stoney conductor: Lean Provisioning

This page describes how the stoney conductor Lean Provisioning works.

Work Flow

1. Create the Virtual Machine Profile:
   1. Step I: Select a Base Profile
   2. Step II: Set the Profile Meta Data:

      Set the Profile ISO File: Fedora-18-x86_64-netinst.iso or Gentoo_Linux_2013.0.iso

      Set the Profile Name: Fedora Linux 18 64-Bit Profile or Gentoo Linux 2013.0 64-Bit Profile

      Set the Profile Description: Fedora Linux 18 64-Bit Profile or Gentoo Linux 2013.0 64-Bit Profile

      Display the Profile Operating System: Linux or Windows (read only, this information is available from Step I)

      Set the Profile Operating System Type: Fedora, Gentoo or Server 2008 R2

      Set the Profile Operating System Version: 18 (Linux Fedora), 2013.0 (Linux Gentoo) or Standard (Windows Server 2008 R2)

      Set the Profile Memory: 1 Gigabyte

      Set the Profile Disk Size: 30 Gigabyte

      Set the Profile CPU number(s): 1

      Set the Profile Clock Offset: utc

2. Create the Virtual Machine Template:
   1. Step I: Select a Profile
   2. Step II: Set the Virtual Machine Data:

      Set the Virtual Machine Pool: vm-template-virtual-machine-pool-01

      Set the Virtual Machine Node: foss-cloud-node-01.stepping-stone.ch

      Display the Virtual Machine Name: kvm-0001.stepping-stone.ch (read only, created by the vm-manager)

      Set the Virtual Machine Description: Gentoo Linux 2013.0 Template

      Display the Virtual Machine Operating System: Linux (read only, taken from the virtual machine profile)

      Display the Virtual Machine Operating System Type: Gentoo (read only, taken from the virtual machine profile)

      Display the Virtual Machine Operating System Version: 2013.0 (read only, taken from the virtual machine profile)

      Set the Virtual Machine Memory: 1 Gigabyte

      Set the Virtual Machine Disk Size: 30 Gigabyte

      Set the Virtual Machine CPU number(s): 1

      Set the Virtual Machine Clock Offset: utc

3. Install the Virtual Machine Template with the chosen operating system.

   The administrator can now install the operating system on the virtual machine template.

   As the last step, the administrator executes the sysprep script in the virtual machine template (this makes sure, that virtual machine template is in a sane state and is shut down).

   The administrator releases the freshly installed virtual machine template in the vm-manager: ready for use

4. Create the Persistent Virtual Machine:

   Choose the Persistent Virtual Machine Pool: persistent-virtual-machine-pool-01

   Choose the Virtual Machine Node: foss-cloud-node-02.stepping-stone.ch (this choice depends on the Persistent Virtual Machine Pool)

   Display the Persistent Virtual Machine Name: kvm-0002.stepping-stone.ch (read only, created by the vm-manager)

   Set the Virtual Machine Description: Django Server for Customers

   Set the Persistent Virtual Machine Type: Server

   Choose the Software Stack: Django (Version 1) or Django (Version 2) (display this field only if one or more software stacks relevant for the chosen operating system, type and version exist, otherwise disable (grey listing))

   Choose the Persistent Virtual Machine Environment: Test, Development or Production (display this field only if one or more environments exist for the chosen software stack, otherwise disable (grey listing))

On the technical side

Creation of a virtual machine template

The attribute sstVirtualMachineMode must be set to first installation during the creation of the virtual machine template.

Releasing a virtual machine template

The user must release the virtual machine template:

• This is done by setting the attribute sstVirtualMachineMode from first installation to ready for use

Possible values for the sstVirtualMachineMode attribute are:

• do not use: virtual machines can not be created.
• maintenance mode: virtual machines can not be created from this virtual machine template. This mode is used to update the virtual machine template.
• first installation: virtual machines can not be created from this virtual machine template, this is the default mode after a fresh virtual machine template creation.
• ready for use: the administrator can not start this virtual machine. If he wants to start the virtual machine template, he must set the mode to maintenance mode.

If the sstVirtualMachineMode attribute does not exist, this must have the same meaning as do not use. To achieve a self healing effect, the VM-Manager must set sstVirtualMachineMode to maintenance mode.

Further reading

• Possible operating system choices are stored in the OpenLDAP directory: Operating System.
• Possible software stack choices are stored in the OpenLDAP directory: Software Stack.
• A Virtual Machine Operating System example.
• A Virtual Machine Software Stack example.

Notes / Questions

Do we make a difference between the first installation and the recurring updates (maintenance)? This question is interesting for providers who want to install a virtual machine automatically, but do not want to be in charge of the recurring updates.

Possible options are:

• Installation through Puppet (no maintenance): initial set up fee, no recurring costs.
• Installation through Puppet (with maintenance): no initial set up fee, with recurring costs.