Free Cloud Server Application by Rackspace Cloud

The Rackspace Cloud, the cloud computing division of Rackspace Hosting, announced the release of Rackspace Cloud Pro, the first application for the new iPad to enable developers to monitor and manage their Rackspace Cloud Servers. With Cloud Pro, users can turn on backups for a server, create new servers from backups, manage back-up scheduling, re-boot, rename, resize and delete servers – all using the iPad’s intuitive touchscreen interface. The free application is now available at iTunes.

The application also offers a panel on the login screen that shows users the current system status of the entire Rackspace Cloud and displays the US and UK Rackspace support numbers. Using Cloud Pro, users can also ping the public IP address for a Cloud Server to see how responsive their server is from wherever they are located. Cloud Pro for iPad frees businesses and developers from their desktops by offering them enterprise-quality server control and functionality through the convenience and mobility of the iPad.

"It’s amazing to think about how the iPad tablet and Cloud Servers can lower the entry barriers for web start-ups everywhere because they no longer have to make large investments in hardware to get their businesses going," stated Mike Mayo, Developer, Rackspace Hosting. "I also believe the mobility and functionality made possible by the iPad and The Rackspace Cloud will change the way we work because we are now unchained from our desktops and offices. You can control your servers from wherever you are – in a meeting, at dinner or at the beach."

As evidenced by the mobile cloud management applications built by Mr. Mayo, The Rackspace Cloud encourages developers to build tools and applications for the company’s open APIs to enhance its cloud with community-driven features and functionality.

As part of its ongoing commitment to contributing to open cloud standards, the company is engaged in several significant community initiatives including the development of open source databases such as Cassandra and Drizzle where the developer community is collaborating on the web scale databases required for the cloud era. Rackspace has also open sourced the specifications for its Cloud Servers and Cloud Files’ APIs under the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution license.

"As we build out our cloud, we expect to become more visible around the issues of openness, data access and customer choice," stated Lew Moorman, President Cloud and Chief Strategy Officer, Rackspace Hosting. "Our goal is to allow our customers to be able to choose the services, applications, databases and OSs they want to use in a non-proprietary environment without the fear of being locked into one particular cloud. Our Cloud Server mobile management capability for the iPad is the latest example of Rackspace’s leadership in driving open cloud innovation."