How to provision machines

[billwear]

Errors or typos? Topics missing? Hard to read? Let us know.

Configure controllers

There are two types of MAAS controllers:

• Rack controller: Manages VLANs and connects to one MAAS instance at a time.
• Region controller: Manages UI/API, rack controllers, and MAAS PostgreSQL database.

You can do the following basic configuration:

• Add rack controller (snap):

  sudo snap install maas
  sudo maas init rack --maas-url $MAAS_URL --secret $SECRET
  

• List rack controllers:

  maas $PROFILE rack-controllers read | grep hostname | cut -d '"' -f 4
  

• Move rack controller: Delete and re-register on another MAAS instance.

  maas $PROFILE rack-controller delete $SYSTEM_ID
  

Configure machines

• Add machine (UI): Machines > Add hardware > Machine > fill in the form > Save.
• Add machine (CLI):

  maas $PROFILE machines create architecture=$ARCH mac_addresses=$MAC_ADDRESS \
  power_type=$POWER_TYPE power_parameters_power_id=$POWER_ID \
  power_parameters_power_address=$POWER_ADDRESS power_parameters_power_pass=$POWER_PASSWORD
  

• List machines (CLI):

  maas $PROFILE machines read | jq -r '(["HOSTNAME","SYSID","POWER", ...])'
  

• View machine details (CLI): View machine status/configuration using:

  maas $PROFILE machine read $SYSTEM_ID | jq '.'
  

Commission machines

• Commission (UI): Machines > machine > Actions > Commission > Commission machine.
• Commission (CLI):

  maas $PROFILE machine commission $SYSTEM_ID
  

• Upload commissioning scripts (UI): Settings > User scripts > Upload.

Allocate machines

• Allocate machine (UI): Machines > machine > Take action > Allocate.
• Allocate machine (CLI):

  maas $PROFILE machines allocate
  

• Allocate specific machine (CLI):

  maas $PROFILE machines allocate system_id=$SYSTEM_ID
  

Deploy machines

• Deploy machine (UI): Machines > machine > Take action > Deploy.
• Deploy machine (CLI):

  maas $PROFILE machine deploy $SYSTEM_ID
  

• Deploy as KVM host:

  maas $PROFILE machine deploy $SYSTEM_ID install_kvm=True
  

Set deployment timeout

• Set deployment timeout (CLI):

  maas $PROFILE maas set-config name=node-timeout value=$NUMBER_OF_MINUTES
  

Add running machines

• Via CLI:

  maas $PROFILE machines create deployed=true hostname=mymachine \
  architecture=amd64 mac_addresses=00:16:3e:df:35:bb power_type=manual
  

• Via the machine itself:

  wget http://$MAAS_IP:5240/MAAS/maas-run-scripts
  chmod 755 maas-run-scripts
  ./maas-run-scripts register-machine --hostname mymachine \
  > http://$MAAS_IP:5240/MAAS $MAAS_API_TOKEN