Configuring CloudStack for Netris Integration¶
This chapter focuses on initializing, configuring, and utilizing CloudStack to integrate seamlessly with the Netris Controller. By following these steps, you will enable advanced networking capabilities within CloudStack using the Netris plugin and configure the environment for optimal performance.
Enabling the Netris Plugin in CloudStack¶
Once the CloudStack Management service is installed and running, the next step is to enable the Netris plugin.
Navigate to the CloudStack GUI and log in as an administrator.
Go to Configuration → Global Settings.
In the search field, type “netris” to locate the Netris plugin setting.
Enable the Netris plugin by toggling the switch to “ON.”
Save the settings.
After enabling the plugin, restart the CloudStack Management service to apply the changes:
systemctl restart cloudstack-management.service
Initializing CloudStack Setup¶
After enabling the Netris plugin, log back into the CloudStack GUI. You will be greeted with the Dashboard screen that guides you through the initial setup of your CloudStack environment.
Steps to Initialize CloudStack¶
Access the Dashboard¶
Once logged into the CloudStack GUI, navigate to the dashboard where the initial setup guide is displayed.
Click Continue with Installation to proceed.
Add a Zone¶
Set a new password to start the process of adding a new zone. Zones are logical data center constructs that define network and compute resources.
Step 1: Zone Type¶
Select Core as the zone type. Core zones are ideal for data center-based deployments with full networking capabilities.
Click Next.
Step 2: Core Zone Type¶
Select Advanced as the core zone type.
Ensure the Security Groups option is disabled.
Click Next to proceed.
Step 3: Zone Details¶
Fill in the following details for your zone:
Name: Provide a unique name for the zone (e.g., zone1).
IPv4 DNS 1 and IPv4 DNS 2: Enter DNS server addresses that work for your environment (e.g., 1.1.1.1 and 8.8.8.8).
Internal DNS 1: This field is mandatory; provide a DNS server address that suits your needs (it does not necessarily need to be an “internal” DNS).
Internal DNS 2: Optionally, enter a secondary DNS server address.
Hypervisor: Select KVM as the hypervisor type.
Click Next to continue the setup process.
Step 4: Network¶
Define the physical network for the zone.
Network Name: Use a descriptive name for the physical network (e.g., Physical Network 1).
Isolation Method: Select NETRIS as the isolation method.
Traffic Types: Add the following traffic types to the network:
Guest: For guest VMs.
Management: For management traffic.
Public: For public-facing traffic.
Tags can be left empty unless specific tags are required for traffic routing.
Click Next to proceed.
Step 5: Netris Provider Configuration¶
On the Netris Provider page, provide the following information:
Netris Provider Name: Set a name for the Netris provider (e.g., netris).
Netris Provider Hostname: Enter the URL or IP of the Netris Controller (e.g., https://netris.example.com).
Netris Provider Port: Leave empty unless your Netris Controller is using a non-default port.
Netris Provider Username: Enter the username for the Netris Controller (e.g., netris).
Netris Provider Password: Enter the corresponding password for the Netris Controller.
Netris Provider Site Name: Specify the site name that matches the site created in the Netris Controller.
Netris Provider Admin Tenant Name: Use the default tenant name (e.g., Admin).
Netris Tag: Ensure this matches the tag defined for the CloudStack Management (Hypervisor Nodes) VNet in Netris. For this example, use CS-Cloud1-Compute.
Click Next to proceed.
Step 6: Public Traffic Configuration¶
Define subnets for public-facing traffic, using details from the corresponding Netris VNets:
System VMs Public Network: Use information from the CloudStack System VMs VNet in Netris.
Virtual Routers Public Network: Use information from the CloudStack VRs VNet in Netris.
Example Configuration:
System VMs Public Network:
Gateway: 203.0.113.1
Netmask: 255.255.255.224
VXLAN/VNI: Use the VXLAN ID from Netris for System VMs (e.g., vxlan://12).
Start and End IP: 203.0.113.2 - 203.0.113.30
Virtual Routers Public Network:
Gateway: 203.0.113.129
Netmask: 255.255.255.128
VXLAN/VNI: Use the VXLAN ID from Netris for Virtual Routers (e.g., vxlan://13).
Start and End IP: 203.0.113.130 - 203.0.113.254
Click Add for each network and verify that the details align with your Netris VNet configurations.
Note: The gateways for the subnets can vary depending on your Netris setup. The values provided above are examples based on the screenshots. Replace them with the actual details from your deployment.
Then click Next.
Step 7: Netris Public IP Pool¶
Add the public IP pool from the Netris Subnet for Netris Services. This pool is consumed by CloudStack for NAT and Load Balancer services.
Example Configuration:
Gateway: 198.51.100.1 (from the Subnet for Netris Services in Netris IPAM).
Netmask: 255.255.255.128.
Start and End IP: 198.51.100.2 - 198.51.100.254.
Note: For the Netris Public IP Pool, the VLAN/VNI field is inactive because this is not a VNet, but a pool of IPs that CloudStack will consume to create services like NAT and load balancers.
Click Add and then Next.
Step 8: Configuring Pod Management Network¶
On this page, you will configure the Pod’s management network. This network is essential for internal communication within the Pod and is derived from the Netris CloudStack Management (Hypervisor Nodes) VNet.
Fields Explained
Pod Name:
Provide a name for the Pod. In this example, it is
pod1
.
Reserved System Gateway:
Use the gateway of the CloudStack Management (Hypervisor Nodes) VNet in Netris.
Example:
10.100.0.1
.
Reserved System Netmask:
This is the subnet mask of the VNet.
Example:
255.255.248.0
(for a/21
subnet).
Start Reserved System IP:
Specify the starting IP address within the range of the VNet. Ensure this IP does not overlap with the hypervisors’ IPs.
End Reserved System IP:
Specify the ending IP address within the range of the VNet for the reserved IP pool. Again, ensure this range does not overlap with hypervisors’ IPs.
Purpose of This Configuration
The reserved system IP range is used internally by CloudStack to manage communication between various system components. This pool must not interfere with other IPs assigned to the hypervisors or other devices.
Example Configuration
Using data from the corrected hypervisor management subnet (10.100.0.0/21) in Netris:
Pod Name:
pod1
Reserved System Gateway:
10.100.0.1
Reserved System Netmask:
255.255.248.0
Start Reserved System IP:
10.100.5.1
End Reserved System IP:
10.100.5.255
Note
Ensure the start and end IPs are within the VNet range and do not overlap with hypervisor IPs (e.g., 10.100.1.x
for hypervisors).
Click Next to proceed.
Step 9: Configuring VPC Tiers VXLAN Range¶
On this page, you will configure the VXLAN range for VPC tiers. This range defines the VXLAN Network Identifiers (VNIs) used for isolating guest traffic within the cloud.
Fields Explained
VXLAN Range:
Specify the start and end values for the VXLAN range.
Example Values:
Start: 1000000
End: 2000000
If needed, you can extend the range to allow for additional VPC tiers.
Purpose of This Configuration
The VXLAN range defines the pool of VNIs that CloudStack will use to create isolated network tiers for VPCs. Each tier will be assigned a unique identifier from this range, ensuring that traffic between different VPCs remains securely segregated.
Steps
Enter the Start and End Range:
Enter 1000000 as the start value and 2000000 as the end value (or extend the range based on your needs).
Validate the Range:
Ensure that the range is large enough to accommodate the anticipated number of VPC tiers.
Click “Next”:
Once the range is configured, proceed to the next step by clicking Next.
Note
Using a large VXLAN range allows for greater flexibility in scaling your cloud network, especially in multi-tenant environments.
Step 10: Final Steps in Zone Configuration¶
The final steps in configuring the CloudStack zone involve setting up essential components for the cluster. These steps include setting the cluster name, adding the first hypervisor, and attaching both primary and secondary storage.
Setting the cluster name
Adding the first hypervisor
Attaching primary storage
Attaching secondary storage
Since Netris is not involved in these processes, no specific recommendations or guidance are necessary from Netris.
Steps Overview
Setting the Cluster Name:
The cluster name identifies the group of hypervisors in your CloudStack setup.
Users should choose a meaningful name based on their organizational or deployment preferences.
Adding the First Hypervisor:
Users need to add at least one hypervisor to the cluster.
The hypervisor should already be configured and accessible.
Attaching Primary Storage:
Primary storage is used to host virtual machine (VM) instances and their root volumes.
Users must specify the storage type and connect the storage to the cluster.
Attaching Secondary Storage:
Secondary storage is used for templates, ISOs, and snapshots.
This storage should also be configured and attached as part of the zone setup.
Why This Section is Brief
Since these steps are unrelated to Netris functionality and configuration, users should follow CloudStack’s standard documentation or their internal policies to complete these tasks.
Note
Users should refer to the Apache CloudStack Documentation for detailed guidance on these steps if needed.