Requirements

This page describes the Abiquo requirements to install the Abiquo appliances. Before you do this, verify the infrastructure requirements:

The requirements are as follows:

• Datacenters require a unique datacenter ID shared by appliances inside the same datacenter

• The appliances should be able to reach NTP servers to keep their clocks synchronized

• The Server and Monolithic appliances require DNS resolution for SSL to work out of the box

• Appliances require static network configuration.

• The appliances should have internet access with correct configuration at boot time, in order to download JCE libraries. If not, you must manually download and install the libraries. See Invalid secret key requires JCE encryption libraries

Clock synchronization

Platform clocks must be synchronized for time dependent features to work. This includes including HVs, HVs management solutions, backup systems and some SDN integrations.

Abiquo will use NTP to keep platform clocks synchronized. Check your vendor documentation for other components.

VM repository folder

Private cloud requires a VM repository folder in each Abiquo DC, which holds the VM templates for all enterprises in that DC.

It must exist in each DC before deployment, and Monolithic, Remote services and V2V appliances must be able to mount and manage it.

This VM repository folder will be automatically configured during Abiquo bootstrap process.

Check VM repository folder for further details.

Platform networks

The Abiquo appliances must be able to reach each other and the infrastructure components.
See Preparing platform networks for Abiquo

Service network

Depending on the cloud network management solution, you will need to configure the DC network accordingly. See Configuring the Service Network for Cloud Tenant Network

Environment

Once your infrastructure fulfills the requirements, choose whether you will deploy a Monolithic Environment or a Distributed Environment.

You will need to install the Abiquo appliances corresponding to the environment, and optionally, the monitoring appliance.

These appliances require some configuration parameters before deployment. Some of them are common, while others are specific to the appliance functions inside the platform.

These details are required during the bootstrap process, and you must have them in place before the deployment:

It is a good idea to document the required information for each component in the corresponding worksheet in the links below. We provide an empty worksheet and an example for you to document all the Abiquo platform relevant configuration details:

• Monolithic environments install all the Abiquo components inside the same appliance, and they are good for probe of concept and testing purposes
  Monolithic environments only require a monolithic appliance, and optionally, a monitoring appliance.
  Monolithic environment

• Distributed environments separate Abiquo components depending on they characteristics for improved performance and reliability, and they are good for production environments
  Distributed environments require at least one Server, one Remote Services and one V2V appliance.
  Distributed environment

• Distributed HA cluster environments use clusters of the Abiquo components and services to offer high performance and reliability.
  

The Abiquo monitoring appliance is completely optional. To deploy the Monitoring appliance, you need the following requirements:

 The remote services appliance must be reachable from the monitoring appliance at the ports below:

Deployment

We recommend that you deploy the Abiquo platform from OVAs, see:

• OVA deployment

Post-installation steps

1. Change the Abiquo default passwords as soon as possible (Base OS and UI passwords)

2. Extend the appropriate filesystems according to the VM templates sizes that the environment will manage

3. Review the appliances /opt/abiquo/config/abiquo.properties file. You may need to tune it depending on your environment configuration.

4. If the Server appliance is not connected to the internet, configure the UI accordingly.

5. Monitor the appliance to prevent outages: See Monitor platform servers

6. Work through the section on Configuration

Further steps

Now open your web browser and type in the site address for the Abiquo server:

https://FQDN

The default cloud administrator login username and password are admin and xabiquo, respectively. Remember to change these credentials as soon as you log in for the first time.

This link describes how to get an Abiquo license and add it to the platform: Configure licenses

For an overview of the Abiquo platform, try the Abiquo quick tutorial.

The following components are optional and you do not need them in a trial environment. Check the related links for further details on each component: