Infrastructure Virtualization Project

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Last Update: May 22, 2022

Objective

This is a project to update and modernize the infrastructure that keeps the Amahi web sites and services running.

The idea is to provide easier and more sustainable management of the infrastructure to leave more time for the team to devote to moving the project forward.

NOTE: this project is not about running Amahi platform software on virtual servers, etc. For that there is a separate page on Virtualization.

Goals

We have multiple goals:

• Operate internal build machines in a reliable, efficient way, so that we have consistent and updated builds/releases
• Consistent and recent backups making things recoverable
• Execute some testing of Amahi apps more easily and efficiently
• Test new features in an isolated manner

Configuration

Dell Server (F1DH):

• Dual Xeon E5450 3.0 GHz Processors
• Gigabit Network Interface
• KVM Network Interface
• RAID Controller

Server #1 (CURRENT):

• OpenStack release Yoga
• Operating System: CentOS 8 Stream
• 32GB PC2-5300 RAM (8x4)
• Quick Swap Drive Bays
  • 1 - 1TB
  • 2 - 750GB (Backup)
  • 3 - EMPTY
  • 4 - EMPTY

Server #2 (BACKUP):

• OpenStack release Wallaby
• Operating System: CentOS 8 Stream
• 24GB PC2-5300 RAM (4x2/8x2)
• Quick Swap Drive Bays
  • 1 - 850GB (LVM)
  • 2 - EMPTY
  • 3 - 120GB SSD (Backup)
  • 4 - EMPTY

Setup

The following guidance is based on the latest release of OpenStack (Yoga):

• Download CentOS 8 Stream minmal image and install following Installing CentOS 8 using NetBoot ISO Image tutorial (use LVM, but remove /home partition and redistribute space to /).
• Set Static IP Address and configure Fully Qualified Domain Name, then reboot
• Follow step 0 - 3 of the RDO Packstack Quickstart for the OpenStack installation (ensure step 0 prerequisites are completed first).
• At step 4, follow the Neutron with existing network guidance:
• Use command: packstack --allinone --provision-demo=n --cinder-volumes-size=100G --keystone-admin-passwd={set password} --os-neutron-ml2-mechanism-drivers=openvswitch --os-neutron-ml2-tenant-network-types=vxlan --os-neutron-ml2-type-drivers=vxlan,flat,vlan --os-neutron-l2-agent=openvswitch --os-neutron-ovs-bridge-mappings=extnet:br-ex --os-neutron-ovs-bridge-interfaces=br-ex:eth0 --nova-libvirt-virt-type=kvm (replace {set password} and eth0 with appropriate values)
• Skip down to Now, create the external network with Neutron. and follow guidance.
• Next move to Then create a router and set its gateway using the external network... and follow remaining guidance.
• Set up the floating IP addresses to the external network.
• Create flavors named amahi.small of 10GB and amahi.medium of 15GB.
• Add the following rules to default Security Group (Ingress, IPv4, Remote IP 0.0.0.0):
  • ICMP / Any
  • TCP / 22
  • TCP / 80
  • TCP / 3000
  • TCP / 443 (Optional)
• Add users and private keys for SSH login
• Disable SSH password and root login
• Add users to web UI access
• Ensure OS updates applied and reboot
• Create a single instance with floating IP
• Verify all is working as expected.

NOTE: A terminal script has been developed to automate the installation steps above for OpenStack after CentOS is installed.

Naming Convention

The following is recommended for standardization:

• Instances: os-function (i.e. f24-bot, f24-repo, f24-dev, etc)
• Images: os-type (i.e. f24-cd, f24-dvd, etc)
• Snapshot: os-function-ss# (i.e. f24-repo-ss1, f24-bot-ss2, etc)
• Volumes: instance-vol (i.e. f24-repo-vol, mirrormgr-vol, dlmaster-vol, etc)

Build Images

This will outline how to build OpenStack images using Proxmox VE (alternate method in development).

