OpenStack Compute (nova)

Add the ability to create empty VM and then boot it via PXE.

Registered by Vladimir Kozhukalov

Use case:

We want to test OS installer like anaconda or debian-installer or any other installer which is able to install OS via network. In order to test it we need to create two-node environment. On the first node we will install tftp and http servers. Then we call neutron API to set all necessary DHCP options. Then we will start the second node which is empty. This second node will try to boot via PXE. It will send DHCP request and DHCP server (neutron managed) will offer IP address and next-server option which will point on the first node.

Concerns:
 At the moment we can not use openstack for such a case.

Implementation:
We are going to modify libvirt driver to make it able to create VM with empty disk image and make this VM able to boot via PXE.

Blueprint information

Status:
Started
Approver:
None
Priority:
Undefined
Drafter:
Vladimir Kozhukalov
Direction:
Needs approval
Assignee:
Aniruddha Singh Gautam
Definition:
Review
Series goal:
None
Implementation:
Started
Milestone target:
None
Started by
Vladimir Kozhukalov

Related branches

Sprints

Whiteboard

I think the blueprint needs a bit more design detail. How is this exposed to the user? How do you request an instance be created this way? You may want to start a thread on openstack-dev about the feature. If you do, please leave a link to it in this blueprint whiteboard. --russellb

Deferred to icehouse-3 as the blueprint was not approved by the icehouse-2 blueprint approval deadline. --russellb

I have been looking at enabling PXE boot, and ultimately discless VMs, as well. I had put together some brief notes are on this Wiki page:

https://wiki.openstack.org/wiki/Nova/Blueprints/pxe-boot-instance

I hadn't looked much at the boot server side of things though. My assumption/expectation was that the PXE server would be managed by the user using their preferred tools (either on another instance or a physical machine) and the important bit was ensuring nova/neutron know where that PXE server is.

I think this warrants discussion on the mailing list if it hasn't already occurred and perhaps expanding the specification (either using the wiki linked above or a new one)?
--sgordon

deferred from icehouse-3 to "next": http://lists.openstack.org/pipermail/openstack-dev/2014-February/026335.html

Removed from next, as next is now reserved for near misses from the last milestone --johnthetubaguy

(?)

Work Items