vkmc · March 29, 2013 21:22
diff --git a/One manager to rule them all: OpenStack clouds integration with Rightscale b/One manager to rule them all: OpenStack clouds integration with Rightscale
 Every developer needs to have an work environment as close as possible to the real deployment to get to know the code, improve it and work on it creating new features. The more flexible the software in which you are working, there are more possibilities to consider.

 Thus, after nearly three months of working on OpenStack, I found myself in the midst of an incredible mess of clouds of different versions, implemented in different ways across multiple operating systems.

 After a while looking for solutions to organize my deployments and improve my productivity, I came across the concept of <em>cloud managers</em>. RightScale was one of the first to caught my attention and, as it provides support for OpenStack, I decided to see how it could fit my needs.

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 <h4>Cloud details</h4>

 To test the integration with RightScale I decided to use a single-node Folsom implementation running on Fedora 18. The hardware where it is running is standard - AMD Athlon X2 2.7GHz 4GB DDR2 RAM - and for purposes of testing and development is more than enough.

 You would probably get more of it with high performance servers, but the integration process is the same.

 <h4>Add a private cloud to RightScale</h4>

 Adding your cloud to RightScale is very simple and can be done in a few steps. The only thing you have be sure is to have an administrator account and credentials on hand.

 Clicking over <em>Add Cloud</em> in the main menu, you will get a list of all the available clouds you work with.

 <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://vmartinezdelacruz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Screenshot-from-2013-03-29-161637.png"><img src="http://vmartinezdelacruz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Screenshot-from-2013-03-29-161637-1024x401.png" alt="Rightscale: Add cloud" width="500" height="195" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-655" /></a></p>

 As this will be a cloud managed by yourself, click on <em>Administered Clouds</em>, and once there register a new private cloud with <em>Register Cloud</em> button.

 There you will need to enter your administrator credentials, i.e. your username and password in the OpenStack cloud, the tenant id, the name of the region where your server is and the cloud controller address.

 All this information can be retrieved from the Keystone client or from the Dashboard in the upper-right corner, <code>Settings > OpenStack API</code>, downloading the admin's RC file.

 <p style="text-align: center; margin-top: 3%;"><a href="http://vmartinezdelacruz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Screenshot-from-2013-03-29-162157.png"><img src="http://vmartinezdelacruz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Screenshot-from-2013-03-29-162157-e1364587685297-150x150.png" alt="RightScale: Register your OpenStack cloud" width="150" height="150" class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-656" style="margin-right: 3%; border: 1px solid #ddd;"/></a><a href="http://vmartinezdelacruz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/openstack-rc-file.png"><img src="http://vmartinezdelacruz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/openstack-rc-file-150x150.png" alt="OpenStack RC File" width="150" height="150" class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-657" style="border: 1px solid #ddd;"/></a></p>

 Automatically you will receive a notification informing you that the connection was established with your private cloud and, after a brief introduction, you may start using it.

 You can check a more detailed explanation of this at <a href="http://support.rightscale.com/09-Clouds/OpenStack/OpenStack_Tutorials/Register_an_OpenStack_Cloud_with_RightScale" title="Register an OpenStack Cloud with RightScale | Rightscale Support" target="_blank">Register an OpenStack Cloud with RightScale</a>.

 <h4>RightScale integration</h4>

 It was really exited to discover that everything that can be done from the OpenStack Dashboard can also be made from RightScale.

 Launching instances and establishing SSH tunnels with them, creating volumes and security groups, uploading images and deploying networks, RightScale truly has a great support for every OpenStack service.

 <p style="text-align: center; margin-top: 3%;"><a href="http://vmartinezdelacruz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/launching-an-instance.png"><img src="http://vmartinezdelacruz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/launching-an-instance-150x150.png" alt="RightScale: Launching an instance" width="150" height="150" class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-661" style="margin-right: 3%; border: 1px solid #ddd;"/></a><a href="http://vmartinezdelacruz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/instance-status.png"><img src="http://vmartinezdelacruz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/instance-status-150x150.png" alt="RightScale: Instance status" width="150" height="150" class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-662" style="margin-right: 3%; border: 1px solid #ddd;"/></a><a href="http://vmartinezdelacruz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/openstack-instance.png"><img src="http://vmartinezdelacruz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/openstack-instance-150x150.png" alt="Meanwhile, in OpenStack..." width="150" height="150" class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-663" style="border: 1px solid #ddd;"/></a></p>

 It's obvious that an user like myself - with little experience and giving her first steps - cannot take full profit of the flexibility that counting on a manager with such a great support provides. However, it is worth highlighting the ease with which you can access the service and the plurality of uses that one can assign to it.

 Doing an OpenStack deployment is not so hard, even less integrating it with RightScale. So if you want to give it a try, contact me if you need support with OpenStack - I will do my best... I promise! - and pass by  <a href="https://www.rightscale.com/free?t=supportal" title="Try RightScale" target="_blank">Rightscale</a> to get a free trial account.

