Now you can watch the keynotes that took place during the OpenInfra Summit in Berlin!
Provide and Build New Public Cloud Services Based on OpenStack
Over the past 10 years, I’m happy to have watched the hosting industry transform and be part of the transformation process as it evolved from traditional physical hardware to cloud-native infrastructure, powered by OpenStack. Since the creation of VEXXHOST, I have had the chance to work with different sorts of customers, ranging from growing small businesses to helping architect solutions for large Fortune 500 companies, based on OpenStack. I've helped integrate other open infrastructure projects into our commercial offering.
By fostering OpenStack at it’s early days in 2011, it has helped improve the project and our service as a whole. I’ve been a contributor to the project since and I have contributed code to almost every release of OpenStack since then. I've also served as PTL for Puppet OpenStack, continue to serve as a PTL for OpenStack-Ansible and serve on the technical commitee, chairing tthe commitee for a term.
I'm involved in the following OpenStack projects: Compute Service (Nova),Networking (Neutron),Block Storage (Cinder),Image Service (Glance),Puppet Modules for OpenStack (Puppet OpenStack)
My relationship with OpenInfra has been rooted in both technical contributions and community involvement. As an early adopter and contributor to OpenStack, I have witnessed firsthand how OpenInfra enables businesses and individuals to achieve scalable, cost-effective, and innovative solutions. Its success is important to me because it aligns with my personal and professional mission to foster open collaboration and innovation in cloud infrastructure. OpenInfra's continued growth and adoption directly impact the broader ecosystem of open-source technologies, ensuring they remain a viable and competitive alternative to proprietary systems.
My biggest contribution to OpenInfra and OpenStack's success is my longstanding commitment to improving its ecosystem. This includes contributing code to every release of OpenStack since I started, serving as PTL for multiple projects, and chairing the Technical Committee. Beyond technical contributions, I have played a key role in bridging gaps between OpenStack and other open-source projects, helping integrate them into commercial offerings, and enabling their adoption by enterprises of all sizes.
I have served in leadership roles within the OpenStack community, including as PTL for OpenStack-Ansible and Puppet OpenStack, as well as a chairperson on the Technical Committee. These roles have required strategic decision-making, consensus-building, and the ability to align community priorities with long-term project goals. I have also been involved in various nonprofit initiatives, advocating for the use of open-source technologies in different industries. This experience has taught me the importance of transparency, collaboration, and balancing diverse stakeholder interests—all of which are critical for serving effectively as a board member.
The Board’s role is to provide strategic oversight and ensure the sustainability of OpenInfra’s initiatives. It must champion the adoption of open-source infrastructure by fostering collaboration among vendors, contributors, and users. The Board should also focus on securing funding, expanding the user base, and creating opportunities for community growth. Importantly, the Board must strike a balance between nurturing grassroots innovation and meeting the needs of enterprise adopters to maintain relevance in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.
The Board’s top priority should be driving adoption and showcasing the tangible value of OpenInfra projects, particularly in hybrid and edge computing environments where OpenStack and its ecosystem can shine. This includes:
Mohammed has already been nominated by:
