This is the self-paced version of the lab that we ran live in February 2024. If you would like to participate in a live lab or your own environment, get in touch by filling out the form at the bottom of this page and we’ll be happy to help.

Session 1 - Configuring physical server OS & networking

This session covers the pre-requisites of configuring servers to be managed by OpenStack & the KVM hypervisor:

1.  Deploying the Platform9 host-agent onto servers
2.  Enabling the "Platform9-onboarding" role to simplify KVM and OpenStack configuration. This replaces the manual steps required to deploy OVS, NTP and KVM kernel modules
3.  Configuring host networking and global networking;
    a.  Configure physical network interfaces
    b.  Create OVS bridge for external network
    c.  Configuring VLAN and VXLAN

Session 2- Onboarding servers into OpenStack and assigning server roles

Once pre-requisites have been configured on the server, we walk you through the process of bringing servers under management in OpenStack, and assigning server roles:

1.  Hypervisor:  Servers that will run Virtual Machines
2.  Image Library:  Servers that will host Virtual Machine template images
3.  Block Storage:  Servers that will provide a block storage interface that will be used by Hypervisors
4.  Network Nodes:  Servers that will support networking functionality for software defined networks

Session 3- Deploying your first VM on KVM

Once servers have been assigned roles, you have a complete OpenStack cloud ready to do the real work of running your private cloud. To deploy your first VM, we guide you through:

1.  Uploading a Windows or Linux Virtual Machine template into the Image Library
2.  Creating a "Tenant Network" aka "VM Network" to which Virtual Machines connect
3.  Configuring Virtual Machine templates using a Flavor for T-Shirt sized VMs
4.  Using an SSH key to enable secure access to the VM
5.  Using cloud-init to customize Virtual Machines as they first boot up
6.  Accessing the VM console
7.  Testing east-west network connectivity
8.  Performing common VM lifecycle operations

Session 4- Block storage, storage classes and backup options

Using the block storage API to integrate with your existing storage investments, such as storage solutions from Pure Storage, Dell, NetApp, HPE, NFS or other.

Using Volume Types to differentiate between different storage classes, and using storage policies to manage QoS.

Using Volume Snapshots and VM Snapshots as the first level of data-protection. 

Choices in integrating with 3rd party backup solutions for more advanced data protection requirements.

Session 5- Self-service, multi-tenancy and quota management

Using "tenants" to manage different organizations that you may be serving - internal or external.

Using roles to assign sets of privileges to users in these organizations.

Using quotas to control the amount of capacity available to different users and organizations.