OnApp has announced a new free version of OnApp Cloud, which is available for download today from http://onapp.com . OnApp Cloud enables service providers and enterprises to build and run their own public, private and hybrid clouds, quickly and easily. The free version of OnApp Cloud offers similar class-leading functionality, scalability and resilience as the full version. It’s an ideal platform for companies looking to test, develop and launch their own cloud services, free of charge.

The free version of OnApp Cloud enables companies to build a fully-functional cloud on Xen hypervisors with up to 16 CPU cores, without commercial restrictions on usage. It can be used by service providers launching public clouds, enterprises launching private clouds, or developers of cloud applications, Platform-as-a-Service or Software-as-a-Service offerings.

One example is San Francisco-based NodeSocket, which is using OnApp Cloud to build a node.js hosting platform and community for developers. Justin Keller, Founder of NodeSocket, said: "OnApp has worked out amazingly well for us. It manages all the low-level hypervisor virtualization and allows us to focus on building our node.js platform stack inside the virtual machines. Using OnApp has greatly increased productivity and efficiency in our development and beta phases."

Commenting on the launch, OnApp CEO, Ditlev Bredahl said: “Our mission has always been to remove entry barriers to the cloud, and the free version of OnApp Cloud is the next logical step. There are other ‘free’ platforms, of course, but there are three crucial differences with OnApp: it’s a technology proven in more than 1,000 cloud deployments worldwide, including hundreds of service providers; it doesn't require months of development to get production ready; and you can upgrade to 24x7 support whenever you need to.”

The free version of OnApp Cloud can be installed on standard off-the-shelf hardware in just a few hours. It is supported through OnApp’s new community forums, with a simple upgrade path for users who grow beyond the 16-core limit, or who require OnApp’s 24x7 global support services. A comparison of the full and free versions is available at http://onapp.com/cloud/pricing .

OnApp launched the free version of OnApp Cloud at WHD.global in Germany, the world’s largest event for hosting and Internet service providers. Also at the show, OnApp launched a new distributed storage platform, OnApp Storage, which brings high-end SAN performance to commodity cloud infrastructure for the first time.