http://blog.xen.org/index.php/2011/10/07/xen-openstack-design-summit/

1. Integrating Xen and OpenStack
with Project Kronos
OpenStack Essex Design Summit
October 5, 2011
Todd Deshane
Xen.org

2. Xen and OpenStack Overview
● XCP and XenServer
○ XenAPI driver
○ Compute installed in a guest (DomU)
● Project Kronos
○ XenAPI driver
○ Compute node installed on management domain (Dom0)
● Xen hypervisor
○ libvirt driver possible
○ Note that XenAPI has a lot more features than libvirt
(See discussion: http://wiki.openstack.org/XenAPI)

3. Project Kronos
● Port Xen API (XAPI) to Linux distributions
○ Debian and Ubuntu first
○ Fedora next
● Phase 1 timeline
○ Ubuntu PPAs of XAPI packages for Ubuntu 11.10
○ Simultaneously, push packages to Debian unstable
● Phase 2 timeline
○ Ubuntu 12.04 LTS blueprint
○ Project Kronos developers @ UDS

4. Pros and Cons of Nova in Dom0
Cons
Pros
● Shares resources with
● Ease of management Dom0
● Package install ● Less isolation
● Shares auth/networking ○ Nova problem could
● Direct access to all VM affect Dom0 or other
operations VMs
● Simpler solution in
general
● Great for development
● Easy proof of concept
(install on existing distro)

5. Pros and Cons of Nova in a VM
Pros Cons
● Can be installed/updated ● Additional auth/network
as a brand new VM for every host
● Can be deployed in ● Another layer of
similar manner to VMs complexity
● Isolation ○ System administration
○ Decoupled ○ Indirect access for VM
dependencies operations
○ Dom0 and other VMs
not affected by Nova
● Restartable Nova VM
● Dedicated VM resources

6. Project Kronos vs. XCP/XenServer
● Project Kronos
○ Simpler for new users (deployers)
○ Start from distribution (Ubuntu, etc.)
○ Nova in Dom0 potential isolation issue
● XCP/XenServer
○ More effort to set up initially (especially for new users)
○ Start from pre-packaged distribution
○ Nova in VM model is still a great option

7. Project Kronos - Current Status
● Working Debian packages and repo
○ http://wiki.xen.org/xenwiki/XAPI_on_debian
● Work items and manpower breakdown
○ http://bit.ly/n5wQca
● Ubuntu Developer Summit planning in progress

8. Project Kronos and You
● Still under development, but functional
○ Any testing is welcome (report issues on xen-api mailing
list)
● Working OpenStack packages in Debian unstable would be
nice to have (could apt-get install everything)
● Packaging help is always appreciated
○ RHEL port in progress (Xen community member)
○ Ubuntu packages of our Debian ones
○ Interest in Fedora and other distributions?
● Any OpenStack/xapi conflicts?
○ xapi uses port 80 for management (stunnel for HTTPS)
○ Other potential issues or conflicts?
● More info: http://blog.xen.org/index.php/2011/07/22/project-
kronos/

9. http://etherpad.openstack.org/kronos