Open Source Alternatives to VMware

Cozystack is a free, open source cloud platform designed to turn a set of bare metal servers into a powerful, unified system. Built on top of Kubernetes, Cozystack provides a simple REST API for spawning and managing Kubernetes clusters, virtual machines, Databases-as-a-Service, load balancers, HTTP caching services, and more. Its API-first approach empowers users to build their own cloud infrastructure or offer cost-effective development environments without vendor lock-in or unnecessary complexity.

Key features of Cozystack include:

• API-First Design: Cozystack exposes a native Kubernetes RESTful API, allowing users to interact with the platform using standard Kubernetes primitives and YAML manifests. This makes integration with existing tools and workflows straightforward and familiar for Kubernetes users.
• Easy Installation: With the talos-bootstrap tool, Cozystack can be quickly bootstrapped on bare metal servers using PXE or ISO methods. The use of an immutable operating system ensures consistency and reliability across deployments.
• Seamless Integration: The platform is designed for easy integration with billing systems and other infrastructure tools, requiring only the submission of a YAML manifest to the Kubernetes API to provision new services.
• Extensibility: Each package in Cozystack is defined by a set of YAML files, making it easy for anyone familiar with Kubernetes to modify or extend the platform. Package delivery is managed by FluxCD, ensuring reliable and automated updates.
• High Performance, Low Overhead: Cozystack leverages high-performance technologies and a unique tenant model to efficiently allocate resources, balancing stability, security, and cost-effectiveness.
• Built-in Monitoring & Alerts: Every service instance comes with pre-configured dashboards and alerts, supporting both tenant-specific and unified monitoring hubs.
• Web UI for App Management: While the API is central, Cozystack also offers a built-in dashboard for visual application management and quick onboarding.
• Community-Driven Development: Cozystack is committed to open collaboration, contributing useful features upstream and fostering a vibrant community through GitHub, Slack, and Telegram.

Cozystack is ideal for organizations seeking to build their own cloud platform or provide managed development environments using open standards and proven open source technologies. Its focus on standardization, extensibility, and community collaboration makes it a robust choice for modern cloud-native infrastructure needs.