Leavett-Brown, and Matt Vliet.

This release introduces two major features:

1) Cumulus, a storage cloud implementation that has been integrated with the Workspace Service but can also be used standalone. Cumulus is compatible with the Amazon Web Services S3 REST API, but extends it to include quota management.

2) Zero -> Cloud installation process, which significantly simplifies Nimbus installation and includes user management tools.

In addition, this release also contains new scheduling and network configuration options, new propagation methods, new workspace pilot options, as well as multiple smaller features and bugfixes—too much by far to brag about in this mail; the full list is available in the changelog at: http://www.nimbusproject.org/docs/2.5/changelog.html#2.5

This release would not have been the same without active involvement of the Nimbus open source community. The changelog contains acknowledgements of many members who made substantial contributions: in particular, we’d like to thank Patrick Armstrong, Paulo Motta, Pierre Riteau, and Matt Vliet. They not only contributed new ideas, suggestions, and features but also helped us improve code quality—priceless!

The Nimbus 2.5 release candidate is available for download at:
http://www.nimbusproject.org/downloads/

Documentation (still in progress) is available at: http://www.nimbusproject.org/docs/2.5/

From the OGF29 site:

Sky Computing on FutureGrid and Grid'5000

"Sky computing" is an emerging computing model where resources from multiple cloud providers are leveraged to create large scale distributed infrastructures. This demonstration will show how sky computing resources can be used as a platform for the execution of a bioinformatics application (BLAST). The application will be dynamically scaled out with new resources as need arises. This demonstration will also show how resources across two experimental projects: the FutureGrid experimental testbed in the United States and the Grid'5000, an infrastructure for large scale parallel and distributed computing research in France, can be combined and used to support large scale, distributed experiments. The demo will showcase not only the capabilities of the experimental platforms, but also their emerging collaboration. Finally, the demo will showcase several open source technologies. Specifically, our demo will use Nimbus for cloud management, offering virtual machine provisioning and contextualization services, ViNe to enable all-to-all communication among multiple clouds, and Hadoop for parallel fault-tolerant execution of BLAST. (POC: Kate Keahey, Mauricio Tsugawa, ANL; Pierre Riteau, IRISA)

Matt will be working with Ian Gable on HDFS for robust VM propagation, Paulo will be working with Tim Freeman on Spot Instances to maximize cloud utilization.

Thanks Google for your generous support of open source software!

The major feature of this release is a new installer which makes the installation process significantly easier and faster, eliminates the need for a separate Globus container installation, and sets up an embedded certificate authority. Another significant contribution is a refinements to the Nimbus cloud monitoring service including a new feature that aggregates monitoring information from various Nimbus clouds. In addition, the release contains numerous feature enhancements and bug fixes. Check out the full changelog.

The Nimbus 2.4 release is available for download at: http://www.nimbusproject.org/downloads/

Documentation is available at: http://www.nimbusproject.org/docs/2.4/

Many thanks to folks who contributed their time, comments, and patches during the release candidate process!  We would like to particularly acknowledge Patrick Armstrong, Ian Gable, Paulo Ricardo Motta Gomes, Colin Leavett-Brown, Mike Lowe, Paul Marshall, Pierre Riteau, and Mauricio Tsugawa.

For a detailed list of changes between RC1 and RC2, consult the changelog.

This has been one of the most active and helpful release candidate periods we have ever had.  Many thanks to everyone that has contributed their time, comments, and patches!  We would like to especially thank Patrick Armstrong, Ian Gable, Paulo Ricardo Motta Gomes, Colin Leavett-Brown, Mike Lowe, Paul Marshall, Pierre Riteau, and Mauricio Tsugawa.

This RC1 also contains numerous smaller improvements, and bug fixes. Check the changelog for details.

The RC1 is available for download at: http://www.nimbusproject.org/downloads/

Documentation for the new release is available here.

We appreciate help from all who volunteered to alpha test this release. To help provide an easy vehicle for feedback and resolve issues quickly we offer real-time access to a Nimbus RC chatroom for serious alpha testers. If you would like to participate, please contact us for access.

Pierre demonstrated an automated install of Nimbus clouds onto several large clusters. He went on to use these clouds to launch virtual clusters. And he did all of this in front of an audience. Very impressive, Pierre.

Nimbus has eight GSoC project ideas this year. If you are a student and are interested in working with us over the summer, please take a look at our ideas page. If you have any questions, please contact us. Applications are due to GSoC by April 9th.