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OpenStack

The ML Cloud has an OpenStack implementation using the yoga release. OpenStack is an open source software that provides cloud infrastructure for creating and managing virtual machines, baremetal instances, and networks. This page describes how to access OpenStack, allocate resources, and available interactions with a running VM.

Legacy Systems

OpenStack is largely a legacy system within the ML Cloud - in particular, creating new VMs is currently strictly on an as-needed basis, and it uses the archaic terminology "Region 1" and "Region 2". If you do not have access to OpenStack and need it for future work, please open a support ticket to start a discussion about the possibilities.

OpenStack Web Login

OpenStack Login

Login to OpenStack

On the OpenStack login page, you must enter your username and password from your ML Cloud account, then choose Domain: ldap, and as Region, keep Region 1.

(Legacy Information: OpenStack through PyPI)

The OpenStack client can be installed from PyPI using pip:

pip install python-openstackclient

Once installed, a list of global options and supported commands is shown with openstack --help.

Setup an SSH Key within OpenStack

OpenStack Keypairs

Once you are logged in, go to Compute -> Key Pairs and either create a key pair or upload your public key. The key uploaded must be in the OpenSSH format.

(Legacy Information: Create a VM)

OpenStack refers to VMs as Instances. Select the correct project and Region in the top-left corner.

You have to fill out several details such:

  • Details:
  • Choose instance name
  • Availability Zone: nova
  • Source:
  • Image or Instance Snapshot: the first allows you to select from a pre-configured cloud image, whereas Instance Snapshot allows you to launch a clone of a previous VM.
  • Flavor
  • Specify your resource requirements. Total Disk refers only to the size of the root partition. Additional storage for data can and should be added later.
  • Networks
  • Select qbstorage.4005 in Region 1 (and storage.3905 in Region 2) if you later want to use Quobyte volumes (recommended for compute VMs) and local_network otherwise.

Note

We advise against adding more than one network.

  • Security Groups:
  • Choose one or more security groups which do not have overlapping rules. This setting can be adjusted afterwards and multiple times.
  • Key Pair
  • You can choose one of your uploaded public ssh keys.

Note

This setting can not be modified later: If you choose the wrong key or no key at all, the VM cannot be accessed.

  • Network Ports/Configuration/Server Groups/Scheduler Hints/Metadata are optional and potentially destructive: Leave at their default values.

Confirm with the Launch Instance button.

OpenStack VM Creation Screen

Since VMs with GPUs are restricted at the current moment, you can apply for or create CPU only VMs.

(Legacy Information: Floating (Public) IPs)

No Public IPs are available

Due to the limited number of public IPs allocated by the University to the ML Cloud, as well as previous overuse, no more public IPs are available for ML Cloud VMs. If you have a public IP and no longer need it, please release it back to the ML Cloud Team.

  • You can allocate a floating IP by going to Project > Network > Floating IPs and using the button Allocate IP to Project.
  • Use the Pool osprovider to get a public IP. The DNS-* fields currently have no use and should be left empty.
  • Associate a floating IP to a VM in the dropdown of this VM in Project > Compute > Instances. The VM itself does not know anything about the floating IP itself makeing it independent of the IPs value.
Last update: June 28, 2024
Created: June 21, 2024