 Not more excuses :)
	Every developer needs to have an work environment as close as possible to the real deployment to get to know the code, improve it and work on it creating new features. The more flexible the software in which you are working, there are more possibilities to consider.

	Thus, after nearly three months of working on OpenStack, I found myself in the midst of an incredible mess of clouds of different versions, implemented in different ways across multiple operating systems.

	After a while looking for solutions to organize my deployments and improve my productivity, I came across the concept of <em>cloud managers</em>. RightScale was one of the first to caught my attention and, as it provides support for OpenStack, I decided to see how it could fit my needs.

	<!--more-->

	<h4>Cloud details</h4>

	To test the integration with RightScale I decided to use a single-node Folsom implementation running on Fedora 18. The hardware where it is running is standard - AMD Athlon X2 2.7GHz 4GB DDR2 RAM - and for purposes of testing and development is more than enough.

	You would probably get more of it with high performance servers, but the integration process is the same.

	<h4>Add a private cloud to RightScale</h4>

	Adding your cloud to RightScale is very simple and can be done in a few steps. The only thing you have be sure is to have an administrator account and credentials on hand.

	Clicking over <em>Add Cloud</em> in the main menu, you will get a list of all the available clouds you work with.

	<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://vmartinezdelacruz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Screenshot-from-2013-03-29-161637.png"><img src="http://vmartinezdelacruz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Screenshot-from-2013-03-29-161637-1024x401.png" alt="Rightscale: Add cloud" width="500" height="195" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-655" /></a></p>

	As this will be a cloud managed by yourself, click on <em>Administered Clouds</em>, and once there register a new private cloud with <em>Register Cloud</em> button.

	There you will need to enter your administrator credentials, i.e. your username and password in the OpenStack cloud, the tenant id, the name of the region where your server is and the cloud controller address.

	All this information can be retrieved from the Keystone client or from the Dashboard in the upper-right corner, <code>Settings > OpenStack API</code>, downloading the admin's RC file.

	<p style="text-align: center; margin-top: 3%;"><a href="http://vmartinezdelacruz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Screenshot-from-2013-03-29-162157.png"><img src="http://vmartinezdelacruz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Screenshot-from-2013-03-29-162157-e1364587685297-150x150.png" alt="RightScale: Register your OpenStack cloud" width="150" height="150" class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-656" style="margin-right: 3%; border: 1px solid #ddd;"/></a><a href="http://vmartinezdelacruz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/openstack-rc-file.png"><img src="http://vmartinezdelacruz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/openstack-rc-file-150x150.png" alt="OpenStack RC File" width="150" height="150" class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-657" style="border: 1px solid #ddd;"/></a></p>

	Automatically you will receive a notification informing you that the connection was established with your private cloud and, after a brief introduction, you may start using it.

	You can check a more detailed explanation of this at <a href="http://support.rightscale.com/09-Clouds/OpenStack/OpenStack_Tutorials/Register_an_OpenStack_Cloud_with_RightScale" title="Register an OpenStack Cloud with RightScale \| Rightscale Support" target="_blank">Register an OpenStack Cloud with RightScale</a>.

	<h4>RightScale integration</h4>

	It was really exited to discover that everything that can be done from the OpenStack Dashboard can also be made from RightScale.

	Launching instances and establishing SSH tunnels with them, creating volumes and security groups, uploading images and deploying networks, RightScale truly has a great support for every OpenStack service.

	<p style="text-align: center; margin-top: 3%;"><a href="http://vmartinezdelacruz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/launching-an-instance.png"><img src="http://vmartinezdelacruz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/launching-an-instance-150x150.png" alt="RightScale: Launching an instance" width="150" height="150" class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-661" style="margin-right: 3%; border: 1px solid #ddd;"/></a><a href="http://vmartinezdelacruz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/instance-status.png"><img src="http://vmartinezdelacruz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/instance-status-150x150.png" alt="RightScale: Instance status" width="150" height="150" class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-662" style="margin-right: 3%; border: 1px solid #ddd;"/></a><a href="http://vmartinezdelacruz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/openstack-instance.png"><img src="http://vmartinezdelacruz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/openstack-instance-150x150.png" alt="Meanwhile, in OpenStack..." width="150" height="150" class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-663" style="border: 1px solid #ddd;"/></a></p>

	It's obvious that an user like myself - with little experience and giving her first steps - cannot take full profit of the flexibility that counting on a manager with such a great support provides. However, it is worth highlighting the ease with which you can access the service and the plurality of uses that one can assign to it.

	Doing an OpenStack deployment is not so hard, even less integrating it with RightScale. So if you want to give it a try, contact me if you need support with OpenStack - I will do my best... I promise! - and pass by <a href="https://www.rightscale.com/free?t=supportal" title="Try RightScale" target="_blank">Rightscale</a> to get a free trial account.

	Not more excuses :)