21 Installing with the Install UI #

Before you launch the Install UI to install your cloud, do the following:

In SUSE OpenStack Cloud 9, a local git repository is used to track configuration changes; the Configuration Processor (CP) uses this repository. Use of a git workflow means that your configuration history is maintained, making rollbacks easier and keeping a record of previous configuration settings. The git repository also provides a way for you to merge changes that you pull down as “upstream” updates (that is, updates from SUSE). It also allows you to manage your own configuration changes.

The git repository is installed by the Cloud Lifecycle Manager on the Cloud Lifecycle Manager node.

Using the Install UI does not require the use of the git repository. After the installation, it may be useful to know more about Chapter 22, Using Git for Configuration Management.

Before beginning the installation, you can create a CSV file with your server information to import directly into the Install UI to avoid entering it manually on the Assign Servers page.

The following table shows the fields needed for your CSV file.

The aliases are all the valid names that can be used in the CSV file for the column header for a given field. Field names are not case sensitive. You can use either (space) or - (hyphen) in place of underscore for a field name.

An example CSV file could be:

id,ip-addr,mac-address,server-group,nic-mapping,server-role,ipmi-ip,ipmi-user
controller1,192.168.110.3,b2:72:8d:ac:7c:6f,RACK1,HP-DL360-4PORT,CONTROLLER-ROLE,192.168.109.3,admin
myserver4,10.2.10.24,00:14:22:01:23:44,AZ1,,,,

If you intend to use SUSE Manager or HPE OneView to add servers, certificates for those services must be accessible to the Install UI.

Use the following steps to import a SUSE Manager certificate.

Use the following steps to import an HPE OneView certificate.

Important

The Install UI must run continuously without stopping for authentication at any step. When using the Install UI it is required to launch the Cloud Lifecycle Manager with the following command:

ARDANA_INIT_AUTO=1 /usr/bin/ardana-init

Deploying the cloud to your servers will reconfigure networking and firewall rules on your cloud servers. To avoid problems with these networking changes when using the Install UI, we recommend you run a browser directly on your Cloud Lifecycle Manager node and point it to http://localhost:9085.

If you cannot run a browser on the Cloud Lifecycle Manager node to perform the install, you can run a browser from a Linux-based computer in your MANAGEMENT network. However, firewall rules applied during cloud deployment will block access to the Install UI. To avoid blocking the connection, you can use the Install UI via an SSH tunnel to the Cloud Lifecycle Manager server. This will allow SSH connections through the MANAGEMENT network when you reach the "Review Configuration Files" step of the install process.

To open an SSH tunnel from your Linux-based computer in your MANAGEMENT network to the Cloud Lifecycle Manager:

Important

If you use an SSH tunnel to connect to the Install UI, there is an important note in the "Review Configuration Files" step about modifying firewall_rules.yml to allow SSH connections on the MANAGEMENT network.

The first page of the Install UI shows the general installation process and a reminder to gather some information before beginning. Clicking the Next button brings up the Model Selection page.

The input model choices are displayed on this page. Details of each model can be seen on the right by clicking the model name on the left. If you have already decided some aspects of your cloud environment, models can be filtered using the dropdown selections. Narrowing a parameter affects the range of choices of models and changes other dropdown choices to only those that are compatible.

Selecting a model will determine the base template from which the cloud will be deployed. Models can be adjusted later in the process, though selecting the closest match to your requirements reduces the effort required to deploy your cloud.

Warning

If you select any ESX model, extra manual steps are required to avoid configuration failures. While installing an ESX model with the Install UI, you will be asked for interfaces related to ESX and OVSvApp. Those interfaces must be defined before being entered in the Install UI. Instructions are available at Section 27.3, “Overview of ESXi and OVSvApp”.

Note

Installing a Stand-alone Deployer

If you are using the Install UI to install a stand-alone deployer, select that model, which was created previously in Chapter 20, Preparing for Stand-Alone Deployment.

Continue with the remaining Install UI steps to finish installing the stand-alone deployer.

Based on the cloud example selected on the previous page, more detail is shown about that cloud configuration and the components that will be deployed. If you go back and select a different model, the deployment process restarts from the beginning. Any configuration changes you have made will be deleted.

The number of nodes (servers) dedicated to each server role can be adjusted. Most input models are designed to support High Availability and to distribute OpenStack services appropriately.

This page provides more detail about the number and assignment of each type of node based on the information from the previous page (any changes must be made there).

Components that do not meet the required parameters will be shown in red in the accordion bar. Missing required fields and duplicate server names will also be red, as will the accordion bar. The Next button will be disabled.

Servers may be discovered using SUSE Manager, HPE OneView, or both. Ensure that the certificates are accessible, as described in Section 21.4, “Optional: Importing Certificates for SUSE Manager and HPE OneView”. Clicking the Discover button will prompt for access credentials to the system management software to be used for discovery. Certificates can be verified by checking Verify SSL certificate. After validating credentials, Discovery will retrieve a list of known servers from SUSE Manager and/or HPE OneView and allow access to server details on those management platforms.

