SoftLayer(SL) IBM cloud

• 201804 Test the new "IBM Cloud", if you add your card they give you $200 Cridit
  • Fail - "Note: Credits are not applicable to Public Virtual Server (Hourly) and other infrastructure services."
  • Fail - Live chat, in IBM Cloud console - "IBM Cloud will be back tomorrow."

  • Fail - Contact support -> https://watson.service-now.com -> "Your accounts are inactive and must be activated to open a case in this portal. If you received this message in error and have an active account, submit a case here."

  • Fail - The web interface is slow.

• 201611 - Setting up SoftLayer VSI's(VM's)

  • Ubuntu support seem to be lacking
    • Struggling to create golden images. SL seem to have a preconfig/postconfig scripts that change the IP and hostname that does not work with Ubuntu 16.04-LTS.

• 201611 SoftLayer does not support custom images, or disk encryption on VSI/VM infrastructure in a automated way.

  • Hack around it.
    • Small VSI/VM comes with 25Gig disk split into /boot and /(root)
  • SL requirements for master/golden disk image for deployment. IBM runs scripts on image to fix IP etc.
    • /dev/xvda1 /boot
    • /dev/xvda2 / /etc /var (not encrypted)
    • /dev/svdb1 swap
  • Hack
    1. Commission a default VM (ubuntu 25Gig)
    2. Boot the VM from from ISO(ubuntu 16.04 or later)
       1. Re-partition disk
          • /dev/xvda1 /boot (leave 500meg)
          • /dev/xvda2 / (small 2Gig fake root, to keep IBM/SL happy)
          • /dev/xvda3 crypto for real root
          • /dev/svdb crypto swap
          1. After boot-up
             • Fix hostname to match SL original name. (if not done during installation)
             • Fix/Add SL expected password for root (get from SL portal)
             • Add default luks crypto key for auto boot e.g. "pass"
               • # cryptsetup luksDump /dev/xvda3
               • # cryptsetup luksAddKey --key-slot 1 /dev/xvda3
             • Update /etc/crypttab entry to use key file
               • add ,keyscript=/etc/luks-echo-default-pass to relevant entry e.g.
                 • xvda3_crypt UUID=12345678 none luks,discard,keyscript=/etc/luks-echo-default-pass
               • Create new file /etc/luks-echo-default-pass that echo's the luks password e.g. pass
                 • echo "pass"
                 • make it executable
             • recreate initramfs, to ensure it creates the new crypttab entries.
               • update-initramfs -u

• 201611 SoftLayer does not support custom images, or disk encryption on VSI/VM infrastructure in a automated way.

  • Hack around it.
    • Small VSI/VM comes with 25Gig disk split into /boot and /(root)
  • SL requirements for master/golden disk image for deployment. IBM runs scripts on image to fix IP etc.
    • /dev/xvda1 /boot
    • /dev/xvda2 / /etc /var (not encrypted)
    • /dev/svdb1 swap
  • Hack
    1. Commission a default VM (ubuntu 25Gig)
    2. Boot the VM from from ISO(ubuntu 16.04 or later)
       1. Re-partition disk
          • /dev/xvda1 /boot (leave 500meg)
          • /dev/svda2 / (small 2Gig fake root, to keep IBM/SL happy)
          • /dev/svda3 crypto for real root
          • /dev/svdb crypto swap
          1. After boot-up
             • Fix hostname to match SL original name. (if not done during installation)
             • Fix/Add SL expected password for root (get from SL portal)
             • Add default luks crypto key for auto boot e.g. "pass"
• Notes:

  • https://www.enricozini.org/blog/2015/debian/crypttab-reuse-passwords/

  • http://atterer.org/linux-remove-disable-luks-encryption-password-on-disk-partition-crypttab-initrd

...