Nikhef Openstack/Opencontrail update

Nikhef network recap

We began to rethink our network setup after the last upgrade in 2012; a trend towards virtualisation was looming and we needed to be ready.

Decided to go with Juniper's QFX10000 platform. We now have a QFX10008 as the backbone of our grid network.

Virtualisation plans

• Plans to set up a local ‘cloud’ starting 2016.
• Would be based on Openstack + Juniper Contrail.
• Initially for local use:
  • extend the local compute cluster based on demand
  • absorb (part of) the grid compute resources
  • very little for cloud services within the lab (careful until we get a feel for the support burden).

Extend nationally

Working together with SURF (SURFnet, SURFsara) and University of Groningen to build a national cloud infrastructure.

• High throughput, so fast networks.
• Using MPLS to extend tenant networks across sites.

Initial challenges

• Opencontrail proved to be difficult to get running.
• Personally, steep learning curve in combination with Openstack. I bit of more than I could chew.
• Fast pace in development means spending a lot of time just staying up-to-date. (Opencontrail → Tungsten Fabric).

Current state of affairs

The plan is still on but we are eyeing alternatives to Tungsten; https://docs.openstack.org/networking-bagpipe/latest/

Currently evaluating a setup based on

http://github.com/Juniper/contrail-ansible-deployer http://github.com/Juniper/contrail-kolla-ansible

Containers

Everything in docker containers. At the moment we are running

• opencontrailnightly:latest
• kolla/centos-binary-*:ocata

Future work

• Serious evaluation of Tungsten network throughput.
• Deploy and evaluate Openstack Kolla beyond experimental setup.