You can drag and drop to move servers from the left to the right in order to assign server roles, from right to left, or up and down in the accordion bar.

Server information may also be entered manually or imported via CSV in the Manual Entry tab. The format for CSV entry is described in Section 21.3, “Optional: Creating a CSV File to Import Server Data”. The server assignment list includes placeholder server details that can be edited to reflect real hardware, or can be removed and replaced with discovered or manually added systems.

For more information about server roles, see Section 5.2.4, “Server Roles”.

Subnet and netmask values should be set on this page as they may impact the IP addresses being assigned to various servers.

If an OS has not previously been installed on the servers that make up the cloud configuration, the OS installation page allows for Cobbler to deploy SLES on servers in the cloud configuration. Enter password, select servers and click Install to deploy SLES to these servers. An installation log and progress indicators will be displayed.

When the OS installation is complete, a Server and Server Role Summary page is displayed. It shows which servers have been assigned to each role, and provides an opportunity to edit the server configurations. Various cloud components can be configured by clicking on the Manage Cloud Settings button. Incorrect information will be shown in red.

Below is the list of what can be changed within the Install UI, followed by a list of customizations that can only be changed by directly editing the files on the Review Configuration Files page. Anything changed directly in the files themselves during the Install UI process will be overwritten by values you have entered with the Install UI.

Changes to the following items can be made:

Changes to the following items can only be made by manually editing the associated .yml files on the Review Configuration page of the Install UI:

Important

Directly changing files may cause the configuration to fail validation. During the process of installing with the Install UI, any changes should be made with the tools provided within the Install UI.

Advanced editing of the cloud configuration can be done on the Review Configuration Files page. Individual .yml and .j2 files can be edited directly with the embedded editor in the Model and Templates and Services tabs. The Deployment tab contains the items Wipe Data Disks, Encryption Key and Verbosity Level.

This page also provides the ability to set up SUSE Enterprise Storage Integration during initial deployment.

Important

If you are using an SSH tunnel to connect to the Install UI, you will need to make an extra modification here to allow SSH connections through the firewall:

1. While on the Review Configuration Files page, click on the Model tab.

2. Click Firewall Rules.

3. Uncomment the SSH section (remove the # at the beginning of the line for the - name: SSH section).

4. If you do not have such a - name: SSH section, manually add the following under the firewall-rules: section:

   name: SSH
   network-groups:
   - MANAGEMENT
   rules:
   - type: allow
     remote-ip-prefix: 0.0.0.0/0
     port-range-min: 22
     port-range-max: 22
     protocol: tcp

Configure SUSE Enterprise Storage During Initial Deployment

A link to the settings.yml file is available under the ses selection on the Templates and services tab.

To set up SUSE Enterprise Storage Integration:

Important

Manual edits to your configuration files outside of the Install UI may not be reflected in the Install UI. If you make changes to any files directly, refresh the browser to make sure changes are seen by the Install UI.

Before performing the deployment, the configuration must be validated by clicking the Validate button below the list of configuration files on the Model tab. This ensures the configuration will be successful before the actual configuration process runs and possibly fails. The Validate button also commits any changes. If there are issues with the validation, the configuration processor will provide detailed information about the causes. When validation completes successfully, a message will be displayed that the model is valid. If either validation or commit fail, the Next button is disabled.

Clicking the Deploy button starts the actual deployment process.

General progress steps are shown on the left. Detailed activity is shown on the right.

To start the deployment process, the Install UI runs scripts and playbooks based on the actual final configuration. Completed operations are green, black means in process, gray items are not started yet.

The log stream on the right shows finished states. If there are any failures, the log stream will show the errors and the Next button will be disabled. The Back and Next buttons are disabled during the deployment process.

The log files in ~/ardana/.ansible/ansible.log and /var/cache/ardana_installer/ have debugging information.

When the deployment process is complete, all items on the left will be green. Some deployments will not include all steps shown if they do not apply to the selected input model. In such a situation, those unneeded steps will remain gray.

The Next button will be enabled when deployment is successful.

Clicking Next will display the Cloud Deployment Successful page with information about the deployment, including the chosen input model and links to cloud management tools.

Figure 21.1: Cloud Deployment Successful #

  

After installation is complete, shutdown the Install UI by logging into the Cloud Lifecycle Manager and running the following commands:

cd ~/openstack/ardana/ansible
ansible-playbook -i hosts/localhost installui-stop.yml

After deployment, continue to Chapter 38, Post Installation Tasks and Chapter 44, Other Common Post-Installation Tasks.

To understand cloud configuration more thoroughly and to learn how to make changes later, see: