Websites using Cncf

Okay, let s break down the CNCF (Cloud Native Computing Foundation) across the aspects you requested: overview, revenue, alternatives, pricing (or rather, cost of membership), and customer care (mostly focusing on community support).

1. CNCF Overview

• What it is: The Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) is a vendor-neutral, non-profit part of the Linux Foundation. It s the home for many of the fastest-growing projects in cloud-native computing. Its mission is to make cloud-native computing ubiquitous.
• Focus: The CNCF focuses on orchestrating containerized, microservices-based applications. It helps advance technologies like containers, service meshes, microservices, immutable infrastructure, and declarative APIs.
• Key Functions:
  • Project Hosting: It provides infrastructure, governance, and support for open-source projects.
  • Community Building: It fosters a community of developers, operators, and end-users.
  • Education: It offers educational resources, training, and certification programs.
  • Standardization: It helps establish standards and best practices in the cloud-native space.
• Notable Projects:
  • Kubernetes: The flagship project for container orchestration.
  • Prometheus: A monitoring and alerting toolkit.
  • Envoy: A service proxy.
  • CoreDNS: A DNS server.
  • Helm: A package manager for Kubernetes.
  • gRPC: A high-performance, open-source universal RPC framework.
  • Many, many more (see the CNCF landscape).
• Governance: Governed by a TOC (Technical Oversight Committee) and a Governing Board.

2. CNCF Revenue

• Source of Revenue: The CNCF is a non-profit and primarily funded through membership fees.
• How it s Used: Membership fees are used to:
  • Support the infrastructure for hosted projects (servers, bandwidth, etc.).
  • Fund community events (e.g., KubeCon + CloudNativeCon).
  • Pay staff who manage the foundation s operations.
  • Develop educational resources and programs.
• Exact Revenue Figures: Being a part of the Linux Foundation, it is not possible to determine the exact revenue of the CNCF. However, the Linux Foundation publishes annual reports that provide overall financial information. The CNCF s financial performance is likely included within these broader reports, but it s not broken out separately.
• Transparency: While precise numbers are not always readily available, the CNCF is generally transparent about its operations and how membership funds are used.

3. Alternatives to the CNCF (in terms of Goals/Functions)

• Direct Open Source Project Involvement: Instead of relying on the CNCF, organizations and individuals can directly contribute to the open-source projects that align with their needs (e.g., Kubernetes, Prometheus). This requires significant in-house expertise.
• Other Open Source Foundations:
  • Apache Software Foundation (ASF): A broad foundation that hosts many open-source projects, including some related to cloud computing.
  • Eclipse Foundation: Similar to ASF, hosting a diverse range of open-source projects and tools.
  • The Linux Foundation (Broader): The CNCF is part of the Linux Foundation, which hosts many other projects in various technology areas (e.g., networking, embedded systems). Other LF projects might be alternatives for specific use cases.
  • Open Infrastructure Foundation (OIF): Focuses on open infrastructure technologies like OpenStack.
• Vendor-Specific Ecosystems: Cloud providers (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure) have their own ecosystems of tools and services that address cloud-native needs. These are often tightly integrated with their platforms. While they may use open-source components, they are not vendor-neutral.
• Commercial Cloud-Native Platforms: Companies like Red Hat (OpenShift), VMware (Tanzu), and SUSE (Rancher) offer commercial platforms built on cloud-native technologies. These provide a curated and supported experience but are not purely open-source.
• DIY (Do-It-Yourself): Organizations can build their own cloud-native platforms from scratch, using a combination of open-source tools and custom development. This is the most flexible but also the most complex and resource-intensive option.
• Open Source Communities: Specific open source projects such as Kubernetes, Istio, and Prometheus, have their own communities that provide support and resources.

4. CNCF Pricing (Membership Fees)

The CNCF uses a tiered membership model based on the organization s revenue. Here s a general overview (as of late 2023/early 2024, but always check the CNCF website for the most up-to-date information):

• General Member: Designed for companies and organizations to engage in the CNCF community.
• End User Member: Specifically for companies and organizations that are end-users of cloud-native technologies (not vendors). Typically lower fees.
• Startup Member: For early-stage companies (meeting specific criteria). Lower fees and specific benefits.
• Silver, Gold, Platinum: Higher tiers with increasing levels of benefits, influence, and visibility within the CNCF. These tiers are intended for larger companies.
• Academic/Non-profit Member: Available at discounted rates.

Important Considerations for Membership Fees:

• Scale Based: The fee structure is designed to be accessible to organizations of all sizes.
• Benefits: Membership comes with various benefits, including:
  • Participation in CNCF governance.
  • Discounts on KubeCon + CloudNativeCon registration.
  • Marketing and branding opportunities.
  • Access to exclusive member resources.
• Check the CNCF Website: The CNCF website (https://www.cncf.io/) has the most current and detailed information about membership tiers, fees, and benefits. Look for the Join or Membership section.

5. CNCF Customer Care / Support

Since the CNCF is a foundation, it doesn t offer traditional customer support in the way a commercial vendor does. Instead, it fosters a community-driven support model. Here s how you get help:

• Community Forums and Mailing Lists: Each CNCF project has its own community forums, mailing lists, and Slack channels where users can ask questions and get help from other users and project maintainers.
• Project Documentation: CNCF projects have extensive documentation that covers installation, configuration, usage, and troubleshooting.
• KubeCon + CloudNativeCon: The annual KubeCon + CloudNativeCon conference is a major opportunity to learn from experts, network with other users, and get help with specific problems.
• CNCF Slack: The CNCF maintains a Slack workspace with channels for various topics and projects.
• CNCF Website Resources: The CNCF website has resources like blogs, webinars, case studies, and white papers that can help users learn about cloud-native technologies and best practices.
• Commercial Support: Many vendors offer commercial support for CNCF projects (e.g., Red Hat for Kubernetes, SUSE for Rancher). This is a good option for organizations that need guaranteed support SLAs.
• CNCF Certified Kubernetes Conformance Program: Ensures that Kubernetes distributions meet specific standards. You can contact the providers directly for support and can ensure a baseline level of functionality.
• Training and Certification: The CNCF offers training and certification programs (e.g., Certified Kubernetes Administrator, Certified Kubernetes Application Developer). These programs can help users develop the skills they need to support their own cloud-native deployments.

Key Takeaways About CNCF Support :

• Community-Driven: Reliance on the open-source community is central.
• Documentation is Key: High-quality documentation is vital for self-service.
• Commercial Options: Vendors fill the gap for organizations needing paid support.
• Training Matters: Investing in training your team reduces reliance on external support.

In summary, the CNCF plays a critical role in the cloud-native ecosystem, fostering innovation, collaboration, and standardization. While it doesn t provide direct commercial customer support, its community-driven approach and extensive resources offer a wealth of assistance to users. Membership provides organizations with a voice in the direction of the foundation and access to valuable resources.