======================= Support and maintenance ======================= To be able to support and maintain an installation, OpenStack cloud management requires operations staff to understand and comprehend design architecture content. The operations and engineering staff skill level, and level of separation, are dependent on size and purpose of the installation. Large cloud service providers, or telecom providers, are more likely to be managed by specially trained, dedicated operations organizations. Smaller implementations are more likely to rely on support staff that need to take on combined engineering, design and operations functions. Maintaining OpenStack installations requires a variety of technical skills. You may want to consider using a third-party management company with special expertise in managing OpenStack deployment.