+++ title = "Features & Benefits" description = "Core services, collaboration capabilities, and strategic benefits of the OpenCloud distributed cloud fabric." +++ # Features & Benefits Each OpenCloud instance runs a collection of services that allow users to interact with their own deployment and with other OpenCloud participants. Together, these services form a **federated cloud fabric** that is both technically powerful and strategically aligned with sovereignty goals. --- ## Core Services ### Resource Catalog The **Resource Catalog** indexes all resources provided by an OpenCloud instance, including: - **Data** - **Algorithms** - **Compute Units** - **Storages** - **Processing Workflows** Every resource is described by metadata (see the `catalog_metadata` definition) and can be: - **Public** – visible to all OpenCloud peers - **Restricted** – visible only to selected partners, projects, entities, or groups Access to specific resources may require: - Credentials - Payment - Contractual or policy-based agreements This catalog is the foundation for **discoverability, interoperability, and monetization** of resources. --- ### Workspace Management Each OpenCloud user can create **workspaces** to organize resources of interest. Within a workspace, users can: - Aggregate data, algorithms, and compute/storage units from their own instance and from peers - Prepare resources that will be used in **processing workflows** or **permanent services** - Structure projects by theme, partner, or business objective Workspaces make complex, multi-partner projects more manageable and traceable. --- ### Workflow Editor Using resources collected in a workspace, users can build: - **Distributed processing workflows** - **Permanent services** running on top of the OpenCloud fabric The **integrated workflow editor** provides a user-friendly interface to define and manage: - Processing chains spanning multiple peers - Data flows and storage locations - Execution policies aligned with sovereignty, cost, or performance objectives This enables **end-to-end distributed workflows** without central orchestration dependencies. --- ### Collaborative Areas OpenCloud supports the creation of **Collaborative Areas**, where: - Workspaces and workflows can be shared with selected partners - Rules and constraints can be defined and enforced (automatically or via manual review) Examples of rules include: - Only **open-source components** allowed in the workflows - **No personal data** allowed, or strict constraints on its use - Specific **result visibility** and sharing policies - **Legal and compliance limitations** tied to jurisdictions or contracts Collaborative Areas provide a robust framework for **governed, multi-party collaboration**. --- ### Peer Management OpenCloud allows you to define and manage relationships with other peers, enabling the creation of: - Private communities of trusted partners - Thematic or project-based federations Access rights and trust levels can be configured: - At a **global peer scope** - For **specific groups** or communities within the peer network This supports **fine-grained, community-aware access control** across the distributed cloud. --- ## Strategic Benefits ### Complete Control Over Data Location OpenCloud encourages users to **host their own data**. When external storage is required, OpenCloud allows you to: - Carefully select **where** data is replicated - Choose **which peers** can host copies - Ensure **privacy, compliance, and performance** through data locality control --- ### Cooperation Framework OpenCloud provides a structured **cooperation framework** that covers: - **Data sharing and common workspaces** - **Usage and access regulations** - Alignment between **technical mechanisms** and **legal/contractual rules** This framework is particularly suited for **cross-organization, regulated, or high-stakes projects**. --- ### Data Redundancy with Sovereignty Like public clouds, OpenCloud supports **data redundancy** for availability and resilience. However, it does so with **finer-grained control**: - You decide on which peers and in which jurisdictions your data is replicated - Redundancy policies can reflect **regulatory** or **strategic** constraints --- ### Hybrid Compatibility with Public Cloud When workloads require **massive storage or computational capabilities** beyond what your peer network can provide, you can: - Deploy an OpenCloud instance on a **public cloud provider** - Use it as an extension of your federated infrastructure - Offload **non-sensitive or non-strategic workloads** to public cloud capacity This enables a **hybrid architecture** where sovereignty-sensitive workloads remain under your control, while others can scale on demand. --- ### Fine-Grained Access Control OpenCloud offers **fine-grained access control** mechanisms that allow you to: - Define **who** can access **what**, **from where**, and **under which conditions** - Apply policies at the level of **resources, workspaces, collaborative areas, and peers** - Combine **technical controls** with **organizational rules** --- ### Lightweight for Datacenter and Edge The OpenCloud stack is developed in **Go**, generating: - **Native binaries** - Minimal **scratch containers** All selected COTS components for OpenCloud services follow the same design philosophy. As a result, OpenCloud can run: - In **datacenters**, to support large-scale processing workflows - On **ARM-based single-board computers**, to handle concurrent payloads such as: - Sensor preprocessing - Image recognition - Data filtering Graphical interfaces are implemented in **Flutter** and rendered as **HTML/JS**, enabling lightweight deployment with standard web technologies. --- ### Fully Distributed and Resilient OpenCloud has a **fully distributed architecture**: - No central administrator - No central registry or authority - No single point of failure Partners can join or leave the network without disrupting the broader community, making the system inherently **resilient** and suitable for **long-lived collaborations**. --- ### Open Source and AGPL v3 Licensed To foster trust and prevent opaque forks, OpenCloud is released as **open-source software** under the **AGPL v3** license. This ensures that: - The codebase remains **transparent and auditable** - Contributions and modifications remain **aligned with the community** - Closed, private forks cannot undermine the **trust and openness** of the ecosystem The source code is publicly available for review, security audits, and community contributions.