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This page describes the configuration to enable users to automate VM first boot with cloud-init or similar.
In private cloud and VCD, the platform implements cloud-init with configuration drive. See Configuration drive.
In public cloud, the platform uses cloud provider metadata. Please check your provider documentation about metadata security.
For Windows in AWS, the platform supports guest setup with CLOUDBASE_INIT, EC2LAUNCH_V2, EC2LAUNCH, and EC2CONFIG.
Cloud-init in Abiquo
Abiquo supports two main kinds of first boot automation with cloud-init:
Abiquo built-in functionality:
Guest initial password
Fully qualified domain name (FQDN)
SSH key injection
User data on Configuration drive or cloud provider metadata
Network configuration injection (when DHCP is not present)
User bootstrap script and variables
Provider support for guest initial passwords
This table describes the priority of remote access credentails for the public cloud providers at the time of writing. Always check your cloud provider documentation for the latest information.
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Provider
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Operating system
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Password priority
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Azure
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Windows
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Guest initial password > Password
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Other
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SSH public key > Guest initial password > Password
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AWS
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All
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SSH public key > Guest initial password
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GCP
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Windows
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Password
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Other
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SSH public key
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OCI
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Windows
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Password provided by OCI
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Other
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SSH public key
Configure guest initial password
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Configure FQDN
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Prepare templates for cloud-init
To enable users to work with cloud init, the administrator prepares VM templates that will run cloud-init services or cloudbase-init services (for Windows) or similar. The compatible version of cloud-init is version 0.7.9 or above, or cloudbase-init.
For VMware (vCenter hosts, vCenter clusters, VCD) and other private cloud hypervisors, where cloud-init uses a configuration drive, you might need to prepare the operating system of your VM templates for this configuration.
Edit the cloud config installer file. The location of this file will vary by operating system. For example, /etc/cloud/cloud.conf.d/99-installer.cfg. Set the datasource to ConfigDrive as shown here.
Code Block datasource: ConfigDrive: datasource_list: [ConfigDrive]In the case of Ubuntu 18+, disable any default network configuration utility.
Remove /etc/cloud/cloud.conf.d/subiquity-disable-cloudinit-networking.cfg
Remove /etc/netplan/00-installer-config.yml
To prepare Windows templates for public cloud, see the following pages.
Edit a VM template for guest setup
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To work with first-boot automation, create a VM by selecting a template with automation configured. Your administrator may have already added a default bootstrap script and variables.
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To connect to your VM in public cloud, you must have your SSH public key in your user account. To add an SSH public key, see Configure your user account. |
To configure a VM for first boot automation:
Go to myCloud and edit a VM
Go to General
Enter the VM Name. Some hypervisors require unique VM names, so the platform may rename your VM if the name already exists
Optionally, before you deploy, enter a Fully qualified domain name (FQDN). If you don’t enter one, the platform may define one based on the configuration options
In private cloud, VCD, AWS, and Azure, the platform will send you the initial password for your VM if the if the Guest initial password checkbox is selected
Go to Variables. Optionally, enter or edit Keys and/or Values
If you are using Cloud-init or similar, you can enter a startup script or configuration. Go to Bootstrap script. Enter a configuration definition for cloud-init or another compatible script. It can use the VM Variables. The following example is adapted from: https://cloudinit.readthedocs.io/en/latest/topics/examples.html
Click Save
The platform saves the bootstrap script configuration and variables in the VM metadata.
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You can also manage cloud-init metadata using the Abiquo API. See Manage virtual machine metadata via API |
When you deploy the VM, the template's guest setup process will run and it will configure the VM according to your guest setup options and definition.