1. Update on revised HEPiX Contextualization
HEPiX VWG, 30/1/2012
Ulrich Schwickerath
Tomas Karasek

2. New HEPiX contextualization
Support both network and ISO image contextualization
Keep the current idea of running at startup and shutdown
Make use of available tools to decode network information
Start up
Basic OS
network
other services
time
Boot
starts
vmcontext_prolog
start
vmcontext_hepix
start
vmcontext_epilog
start
Shutdown
Network stop
time
vmcontext_epilog
stop
vmcontext_hepix
stop
vmcontext_prolog
stop

3. Areas of usage CERN virtualized batch and test images
Contextualization of Openstack instances at CERN
Coordinating with Predrag for CernVM (ongoing)

4. New scheme summary
Compatible with the old specification and supporting the EC2 mechanism, where
contextualization information is provided from IP on port 80 (http)
Pros:
Works with multiple cloud orchestrators (OpenStack, OpenNebula)
Using amiconfig allows to extend user contextualization by python scripts
amiconfig already utilized by CERNVM
Cons:
Fetching of contextualization data is not encrypted
Requires network to be up and running in order to access
the contextualization information

5. Usage (1) Install amiconfig and HEPiX-scripts on image (rpms)
User-contextualization data passed via EC2 API when launching an instance
Site-contextualization scripts in tarball available to instances via http
Contextualization applied on machine startup and shutdown

6. Usage (2)
Example of contextualization data (user contextualization) [amiconfig]
plugins=plugin1,plugin2
[hepix]
context=default.tgz
requiressl=no
<sections for various enabled plugins will follow>
Site contextualization scripts are provided by the site on
HEPiX plugin for amiconfig executed after all the user-enabled plugins
HEPiX plugin downloads the tarball and executes packaged scripts

7. Current status
ISO contextualization used for applications on lxcloud (OpenNebula) at CERN (specifically virtual batch)
amiconfig based part tested within OpenStack
Contacted Predrag for possible inclusion in CernVM
We plan to push our amiconfig patches back to upstream when certified

8. Resources
Main documentation resource: e/HEPiXContextualizationRevised
SVN tree for patched amiconfig: /trunk/virtualization/amiconfig
SVN tree for HEPiX contextualization scripts: /trunk/virtualization/hepix
CernVM: