[one-users] Creation of templates by cloud users in Sunstone 4.2.0 views

Daniel Molina dmolina at opennebula.org
Thu Oct 10 01:23:01 PDT 2013


Hi Gerry,


On 8 October 2013 18:04, Gerry O'Brien <gerry at scss.tcd.ie> wrote:

> Hi Daniel,
>
>       What we are really trying to do is emulate the OCCI self-service
> GUI.  We potentially have a lot of networks (routed and non-routed) which
> could be used for teaching and research so having a set of core templates
> that can be modified on-the-fly is a very useful feature. Also, we could
> have many different images so predefined templates for  (networks) X
> (images) x (CPU/memory specs) starts to get large and requires continual
> maintenance as images are updated. Having the OCCI stubs simplifies this.
> If there were quotas on templates and/or if user templates were somehow
> hidden then it might be feasible to let users create their own templates
> and ignore them.
>

Ok, so I think the only functionality missing in the new cloud view is
selecting a network. In the OCCI self-service you can define CPU/MEMORY/...
in the file based templates, in the cloud view you can do the same thing
but using OpenNebula templates instead of files. This allows you to use
restricted attributes and define different base templates for different
users/groups. In the OCCI-ss, when you create a new compute (vm) you select
an instance_type, storage and network and a new vm is instantiated using
this information. In the new cloud view, when you launch a new vm you
select a template (former instance_type) and an image, the information is
merged and a new vm is created, but you don't have to create a new
template. Therefore, I think the only piece missing is selecting the
network when the vm is launched.


>
>     There is also the question of human resources in providing support for
> OpenNebual users. Switching from the OCCI GUI requires retraining of
> support staff. On the other hand, the view model will clearly be more
> flexible in the long run and will facilitate provisioning for more
> sophisticated users who can be trusted not to create large amounts of
> templates.
>

I agree.


>
>     In the meantime we have pointed the 3.8 OCCI GUI at the 4.2 core and
> everything looks good so far. The only change we had to make was to
> explicitly specify the OS parameters (BOOT and ARCH) in the stub templates,
> otherwise the VMs wouldn't boot.
>

The 3.8 OCCI GUI is not tested on top of one-4.2 but it should work.


>
>     I'm not sure I follow you suggestion below as to how cloud users could
> install from CD. How would they specify a different boot device?
>

Specifying multiple boot devices is not supported in one-4.2, but it is
already implemented for 4.4
http://dev.opennebula.org/issues/538


>
>     One new feature that we would find really useful would be if users
> were allowed to CLONE to a different datastore. We tend to put our system
> images and any public images in datastore 1 and user images in other
> datastores. We have to run multiple versions of the OCCI to direct
> different classes of users to different datastores. It would be nice if
> users could clone from public images in datastore 1 into their own
> datastore. I guess AppMarket is the proper way to do this, but simple
> cloning is easy.
>

Indeed, there is already a feature request in our dev page for that
feature, maybe we can consider it for upcoming release:
http://dev.opennebula.org/issues/1696

But, as you said I think the best fit for your use case is using the
AppMarket component, you can host base images for your users and they will
be able to import them to their datastore.

Thank you for your feedback


>         Regards,
>             Gerry
>
>
>
>  On 08/10/2013 13:59, Daniel Molina wrote:
>
>> On 8 October 2013 12:55, Gerry O'Brien <gerry at scss.tcd.ie> wrote:
>>
>>  Hi Daniel,
>>>
>>>      I have already created templates for cloud users but that does not
>>> allow them, as far as I can see, to make persistent images. In any event,
>>> the freedom to mix and match CPU/Memory/network settings to various
>>> images
>>> is lost.
>>>
>>>  You could enable the images tab, as you did in another thread, so users
>> can
>> create their own images and in the "launch" vm button they will be able to
>> select those images and one of the predefined templates, which includes de
>> cpu, memory, network configuration.
>>
>>
>>      Also, without the ability to create templates I cannot see how they
>>> can
>>> create a datablock and install their own images from CD. I can enable
>>> templates in the cloud view but as they are not controlled by quota I'm
>>> worried about not being able to access our sysadmin templates among an
>>> unbounded clutter of user templates. If the user templates could be
>>> stored
>>> somewhere else or hidden from view that might solve the problem.
>>>
>>>  You can use the base template, instantiate a new vm and then attach a
>> new
>> disk (datablock) where users will install their own images from CD.
>>
>> I don't really get what you are trying to accomplish, could you please
>> explain your use case, so we can see if it fits in the new cloud views.
>>
>> Cheers
>>
>>
>>      Using the CLI is not really an option as I had intended to make the
>>> self-service available to undergraduate students. In my experience, even
>>> researchers who had previous cloud experience found the OCCI interface
>>> unintuitive at first. However, once they got the hang of it, it proved
>>> very
>>> flexible.
>>>
>>>      It seems strange to release a new version of software and cripple
>>> functionality that was previously available (Microsoft's Windows 8 come
>>> to
>>> mind!). Can OCCI 4.2 be built from source with the UI included or the
>>> version of OCCI shipped with 3.8 pointed at OpenNebula 4.2?
>>>
>>>      My intention was to deploy 4.2 for student use this week. If I can't
>>> provide the functionality of OCCI 3.8 I will have to abandon 4.2, which
>>> seems a shame.
>>>
>>>              Regards,
>>>                  Gerry
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 08/10/2013 09:02, Daniel Molina wrote:
>>>
>>>  Hi Gerry,
>>>>
>>>> As you said the old OCCI-based self-service is deprecated and the ui was
>>>> removed from the code. You should be able to use it from the CLI, but it
>>>> will be also removed sooner or later.
>>>>
>>>> The current cloud view [1], that was implemented to replace the  old
>>>> self-service, allows you to select a template and na image and launch a
>>>> new
>>>> instance without creating new templates. The only part missing for you
>>>> use
>>>> case is the network, so maybe we can add this option for upcoming
>>>> releases,
>>>> please open a feature request in our dev page so we can consider it.
>>>>
>>>> Meanwhile you could use the cloud view and create templates that already
>>>> define the network (i.e.: small_and_private_net, small_and_public_net,
>>>> large_and_private_net ...)
>>>>
>>>> Cheers
>>>>
>>>> [1] http://opennebula.org/****documentation:rel4.2:cloud_****view<http://opennebula.org/**documentation:rel4.2:cloud_**view>
>>>> <http://opennebula.org/**documentation:rel4.2:cloud_**view<http://opennebula.org/documentation:rel4.2:cloud_view>
>>>> >
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 7 October 2013 16:20, Gerry O'Brien <gerry at scss.tcd.ie> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>   Hi,
>>>>
>>>>>       The reason why I've asked the question below is because I get the
>>>>> error message below when I try to run the occi-server. I've read in the
>>>>> posts that it is depreciated but I'm confused as there is documentation
>>>>> here http://opennebula.org/******documentation:rel4.2:occiug<http://opennebula.org/****documentation:rel4.2:occiug>
>>>>> <ht**tp://opennebula.org/****documentation:rel4.2:occiug<http://opennebula.org/**documentation:rel4.2:occiug>
>>>>> >
>>>>> <ht**tp://opennebula.org/****documentation:rel4.2:occiug<http://opennebula.org/**documentation:rel4.2:occiug>
>>>>> <ht**tp://opennebula.org/**documentation:rel4.2:occiug<http://opennebula.org/documentation:rel4.2:occiug>
>>>>> >
>>>>>
>>>>>> **for 4.2.
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>           Regards,
>>>>>               Gerry
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> XML Parsing Error: no element found
>>>>> Location: http://XXX.scss.tcd.ie:4567/
>>>>> Line Number 1, Column 1:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On 07/10/2013 15:11, Gerry O'Brien wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>   Hi,
>>>>>
>>>>>>           I'm trying to emulate the ease-of-use of OCCI self-service
>>>>>> in
>>>>>> OpenNebula 4.2.0 Sunstone using views. In particular, I liked the idea
>>>>>> of
>>>>>> the drop-down list of predefined templates where machines could be
>>>>>> provisioned by adding an image and a network. It seems the only way to
>>>>>> emulate this is to allow cloud users to be able to create templates.
>>>>>> While
>>>>>> I appreciate the flexibility of Sunstone views I'm concerned that if
>>>>>> cloud
>>>>>> users can create templates then there is a danger that the site will
>>>>>> be
>>>>>> littered with templates. If the templates could be placed in another
>>>>>> location that would be great. Is there any way around this or am I
>>>>>> missing
>>>>>> something? Somehow, the OCCI self-service was able to hide these
>>>>>> templates
>>>>>> that it created on the fly.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>           Regards,
>>>>>>               Gerry
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>   --
>>>>>>
>>>>> Gerry O'Brien
>>>>>
>>>>> Systems Manager
>>>>> School of Computer Science and Statistics
>>>>> Trinity College Dublin
>>>>> Dublin 2
>>>>> IRELAND
>>>>>
>>>>> 00 353 1 896 1341
>>>>>
>>>>> ______________________________******_________________
>>>>> Users mailing list
>>>>> Users at lists.opennebula.org
>>>>> http://lists.opennebula.org/******listinfo.cgi/users-**
>>>>> opennebula.****org<http://lists.opennebula.org/****listinfo.cgi/users-opennebula.****org>
>>>>> <http://**lists.opennebula.org/****listinfo.cgi/users-opennebula.**
>>>>> **org<http://lists.opennebula.org/**listinfo.cgi/users-opennebula.**org>
>>>>> >
>>>>> <http://lists.opennebula.****org/listinfo.cgi/users-**openn**ebula.org<http://opennebula.org>
>>>>> <http://lists.**opennebula.org/listinfo.cgi/**users-opennebula.org<http://lists.opennebula.org/listinfo.cgi/users-opennebula.org>
>>>>> >
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>  --
>>> Gerry O'Brien
>>>
>>> Systems Manager
>>> School of Computer Science and Statistics
>>> Trinity College Dublin
>>> Dublin 2
>>> IRELAND
>>>
>>> 00 353 1 896 1341
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>
> --
> Gerry O'Brien
>
> Systems Manager
> School of Computer Science and Statistics
> Trinity College Dublin
> Dublin 2
> IRELAND
>
> 00 353 1 896 1341
>
>


-- 
--
Daniel Molina
Project Engineer
OpenNebula - Flexible Enterprise Cloud Made Simple
www.OpenNebula.org | dmolina at opennebula.org | @OpenNebula
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