Learn about OCP
Traditional IT is holding us back.
Compute infrastructure has historically been confined to proprietary black boxes.
The success of the Internet and the open source movement has shown us that it isn’t about finding one solution that fits everywhere, or designing a monolithic stack to do everything. It’s about getting a variety of options to work well together to better address particular needs.
Proprietary hardware
has become a competitive
disadvantage.
Open hardware
is the way forward.
Changing the game
We need a new approach
We, the designers and consumers of IT equipment, need more control over how we configure, service and scale it. We want to buy only what we need, and not pay for useless frills.
That’s why we launched the Open Compute Project (OCP). Our community is working to redesign all the pieces of IT infrastructure and fuel rapid innovation so we can address custom challenges with open hardware.
Hardware has some catching up to do.
In technology, consumer needs are quickly outpacing provider solutions. Big data, streaming data and cloud services demand more compute power than traditional, one-size-fits-all hardware can provide cost-efficiently.
Proprietary hardware has become a competitive disadvantage. Open hardware is the way forward.
Why OCP
OCP gear provides
Efficiency
By using less power and stripping out unnecessary parts, OCP specs deliver more compute power for your investment. They allow you to operate at higher capacity, reduce redundancy, streamline maintenance, and lower your long-term total cost of ownership.
Flexibility
Commodity hardware frees you from being locked into a single vendor for all your IT equipment for years to come.
Scalability
The modular nature of OCP gear means you can buy only what you need today and scale up tomorrow. With open hardware, you can now build to address your particular challenges when planning for rapid growth.
Choice and control
Customizable, commoditized components put you in charge of what you pay for and what you deploy.
Faster development time
Leveraging the collective wisdom of the OCP community is like having a virtual engineering staff. Have a question about a spec? Talk directly to the person who designed it.
Environmental sustainability
Super-efficient electrical systems mean you’ll likely consume less power. “Frill-free” designs require fewer materials. Modular designs allow you to upgrade parts instead of whole components.
How it works
Collaborating for change
The Open Compute Project (OCP) is a collaborative community focused on redesigning hardware technology. Leaders from -the- tech, financial, telco and other industries meet here to share ideas and specifications.
We have a community-led governance model, with a board of directors that approves the creation of new projects, and an Incubation Committee that approves all new
specifications. The Open Compute Project Foundation is a 501(c)(6) organization that employs a small support team. Read more about our organization.
We currently have active projects in certification and interoperability, data center, HPC, hardware management, networking, open rack, server, storage, and telco technologies. See the list, tech specs and designs here.
More from OCP
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OCP in action
Top-tier organizations across industries are running OCP gear in production—and achieving notable results.
Solution Providers
If you’re looking to buy OCP gear, our Solution Providers help organizations make the transition to OCP gear, guiding you through the design, purchase, and implementation of a custom system for your needs.
Get involved
Join our growing community of hardware engineers and other industry leaders defining the future of IT.
OCP in the news
Learn more about OCP from these recent news articles.