• Log into Proxmox VE web UI
• Create a VM or clone an existing one (type=qemu64)
  • If creating a VM, install the OS
  • If using a clone, start the VM
• Open a console window for the VM
  • Log in and as root do the following
    • dd if=/dev/zero of=/mytempfile bs=1M (zero out any unused space)
    • rm -f /mytempfile
  • Shutdown VM
  • Log into Proxmox VE via SSH and execute the following from command line
    • Navigate to /dev/pve
    • qemu-img convert -O qcow2 original_image new_image.qcow2
    • Copy new_image.qcow2 to a safe location for uploading into OpenStack
    • Delete the VM from Proxmox VE web UI
• Use WinSCP or similar program to copy the new_image.qcow2 to client machine
• Upload into OpenStack via the web UI

Reference: Transfer Proxmox VM

Create Instance

This is a nice straightforward tutorial on how to deploy and launch an instance (VM).

Also refer to launch instance from ISO for an alternate method.

Backup

Last Backup completed:

• Instances - 04 Jul 2021
• Volumes - 04 Jul 2021

NOTES:

• Back up scripts have been created to synchronize instances, volumes, and snapshots to a secondary drive on demand.
• Minimal of monthly back ups be done in case of catastrophic failure.
• See OpenStack Instance Backups to automate via terminal script (some modification is needed).

Tips

Command Line

OpenStack Command Line Guide

Network Issues

If the DNS server is changed or networking appears inoperable, check the following to ensure the DNS is correct:

• /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-br-ex
• /etc/resolve.conf

Next restart neutron network services:

service neutron-server restart

service neutron-dhcp-agent restart

service neutron-l3-agent restart

service neutron-metadata-agent restart

service neutron-openvswitch-agent restart

Volume Issues

When a volume becomes detached and/or shows in error, the state can be reset:

source keystonerc_admin

cinder reset-state volume_id

or use web UI.

Also refer to Amahi Bug #2051.

Instance Issues

When an instance Status reflects an error state, reset it by:

source keystonerc_admin

nova reset-state --active INSTANCE_ID

NOTE: Should the Power State reflect no state or blank, it can be corrected by doing the above step, then starting the instance.

Update/Reboot/Shutdown Process

Follow guidelines below to prevent corruption:

• Shutdown/Disconnect
  • Stop all instances
  • Verify all instances stopped
  • Perform Update/Reboot/Shutdown

• Once system Started/Rebooted:
  • Start all needed instances
  • Verify all instances are operational

Create Static IP for Instance

Setting a static IP for instances will ensure the internal IP address remains the same through it's life cycle. The floating IP address can be easily added afterwards.

• As root user, execute source keystonerc_admin
• Use the following to reserve the IP address:

openstack port create --network private --fixed-ip subnet_id=private_subnet,ip_address=x.x.x.x static-ip-1

• Create the instance and boot via command-line vs the web UI:

openstack server create --image IMAGE_NAME --flavor amahi.small --nic port-id=NETWORK_ID_FROM_ABOVE_COMMAND INSTANCE_NAME

NOTE: If image name has spaces, enclose it in double quotes.

Ref: Add Multiple Specific IPs to Instance

Change Instance Flavor

As root user:

source keystonerc_admin

See Change the size of your server for command line guidance.

Fedora Cloud Base Images

See Fedora Cloud Base Images for guidance.

Migration

Images

See OpenStack Glance Image Download Tutorial for how to transfer images from one server to another.

Snapshots

See Snapshot an OpenStack instance, boot it, and download for how to transfer snapshots from one instance to another.

Volumes

See Migrating cinder volumes between OpenStack environments for how to transfer volumes from one instance to another.

Fix Broken Web UI

Add the following line to /etc/httpd/conf.d/15-horizon_vhost.conf:

WSGIApplicationGroup %{GLOBAL}

Then restart the web server

Ref: OpenStack cannot access Dashboard

Known Issues

Cannot use multiple SSH keys via Dashboard (OpenStack Bug #1499751)