• Cloud
• SoftLayer

SoftLayer(SL) IBM cloud

• 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/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"

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