Cloud Computing Glossary of Terms

A

API (Application Programming Interface)

A set of protocols and tools for building software applications that specify how software components should interact. In cloud computing, APIs allow you to programmatically control and manage your cloud resources.

Application Credentials

A type of authentication credential specific to OpenStack that provides limited access to cloud resources for applications, without exposing your main account credentials.

Availability Zone

A distinct location within a region that is isolated from other availability zones to ensure fault tolerance and high availability.

B

Block Storage

A type of storage that provides volumes that can be attached to instances, similar to a physical hard drive.

Bucket

A container for storing objects in object storage. Similar to a folder in a file system, but designed for cloud storage.

C

CIDR (Classless Inter-Domain Routing)

A method for allocating IP addresses and routing Internet Protocol packets. Example: 192.168.1.0/24

Cloud-Init

The industry standard for customizing cloud instances during their initial boot process.

E

Endpoint

A URL where a service can be accessed. Different services (compute, storage, network) have different endpoints.

EC2 Credentials

Credentials compatible with Amazon's EC2 API format, allowing tools designed for AWS to work with OpenStack.

F

Flavor

A predefined hardware template that defines the compute, memory, and storage capacity of an instance.

Floating IP

A public IP address that can be dynamically assigned to an instance, allowing it to be accessible from the internet.

I

Image

A template containing an operating system and any additional software, used to create new instances.

Instance

A virtual machine running in the cloud, created from an image and flavor combination.

L

Load Balancer

A service that distributes incoming network traffic across multiple instances to ensure high availability.

N

Network

A virtual network that provides connectivity for your instances.

Network Port

A connection point for attaching a single device (like a virtual NIC) to a virtual network.

O

Object Storage

A storage system for storing and retrieving arbitrary data objects, accessed via an API. Similar to Amazon S3.

Q

Quota

Resource usage limits applied to a project to prevent overconsumption of cloud resources.

R

Region

A geographical location where your cloud resources can be hosted.

Router

A virtual network device that provides routing between different networks and can provide access to external networks.

S

Security Group

A set of network access rules that control inbound and outbound traffic to instances.

Snapshot

A point-in-time copy of an instance or volume that can be used to create new instances or volumes.

Subnet

A range of IP addresses within a network, used to organize and segment network resources.

Swift

OpenStack's object storage service, providing scalable and redundant storage for objects.

T

Tenant

A container that groups cloud resources (instances, volumes, etc.) together. Also known as a tenant.

V

Volume

A block storage device that can be attached to an instance, similar to a physical hard drive.

VPC (Virtual Private Cloud)

An isolated section of the cloud where you can launch resources in a virtual network that you define.

VPN (Virtual Private Network)

A secure connection between your local network and your cloud resources.

Additional Resources

- Gozunga Cloud Support
- Cloud Management Portal
- OpenStack Documentation

Updated on: 20/01/2025