Openstack Installation Steps

            
 

            

        

          

     
          

         

             
          
 





 

    
OpenStack Installation on Unix (Ubuntu/Linux)

    
Installing OpenStack for a beginner or development environment is most efficiently handled via DevStack. This tool automates the installation of core services like Keystone, Glance, and Nova onto a single node.


    


    
1. Prerequisites

    
Ensure your system meets the following minimum requirements for a stable 2026 deployment:

    
    
        
  • OS: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Recommended)
    • 
        
  • RAM: 8GB Minimum (16GB recommended)
    • 
        
  • CPU: 2 Cores (4+ recommended)
    • 
        
  • User: A non-root user with sudo privileges
    • 
    


    


    
2. Installation Steps (DevStack Method)


    
Step 1: Update the System

    
Ensure your package list and system software are current to avoid dependency conflicts.

    
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo reboot


    
Step 2: Create a Dedicated Stack User

    
DevStack must be run as a non-root user. This script grants the "stack" user passwordless sudo access.

    
# Create user
sudo useradd -s /bin/bash -d /opt/stack -m stack

# Grant sudo privileges
echo "stack ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: ALL" | sudo tee /etc/sudoers.d/stack

# Switch to the new user
sudo -u stack -i


    
Step 3: Clone the DevStack Repository

    
Download the latest version of the DevStack automation scripts.

    
git clone https://opendev.org/openstack/devstack
cd devstack


    
Step 4: Configure local.conf

    
This file defines your service passwords and networking. Replace the password placeholders with secure strings.

    
cat <<EOF > local.conf
[[local|localrc]]
# Passwords for all services
ADMIN_PASSWORD=secret
DATABASE_PASSWORD=\$ADMIN_PASSWORD
RABBIT_PASSWORD=\$ADMIN_PASSWORD
SERVICE_PASSWORD=\$ADMIN_PASSWORD

# Replace with your actual server IP
HOST_IP=$(hostname -I | cut -d' ' -f1)
EOF


    
Step 5: Run the Installation

    
This triggers the installation of Keystone, Glance, Nova, Neutron, and Horizon.

    
./stack.sh

    
Note: This process typically takes 15–30 minutes depending on your hardware.


    


    
3. Post-Installation & Verification

    
Once finished, the terminal will display the Horizon Dashboard URL (e.g., http://[Your-IP]/dashboard).


    

        
            

                Component
                Function
                Command-Line Tool
            

        
        
            

                Keystone
                Authentication & Authorization
                openstack token issue
            

            

                Glance
                VM Image Management
                openstack image list
            

            

                Nova
                Compute/Instance Management
                openstack server list
            

            

                Neutron
                Virtual Networking
                openstack network list
            

            

                Horizon
                Web Interface (GUI)
                N/A (Browser Access)
            

        
    


    
To use the CLI, you must "source" your credentials first:

    
source openrc admin admin
openstack service list