JSC offers a Cloud computing platform for users with a demand for scientific use cases. The cloud platform at JSC is based on OpenStack and comprises a number of services like compute, network, volumes, etc. It also extends its services to fulfill more complex use cases, such as services based on data residing in the HPC file systems and services requiring GPUs (available only in the JUSUF cloud). The aim of this course is to give users of the HDFCloud or JUSUF Cloud an introduction to different core OpenStack services, such that they can interact with these services and perform operations according to their needs.

The course will start with an introduction to cloud computing and OpenStack in general and then prepare a tutorial environment which is later to be used to run the OpenStack commands. We then go on to explain core OpenStack services with hands-on exercises. By the end, participants will be able to create their own resources like network subnets, images, and block storage. Eventually, these resources can be used to create and run their Virtual Machines (VMs), where they can host their own services/applications.

Topics covered include:

• Authentication, basic setup, environment
• Nova
  • VM service
  • VM exercise
• Glance
  • VM images
• Neutron
  • Networking
  • Networking exercise
• Cinder
  • Storage, Cinder
  • Storage exercise
• Discussion

Advanced topics covered in the afternoon:

• Kubernetes
• Heat
• Load balancers